What does it mean to love? Who should you choose to love? How do you handle a loss? These questions will arise sometime in life and we all have to address them accordingly and today Pastor Robin M. Stevens from the Sr. Servant Kingdom of Priests Community Church came to spread her knowledge and expertise on the answers. One of the most important things that she told her class was to love yourself FIRST. You cannot experience love without loving yourself first. You cannot give something to someone, such as love, if you do not have it inside of you first. To love yourself you must do some soul searching and see what makes you unique. These are the steps to loving yourself. First, you have to love your uniqueness and accept your flaws AND your strengths, while eliminating any form of self criticism. Second, you must be kind to yourself and think positive. Pastor Stevens said, "When you start to think kindly and positively about yourself, the love you have for yourself just grows". That love will grow so much that you will want to share it and spread it to others. Third, Acknowledge your effort. We all need to a least try to do better at things, even if we fail it is all about trying. Forgive your self for your flaws. We all are not perfect, but we need to acknowledge our flaws in order to grow. Be truthful to yourself. Never try to be someone you are not because you will miss out on inner peace. 
Pastor Stevens also talked about how to choose those you want to bring into your life. Proverbs 12:26 reads, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray." This brings up the questions, What is a friend? How can you choose true friends?. Pastor Stevens urges us to be picky about our friends because you do not want to bring someone that may harm you into your life. Choose a person that has similar interests. Choose some who gives and takes as equally as you give and take. Balance is the key to any relationship. Choose friends that make you feel your best. Surround yourself with positive people who genuinely want you to continue to do better and happier in your life. HOW TO DEAL WITH LOSS
Everyone's time on earth is limited and death is inevitable. We will eventually lose someone that we love. Pastor Stevens says that grief is important and a healthy human response to situation that causes a loss, including death or separation. The Grieving process is important and it may take years to complete it. Each person must go though the grieving process on his or her own timetable and way. Vulnerability, tears, pain, guilt/regret, and anger/ frustration are natural reactions.
Lastly, Pastor Stevens says be open to change. Accepting change can make a magnitude of situations better to cope with. Accept that nothing stays the same. Change can make you feel insecure when your personal foundation or the reality that you have gotten used to is no longer the comfortable way it was before. Remember that life does go on and you will create a new foundation that you will eventually get comfortable with. Pastor Stevens ended her class with this, "When you love with an open heart and you share yourself with the world, you respect another's right to live free and unbounded to you by possessive love or need. You are you, and they are who they are, and the connection between you is built on respect and love for each other's right to be."
KNOW LOVE, ACCEPT LOVE, SHARE LOVE.
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