Written on My Heart

Love is magical. It’s written on my heart…and if we believe in miracles, it could last forever.

Storybook endings

Imagine those blissful moments of young love. The unassuming girl finally embraces her knight in shining armor. Those scenes still give me goosebumps. Go on. Laugh. But now that you’re smiling, imagine the possible storylines. Yes. Love is magical when it’s written on our hearts.

Cupids and candy?

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Silent (WW2) Gen, Boomer, Gen X, Y, or Z (aka New Silent Generation—What?). It is the one day we all agree to celebrate romance and our universal cravings for chocolate, love letters, candlelight dinners, and weekend getaways.

We can thank William Shakespeare for romanticizing it, but what if we understood the dark origins of this festival of cupids and candy? Stories arise about a Saint Valentine, the ancient feast of Lupercalia, sacrifices, gory rituals, and yes, even murder. Would this knowledge give new meaning to the thought of breaking someone’s heart?

If I speak in the tongues of angels, but have not love I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I have. And if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Love = a four-letter word

Let’s not mention the phony lines men or women spit out that turn our stomachs. After all, we want to fall in love, but we all know the journey to forever is paved with more than concrete plans or blissful dreams.

Sometimes, life gets in the way of true love. Quicksand-like circumstances can take hold of our hearts and won’t let go. And sometimes, deceptions fire left on its own can burn scars into our souls.

Still, I believe love is worth the journey even if it’s a four-letter word. And even when it hurts.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

Marcus Aurelius

Love letters and the mushy stuff we crave

I’m a sucker for all things romantic. So yes, I’ve saved a huge stack of cards and love letters from my husband throughout the years. Each is a penned reminder of his promise to love me until death parts us. I love the fact that if I ever forget the words Dennis said before our first kiss or our tenth anniversary, all I have to do is read and remember. After all these years, his love is still written on my heart.

Written in red

It reminds me of the love letter our heavenly Father breathed out for us. Promise after promise. Warning after warning. God inspired every word. All neatly packed in this tremendous compilation of instructions, stories, poetry, prophecy, and other genres we call the Bible. And then, how love’s greatest story was told on a hillside long ago. Where His I love you was written in red.

…Is all scripture God inspired?

2 Timothy 3:16

What is love?

Here are a few examples from 1 Corinthians in the Bible:

• Love is patient and kind.
• Love rejoices with truth.
• Love never ends.

Here’s what it’s not:

• Love doesn’t envy or boast.
• Love isn’t arrogant or rude.
• Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing.

Want to take in an entire chapter about what the God above ALL other gods says love is?

Read on…

1 Corinthians 13

God’s never-ending love

In truth and in the power of Love’s word, He is always near. God’s love is unconditional. His love and the love of His son Jesus is written on our hearts. Yes, He allows us to become broken at times, not to abandon or forsake us (as evil wants us to believe), but so we can find rest in Him—and in His endless love—even amid what we think is our end or our desolation.

We can run to Him and find power in the deepest cry of our hearts. He knows our pain firsthand. After all, He sent His one and only son to save us from ourselves. He knows what love is—and what it isn’t. And, He knows how much love hurts.

Love hurts

Love leaves deep scars. It wounds and marks us for life. If our hearts aren’t strong enough to endure incredible pain, we might be left breathless or alone. Love is like a forest fire or clouds that send torrents of rain. It is not a lie told to make us cry. But even if it never ends, I promise you, it will.

His love is written on my heart

I believe God’s love for us will never end. This is not only due to the fact I’ve read or studied scripture regarding His promises. It’s because His love is written on my heart.

It’s true. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things and while I wish the same belief in miracles for you and yours, I’m not ashamed to say I’ve waded through times of despair and darkness too. I still do. Life isn’t always fun. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, it’s not even what we make it.

My faith hasn’t changed that truth. It has, however, changed my own heart and given me the strength to know endless love is yet to come.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

Dear friends,

Do you recall a time when you made life-changing decisions about love? Was it worth enduring or perhaps forgiving betrayals? Or worse, have you ever said goodbye to a loved one unexpectedly? You’re not alone. I’d love to hear your story. Please join the conversation in the Inspire a Fire comments section below.

Read all my IAF stories and visit my Dreamdoves Flights of Fancy blog or my website for more life stories and other fa, la, la, la.

Wishing you lots and lots of love on your journey,

JC

Special Thanks: Special thanks to Pixabay for free image use: Feature image by: Image by Dawn Rose from Pixabay, #1 image: (Bride) by StockSnap, #2 image by hudsoncrafted, #3 image by NoName_13 from Pixabay.