How do I love where I live?

Love must be sincere.

 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:9

So I continue to have a hard time with this move to Florida. 

I am not sure what is wrong with me, but I just do not like it here. I did not like growing up in this area and my feelings have not changed one bit now that I have returned 15 years later. 

But my husband loves it here. My family loves it here. And so many people I talk to just love it here. 

And I get it. It is beautiful, relaxing, and great for families. 

This is how Josiah feels about Florida, now why can't I feel the same

So what is wrong with me? Am I really just born with this predisposed opposition to South Florida?

I've been thinking about when we moved from downtown Seattle to Federal Way, Washington. Seattle is hip and cool, fun and exciting, and full of action and beauty. Federal Way has a bad reputation, high crime, and is sprawling and suburban. But I loved it. I thought it was beautiful and I rarely left to go back downtown. I could have seen myself living there forever. 

But why did I love Federal Way so much? 

As I reflect back, I can see that I chose to love it. I chose to get know the people who worked at our local shops. I chose to see the beauty and focus on the good instead of the bad. I chose to see the city through God's eyes and trust that he had a plan for me there. 

When I look at how the Bible defines love, it is always an action, not a warm fuzzy feeling. 

Jesus loved us by dying for our sins. Love takes work and sacrifice and selflessness.

I know this. It is so obvious, yet not always so easy. 

If I am going to love this city that God has brought me to, I have to choose to love it.  

So with the strength of Jesus and remembering all the ways he chose to love me, I am going to choose to love my city. 

I won't lie, my stomach churns a little when I say that..."my city". 

But God loves this city, and He loves the people here, and He has put me here. 

My littlest prayer: I am praying for my heart to change towards the area God has put me in. To cling to what is good. And to love the people here, the way Jesus has loves me, with sacrifice and selflessness.  

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.

1 John 3:16