Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day has always been a special day for me.  It was, and is, a chance to be able to show my family, in a small way, how much they mean to me.  When I love someone, I love them fully.  I don’t do it halfheartedly.  It’s important to me that those in my life know how special they are to me.  I think the main reason is that it’s not the way I’ve been loved in so many circumstances.  I know what it feels like to not feel love and I don’t ever want to make someone feel that way.

We, as humans, crave love and fellowship with those in our lives.  I love that there is a day specifically for showing love.  It, of course, shouldn’t be the only day we go out of our way to outwardly show our love.  There should be evidence of it in every single day and as many moments as is humanly possible.

For far too many people, love is not a part of their family life.  In fact, they see the exact opposite.  Many are neglected and not cared for, abuse is either a daily part of their life or it can happen at any given time without warning.  They learn to live in these relationships in ways that help them cope and survive.  They never fully live because there are guards that have been implemented and walls that have been built to survive.  The thing is, even if there comes a time when they are no longer in these relationships, they carry them into their future.  The words said to them throughout their lives play back at any given moment.

Without help and support, it is difficult to ever completely walk away.  But I’d take it a step further.  To come to the point where you truly understand that you are loved, you need to know the true Source of love.  God is love.  He makes all the difference.

As an example, when I saw my counselor today, I was crying and had come to the point where I was expressing my confusion where I could no longer think straight.  My counselor told me to stop for a minute and clear my thoughts.  After I’d taken a few breaths, she told me to imagine that Jesus was in the room and sitting on the other side of the couch from where I was sitting.  She then asked me what I thought Jesus would say and do.  I immediately looked at her and said, “He wouldn’t be at the end of the couch, He would wrap me in His arms and hold me.”

His love is more than we will ever fully understand.  Even when I am at my lowest and someone or something has “made it clear” that I have no value and am unloved, there is still a glimmer of expectation of what still my be in store for me.  That expectation is hope and it is a kind of hope that doesn’t rest on anything or anyone on this earth.  It is completely and fully wrapped up in one Person, Jesus.  I know with Him, even if I am fighting these attacks and words the rest of my life, I have Him and His love and nothing and no one can take that away from me.  His love is His gift to each person who will come to Him and give their life to Him.  The funny thing is, by giving your life completely to Him, you don’t become imprisoned and bound up.  You find freedom!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

~ Joanna Lynn