“He loves me…He loves me not…(deep sigh)…He loves me!”

We’ve probably all plucked the petals of a flower at some point in our lives touting these same sentiments. Our desperate hope is always the same, we want the last petal to land on “He loves me,” don’t we?

As little girls, pictures of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White danced in our heads as we dreamed that our hearts would soar with happiness and our eyes would sparkle with joy when prince charming came to sweep us off our sweet little feet. In an instant, life would be easy and fun, magical and wonderful.

And then life happened. Real. Raw. Life. And it probably didn’t look anything like what we had hoped.

Our fairy tales are typically just that—tales. However, it’s February. The month of Love. Valentine’s Day is coming. And for those of us still swimming in the single pond, it can be disappointing and quite lonesome.

One thing I miss the most about not having a special and significant other in my life is sharing all the joys and even the sorrows of life. When you “do” life together, the experience of sharing your emotions and your thoughts with someone who cares and is invested in you is something special.

That said, when you long for flowers, chocolates, and cards with heartfelt words, it is wise to remember the sacred love of the one who is always in your midst. Read our verses for this week. They tell a love story. And you are the princess.

Let him be your hope. He is mighty to save and rejoices over you with gladness and quiets you with his love. And even beyond all that, He sees your struggles and collects your tears, making a record of each and every one never to be forgotten. Now, that is a special kind of love.

You ARE loved. And there is a happily ever after for you!

He is our all in all, our one true love, the first and last petal on our hope flower. Everyone else in our lives is truly icing on the cake. If love has been painful, hurtful, confusing, terrifying because of a less than loving experience, then this shift in our perspective of true love will free us to forgive those who fall short. It will also free us to love others without limits knowing our ability to love comes from one truly honorable source.

Reflect and Respond:

This week, with Valentine’s Day approaching, I want to encourage you to open your heart to the depth and width of this very special and powerful love God has just for you. Let the Prince of Heaven sweep you off your feet with his perfect and satisfying love and let it inspire you to love others in that same spirit.

Remember, you are not alone. Be blessed this week and know YOU ARE LOVED.