alan and steph

Happy Valentine's Day! Our best to you on this holiday that celebrates "love." As The Beatles, arguably the most noteworthy musicians of all time sung, "All you need is love." In light of this celebration I started to think about this great command, to love. Sounds great, right? And easy?

Let's be honest with ourselves- loving people, whether your family, friends or neighbors is not all that easy. Love often is a choice. I know this is certainly true for me. Although I would never hesitate to tell a loved one "I love you," when life gets tough (which it does a lot), acting in love is more difficult. Regardless of how hard it might to be love, it is a command of us by the Creator of this Universe. When the Pharisee's asked Jesus in Matthew 22:36-39"which is the great commandment in the Law," He replied with "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Nevertheless, what an incredible gift God has given us - to love Him and to love each other. That's something to celebrate. Although it may be more difficult than the movies make it look to love - this one thing is true - "We love because He first loved us." (1 Jn 4:19)
Thanks be to God!