One of the deepest desires of every human heart is to be acknowledged, accepted, and loved. This longing is so powerful that it's often called the core of our emotional existence. But as beautiful as this desire is, it must never be over-expressed to the point where we compromise on our godly values or moral convictions just to feel loved. Sadly, many people remain in abusive relationships because they have never truly experienced what love is supposed to feel like. When the first person to show them attention also happens to be an abuser, they confuse the control and manipulation for affection. They stay not because they are weak—but because they are starving for love and don’t realize abuse isn’t it. This is why knowing God’s love is foundational. His love defines us, fills us, and protects us from settling for the counterfeit. Until we understand what true love looks like, we may keep calling pain "passion" and bondage "connection." You are worthy of real love, pure, safe, honoring, and free. Don’t trade your dignity for a distorted version of love. Bidemi Emmanuel