Hi , 

Have you ever gone from lovey dovey with your spouse to wanting to throw something at them in a matter of minutes?

Or maybe it's that friend who said that thing and suddenly you're seeing them as someone you need to protect yourself from?

Yeah. Me too (expect I never want to throw things - I feel tempted to become spiteful).

Here's what I realized: We assign the "enemy" label to our loved ones way more than we think. And it happens fast.

Someone can be your beloved in minute one and by minute five, you see them as your enemy.

The crazy part? Jesus knew this would happen. That's why He didn't just say "love your neighbor." He said "love your enemies."

Because sometimes? They're the same person.

Sometimes if we are asked, "who is our enemy?", our response will be "our loved ones" (that's if we are honest, at least)!

I wrote about this after asking the Lord a simple question: "Who is my enemy?" His answer using scenarios from my daily life surprised me.

If you've ever wondered how to navigate those moments when the people you love feel like people you need to defend yourself from, this one's for you.

[Read: How to Love Your Enemies When Your Loved Ones Feel Like Foes]

This isn't about sacrificing yourself to love others. It's about having the emotional and relational tools to love others without losing yourself - to self-sacrifice or a hardened heart.

With pink flamingo love,

Chanel

P.S: If this resonates, the Pink Flamingo Club is where we practice this stuff and get equipped to handle this stuff in real time. Because "wanting to be different in the moment" and "knowing what to do and how to do it" are two very different things.

MORE: 📚[GET THE BOOK] | 💬[SIGN-UP FOR PINK FLAMINGO DARES]

10% of our revenue directly support Caribbean emotional wellness through therapy services and child education programs.