Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day

REJOICE IN GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE FOR YOU

February 14, 2023 5:48 pm , Leave a Comment ,

Years ago, I saw something that caught my attention and made me think of God’s perfect love toward us. I was driving home from doing errands. As I was making a right turn, I saw a motorcycle and a bicycle turn in front of me. At first, it struck me as really odd because the cyclist was riding so closely behind the motorcycle. But then I could see clearly what they were doing. It was a father and a daughter riding together.

The man looked to be in his forties or fifties. He was riding his motorcycle directly in front of the girl. They were so close together that it looked as though they were touching each other. The girl looked about sixteen. She had on a biker’s shirt similar to what the professionals wear. She was obviously training for a serious race, and her dad was there to help her train. It was like her father was guiding her and protecting her along the way. As I passed by, the dad was turning around to look at his daughter to make sure she was okay.

While driving by them, emotions rose up in my spirit. I saw a picture of how God loves and protects us.

I could hear God’s still, small voice speaking to me in my heart.

He whispered to me so gently. “I love you with an unfailing love like a father loves His child. I go before you to mark the path that is best for you. Stay on the path with Me, and I will keep you in the shadow of My wings.”

I had tears of joy as I drove home thinking about such a beautiful picture of God’s love for us. I realized in that moment of watching the father guiding his daughter on her bike, how we don’t need to move ahead of God, outside of His protective shelter.

Isn’t that amazing to think about? God our Father is continually with us and sheltering us as long as we don’t try to sneak away from His loving guidance. The Bible says God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:13). As we stay close to God, He will keep us from harm, and make us sing for joy all our days on the earth.

I am praying that you will experience the immeasurable love of God today. May His peace rest upon you, and may you always know you are His beloved daughter or son. Most of all, I pray you will bow before Him and be satisfied in His unfailing love.

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14 (NIV)

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

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As a side note, I wrote this devotion previously, and it was posted on the ‘Live Abundantly Now’ blog in 2013. The photo design work was created by my daughter.

Posted in: Devotions, Holidays , Tagged: , ,

VALENTINE TREASURES

February 14, 2020 8:29 pm , Leave a Comment ,

When my daughter was about three years old, my husband Michael created a special treasure hunt for us to enjoy on Valentine’s Day. He hid small candies throughout our home for the family to search for. This treasure hunt remained a tradition and a highlight of Valentine’s Day for many years.

The hidden candies were fairly easy to find at first, but it was harder and harder to find them after the most visible ones were found. Michael hid some of the candies in concealed places, and we never found all of them on Valentine’s Day. A great part of the joy in the hunt was the fact that we continued to find the candies unexpectedly during the days and months ahead.

Our anticipated Valentine treasure hunt reminded me of life. When things are going smoothly, it’s easy to see and enjoy the treasures. However, during the difficult seasons, it can be a tedious thing to find and focus on the treasures. They have to be tirelessly sought after because they are hidden, but it is the hidden treasures that are truly the most valuable.

Without the storms, I don’t believe I would have ever discovered the priceless treasures of life.

In 2006, Michael was self-employed, running a graphic design business with another design artist. The small company was suffering and eventually had to be shut down, leaving us with a very small income. This gave our family the opportunity to look for treasures in the midst of adversity. The greatest treasures in our lives were birthed out of a season of hardships.

On Valentine’s Day that year, we had very little money and we knew we couldn’t buy gifts or cards like we had done in previous years. We decided to make hand-made cards for each other instead of giving presents and store bought cards. Every year after that, we looked forward to designing our homemade cards for each other.

One year, the card my husband made for me had a huge heart on it, symbolic of the love in our marriage. My daughter made me a card with pictures and words that reminded me of all that God had done in my heart. On the front of the card that my son made for me when he was ten years old, there was a colored picture of a rainbow, a storm, and a heart in the middle with a sword stuck in it. He had written words in that hand-made card that later proved to be prophetic. It said, “Remember a rainbow comes after a storm. This is how you reach your heart’s goal.” Those were such words of wisdom from a young boy.

I’ve saved every one of those handmade cards, and they are very meaningful to me. They are irreplaceable—something that money can’t buy. And even though the hard season is over and my husband has a good career now, we realize that the best things in life are free. I don’t want to ever forget those times of being in need. Our family learned the most important lessons we will ever learn in the midst of those trials.

The heavenly, eternal treasures always come forth when we take our eyes off of the hard things about life and keep our eyes focused on Christ.

Every year on Valentine’s Day, I ponder the memories; I embrace the words and the love expressed through each of those handcrafted cards. With a heart of gratitude, I thank God for the storms of life and the blessing of my Valentine treasures.

Our Beloved Jesus,

Thank You for loving us perfectly and being our greatest treasure of all. I ask You to help us to discover every one of the treasures You have for us in the kingdom of heaven. Let us look to You above everything else this life has to offer. I pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field…” Matthew 13:44”

May you discover the hidden treasures of life this VALENTINE’S DAY and always.

 This post has been updated and revised from a piece originally written in 2008.

Posted in: Holidays, Stories of Faith , Tagged: , ,

THE PERFECT LOVE

February 14, 2018 6:23 pm , Leave a Comment ,

The greatest love story of all time is the story of Jesus Christ and His gift to mankind. Christ died an agonizing death for us, so that we can be set free from the bondage of sin and live eternally. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

There’s no other love that can satisfy the soul as completely as Christ’s love.

Whatever is happening in your life today, I pray you will know you are treasured by God and I hope you find fulfillment in His perfect love.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your perfect love. Help us to be strengthened with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Let us be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. Help us to comprehend the depth of the love of Christ and let us be filled up with the fullness of God. Let our souls be completely satisfied in Christ alone. We pray in Christ’s name.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the FATHER, from whom every family in Heaven and on Earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” 

Ephesians 3:14-19 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Grace and peace to you,

Amy

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