My Valentine's Day song dedication I felt very specifically led to for my readers today!
It's Valentine's Day! The day of LOVE!! For some, special dates have been planned, cards, flowers, chocolates and jewelry have been given and received. What a blessing! Embrace it!
For others, maybe you're not feeling very "loved" today. Maybe this day serves as a reminder of a broken marriage, a broken relationship, a loss, a reflection on singleness and lonliness; For teens, a hope that one day you'll experience love when your night in shining armor rides to your balcony on a white horse; For the stay at home mom of young children, maybe you're going through the motions of all that needs to be done today, but feeling isolated, unappreciated, and exhausted; For the parent of a prodigal, guilting yourself with wondering if your child knows they're loved as they go about their wayward path; For the man who has experienced job loss during this difficult economy, perhaps you're feeling like a failure today, like you don't measure up in some way. I don't know, those were just a few specific illustrations I had.
Remember what I said recently about the little things. If you can't afford to go out and celebrate or send your wife a dozen roses at work, perhaps you're in a season of young children and either cannot afford or simply do not have child care for a date night, I think what matters is making that special someone feel special. Little things go a long way to accomplish that. Acts of service, meaning maybe just come alongside her (or him), in an act of service today such as help with dinner, help put the kids to bed, tell them to sit and relax and your gift is to take over the responsibilities at home tonight. Share a special dinner together after the kids go to bed or even dessert. A simple bubble bath, a handwritten note, etc. Speak THEIR love language.
For the broken marriage, it IS possibe to love the unlovely! Love is a choice, a decision. You can CHOOSE love even when you don't FEEL love. For those who have been deeply wounded in some way, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless thos who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you....do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them. In doing so you will heap burning coals on their heads." (Paraphrasing) That certainly doesn't mean our motivation should be an attitude of, "Oh, I want to heap burning coals on his head, I want him to suffer, so ok, I'll do what that says!" :) I think it means more that in doing so, loving even the unlovely, the spirit will bring conviction to their hearts. I have a beautiful visual I'll share with you soon but for the purpose of this specific post, I'll stick to my point. But someone please send me a message and remind me if I haven't shared it in the next few days! :)
For those loving a prodigal, I know where you are. Choose to LOVE the prodigal and hate the behavior. You can convey that you love them unconditionally, that your love for them isn't based on what they DO, but that you disapprove of their choices. Be available to them when a door opens and know when to let go when the door is shut. Your best weapon in this battle for their soul is fought on your knees. Stay on them until they bleed! That's love!! And let your prayers be declarations of faith over their lives and futures!
For those experiencing loss, oh how I know that pain as well friend. Can I challenge you to rejoice and celebrate the number of years you had with them today rather than grieve for the time lost.
For the lonely and broken hearted, I challenge you to play this song I have been led to for you. In fact the challenge is the same for ALL of you reading this, but specifically for the lonely or broken hearted regardless of what that looks like for you, get alone in a quiet place. Play this song and really digest the lyrics. Let all the brokeness go, and receive unconditional love and peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. Maybe you don't even love YOURSELF! Is there anyone else out there who is their own biggest enemy? I think, no I KNOW, if you whole-heartedly embrace this song and can grasp that kind of love, you'll feel whole regardless of your deepest insecurities. And then of course what you need to do is go back and read my last post on the Battlefield of Your Mind and fight the battle of taking captive your thought life and become HIS "Captive Heart!" Be blessed by this song:
It's Valentine's Day! The day of LOVE!! For some, special dates have been planned, cards, flowers, chocolates and jewelry have been given and received. What a blessing! Embrace it!
For others, maybe you're not feeling very "loved" today. Maybe this day serves as a reminder of a broken marriage, a broken relationship, a loss, a reflection on singleness and lonliness; For teens, a hope that one day you'll experience love when your night in shining armor rides to your balcony on a white horse; For the stay at home mom of young children, maybe you're going through the motions of all that needs to be done today, but feeling isolated, unappreciated, and exhausted; For the parent of a prodigal, guilting yourself with wondering if your child knows they're loved as they go about their wayward path; For the man who has experienced job loss during this difficult economy, perhaps you're feeling like a failure today, like you don't measure up in some way. I don't know, those were just a few specific illustrations I had.
Remember what I said recently about the little things. If you can't afford to go out and celebrate or send your wife a dozen roses at work, perhaps you're in a season of young children and either cannot afford or simply do not have child care for a date night, I think what matters is making that special someone feel special. Little things go a long way to accomplish that. Acts of service, meaning maybe just come alongside her (or him), in an act of service today such as help with dinner, help put the kids to bed, tell them to sit and relax and your gift is to take over the responsibilities at home tonight. Share a special dinner together after the kids go to bed or even dessert. A simple bubble bath, a handwritten note, etc. Speak THEIR love language.
For the broken marriage, it IS possibe to love the unlovely! Love is a choice, a decision. You can CHOOSE love even when you don't FEEL love. For those who have been deeply wounded in some way, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless thos who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you....do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them. In doing so you will heap burning coals on their heads." (Paraphrasing) That certainly doesn't mean our motivation should be an attitude of, "Oh, I want to heap burning coals on his head, I want him to suffer, so ok, I'll do what that says!" :) I think it means more that in doing so, loving even the unlovely, the spirit will bring conviction to their hearts. I have a beautiful visual I'll share with you soon but for the purpose of this specific post, I'll stick to my point. But someone please send me a message and remind me if I haven't shared it in the next few days! :)
For those loving a prodigal, I know where you are. Choose to LOVE the prodigal and hate the behavior. You can convey that you love them unconditionally, that your love for them isn't based on what they DO, but that you disapprove of their choices. Be available to them when a door opens and know when to let go when the door is shut. Your best weapon in this battle for their soul is fought on your knees. Stay on them until they bleed! That's love!! And let your prayers be declarations of faith over their lives and futures!
For those experiencing loss, oh how I know that pain as well friend. Can I challenge you to rejoice and celebrate the number of years you had with them today rather than grieve for the time lost.
For the lonely and broken hearted, I challenge you to play this song I have been led to for you. In fact the challenge is the same for ALL of you reading this, but specifically for the lonely or broken hearted regardless of what that looks like for you, get alone in a quiet place. Play this song and really digest the lyrics. Let all the brokeness go, and receive unconditional love and peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. Maybe you don't even love YOURSELF! Is there anyone else out there who is their own biggest enemy? I think, no I KNOW, if you whole-heartedly embrace this song and can grasp that kind of love, you'll feel whole regardless of your deepest insecurities. And then of course what you need to do is go back and read my last post on the Battlefield of Your Mind and fight the battle of taking captive your thought life and become HIS "Captive Heart!" Be blessed by this song:
Lots of hurting people in the world that benefit from this song..........
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