Attack of the head cold

Looking out the window into the sunshine it would be easy to miss the chilling temperatures that have settled on southern Florida - that is until you step outside. Once you venture out the door there is no denying it, the air is crisp. The sunshine is deceiving. But step outside and reality is inescapable.
This "deep freeze" for the south has put a bit of a damper on my trip out of the frozen tundra of Northern Pennsylvania. I expected to come back home sporting a golden glow but instead I'll be bringing back a vicious head cold and pasty complexion.
That's right, instead of days enjoying the sun, I have been blowing through rolls of Viva paper-towels, rubbing the end of my nose dry. Not exactly the vacation I anticipated. Today has been particularly disappointing. Not only are the tempeartures hovering around 55 degrees, but my cold has gone into overdrive. To match the sniffles I also have sneezing. It feels like my head has grown in size. You may not be able to tell, but trust me, I can.
This cold is taking its toll. Usually you can't keep me in bed past 6:30 AM, and I never take naps; but today my bed is looking awfully comfortable and a pillow sounds divine. Still, I haven't given into the temptation of laying down and giving into the grip of the virus. I have determined to treat this virus like I do any attack from the outside: stomp it out, crush it under my feet.
So I'm running.
Maybe my logic sounds a bit goofy but I see beating this virus much the same as I see beating satan. He wants me to lay down and give in to the missiles, slings and arrows he has in his arsenal. He loves to send them my way. I'm the opposition.  It is his mission to take down the army of God. Therefore I am in his cross-hairs.
When he attacks I have two options: fight in the power of God, bearing the armor of God, in the name of God. Or lay down, cover my head, and hope to survive the pummeling.
This silly little head cold has provided me with the same dilemma and the same options. Do I stand up and fight it? Or do I lay down and give in?
God has brought me too far, loved me too much and is too powerful for me to simply give in to difficulty. So I will put on my armor and head into battle. Today that battle was a run. The motivation to lace up my shoes was lacking to say the very least. The wind was against me for the first half of the journey and my nose was running like a very leaky faucet. But God was empowering me to continue on in the good fight. Running, not for me, but for Him - an act of proclaiming His victory over satan and even a simple head cold.
Tomorrow the enemy may attack using a different weapon, utilizing a different strategy, but my defense will be the same. I will put on the armor of God. He may have me pick up the Bible and speak the words of truth to the enemy. He may have me run distances my legs have never before carried me. No matter how He calls me forth I will be ready to go into battle with Him, knowing that this is not my fight but it is His and it is already won.
The enemy is no match for the all-powerful God. He has already overcome every evil scheme satan has devised or ever will devise. When we are faced with an attack we do not need to cower in fear, wondering whether or not we can withstand the storm. The victory is won. The outcome of the battle is assured. Therefore we can lace up our shoes, put on our armor and face the enemy with utter confidence that we are on the winning team -  God's team.
So, beloved, beat out that head cold or any other attack you may come under. Enlist in God's army and put on the armor. Fight in His name, with His power and for His glory. You will be victorious because He has already won the battle.

Be still and look up

The Psalmnist wrote in Psalm 46, "Be still and know that I am God." How simple a command. Just be still. Yet, those words are profound and, at times, a great challenge.
This morning, as I walked along the beach, the words of Psalm 46 reverberated in my mind. "Be still and know that I am God." Those words played over and over again as I walked along the sandy shores of Siesta Key, the wind kicking up the waves and the clouds laying a blanket of gray overhead. I kept my eyes glancing forward and ahead as I dodged seaweed mixed with red tide and pieces of broken sea shells. My thoughts didn't go very far. They just kept repeating the simple words of that well known Psalm. Those words were all I needed to hear. I needed the simple reminder that my God desires my stillness.
Before I knew it, I was a mile down the beach. There was no music to pass the time and no walking buddy to chat with along the way. The stillness of the presence of God had been my companion. That alone had passed the time with astonishing speed.
The walk back up the beach felt like walking on air. The wind was at my back, giving me a little extra push with each step I took. Before I knew it I was back at my designated boardwalk where my flip-flops awaited my return. But before I made my way back through the sand and array of beach chairs, the repeating phrase that had run through my mind for the duration of my walk made a sudden change. The words that spoke "be still" suddenly said "look up".
As my eyes moved from the sand beneath my feet to the clouds above my head, a whole new view captivated me. The clouds that had appeared as a blanket of gray were now piereced with pure white light. The rays were brillant and sparkling. The gray still remained but only as a backdrop for the magnificent light display that was bursting forth.
Those rays of light taught me an important lesson. God longs for me to be still in His presence. He wants me to rest in Him, finding my peace in His loving and mighty arms.
And He wants me to look up.
He is holding me, smiling down upon me and He wants me to look into His face and see that He is good. I am to be looking to God in my stillness to find rest and security, peace and reassurance.
On our walk of faith it is easy to get stuck looking at life simply at eye level. We cast our gaze at the ground before us, carefully plotting our next step. Or we look straight ahead, making sure our way is clear. But God wants us to look up. He will do the job of paving our way and making our path clear. He wants to do this for us so that we can simply be still and look up.
Be still in the omnipotent, loving, gracious and mighty arms of God. Be still and look up into His smiling face. Know that He is good. He holds our future in His hands and can keep us secure no matter what the view looks like at eye level. The path He has for us is so much greater than what we see with our own two eyes. Our view can't even comprehend the future He has prepared for us. To get caught up in the stuff of this world is to miss the big picture God is painting overhead. He wants us to stop, be still, and look up. He is doing something marvelous. He is doing something beautiful. So look up, because if you don't,  you might miss the whole thing.

An unexpected love story

I loved Puff. She was a good dog.
When I was about three years old Puff entered my life. I don't know if I begged to get a dog or if the idea came from my parents. What I do remember is driving home from the run down, country home that Puff came from. My Mom found a classified ad that listed puppies for sale. They seemed to suit what we were searching for in a family pet. Puff was an American Spitz, a small white fluff ball that would never grow much beyond twenty pounds. As a puppy she was the most adorable ball of fur you have ever seen - stuffed animal sized and all white, with a tiny little face and deep brown eyes. She was an easy sell.
As we drove home from the breeder (a term I use loosely) we threw around different name ideas for our new family member. I do believe "Snow Ball" was a contender for a brief time. But in the end I landed on the name "Puff" and it stuck.
Puff became a staple of our home. She would lay out in the front yard underneath our big tree. She loved to chase teenage boys down the street - she wasn't viscous, she just knew trouble when she saw it. Puff wasn't demanding. When we would leave the house she never appeared phased or dejected. She was content and free, much freer then many pet dogs. She was rarely ever on a leash. Although we had a fence that encompassed the backyard, Puff cleverly maneuvered escape routes. She liked the front yard better. From her perch under the tree she could watch the cars go by and keep an eye on those pesky teenagers. She was our white fluff ball protector. Small, not exactly mighty, but well intentioned none the less.
As a small child, I remember Puff sleeping on the floor by my bed. I suspect this was another act of protection. Somehow, Puff knew I was young and vulnerable. It was her role to look out for me. And she did her job with diligence for sixteen years.
When I was eighteen, after years of mysterious health problems and miraculous healings, Puff went to dog heaven. The day she passed from this earth hit me harder then I had anticipated. There was an emptiness in the house after she left. Sometimes I would imagine that I heard her bark, only to remember that she wasn't her with us anymore. The bark was just my imagination. At other times I would do a double take, thinking I saw her laying in the living room or under the tree in the front yard. She was such an integral part of my childhood, and life up until that point, that I had a hard time adjusting to life without her.
This void wasn't one I had expected. I had loved Puff but never considered myself a dog person. She was the perfect pet for my growing up years. I was always thankful for her steady presence. But in my mind if I ever had another dog it would be many years down the road, maybe when I had my own kids. That was the "right" time to have a dog - when you have a family. At least, that's what I believed.
And then I saw a Schnoodle.
Years later, I came across pictures of a Schnoodle and fell in love with their sweet faces. To top it all off, everyone on the internet raved about their personalities. The deal was sealed when I was on vacation and saw a living, breathing, prancing Schnoodle with his owner on the beach. After talking to the man I was completely sold. I wanted a Schnoodle.
Enter Pippy, and, in turn, this blog. I came home from vacation and within a month was in the car, driving out to another breeder to buy another dog. This time I was the one behind the wheel. This turn of events took me by surprise as much as it did the rest of my family. The girl who never "ooheed" and "awwed" over dogs was dead set on bringing one into her life. I wasn't a dog person but I would soon be a Schnoodle person. More specifically, a Pippy person.
The decision to bring Pippy into my life happened suddenly and in some ways, unexpectedly. I can't explain it, but I knew God was in my decision. The night before I was set to pick her up I began to have doubts. What was I getting myself into? House breaking, restrictions on how often I could travel, vet appointments, flea treatments... the list became overwhelming. Doubts started to rise in my mind. So I prayed. I asked God to either give me peace or somehow slam the door shut - and fast. The next morning at 11:30 I was set to sign on the dotted line and hand over the money. I needed God's direction in a hurry.
His guidance didn't come in an audible voice but it did come. When I awoke the next morning I had a peace that was missing the day before. My doubts had been replaced by anticipation. Of course you know what happened, I drove out and got Pippy.
All you have to do is look back in the archives of this blog to see that the road with Pippy hasn't always been smooth. I have been downright angry with her. I have stormed out on her when she wouldn't listen. At times I cried, regretting the decision to ever get her in the first place. Looking back now I am ashamed at the shortness of my temper and the shortsightedness of the plan God was working out for Pippy and I.
Now I can look back on the last few years with Pippy and see the divine working of God throughout our story. It has been unexpected. But it has been a story of love. Through raising Pippy and sharing my life with her I have grown to love her not because she is cute and not because she is always the perfect companion. She isn't. Sometimes she doesn't listen and at other times she won't come when I call her. She has gotten attached to my Mom when I wanted her to be attached to me. I've felt rejected.
And yet, in all of these experiences, God has grown our love story. No matter how many times I lost my temper, Pippy forgave me. No matter how many times Pippy didn't listen or wouldn't come when called, I still gave her my attention and affection. God has used Pippy to teach me what it is to give love. He's taught me that in the most unexpected of ways He can write a love story.
His story of love isn't dependent on "feelings" or "emotion." His love is bigger than that. It doesn't rely on those wavering conditions. His love is permanent and steady. The journey with Pippy has taught me how this is truly the best love story. This love isn't found in us. It is found in Jesus Christ. Our ability to love isn't dependent on our own stamina and power. It is dependent on His limitless love that knows no boundaries and has no stipulations. 
I never expected God to write a love story in my life using a little dog. A man, sure, I could picture that. A Hallmark Channel worthy story of a fairy tale romance? Sure, I could imagine God doing that. But a little dog who came into my life peeing on the floor and running down the street, refusing to acknowledge her name? That is a love story I hadn't anticipated.
Beloved, this is how God works. He doesn't write the story we expect. He writes one that is infinitely better. He surprises us and shocks us. Each page that lies ahead in the story He writes is a mystery to us. We might think we know what they will contain, but God wants to amaze us. He doesn't want us to know how it all ends. He wants it to be a glorious surprise. 
Your love story might not have come yet. Hold on, just wait for it. It is being written. Get ready because it might not come the way you expect. So expect the unexpected. Anticipate what you cannot even comprehend. God is writing you a love story and who knows, it might even come in the form a dog.

A lesson in love

The sun began to rise on snow-covered Erie, Pennsylvania on another cold January morning. Mornings are always peaceful, especially when the world outside is freezing cold and the warmth of a fireplace (even an electric fireplace) begs to be enjoyed.
This morning was such a morning. Snuggled up in my warm pajamas, I surveyed the ice and snow outside, resting in the comfort of a warm and peaceful house. Pippy was doing the same. She laid all sprawled out on her dog bed on the floor in-between the kitchen and the living room. When she first received her dog bed she had no interest in laying on its padded cushion. Instead, she would lay on the hard wood floor. Despite all of my appeals to get her on the comfy bed, she insisted on staying on the floor.
Then one day the cat discovered the bed. Patches, the elder (and larger) animal in the house, took to the bed immediately. She stepped on top if it, turned around a few times, then laid down and fell fast asleep. Pippy watched in what first seemed to be confusion but then turned to amazement and lastly, I suspect, envy. She hadn't observed how the bed was to be used. Now she saw the benefits of the bed. It did look comfy. She, too, wanted to experience the joy of a soft place to rest.
Ever since the cat moved from the bed Pippy has taken to it like a fish to water. She comes in from her walks and goes to the bed. She finishes eating and goes over to her bed. Just like the cat, she gets on top of it, turns around and then lays down. She's a quick learner and the cat is her guide. Pippy's peaceful mornings are now spent on her dog bed, not on the cold, hard floor, while mine are spent preparing breakfast and reading my daily devotional. The house is always quiet and still.
Until Patches arrives.
Patches is large, yes, but not loud. It isn't Patches that brings commotion to the morning. It's Pippy. When Patches strolls into the kitchen, which she does every morning like clock work around 7:00, Pippy goes wild with excitement. She jumps off her bed, asleep or not it doesn't matter, and runs over to her buddy, Patches. The old cat is immediately showered with love and kisses. Pippy attempts to lick her face. She jumps around her in circles. Her ears flap and her tongue wags. Pippy is thrilled that her cat friend, Patches, has arrived and she greets her with sheer joy.
But poor Pippy, Patches just won't reciprocate. Patches lets out a meow of disgust. Sometimes she actually runs in the opposite direction. Most days she just stops and lets Pippy get all of her excited affection out of the way. Then Patches proceeds to her food and water bowl. After getting her fill, Pippy usually attempts to engage her once again. But Patches has had enough. She walks into a different room, jumps on some piece of furniture that looks inviting and goes back to sleep. She's a cat. This is what they do.
No matter how many times Patches ignores Pippy the routine continues. Pippy continues to love on Patches. And Patches continues to act annoyed.
This morning as the daily drama unfolded I began to see it in a whole new light. Instead of an annoyed cat and an overly excited dog, I saw it as a lesson on how to love.
Now don't misunderstand, I don't think it is beneficial to annoy people with suffocating smothering and obsessive, energetic kisses. Dogs can get away with displays of affection that humans simply cannot. There is, on the other hand, a lesson to be learned from the relentless love that Pippy showers on Patches. No matter how many times Patches ignores her, Pippy still shows Patches love. Pippy never receives reciprocation from Patches and yet she doesn't let that stop her from continuing to love. Pippy's love is not dependent on Patches' reaction. Pippy love Patches regardless of the love she receives in return.
A question arose for me to ask myself: do I love with this same passion and dedication? Is my love that unconditional? Do I love the people that don't show me love in return? Do I love the people who are hard to love?
Pippy's love reminded me of Luke 6:32, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them."
Somehow Pippy understands this principle and no one had to teach it to her! She loves Patches, a cat who shows her no love in return, with a love that is undying and unshakable. How easy would it be for Pippy to stay on her bed instead of greeting Patches in the morning? After all, her bed is comfortable and it isn't as if Patches seems to care all that much about receiving the greeting anyhow. That doesn't stop Pippy. Ever morning she continues to love Patches.
That little dog of mine never ceases to amaze me, teaching me valuable lessons and challenging me to put my faith into action. I've read about loving the unlovable thousands of times. The scriptures that teach "love your enemies" are familiar to every child who ever attended Sunday school. Yet, I am quick to forget. I often catch myself withholding love from those who don't show me love in return or for those who don't show love the way I would like them to. I allow my love to become dependent on the person I'm loving.
Jesus tells me to love no matter who it is or what I receive in return. Why? Because in loving others I am not displaying the goodness in my own heart but I am displaying the love of Jesus Christ acting through me. If Christ dwells in my heart then His love will pour out through me because He IS love.
His love is not dependent on the good we terrible sinners can obtain. If we had to work for His love we would never be able to attain it. No, His love is freely given, a gift that we can choose to accept through His sacrifice of death on a cross.
When we accept Jesus Christ's gift of salvation we receive the indwelling of His love through the Holy Spirit. The love He gives is unconditional and overwhelming. Through the indwelling of His love in our hearts we are able to share that love. He spreads His love to the lost through us when we allow ourselves to be vessels used for His glory.
Pippy showed me how to be that vessel  this morning as she poured out unconditional love on an old cat who couldn't care less. Pippy loved her anyway. My prayer today is that I would love like Pippy loves: passionately, wholeheartedly and without ceasing. When I love, may I love not on my own strength but through the limitless power of Jesus Christ who dwells in my heart.

Blessed bumps

In the midst of our greatest struggles we come face to face with the most precious of blessings.
It may seem counterintuitive. How could our most difficult circumstances and trying of struggles be a great gift? Aren't the times of ease and prosperity the blessed days and the tough days are just the unpleasant road to easy street?
I know we all want to get to kick back every day and just skate through life without bumps and certainly without bruises. The trouble with that life is that it produces little to no growth. Just think about it, when life is smooth sailing are you challenged to grow emotionally and spiritually? Do the times of steady bliss cause you to renew your strength in God or does it lead to a stale complacency?
I can't answer for you but I can answer for myself. I need the struggles. The tension of difficulty produces growth in me. Ease does not. Ease leads to a monotonous faith that starts to reek of milk that has been left out too long. Just like the milk needs the fridge to stay fresh, I need difficulty to keep my faith fresh and fully alive.
Although I recognize that God uses the difficult days and moments to grow my reliance on Him, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm always immediately on board with the pain that takes place. In fact, I usually rail against it for at least a little while. I am so short sighted and quick to forget the past that I neglect the principle God has taught me: growth comes through struggle - and it's painful.
Yet, when God throws another bump in my road I am prone to a temper tantrum like a small child in the grocery store check out line who wants a bag of M&Ms. He desperately wants the candy but his Mom doesn't want her son to ruin his appetite for dinner, so she won't give in to his wailing. I am wailing to God, telling Him I don't want another struggle but He knows it will grow my faith and dependence on Him. So He won't relent, the struggle that leads to growth will continue.
God allows growing pains. They are a blessing He bestows on His children because He wants a more intimate relationship with them. Through the pain we, as His helpless kids, turn to Him and cry out to Him. When times are easy we tend not to come to His throne with such frequency and urgency. But God wants us at His feet consistently so He brings us there through trials, struggles and difficulties. He brings us to Himself through pain.
I must remind myself that when I am experiencing growing pains I am actually experiencing the showering of blessings from God. He wants a deeper relationship with me. He is pulling me towards Himself. He is embracing me.
Chances are I'll need much more reminding of this important truth. I am too quick to forget that God is showing me love in the midst of my hurt. So, I must re-write it, re-read it and re-claim in continually. Trials will continue to come. I will not escape struggles and difficulty. And I have God to thank because He wants to grow me. In all of these circumstances that look bleak and feel hopeless He is calling me to Himself so that I may have a closer walk with Him. Every bump in the road is a blessing from Him, drawing me to Him so that I might find refuge and rest for the journey.

Better than Santa

Do you remember the great anticipation you felt on Christmas Eve when you were just a young child? You had written your letter to Santa and put in your order for his team of elves to fulfill. You had complete confidence in jolly old St. Nick bringing you all the toys and goodies on your list. After all, he had always come through before. Every Christmas morning was filled with boxes and bags that contained all the contents of your list. There was never any doubt that each year the list would be filled again.
So, the night before that blessed morning you laid out your cookies and tried your best to fall asleep. Excitement would grip you and lazy eyes were hard to come by. Finally, after much tossing and turning you would drift off. It was only then that Santa would shimmy down your chimney and lay out your precious gifts.
Awaking the next morning was magical. A tree that was once standing alone was now surrounded by gifts. A stocking was hung with delicate care, gifts peaking out from the top. Ribbons and bows were just begging to be untied. You couldn't wait to tear open the glistening wrapping paper and pull the wrapping paper from all the bags because  you knew your desired gifts were hidden inside.
Isn't it amazing how much confidence we put in Santa as children? For years we never questioned how Santa fit down the chimney or how he could possibly make it to every single house in one night. We accepted that Santa was special enough to make it all happen just the way we were told. We accepted the stories as truth and rested in that truth.
We put unshakable confidence in Santa but do we put that same confidence in God?
Are we not all guilty of praying to God with a half-hearted belief that He is truly listening? There are moments, sometimes frequent moments, where we doubt that God is actually working out our circumstances for our good. We expect God to be like Santa, fulfilling our desires down to the letter on a certain day on the calendar. When we open a present and see that it reveals something different then what we asked for we assume God didn't get the message, that He wasn't paying attention to our cries.
Our confidence in God is often on shaky ground. Even when we go to Him in prayer we can still be holding back part of our belief that He will fulfill that prayer.
I know this because I am terribly guilty of such lackluster faith. I cry out to God and yet, in the same breath, wonder whether or not He is truly listening. I doubt that the ups and downs in life are His marvelous plan or just a series of happenstance events. When my list doesn't get fulfilled I tend to get frustrated with God and my assurance in His consistency and faithfulness falters.
When I look at my pathetic level of confidence in my omnipotent, all powerful God I become ashamed at my lack of faith. How could I put so much stock in Santa as a child, a mythical character, and yet withhold confidence in God, the alive and real creator and ruler of the world?
Hebrews 4:16 serves as a much-needed reminder of the confidence that should be the bedrock of every believer. "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Confidence. God wants confident faith. He wants us to approach Him with the unshakable belief that no matter what lay beneath the wrapping paper, no matter what the gift contains, we are certain that it is perfect. No matter what our circumstances or situation, God is asking us to shed the preconceived notions of what we think is best and cling to the fact that whatever is His will is truly best. 
Our confidence is easily shaken when we are basing it on getting what it is we think we want or what we think would benefit us the most. But God gives us what we need, what is best. He might not fulfill our wish list in the time frame we expect and some gifts might never come at all. What we receive is even better than the ideas we scratched out on paper or cried out in the night. God's will is carefully wrapped, each step on our path orchestrated with His all-knowing and loving hand. He sees what is best and makes sure that we receive it, even if it wasn't what was written on our list. 

Let us approach God with complete and total confidence in the giver of all good gifts. Tear up your wish-list and cling to God's perfect plan, knowing that what He can accomplish in your life is better than what you can comprehend. When we get caught up in expecting God to be Santa we lose heart when we don't get exactly what we wrote on our list. But God has a better list. He has a perfect list and He will fulfill it in His perfect timing.

Resolutions worth making

Every December 31st TV specials highlight the past year's top everything. Top viral videos, top songs, top scandles, top fashion flops and top fashion successes. They list the words we all hope go away in the new year and talk about the people we hope aren't splashed across our screens for another 365 days. And then, as the program comes to a close, the hosts and guests always discuss their personal resolutions for the new year.
The lists are usually quite typical: spend more time with family, get organized, eat healthier, shed a few extra pounds, save more money. 
Some resolutions are bit more gutsy - one in particular. According to a study published by the University of Scranton, the top ten resolutions include number nine: fall in love.
For those making resolution number nine I must give them credit for optimism. They must truly believe that they can will themselves into finding Mr. or Mrs. Right. Then they must will themselves into falling head over heels in love with that person. Now, if that love is reciprocated is another matter. Does this resolution have an unspoken understanding attached that resolves to also make their love interest fall in love with them in return?
The whole concept seems a bit misguided if you ask me. This resolution assumes that finding love is a matter of want to. But falling in love isn't a matter of making the decision to fall in love in a certain time frame and then going out and finding a mate to fit the bill. Love doesn't come that way. This isn't like buying a product on Amazon and choosing the shipping method. "I'd like love and I'd like it on expediant, two-day shipping." Click, click.
No, that isn't the way falling in love works.
To truly "fall" in love - which is a terrible term but for the sake of sticking to the study we'll go with it - God must bring two hearts into union. Our prayers can give God our desire to find love and share love but He chooses whether or not to fulfill the desire and He chooses the shipping method.
The longing of the heart to find companionship is a natural desire. Adam was given Eve. God thought it was right for the two to have each other and help each other. Two were better than one. Notice that Adam didn't receive Eve because he told God, "Hey, I think I could use some help down here. I'd like a person to be with me and I'd like to find them appealing. Thanks. Oh, and if you could do this before you're done with the whole creation week that'd be great." 
No, that is not how Adam recieved Eve. Instead, it was God who looked at Adam and saw that he could use a companion.
Look at Genesis 2:20. God alone is the orchestrator of the union of man and woman.
"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Isn't this amazing? Adam wasn't even awake and aware that this love was being created for him. He didn't have to send in an order or make a resolution. God saw the need and He filled it in His great power. 
Resolutions can be wonderful for getting healthy and making changes for self-improvement. But falling in love isn't our resolution to make. God can cause love to find us and flourish if that His will. If we, as His devoted and obediant children, seek to live squarly within that will then we won't be trying to force falling in love. Instead, we will be nurtiring the love we have with our Savior, trusting that mutual human affection and love will come from His hand, in His time.
This year, I will not resolve to fall in love with a mere man. Instead, I am resolving to rest more soundly and peacefully in the comfort of my First Love. It is in His arms that I find the greatest companionship and devotion. It is in His arms that I am truly cared for. If someday He sees it fit to give a helper, then I will embrace this new love through the outpouring of the love I have from my Savior's indwelling in me.
First we must fall in love with Jesus Christ, the one who bestows on us perfect love. It is in becoming united with Him that we learn the true meaning of love. Once we are overcome with His love, the need for human love diminishes. It is replaced with an overflowing of His love and grace satisfying and filling our hearts.
Christ's love is open and available to all who ask. It is ready and available. Jesus has already poured it out for us on the cross. This year and every year is the right year, the right day and the right moment to fall in love with Him. It is a resolution worth making and more importantly, worth keeping.