Our dependable source of accurate information, AI, has informed me that the average person hears between 20,000 to 30,000 words each day. And, that the average person says around 15,000 to 16,000 words each day. I’m not sure how many I have heard or stated today. Or any other day. Though I keep up with word counts for writing assignments and limit the length of my talks depending on the situation, I rarely say or write only three words. 

But today, though I am writing more than three words, I do have three words for you to think about.

Chapter Four in my book Things We’ve Handed Down: Twelve Letters I Leave for You is titled “Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness.” Like all the chapters in that book, this chapter title is from a book by Jerry Cook which had a positive influence in my life. I reflected on that book, reread it, and wrote about it from a little different perspective. 

And now it is your turn.

I would love for you to read the chapter in Things We’ve Handed Down. But, whether you read it or not, and whether or not you read the book this chapter is about, take a little time to process these three words:

• Love
• Acceptance
• Forgiveness

What do those words mean to you? What beliefs, experiences, and thoughts come to you as you focus on those three words? 

Do you believe you are loved by God? 

Do you believe you are accepted by God? 

Do you believe you are forgiven by God? 

If you struggled to receive God’s love, acceptance, and forgiveness, why? What is in the way? How should you respond? What is Jesus saying to you today? 

Think about the three words. Write your own answers to those questions. 

Though you have heard and read and stated many more words today, take some time and dwell on those three. Just those three. Let them help direct your larger story of many more words.