What’s your favorite holiday? If you’re anything like me, it’s probably not Valentine’s Day. At least that was the case for many years. While my friends received flowers or a beautiful piece of jewelry or my favorite Sees candy (the kind with the creamy soft centers), I looked at romantic advertisements longing to meet the man of my dreams. Even while married, I felt sad and lonely because we didn’t have the kind of romance I’d always hoped for. So, while struggling to pretend, for me Valentine’s Day was the loneliest day of the year.

But recently some rock-solid truths in a simple children’s song–the most profound song I’ve ever heard–brought forth an “ah ha” moment.” That song is Jesus Loves Me.“

A Melody That Fills My Heart

Just as the lyrics proclaim, the Bible says that Jesus loves me. John 3:16 reaches out to each individual: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” That means if only individual was alive on this planet (you, me, or anyone else), Jesus would have taken that person’s sins upon Himself and suffered their deserved punishment of death from a just God. 

Unfortunately, superstar Whitney Houston never fully grasped the rock-solid truth of the love she sang about. Many Christians don’t. Although they believe Jesus is God’s Son, died on the cross, and was resurrected, that concept seems too remote to influence every day life in the here and now. So, even if they sing the words, they go about their days longing to feel something more. As a result, they may continue their search for comfort by trying to find a significant other. Or they focus on politics or porn or shopping or gaming or too many glasses of wine or booze. Or drugs like those that killed Whitney.

Self-destruction. Believing Satan’s lies. That’s what Jesus saved us from. And, He set us free for more, so much more. By reading Scripture, we see passages like Psalm 146:3-10a:

Do not trust in noblemen, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; On that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea and everything that is in them; Who keeps faith forever; Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.

The Lord opens the eyes of those who are blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked.

The Lord will reign forever.

My Knight in Shining Armor

A few days ago, I glimpsed the incredible truth that Jesus is the man of my dreams. He is 100 percent man; 100 percent God. (Don’t ask me to explain because who can fathom it?) Regardless, only One such as He could possibly fulfill my every desire. No single day can express a love like that. His lavish gifts come all the time, whether I notice them or not.

Again and again in His Word, Jesus tells me, I’m never alone on Valentine’s Day or any other for that matter. Among my favorite messages is Isaiah 41:10:

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Knowing I’m never alone helped me conquer my fear of the dark when I traveled to Whidby Island last year. For two weeks I worked on The Windblown Girl in a cabin on a secluded beach. Some nights after the sun went down, it got really dark–black as night with no moon dark. Yet despite a power outage, fieerce wind, fallen trees, one neighbor’s basement flling with two-feet of mud, and another’s with water, knowing Jesus was with me made me feel secure enought that I slept well. Over the years I’ve realized Jesus protects me from anything that doesn’t serve His purposes. The ways He continually shows me how special I am to Him has convinced me, He is trustworthy.

The Most Magnificent Gift of Love

The most incredible present I can ever receive is one that comes from the heart. It says I knew you’d love this. And, it grows in significance over time. 

Jesus described the best gift I’ve ever been given in Luke 11:9-13:

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. Now which one of you fathers will his son ask for a fish, and instead of a fish, he will give him a snake? Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion? So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

All we have to do is ask, and Christ’s power works in the details.

It doesn’t matter how simple or stupid a request may seem, nothing is too insignificant for Jesus to be involved. All we have to do is ask, and Christ’s power through the Holy Spirit works in the details. The Lord’s prayer reminds His followers to pray for “Thy will to be done” not our own, and that’s not always easy. But when I place my requests in His hands, I can be certain His answers are for the best, even when I don’t understand.

Surprises Designed to Delight

A few months ago I realized that to publish my memoir, I needed permission from Lladro to use images of their “Windblown Girl” figurine.  Using those photos to market the book, without their approval, meant I could be sued. And, because she’s so central to my story, I intended to use a picture of her on the cover. After months of emails, phone calls, and searches on the Internet; I couldn’t find the right person to contact. Even reaching that individual didn’t guarantee a positive response. Many companies refuse such permission because someone could damage their brand. Though the manuscript was written, I was about to give up. Instead a friend encouraged me to persevere. So I asked the Holy Spirit to guide me and grant me undeserved favor, according to His will. Within two weeks, I not only had the correct person in Spain, but she also granted me unresticted permission.

Prayers connected to my first book are significant, but I’ve seen Jesus answer my “stupid” prayers too. Especially when it comes to shopping or home rennovations. Looking around my home, I can tell one story after another of how Jesus has provided beyond all my expectations. Sometimes it involves waiting and/or hard lessons. Way more often, He simply delights my heart with special bargains or just-right purchases.

Sometimes I don’t even ask, and He surprises me with sweet unexpected treasures. He did that with the Windblown Girl, more than a decade after my mom and I first saw her in the Caribbean. While longing for someone to give me flowers one day, I found masses upon masses of violets scattered across the backyard. And, they rebloom every year. I have no idea how they got there because I didn’t plant them. Only our Creator could have orchestrated such phenomenal beauty. And, He did that just for me.

Never Alone on Valentine’s Day

Jesus has placed me in a neighborhood where many people watch over my home and me. He’s also the Lord of heaven’s armies and when I get scared, He surrounds me with them and gives me peace. No Valentine gift can compare with the security of being loved by Someone who will never leave me, not even in death. In fact, in death, I’ll be more alive than I’ve ever been, and I’ll reside forever with the One who loves me most.

Will you? If you’re not sure or you struggle like Whitney Houston did to live out the reality of Christ’s love, please start reading your Bible. And, ask Jesus to give you someone who can help. If you email me at patti@ptcovert.com/  I promise to be there for you because “You are loved.”