Hello there!
Since today is Valentine’s day, I thought I would share a little love-filled image to brighten your computer screen, smartphone, or tablet. Here ya go.
If you’re anything like me, you probably let out a giant “awwww” after looking at these two couples. While the couples are so different in age, setting, and color palette preferences, one thing is the same- love. While the bride and groom on the top just got married (see the Style Me Pretty album here), the radiant couple on the bottom has been married for 63 years (read about their story here).
63 years…wow. I’ve only been on this earth a mere 18 years; it’s ridiculously hard to fathom being alive for that many years, let alone spending it with someone who means the world to you. Seeing the elderly couple so madly in love, this many years later, made my heart swell up with happiness.
This is love. It’s young and innocent and the butterflies you get on your wedding day, like the couple on the top. But it’s also about living out life and growing old together, like the couple on the bottom. Love is real. Love is alive. Love is eternal. How do I know this? Because our God is love and made love.
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”- 1 John 4:8
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” -1 John 4:16
Friends, this is real. God loves us so much that He not only gave His one and only Son to die for us, but he created us to be wired with love too. It runs through our veins, it keeps our heart beating. Love is our family, our friends, and those who matter. Love is your creative talents, your God-given gifts, and your passion to make a difference.
Valentine’s Day may celebrate love, but I think love can and should be celebrated everyday. Praise Him for love, show others how much you love them, and use your talents to spread love to the world. It may sound cheesy, but the truth is that with God all things are possible. And since we talked up above how God is love, that means with love anything is possible. A difficult relationship, that crazy-cool-terrifying idea you have in the back of your head, a difficult week ahead, tests, exams, work… whatever it is, I reassure that it is possible! Love is so cool. It builds us up, comforts us, and makes us feel special.
So, if you’re feeling lonely this Valentine’s day, I urge you to reevaluate your definition of love. While love is a relationship or marriage (if you’re waiting on that like I am, remain patient! Love is worth the wait), it is not limited to a husband and wife bond. Love is a way we should life live. It’s certainly the way Jesus lived out life on earth. Demonstrating love to others, to our work, to our surroundings, and even too ourselves (YES- you are so lovable even when you don’t realize it) is a crucial ingredient to living life the way God intends us to.
We’ve established the powerful truth that God = Love. And since God and His Kingdom are eternal, that means that love is eternal too. Just like the elderly couple’s love and the newlyweds new journey into life together, the message remains the same: love lasts forever.
Since it’s important to love, I want to end this post with 5 things I’m loving recently:
1. My new internship! I will serving as an intern for Jen Rios Weddings this spring and I am SO excited! More to come on this soon… the position officially starts in one week and I can’t wait to get started.
2. Bethel Music’s new album, We Will Not be Shaken. This album is too wonderful to describe in words. I recommend you download it on iTunes asap to start enjoying it. My personal favorites include “Ever Be” and “You Don’t Miss a Thing”.
3. My Her Campus progress! To keep it brief, I am in the process of becoming a Campus Correspondent for Her Campus, an online magazine for college women. I have advanced to Round 3 of the application process and am feeling so thankful to see hard work pay off 🙂
4. My family! I get to see my fam in less than one week and I can’t wait.
5. Books. Two life-changing books have truly re-ignited a fire in my heart. I’m almost done with them and recommend them to anyone. The first is Love Does by Bob Goff and the second is Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live on Purpose by Lara Casey.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Take some time this Valentine’s Day to show others how much you love them. Always remember that you are loved, God is love, and that love isn’t going anywhere. It’s eternal. Happy Valentine’s Day!
xo- Allison
Hello There Weddings 