My husband and I just got back from a mission’s trip with our youth group to Panama City and immediately after we returned I spent my hours in the studio, with the first song being “What Love Is“.

It says in 1 John 3:16-18: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

This portion of Scripture was my inspiration for this song; this is how we know what love is.

So if we know the definition and the definer of love, why do we still question what love is? How are we still confused? The answer is simple: God IS Love. But if you allow someone other than God to define love for you or you try to yourself, than the definition and meaning of what love is will always change as it does with culture.

It says in 1 Corinthians: “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” I noticed through this mission’s trip that many Christians struggle to show what love is. Sometimes we tend to focus on the judgment and condemnation before we speak love. We want people to see the just of God, but we fail to let them experience and know the love of God. And that in many instances especially in ministry, intentionally reaching out and being interested in someone else’s life and creating a relationship with them is enough to prove God’s love to them. 

As I continue my hours in the studio and working on this EP, I can only pray that people can feel and experience His love through this song and the rest of my music, as well as mold and purify my own heart to love those that are hard for me to show love to.

There are some of you that may not know God and refuse to believe. There are some of you that may be angry and bitter with God because of something that has taken place in your life. There are some of you that know God but feel distant or are struggling to feel His love. I am here to tell you that you are loved! God loves you to the utmost and unconditionally. A love that no one else could possibly show or express to you. He adores you and is jealous for you. Let Him in your life and His love can and will radically change you. Because we know what love is and it is a “love with no words”.

Yours Truly,

Tara Branstetter

(Blink Twice EP Coming Soon!)