"Consider Yourself Loved"

Sometimes as Christians we forget to meet people where they are. We want to say the right things, quote the right Scripture, or tell the person we’ll be praying for them. While that might all feel good to us at the time it might not be helpful. In those moments I remind myself to be more like Jesus - he listened, he showed patience, he met people as they were, he walked with them at their pace, and he guided them with gentleness.

Consider Yourself Loved is a deeply personal song that was written for a friend. We'd go for walks and coffees and talk about anything and everything together. To encourage them I'd say, "Just keep going", and they would say, always with a grin, "It'll be good". We'd text a lot, and I'd sign off saying "Consider yourself hugged." It was a special line only for them.

They suddenly found themselves in a very difficult season of their life - they lost both parents to illness within one year of another, they lost their romantic relationship, they lost their home, they experienced shocking losses in friendships,... I didn't know what to say in their loss. I was just there for them as I could be and prayed for God’s wisdom in knowing how to love them.

One morning, while showering and getting ready to meet them, I thought "I know you're hurting more than you ever have". The rest of the lyrics came so quickly that I quickly finished showering, got dressed, went to my studio, grabbed my pencil and notepad, and returned to my bathroom. With my hair dryer in one hand, and pencil in the other, I wrote out the lyrics. To ease the flow of the lyric, "consider yourself hugged" became “consider yourself loved". Knowing it was a special moment, I asked my husband Peter to capture it in a photo.

I later wrote the music arrangement and sent the voice memo recording to my friend. Hoping it was what they needed, they confirmed it was.

They now have my latest album "Brave Girl” and they know that “Consider Yourself Loved” is theirs. It’s now also for anyone who needs to hear those words, sometimes including myself, "Consider yourself loved."

To purchase, go to my Music section

Consider Yourself Loved

Music and Lyrics by Rhonda Janzen

Copying 2016

I know you're hurting

More than you ever have

I know the pain seems endless

But I promise it won't last

I know it's blurry

You're feeling both lonely and free

I know that struggle

When you think you're all you need

Just keep going

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved

I know you're angry

And have had quite enough

I know you hope for understanding

Though it might never come

Just keep going

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved

I know there will be a day

When you can finally breathe

I know you'll find contentment

And you'll know peace

It'll be good

Oh so good

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved

Consider yourself loved