1 corinthians 13:4-7
"love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

matthew 18:21-22
"then peter came to jesus and asked, "lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? up to seven times?" jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

proverbs 4:23
"above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

what does it mean to guard your heart? does it really mean what we take it to mean? are we supposed to love freely, as we have been freely loved, even though it gets blurry sometimes? what if this love hurts you? how do you love again without fear? how do you keep loving without bitterness? how do I become a woman of love and grace when I keep slipping into a pattern of fear and bitterness?