The Valentine Challenge

February is the month where everyone focuses on love.   Although I have never known from personal experience what romantic love is like, I do have experience in being the recipient of God's love.  And this February I wish to honor the Lord by having a specific purpose in studying his Word.

I will endeavor to be reminded this month how God shows His love for me.  And I will try my utmost to take things a step further by being a representative of His love towards others every day.

All of this comes from my heart which is currently bubbling over with joy.  Last month, for those who were unaware, I had a health scare in the form of an unusual breast lump.

Long story short I asked for prayer, I did a lot of research, I prayed and asked God for guidance, and visited my doctor.  After several weeks of seeking financial assistance, making choices on which tests to undergo, and wrestling to keep calm and claim God's peace, I finally had answers.  Prognosis... Benign. 100% benign.  Praise the Lord!

There are a lot of changes I have to make in my diet and lifestyle but I know God will help me at every step.  And I will share what I am learning on this blog from time-to-time in hopes of encouraging other young women who may be in similar situations.

And to begin my posts for February I would like to share my Valentine challenge. God can use each of us to uniquely represent His love to the world. For this reason I think it is imperative that we understand at a personal level exactly how much, in what ways, and what types of love God gives us.

The challenge is two-part but, for some who like an extra challenge, it can also be three-parts.  Go with whatever the Lord lays upon your heart to do.

First:

• Every day study the Bible to see how God expresses His love for you. This could be a verse, a chapter, something in the old Testament or the New Testament or both.

Second:

• For every day of the month find a way to become a representative of God's love to someone else.  It doesn't matter if the act is private or public.  But be sure to do something.

Third:

• Try doing acts of love that coincide with the expression of love God reveals to you in your Bible reading.  For instance: If He brings to your attention how His love is sacrificial, such as sending His only son to die for us, then seek ways to show sacrificial love to others that day.

This challenge is something anyone can do regardless of whether-or-not you are married, or have money to spare on gifts.

I recognize that there are many great Bible study books/devotionals that focus on God's love.  And those are great! But I wanted this challenge to be unique in that only the Bible and God's leading would be used from day-to-day.  I want to see His creativity in my relationship with Him and towards others that have not been planned out for me by someone else.

As a Christian, living every day of my life with love should be the norm.  But it isn't easy!  That's why I'm setting up this challenge.  I need to improve and do/show more love towards others.

My hope is to write a post for every week of February reviewing what God has shown and empowered me to do for His glory.

If you would like to try this Valentine Challenge just let me know in the comments and I will pray for you each day this month.  God bless you!

" Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."  

~ Philippians 4:8