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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:1-4 (KJV)

FEBRUARY

Valentine’s Day – Here We Come!

All the hand-holding! Even candy hearts hold hands and dance in the advertisements.

The jewelers save all year to buy commercial airtime leading up to February 14th. The bracelets and necklaces are beautiful, and for that brave man, head-over-heels in love, there is no better time for a marriage proposal.

Love songs are written and scheduled to debut around Valentine’s Day.

Hallmark card sales reach record numbers this time of the year, and florists hire extra help to deliver all the flower orders on time.

Love is in the air!

Memories…

It’s possible that memories of this day could bring sadness — as if love has ended for us as widows.

Here’s where grief gets really loud! It tells our hearts that love is not for us – that our love came with an expiration date!

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

The Lord appeared to us in the past saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

L-O-V-E — Infinite — Never Ending — LOVE

“Infinity is not a real number; it is an idea. An idea of something without an end.”

“Infinity cannot be measured.” (www.mathsisfun.com)

We could ask ourselves the question. Where does infinity start? What is the timeline for EVERLASTING?

Is there a start date for love…an expiration date? A ‘take off the shelves by’ and a ‘trash by’ date?

Love has no ‘shelf date’!

God is our true example of love.

And God said, “Let US make man in our own image, let him reflect our nature.”
Genesis 1:26-28 (The Message)

What He desired for His creation was to have a nature like His own.

Love beyond measure. sacrificial love – Love Beyond Infinity.

There is such freedom when we realize that even though we have said goodbye to our husbands for a season, there is no end date for our love!

Just as memories of God’s love and faithfulness bring us sweet comfort, memories of a husband’s love can do the same.

Like scattered seeds, memories bloom forever.

What better time than when the world is celebrating love, we sit for a minute and remember the beautiful gift of love shared with our husbands.

Can you walk with me for just a minute and share some of those wonderful words of love you used to hear from your husband?

• “I love you beyond infinity!”
• “I love you to the moon and back!”
• “Love you more!”
• “Sugar!”
• “Sweetie!”
• “Honey!
• “You are my one and only!”

But as I think back, some of my MOST FAVORITE expressions of love ever were,

“Kathy, watch out for snakes.”

“Call me when you get home.”

And the way he said my name.

Many times, over our lifetime together, he would call out my name, “Kathy”.

There was just something so wonderful about the way they said our names, wasn’t there?

God’s desire is for us to reflect His nature.

To love like Jesus requires sacrificial love and at times, forgiveness. We worked hard to love like Jesus, to be good wives and wonderful helpmates to our husbands.

To love like Jesus means to love with an everlasting love – a love with no expiration date.

Below are some of the most beautiful expressions of love our Lord Jesus has spoken over us…

• His Chosen
• Dearly beloved
• A bride adorned for her husband
• The apple of His eye
• Friend
• Heir of God, Co-heirs with Christ
• His anointed
• His sheep

Oh, the list goes on and on…

I am so very thankful that I have experienced the wonderful love of Jesus Christ – that through His Father’s desire to create me in His image, I can reflect His love to others.

Though at times, grief and sadness will fill my heart, there is the deepest gratitude that words can barely express – the most wonderful gift of being loved by my husband and being able to love him in return.

So, this Valentine’s Day… I will thank my Father God that He has loved me with an everlasting love, and my love for Steve is BEYOND infinity and never-ending.

We have a love and hope that is eternal in Jesus.

“And I pray that Christ will make His home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know His love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19 (Good News Translation)

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that we are created in Your image and Your desire is for us to reflect Your very nature. Thank You for the season You gave us with our husbands and let the sweet memories be like seeds that will bloom forever. Amen