A Season of Love
Dear Friends,
The weather may be cool where you live, but this is the season for warming things up with love in all our relationships. One tradition of the Stewart family is to forego the expensive Valentine’s Day dinner-for-two, and instead have our own fireside dinner for four, feasting on our favorite foods: a tomato soup with a cheese heart floating on top, lobster, a nice cut of meat, shrimp, and artichokes. We pass out our valentines and give each family member a “love you” act of service. Will and I can then still celebrate Valentine’s Day at a truly special rate on another day!
Speaking of holidays, the Advent book had such a warm response it will go into another printing and “Preparing My Heart for Motherhood” will come out in January 2009. Without going into details yet, I may begin another exciting series with AMG that’s “going places….” But right now it’s Lent and how appropriate that Valentine’s Day intersects it!
In the first three weeks of the Easter study we learn how Jesus radically changed the lives of women. It is no wonder that women followed Jesus in His life and were drawn to the cross, and then to the tomb. Below is an excerpt from the Easter study.
In 1875, another woman comprehended that kind of love and the longing to draw near to the cross. Fanny Crosby had been blind due to medical errors since she was six weeks old, but in her blindness, she could still long to be near the cross and Jesus’ bleeding side and write about it in her music.
When pitied by a clergyman, she explained she would have chosen to be blind, “Because when I get to heaven, the first sight that shall ever gladden my eyes will be that of my Savior!”
“I am Thine, O Lord” is but one of her eight thousand hymns. May her song, be your prayer today and may you, too, draw near to Him this season of Lent.
I am Thine, O Lord I have heard Thy voice—and it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord
to the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
to thy precious bleeding side.
- “I am Thine, O Lord” by Fanny Crosby
Stay in touch,
The 14 Days of Valentine’s
On the first day of Valentine’s you can highlight one of the Love is from 1 Corinthians 13 and talk with your friends, husband, or children about how to apply it.
These one-a-day “Love is” are vitamins for your relationships.
Love is patient,
Because love is patient, today I will……
Love is kind.
Because love is kind, today I will…..
Love does not envy,
Love does not boast,
Love is not proud.
Love is not rude,
Love is not self-seeking,
Love is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects,
Love always trusts,
Love always hopes,
Love always perseveres.
Love never fails.
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