Tag Archives: feeling loved

So WHY do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Leave a reply

So why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day ??

So WHY do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Well, since our Tuesday post fell on Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about a bit of the history of the day. Then we can also discuss why so many people might celebrate this holiday. According to my husband, and probably a multitude of others out there, Valentine’s Day is pointless. For me, however, it’s both an opportunity and a reminder…to love and be loved.

Those crazy ancient Romans

Historians aren’t completely sure of the accurate origins of Valentine’s Day, but they have some speculations as to some of the beginnings.

Celebrations on or around February 14th-15th were originally rooted in a pagan Roman festival called Lupercalia. Not surprisingly, these pagan celebrations were pretty crazy. Lots of nudity (amongst other immoral acts I’m sure). Lots of drinking. Animal sacrifices. Then, the weirdest part of this particular celebration included taking strips of the animal hide from the sacrifices and then whipping the women with them. They believed this would make them fertile. I told you…weird.

Now, my grandma was pretty fertile. She had 13 kids. However, I DEFINITELY don’t think she EVER ran around naked letting men whip her with bloody animal hides. Nope. Not my grandma. In fact, she’d probably pass out at just the mention of it! But I digress…

Put your clothes back on, and stop beating women with dead animals!

Continue reading →

You Rob People When You Refuse To Accept Help

Leave a reply

You Rob People When You Refuse To Accept Help. See how...

You Rob People When You Refuse To Accept Help

We talked previously about refusing to accept help and how that reveals pride. There are some other disadvantages when we don’t accept help though. In addition to showing pride, refusing to accept help might actually be robbing people of lessons, blessings, and love when we decline their help.

Don’t you try to rob me of my blessing!

I still remember a lady on the news many years ago during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She was displaced and staying in Oklahoma. The news was interviewing some of the hurricane victims, and her interview has always stuck out to me. They were telling her story of giving money to a local church. Apparently the church tried to refuse her money. That’s when I giggled at her unyielding response. She said she told them, “Don’t you try to rob me of my blessing!”

What a perspective. She knew the laws of reaping and sowing. She knew that her small gift of monetary help, even in her time of need, would yield a blessing in return. In her eyes, anyone refusing to accept help from her was actually hurting her not helping her.

Robbing others AND ourselves of lessons and blessings

Someone’s offer for help may be them trying to love their neighbor. This is what Eric was doing when he offered to help the man at Lowes (story in previous post). When we refuse to accept help offered to us, we might be denying others the opportunity to obey God’s call to help. God commands us to help those around us.

“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” Romans 12:13 (NLT)

“Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (HCSB)

“He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”” Luke 10:27 (NIV)

By someone offering to help, they are learning to love as God loves…by giving…by being unselfish. We shouldn’t rob somebody of Continue reading →

Recognizing God’s Love By Building Your Relationship With God–Part 2

7 Replies

Recognizing God’s Love By Building Your Relationship With God--Part 2

Recognizing God’s Love By Building Your Relationship With Him–Part 2

Last week I started a reply to comment that I received on a previous post, “How to Overcome Feeling Unloved or Unwanted”.  I shared that learning to recognize God’s love is a process that takes time and starts with building a relationship with God.  This week I’d like to finish up my reply by giving the intentional steps that we need to take in order to build our relationship with God and to learn how to feel God’s love.  I will give more details on what more is needed besides attending a getaway, retreat or conference in order to have lasting healing and success.

Reader’s Comment:

“I’m 59, and to this day still feel unloved. I believe what you say about God’s love for us. I can’t seem to sit and really spend time with him. I do talk to Him all day here and there. I know in my mind He loves me but the rest of me doesn’t. I’m so insure from lack of feeling love I push people away. I hate it. I have five kids whom I love so much along with 9 grandkids. At this point I prefer to be dead, but I don’t want to give up. I want to know true love (not from a man at this point divorced twice) and happiness here on earth before I die. Are there places to go for a week or 2 for adults to get away and have bible studies or spiritual help?”

Previously I addressed that there’s a need for some emotional and spiritual healing to take place.  I gave an analogy of a broken arm and how a cast (like a retreat or a conference) is the start of the healing process, but more healing needs to take place on the inside by taking some steps on purpose to have lasting, long-term recovery.  I mentioned that the 4-step Formula for Success would be beneficial in this process.  The formula consists of learning, taking action, using persistence, and make sure we have support. 

Build relationship with God: learn, take action, use persistence & make sure you have support.

Click To Tweet

Take Some Practical Steps to Build Your Relationship With God:

Learn

The first step we need to intentionally take to build our relationship with God (and to learn to recognize God’s love by spending time with him) is to learn about him.  There are several ways to do this. Continue reading →

How to Recognize Love and Feel Loved by Others

Leave a reply

Learn how to recognize love and feel loved by others

How to Recognize Love and Feel Loved by Others

**Please read the companion post too: How to Overcome Feeling Unloved or Unwanted.

Last week we talked about how to overcome feeling unloved or unwanted.  We focused primarily on how to know that we are loved and wanted by God.  I truly believe that is the first step in overcoming this kind of insecurity in order to feel loved and wanted.  Once we realize that God truly loves us and wants us, it’s much easier to believe and recognize that we are loved by others in our life.

“We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers.” 1 John 3:16 (GW)

Once we know God loves us, it’s much easier to believe that we are loved by others.

Click To Tweet

Sometimes we feel like the people in our life don’t love or want us.  There’s a possibility that might be a reality to an extent (like it was for Leah when Jacob preferred Rachel—Genesis 29).  In most cases though, it’s our perception that is flawed.  The reality is that we ARE loved.  We just don’t recognize it.  Just because we don’t FEEL loved doesn’t mean we aren’t.  Just because it SEEMS like someone doesn’t care, DOES NOT mean they don’t. 

Just because we don’t FEEL loved doesn’t mean we aren’t.

Click To Tweet

This even happened to Jesus when he was sleeping on a boat during a storm (Mark 4:35-41), and his disciples thought that he didn’t care about them since he was sleeping… Continue reading →