Be Your Own Valentine!

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!” Psalm 139:13-15 (The Message)

If you look up the origins of Valentine’s Day, you will find several stories and legends. One is based on Saint Valentine of Rome who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers and for ministering to Christians. According to this legend, in prison he healed the daughter of his jailer. Before his death, Saint Valentine wrote this girl a letter and signed it, “Your Valentine.”

This Valentine’s Day I am looking at the holiday in a new way. I love Jesus and I love my husband so much. But this year, my Valentine is going to be….

Me.

I am making myself a Valentine and writing myself a letter, telling Robbie all the cool things I love about her.

If you find this arrogant, let me explain. For years, I have been the victim of my own self condemnation. I’m not good enough, I’m not thin enough, blah, blah, blah.

In December I went to a Sozo meeting and two ladies prayed for me and guided me to pray. It was an incredible experience. One of the many things that happened is I had this vision of me standing surrounded by a wall of bricks. One of the bricks was labeled SELF CONDEMNATION. Jesus was standing with me and handed me a sledge hammer. I obeyed and whacked the wall and a couple of tiny pieces fell down. I looked to Jesus and He grinned and put His big toe on the wall and Kapoweee! The wall was obliterated. 

I have seen the evidence of that vision/healing in my life the last couple of months. The enemy gets very little victory in my life in the area of beating up on Robbie by Robbie.

Ergo, this week and my Valentine.

I started writing my letter the other day. Part of it says:

“Robbie, I love your humor and the way you are able to see the funny, even when it is hidden in the corners during the difficult moments.”

It’s counter-intuitive. But after so many years of making me, God’s creation, less than I am by demeaning myself, IT IS TIME!

So Joyvotion reader, here’s a suggestion. If you put yourself down a lot, give this a try. Ask God to guide you in finding the cool, wonderful aspects of yourself that HE created. And then celebrate this week of love by loving yourself. Jesus will cheer you on!

My Own Valentine,

Robbie 

A Joyvotion Valentine for You!

A Joyvotion Valentine for You

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3a

Last week was one of those weeks that were filled with the tiny spaces between tears and anguish. Lots of “poor me” time.

One night toward the end of the week, after Noah went to take a bath, John shut off the TV show we were watching and looked at me. “What’s up, Robbie?”

“Just a hard day. Hard week. I feel like I’m focusing on all that I haven’t done, instead of what I have accomplished. I’m down on myself.”

My husband grinned. “I have some wisdom for you that will work.”

I expected a great spiritual truth. “Okay.”

“A Jedi Master once said, ‘Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings. They determine your reality.’”

I giggled. “Seriously? Yoda?”

“Oh, no. I don’t quote Yoda. That was Obi Wan Kenobi’s master Qui-Gon Jinn.” He paused and added. “It’s kind of like ‘As a man thinketh so he is.’ ” (Proverbs 23:7)

The next half hour was a mixture of tears and laughter as I poured out what I’d been thinking and feeling. John listened and offered wisdom when he sensed I wanted some.

After, I wiped my eyes and smiled. “I feel better. You know why? Cause I got to share my heart with you.”

John’s next words moved me. “Your heart is safe with me, Robbie.”

This time of year our thoughts, manipulated at times by cheesy commercials, run toward buying Hallmark Cards or chocolate for the ones we love. Or, even better, receiving them. :0)

A symbol of the holiday is the heart. As we give each other cards covered with colorful hearts, we ask, “Will you be my Valentine?”

But this Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to guard your heart and give it away only to those that will nurture it. Find a safe place. This takes wisdom and risk. Because, let’s face it, there are many more unsafe places to put our hearts than safe.

No matter if you’re in a relationship or not, there is always one, for certain, never-unsafe place for your heart. In the hands of a God who adores you and sent His son Jesus to die for you. And your heart.

I am so blessed by John. He is the love of my life. But he is not perfect and he has dropped my heart before. As I have, his.

But God? Never.

This Valentine’s Day, I hope for you an experience that surpasses all the boxes of chocolate, long stem roses and “He got it at Jared’s” moments.

A choice to look up to Christ and say, “Here’s my heart, Lord.”

It will always be safe with Him.



(If you would like to receive bi-monthly Joyvotions from me, just email me at robbieiobst at hotmail dot com. )