A few shots of a wonderful, much needed vacation

Trying to make it look vintage (they struggled not to smile) ;)


Normal :)

Overflowing Treasures....Or Trash?

I have this problem and perhaps you can sympathize with me. I'm a very organized person which is great. My complication? I have a hard time getting rid of things. In other words I keep just about everything that means something to me or I think can be useful sometime in the future. I think this can be good concerning some stuff but overall is this a good or bad thing??

Holly has called me a pack rat for awhile now. Looking around my room and seeing everything organized and in order, I always thought it wildly unreasonably that I would be so....until I did some deep cleaning. All I have to say is: oh brother!

I have hung on to almost everything that holds any sentimental value to me. They are the most difficult for me to let go, so therefore I usually don't. It drives me crazy but at the same time it would kill me to give it up or throw it away. I couldn't believe some of the things I discovered packed away in boxes and such, some stuff I've had and hadn't seen in ages. It's like this raging battle taking place inside of me. I don't need it but I just can't trash it!

I'm doing a little better and the last cleaning excursion of my room was profitable as I finally begun letting things go. But the bad things is that I have discovered this struggle recently appearing in other things, such as my text message inbox and my e-mail. They constantly remain full because there's too many messages/e-mails I wouldn't consider deleting. AHHHHHH!

This really is a struggle. The problem is that I don't see any solution but letting go of some things. I feel like just throwing up my hands over this. Am I a hopeless case?

Flowers Are a Beautiful Touch

What do you do with your wilting flowers? 

Throw them out the window? Toss them in the trash? Well, instead of getting rid of them I'd encourage you to preserve them.

Drying flowers is a very easy way to conserve old blossoms and to decorate your home frugally. Mom let me have the remainders of her Mother Day's roses and I tried this for the first time and it worked out very nicely. 

There's three different methods for drying plants but I prefer the air-drying one the best. Even though this one takes the most time it's the easiest and doesn't cost you a thing. 

What you do is first strip you flowers of their leaves (if you prefer). Gather the stems together and tie them with a string or secure them with a rubber band. Then hang the bundle upside down in a well-ventilated area. A closet or garage is the best place for this. 

Let them dry for about a month then spray them with hair-spray to set and you're done!

I put them in a large jar because I love the country decoration/old fashion style they bring.    

Even though they're not the bright red roses they once were, they are still lovely and look great on my dresser.

My Aunt loves drying flowers. She has an assortment of plants in her back-yard and enjoys using them to decorate various rooms in her home.

This is on her dining room table. Isn't it lovely?

This one is my favorite! It's absolutely gorgeous with all the different varieties of flowers and colors.

So, next time before you throw out your flowers, won't you think about drying them instead?  Experiment on different kinds and see how it works. Drying is a wonderful thing you can do for unwanted plants. It recycles, it's easy to do, it's frugal, and it adds a beautiful touch to your home.  Give it a try  :)

Something I hope I Don't Forget

For some reason, April was a very dry writing period for me. Last month my blog was empty and my journal bare. When I occasionally had a subject I would sit with pen in hand and my mind would go blank. No inspiration whatsoever. Don't you hate intense periods of writer's block?? I'm not sure if it was that or if I was just too busy to think but it's funny because now I'm going through some kind of writing phase. My mind has been racing with thoughts, my pen running at furious speeds, and my journal filled with pages of cursive writing almost daily. Writer's block is way behind me. It's a great feeling since I love to write and hopefully this month my blog will have way more entires.

Before I conclude this post I must share a story with you.

Back in January, my Dad and I were driving out of our driveway when I noticed something brown escape into a ditch inside a tunnel. We stopped and I went out to check it out to find a timid puppy's face looking back at me. Finally after a long attempt of graceful puppy calls, the nervous thing finally came out. Amber and Autumn were on the scene now and he took to them quickly. I guess we just adopted him from there because he never left.

After a few months of keeping this pooch lets just say I discovered he wasn't my favorite dog. When a dog always tries to jump on you every time you exit the house, you're bound to be annoyed. Especially when he does manage to get mud on your Sunday clothes. With an occasional drooling face and bounds of hyper energy, you just never know when he'll attack by throwing up his paws or either licking you on the leg. Perhaps by now if you called "get!" he'd come running and think it was his name. This is one dog that will drive you crazy.

Well, last night I was driving home from a Bible study and my headlights revealed a dead dog close to our driveway. Brown and short, it was our adopted pet. It must have been chasing a car and finally met it's doom. It lie there lifeless, all alone, gone forever. I almost cried. Yes, he was annoying but deep down I'm sure he was just looking for love and I never gave it to him. I felt pretty bad and decided I'd better give special attention to the dogs that were left. Walking up the driveway I called for our beloved dog Sugar when out of no where the crazy, brown mutt appeared. What? I thought you were dead! I was pretty surprised to say the least. He furiously wagged his tail and looked at me with his big eyes and obnoxious grin. I honestly wasn't sure what to think but I decided to do something I never did.........I petted him. The first time he tried to lick my hand but after taking interest in a nearby crawling bug, he let me pat his head. He was soft and he didn't seem to notice. I slipped inside the house and pondered what had just happened.

All I could conclude was the simple fact that we don't appreciate things until we don't have them. Isn't this true in all of life? We take so much for granted and when they're gone from our reach is when we finally realize how much we actually needed, appreciated, loved it. The simple solution is gratitude.....gratitude for all we have. It makes me want to examine my life for everyday things I don't thank God for giving to me.

I don't know what my relationship will be with the pup from here on out. I'm sure he'll continue to attack and I will continue being irritated, but you know, I was reminded something valuable yesterday which I hope I don't forget. It's a life long lesson we all should keep close to heart. And because of that every now and then I'm gonna try to pet that crazy brown mutt...That is if he doesn't jump on me first :)

Latest Project: Quilting

Marriage Perspectives

As young ladies, what should be our perspective on marriage? Should I desire it? Should I prepare for it? Should I be waiting for a husband or put thoughts of marriage aside until later down the road?

It's not a surprising fact that a majority of women are getting married at older ages than ever before. Many women are postponing marriage as long as possible for career pursuits and opportunities to climb the corporate ladder. With the addition of casual hookups there's not a need for matrimony neither a desire for a husband or children. Marriage is just not esteemed or desired as it once was.

Of course God values marriage. He created the institution from the beginning with Adam and Eve. God said that it was not good for man to be alone and because of this the man should leave his father and mother to be one with his wife. Together the husband and wife are a powerful pact to serve God side by side to fulfill His work; They need each other and together can glorify God in wonderful ways.

Understanding this, how should I view and act toward the thought of marriage? As with everything, there's always two extremes. In this case, the feministic frame of mind would be the one side of the pendulum. Me tied down to a husband and children? You say, You've got to be kidding! My career comes first before I settled down. Besides, I'll be married the rest of my life, why not make something of myself? This is an unbiblical perspective and is frequently squabbled because we don't understand God's high calling of being a wife and mother.

You may not be a militant feminist, but the same frame of mind can occur in other ways. I believe it's possible to get so wrapped up in serving the Lord that one can conclude that a husband will only be a distraction in giving to their fullest. While God does call some to live a life of singleness, the majority will be married someday and in their case this position is wrong. It is true that unmarried ladies have a wonderful opportunity to serve God with all their being. 1 Corinthians 7:34 tells us this. We do not have our own family and therefore have much more time and energy to reach out to others. But we must realize that singleness may not last forever and a husband can be a great blessing in serving God. Marriage is a ministry and children can be raised to be warriors for the cause of Christ. We must understand that we do not determine whether we marry. God does.

The second extreme is putting marriage as our highest priority. It's marriage on the mind....all the time. Daydreaming, planning the wedding, fantasying married life, wondering about potential husbands...oh yeah, and great discontentment. Life will be so much happier when I am finally a wife you speculate. Of course this second state of mind is just unhealthy as the first. Marriage is lovely but it's not our chief goal. Glorifying God is.

So what's the answer to this raging pendulum? The solution is balance. We don't want to postpone marriage nor make it our idol. The key is submitting to God's plan and waiting on His timing. If God wants you to serve Him until your 30 before you join your life to a man---then so be it. If He wants you to wed at 20 to start a family early---then so be it. It is not our place to make that decision.

In the meantime our responsibility is to not to impatiently wait or put marriage off as long as we can. We should prepare for marriage without idolizing it; We should be content with our singleness without concluding marriage a hindrance. While waiting on what God has for us, we should be serving Him with our whole hearts. If God sends a young man across our paths one day or if He chooses a life of singleness we will continue serving Him without fail. You see, whether we marry our not, our highest purpose is to serve our Creator. We must keep our focus on Christ while preparing to be a godly woman. That's how we keep balance and put marriage in its proper place. God should be glorified regardless the outcome because He is God and His ways are always best.

Busy but Buoyant

Reading and writing---these are two of my favorite things to do, yet I haven't had hardly any time to do either...until tonight :)

I am here in Savannah for my "nanny" job. This is my third trip down here to work for a family which I will continue working for every other week until May. I love it and I am so grateful for it. When Mrs. Lisa arrived home from work this afternoon I finally was granted the lavish opportunity to sit down and enjoy a good book. I went outside on the patio and enjoyed myself--a book in one hand and an apple in the other :) I am reading What He Must Be...If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, by Voddie Baucham and it is really insightful. The Biblical qualifications for a Christian to marry are "musts" but ones ladies seem to easily look over. I am grateful for works as these. I want to read A Man Worth Waiting For and A Lady In Waiting by Jackie Kendall next...

Life has been particularly hectic for me lately but I don't really mind. I like to be busy as long as I am not overwhelmed, which I haven't been a great deal.

I started a discipleship for girls titled Bright Lights (www.brightlights.info) three weeks ago. We meet at our home every other Friday and have had two meetings thus far. God placed this on my heart to start a group when I was fourteen and I have finally begun. I love it. I have 8 girls including my sister who come and I love each and every one of them. I pray this has been and will be a blessing to their life as much as it has been mine. I am so excited to see what God is going to do! I tell you, there's no greater joy than obeying and serving the Lord. There's a lot more to say and perhaps I will get the chance to do so at another time...

Guess what else has occurred? I don't know if you remember my desire to start quilting lessons, but a sweet friend from our church has graciously offered to teach my sister and I! She came to our house about two weeks ago and gave us an introduction to quilting and showed us the many patterns we could do. I'm so excited! We're going to pick out our fabrics this Saturday. This is an answer to prayer as I have desired to do this for so long. God answers prayer!!

Monday's Bible study is going well, even though I miss every other lesson because of my job. Bible Study Fellowship has been a tremendous help to my life! I don't have time to tell you about it but I'd highly encourage you to see if there's one in your area. BFS is an international Bible study and it's free too! Check out their site: (http://www.bsfinternational.org) and click "Find a class." I LOVE it so much and if there's one near you I'd greatly encourage you to be apart of it. It will really help you to grow in your relationship with the Lord and your knowledge of the Word. I am learning so much.

In between these things I've been scheduling to visit a college at least every other week. My mom, sister and I went to visit one on St. Patrick's Day but we weren't impressed so I crossed that one off my list. I know God will show me where He wants me to be. I shall keep praying :)

I must run. Thought I'd update while I have some time! One more thing---I am having a birthday this week. I am pretty excited that I will 19 years of age. Hard to believe but exciting none-the-less!

Thank you for reading and God bless you.

Wordless Wednesdays: Road Trip Pic

                       

I love sayings/quotes and thought I'd share some of my favorites which are all by anonymous authors. Some I think are profound, some simply make you think, and others are just amusing, but never-the-less I like them all. Enjoy  :)

To be content with little is difficult, to be content with much, impossible.

Humility is that grace, that, when you know you have it you have lost it.

Sympathy is never wasted except when you give it to yourself.

Fear God and all other fears will disappear.

Do you see difficulites in every opportunity or opportuinies in every difficulty?

Worry is interest paid on trouble before it's due.

Salvation is free but there's a price in following Jesus.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to lose it.

Tis better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt

Wise men talk because they have somehting to say; fools because they have to say something

I used to think I was indecisive but now I'm not so sure.

Kisses are like diamonds--the more of them there are in circulation the less valuable they are.

Today is the tomorrow that worried you yesterday and all is well

Home is where each lives for the other and all live for God.

Faults are thick when love is thin.

Friendship is to be purchased only by friendship.

I married her because we have so many faults in common.

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

The best way for a husband to clinch an argument is to take his wife in his arms.

Friends are made by many acts--and lost by only one.

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.

Success in marriage is much more than finding the right person; it is a matter of being the right person.

Bitterness is a prolonged manner of suicide.

Some women work so hard to make good husbands that they never quite manage to make good wives.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

If we fill our hours with regrets over the failures of yesterday, and with worries over the problems of tomorrow, we have no today in which to be thankful.

Be thankful and just think how happy you'd be if you lost everything right now---and then got it back again.

You can't keep trouble from coming, but you needn't give it a chair to sit on.

Habit is a man's best friend or his worst enemy.

It's right to be contented with what you have but never with what you are.

I had no shoes and complained until I met a man who had no feet.

The greatest calamity is not to have failed; but to have failed to try.

Housework is something you do that nobody notices unless you don't do it.

The trouble with some people is that they won't admit their faults. I'd admit mine---if I had any.

Learn from the mistakes of others---you can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.

We've got to build a better man before we build a better society.

The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

A good example is the best sermon.

Good nature will always supply the absence of beauty; but beauty cannot supply the absence of good nature.

Be careful how you live; you may be the only Bible some people will ever read.

Do right and leave the results with God.

If you blame others for you failures, do you credit others with your successes?

The secret of prayer is secret prayer.

God never closes one door without opening another.

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees and he glees when he views the strongest Christian with the blues.

It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.

Who gossips to you will gossip of you

I have often regretted my speech, seldom my silence.

Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.

God without man is still God. Man without God is nothing.

Discussion is an exchange of knowledge: argument is an exchange of ignorance.

Past experience should be a guide post, not a hitching post.

I am not conceited, though I do have every reason to be.

Many might have attained wisdom had they not thought that they had already attained it.

The taller a bamboo grows, the lower it bends.

When you hear that someone has gossiped of you, kindly reply that he did not know the rest of your faults or he wouldn't have mentioned only those.

To err may be human but to admit it isn't.

The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.

The longer you keep your temper the more it will improve.

There is a slight difference between keeping you chin up and sticking your neck out, but it's worth knowing.

The test of good manners is being able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.

You can't control the length of your life--but you can control its width and depth. You can't control the contour of your face--but you can control its expression. You can't control the weather---but you can control the atmosphere of your mind. Why worry about things you can't control when you can keep yourself busy controlling the things that depend on you?

Are We Growing?

While reading a few biographies of fellow sister and brothers in Christ, I have been amazed and challenged to learn of some of their spiritual disciplines. Because God meant so much to them they made an effort to go the extra mile for spiritual growth.

Watchman Nee, the evangelist to China, kept his commitment to read and study the New Testament once a week. Wow, no wonder God's Word really became a part of him. He also had a goal to witness to at least one person a day and in addition spent much time in fasting and often prayed up to four hours a day.

Fanny Crosby memorized several books of the Bible during her youth. Notice I said books, not chapters. That is simply amazing.

The spiritual disciplines of these and many others are incredible. Their deep love for God blossomed because of their consumption of the Scriptures and faithfulness in spiritual training. The result was evident in their strong and vibrant faith. No wonder Christians today who only open their Bibles twice a week are so shallow!

This is such a tragedy because too many Christians are settling for just "average." The disciplines of Christians before us should make us ashamed. Being saved is so much more than being rescued from hell; Christ should be our everything. Would we die for Him if we can't even live for Him? The more time we spend with God, the deeper we will love Him and be like Him. God's purpose for believers is to make us like His Son and this will only happen if we're reading His Word, being diligent in spiritual disciplines, and applying what we learn. All I have to say is that we need to wake up and get busy.

For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. ~Phil. 1:21

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. ~2 Cor. 3:18

Comfort From Truth

You Say: God Says: Bible Verses:

It's impossible All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
I'm too tired I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
Nobody really loves me I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34
I can't go on My grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
I can't figure things out I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I can't do it You can do all things with me (Phillippians 4:13)
I'm not able I am able (2 Corinthians 9:8)
It's not worth it It will be worth it (Romans 8:28)
I can't forgive myself I Forgive you (1 John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
I can't manage I will supply all your needs (Phillippians 4:19)
I'm afraid I have not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7)
I'm worried and frustrated Cast all your cares on ME (1 Peter 5:7)
I'm not smart enough I give you wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30)
I feel alone I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd give a short update while I have a some time tonight...

This past weekend was so much fun! Saturday Holly and I picked up three friends and went hiking on a 5 mile trail at the park. I absolutely love the outdoors, fresh air, exercise, and fellowship of it. My sister and I have been striving to take a hike once a week and plan to continue by buying a park pass soon. It's a great way to work out and just spend time with one another. I really enjoyed doing it Saturday with friends and can't wait to do it again.

Sunday evening I left to Alabama to stay with my grandparents, where I currently reside for the week. My grandmother broke her knee last Monday and is in a difficult situation. It's been a pleasure to be here with my grandparents and help them both and I've had a great time with them. I went grocery shopping with my Paw Paw yesterday and picked up a lot of frugal, money saving tips from him that I hope to incorporate one day in my grocery shopping ( ;-) ). I cooked dinner and other miscellaneous things and Mark and I watched one of Billy Graham's sermon from the 1950's. Boy can Mr. Graham preach!

Today I've cleaned, done some laundry and baked a homemade cheese cake. I've been trying to keep my grandma company as much as possible. I can't imagine not being able to walk for two months! She's doing ok so far but she's easily discouraged. She needs lots of prayer.

As for other things in my life go, I am starting a discipleship/Bible study for young girls next month and have been working, with the Lord's help, on writing the lesson. I am SO excited!! Ministering to younger girls has always been one of my passions and I am thankful to see what God is going to do. He is my strength in all of this and I know He will always help me in what He has called me to do.

I am also studying for a CLEP exam coming up and am getting ready to go back to Savannah soon to babysit again, among many other things. Things have been pretty hectic but wonderful!!! I am so happy, so grateful. I give God all the glory and praise for all His goodness.

I don't write many "updates" but thought I'd share what's been happening in my life. I have many colleges I plan to visit beginning next month. I'm still praying about college this fall and am looking forward where the Lord will lead.

Boredom: A Figment of Your Imagination

I walked into the kitchen and I spotted Jeremy staring out the window. He had his face in his hand with a somber expression on his little face.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I'm boring," he replied.

Of course I had to chuckle because I knew he didn't intend to say he was uninteresting or bland. Instead he simply meant he couldn't find anything to do and therefore felt the "supposed" notion of feeling bored.

I believe that boredom is simply a myth. In our hectic and fast-paced society, you don't hear about it too much. Whether we're a busy person or not, however, there always comes a period we find ourselves concluding that we have nothing to do. It's extremely rare that I discover myself in that box, but in the times I have, I've realized that my problem is not the absence of something to accomplish. Rather, it's because I don't want to perform it. In other words procrastination or laziness is the real obstacle I face.

We truly deceive ourselves when we grumble "I'm bored!" and fall on the couch in frustration. If we would really observe our surroundings and people around us we would realize that there's always something that needs to and could be completed.

But what if you find yourself in a situation where your to-do lists are checked, the house is dust-free, you're the only one at home and it seems like there's nothing else to be done? What now? Instead of flicking on the TV (which is the leading method used to ease "boredom's" poison) why don't you dive deeper into your Bible? You could never read too much! There's so many verses to be meditated on, memorized, and precious time you can spend talking with the Lord. There's no better way you could use your time compared to this! And it doesn't matter where you're at to speak with God. What a privilege that we can pray anywhere.

I think of Paul and Silas when innocently they were thrown into jail and how they used their time to sing praises to the Lord (Acts 16:25). If there's any excuse for boredom it would be in sitting in a prison cell! But their choice to sing is not only a marvelous testimony about rejoicing in difficult circumstances, but in addition a perfect example of using our time wisely. The Bible tells us that our life is but a vapor (James 4:14) and that we are to number our days and use them wisely (Psalm 90:12). Time is a precious thing and there's always something beneficial we can do to glorify God no matter where we are located. Paul and Silas did just that.

In all that we can accomplish, the most profitable way we can use our time will always be the things we do to glorify our Lord and Savior. Whether it's reciting Scripture, helping a neighbor, or singing a hymn, the things we can do for Him are countless. Because of this I truly believe that "being bored" doesn't exist.

So next time this deceitful frame of mind attempts to get the best of you, why don't you do something useful that will honor God instead? Let your action be more than just a reason to be "doing something." Be sure you are using your time wisely and that God is pleased (1 Cor. 10:31). The things in life that truly matter will always be those that give honor to our Creator.

Solution to Anxiety

The ultimate remedy for worry is prayer. Philippians 4:6 is very dear to me and has been proven true over and over again. Life has been so hectic and overwhelming as of late that sometimes my head has felt like it's spinning; yet God's promises never fail me. 

I joined a women's Bible study last month on the book of Philippians and I have been so blessed as we have studied and discussed God's promises together. Discussing Philippians 4 last night opened my eyes further to what a privilege 4:6-7 really is.

I am to worry about absolutely nothing. Whatever concerns my mind and heart I am to bring it before God with thanksgiving. It's not just a matter of prayer but a decision to have a grateful heart and to look at the bright side at the same time. This is not always easy to do--to find good when all is a mess or all seems hopeless--but it's really eye-opening when you do seek to find the good even in the difficult. It reminds me that God's goodness is evident even in the most complicated circumstances. 

So when we do this what is the result? "The peace of God which passeth all understand, shall keep you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (4:7)." There's nothing more sweet than receiving such peace that God is in control and will work everything out for good. Worry truly melts away when you bring your concerns to God. How this bring so much peace to my heart! 

Valentines Day Challenge

Today is the celebration of love, chocolate, and romance. If you're like me and don't have a "significant other," then Valentines most likely means nothing to you. It's very easy to see deliveries of love letters and stunning bouquets to another's open arms and in return be submerged in feelings of loneliness and self-pity. Well, before you pull out the tissue box this supposedly romantic holiday, I have a special challenge for all you "singles". Instead of loathing the absence of a special guy/gal in your life, I'd encourage you to especially lay aside today to focus on God's love, which is the greatest gift we could ever been granted.

I was talking with a dear friend this week and during our conversation she directed me to God and His great love for me. I caught myself thinking as she spoke; "yeah, God's love; He loves everyone. I know. I've heard it a million times before..." I quickly stopped myself realizing how lightly I was viewing it. I was so ashamed! It is because of His love that I am complete. He not only is the God of love (Jn. 4:16) but He loves me personally even when I don't deserve an ounce of it. God's love is the only love that is so deep and so sure!

Man says "I love you." But God says "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 Jn. 4:10 NIV)

...the love of the God who is spirit is no fitful, fluctuating thing, as the love of man is, nor is it mere impotent longing for things that may never be; it is, rather, a spontaneous determination of God's whole being in an attitude of benevolence and benefaction, an attitude freely chosen and firmly fixed. There are no inconstancies or vicissitudes in the love of the almighty God who is spirit. His love is 'strong as death...many waters cannot quench it' (Song, 8:6). Nothing can separate from it those whom it has once embraced (Rom. 8:35-39).

Man says: "I'll love you as long as I live." But God says: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." (Jer. 31:3)

Man says: "I will always love you as long as we're together." But God says: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?...For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature , shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Man says: "I'll love you as long as your lovable." God says: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us up together with Christ (by grace ye are saved.) (Eph. 2:4-5)

God's love is an exercise of His goodness toward sinners. As such, it has the nature of grace and mercy. It is an outgoing of God in kindness which not merely is undeserved, but is actually contrary to desert; for the objects of God's love are rational creatures who have broken God's law, whose nature is corrupt in God's sight, and who merit only condemnation and final banishment from His presence. It is staggering that God should love sinners; yet it is true. God loves creatures who have become unlovely and (one would have thought) unloveable. There was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it forth; nothing in man could attract or prompt it. Love among men is awakened by something in the beloved, but the love of God is free, spontaneous, unevoked, uncaused. God loves men because He has chosen to love them... -Knowing God by J.I. Packer p. 112

God's love is the only the deep, abiding, definite, unchanging, personal, pure, everlasting love we could ever have the privilege of being the recipients of. This is reason to rejoice and take great fulfillment. Though God loves the whole world (Jh. 3:16) not everyone has accepted this great love. Only believers know the great depth and price of such a love---which cost God His life.

God's love to sinners was expressed by the gift of His Son to be their Savior. The measure of love is how much it gives, and the measure of the love of God is the gift of HIs only Son to be made man, and to die for sins, and so to become the one mediator who can bring us to God. No wonder Paul speaks of God's love as "great", and passing knowledge! (Eph. 2:4, 3:19.) Was there ever such costly munificence? -Knowing God by J.I Packer p. 114

There's so much on God's love to be dwelt and meditated on. My encouragement to you this Valentines Day, whether you have someone special in your life or not, is to do three things...

First, realize the gift you have been given. Because of His love and the death of Christ on the cross, you have been freed from the power of sin and have the blessed privilege to come boldly before the throne of grace. Your greatest debt has been taken care of and you now enjoy the greatest blessing of being God's child. It cost Him His blood. Realize what love it took to grant you such an honor.

Second, understand that you have what most people are still searching for. Even on this day while many couples express their love to one another, many are still empty and searching for unconditional fulfillment. This is only to be found in Christ. No man/woman could ever complete you and make you happy, no matter how great or wonderful they actually are. Cling to Christ who is the only one that can love you fully and satisfy the deep longings within your soul. Be grateful because so many don't know what it means to be truly loved.

And last, but not least, make it personal. God loves you. He loves you just the way you are there's nothing you could ever do to earn it or make it grow. He chose you and you are precious in His sight. Believe it; meditate on it; thank God for it!

If we take a different viewpoint on Valentines Day, it doesn't have to be a burden for those without a "special somebody." Perhaps the roses, chocolate and love letters will come in the future, but I urge you to don't let Valentines pass by when you already have a "lover of your soul." Dwell on the Lord's love today and take some special time to be with Him. With the kind of love He has granted, continues to give, and will always bestow, we have only reason to be completely satisfied.

How can true love be?

Where can unconditional devotion be met?

To end the search for true love's key,

That every human searches to get,

The one True God of heaven and earth,

Has shown us love like no being can,

His affection was proved from His birth,

As God was born a man,

Giving one's life is the ultimate gift,

How could a soul give more?

From Jesus' death sins from us lift,

It's slaves we are no more,

Jesus loves me; His love is true,

To Him my love is forever due.

-Brooke, sonnet written February 14th, 2008