Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born in 1806, the first of 12 children.  She started writing poetry at age 11.  At age 15 she acquired a serious illness that gave her sharp head and spinal pain for the rest of her life.  She also developed tuberculosis which caused her to take debilitating pain medication for the rest of her life.

Her poetry was greatly admired, especially by the poet Robert Browning.  They had a secret courtship, and when they married, her rich father disowned her.

In spite of all of her pain and disappointment, she was free to love.  Her greatest poem is to her husband,

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the levels of every day’s

Most quiet need by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passions put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with the love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints.  I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears of all my life, and if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Wow!  What a thing to write to your spouse!  Let’s pray that we’ll have that kind of love!  It’s possible through God’s grace.

Sunday I’m preaching on “Be Free to Love” from Galatians 5:13-26.  We’ll talk about “Be Free to Serve,” verses 13-15; and “Be Free through the Spirit,” verses 16-26.  This is one of the greatest passages in all literature!  Please come and learn to love with us.

Love,

Jim Meek