With this month being February, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss many couples’ favorite holiday: Valentine’s Day! I have always thought it to be a day used only as an excuse to get presents, but since I’ve gotten older and more understanding, I’ve realized that even though it may be like that for some, it doesn’t have to be that way for me! I have come to recognize that I can choose to make this day about love and God’s grace and mercy (Eph. 2:8)! My boyfriend and I have decided to make this a day of appreciation for the small things, such as time spent together. We usually write letters and buy some type of candy—simple and perfect!
Before I continue on with the good things Valentine’s Day brings, let me make this suggestion: Valentine’s Day can be celebrated with many different people. For example, you could choose to do something for your mother or maybe your best friend; it really doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is that if you are not currently in a dating relationship, there’s no need to feel left out of this wonderful day. You can go out and tell everyone important in your life what they mean to you—and don’t be shy about it!
To me, the best thing about Valentine’s Day is the chance to express your love and positive feelings freely (of course, we shouldn’t hesitate to do this all the time)! I am one of those people who often come up with different scenarios in her mind and many times tells herself that “this may be the last chance I have to speak to or see someone.” So I have always made it a goal to part with everyone on good terms. Sometimes I worry that I don’t tell people how much I 
care about them, and so I make a point of being open with others about my feelings for them. I think that Valentine’s Day can be used as the perfect opportunity to tell all the people in our lives how much we love and appreciate them! We can do this by sending cards to the elderly, hosting a party for friends, or doing nice things for family members.
Don’t let those who care about you just assume that you care, too—tell them with kind and loving words (Rom. 12:10). God wants us to take care of each other, and sometimes all that is needed is a simple thank you and expression of gratitude. I hope that everyone will choose to make this holiday of love a day to show love and spread God’s many gifts to His Creation.
Shelby Garrett
In order for us to love others the way God loves us, we must first understand a little about His love. First we’ll discuss how God loves us in times of sorrow and in times of joy. We’ll also talk about God’s love being a two-way thing; He desires for us to love Him too!
Now that I know from the past thirteen years
When we sin, we need God, and we need to ask His forgiveness for our sins, and allow ourselves to be reconciled to Him through the blood of Christ. Colossians 1:21-22: “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”
God wants us to be happy, and He knows that true happiness can only be found in living a life that’s fully dedicated to Him. Colossians 3:14-15: “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
It’s important for us to understand that our lives can change in the blink of an eye. We could, at any minute of any day, lose our life. It could be from a horrible, unexpected accident, or we could die because of bad health. James 4:14 says, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Understanding who God is and what he stands for should really change our lives. It should affect us in so many ways, such as the way we live our lives, the way we talk, and how we dress.
The theme of love is one of the easiest to find examples of in Scripture. This month’s reading shows us several examples of the love Jesus taught.
FEB 1 Rom 9-10
Welcome to the second issue of the newly structured Pierce My Heart. We hope you’ve been enjoying all the changes, as well as your old favorites. Although there are still some changes taking place, we have settled into this new year, as we hope you have too. One of our most exciting changes is yet to come—we have several new writers! We will be welcoming them over the next couple months and hope that you will enjoy the fresh change that will come from their writing. If any of you would like to join our volunteer writing staff, be sure to 
Don’t forget to check out some of the lighter topics, though! Media Matters reviews a great love story, and Gifted Girls will display some reader talent. We have a list of the best things about being single, and a few fun suggestions about how to tell others what they mean to you. And to get extra insight from some of our writers, visit our new blog, 
… Or should I say “Beauty Buzz winner,” because that’s the new name for our beauty column! Thanks, Ashley K. for your suggestion! We will be in touch with you so you can claim your bag of Beauty Buzz products.
Many of us may have made the resolution to be healthier this year. Several of us might have even decided on a certain number of pounds we want to lose. We may have decided to never eat desserts again, or to only eat one sweet per week (or month). Others of us may have promised ourselves that we’ll exercise for 45 minutes every single day. If those are your resolutions, I suggest changing them!
Scales do work for some, but a scale can often be our worst enemy when trying to become healthier, mainly because it can discourage us. If we exercise every day for a week, don’t eat any junk food or red meat, and snack only on carrot sticks without dip, we’d all expect the scale to say we weigh less, right? But if the number on the scale is the same, or (gasp!) more than it was at our last weigh-in, what happens most of the time? We become discouraged, and often comfort ourselves with sweets! This, of course, makes us gain weight, often causing us to eat more sweets to try to comfort ourselves even more.
Tilapia is a mild white fish that’s native to Israel, but also raised in the United States. Low in mercury, fat, and sodium, and high in protein, tilapia is safe for pregnant women and young children, making it a healthy alternative to red meat at any family meal. This fish can be purchased fresh or frozen at most grocery stores. If you don’t usually enjoy seafood, I suggest giving this fish a try—it has only a very mild fish flavor, which can also be lessened by seasoning.
Today is the last day to submit photos of your snow creations (angels, people, forts, etc.) to us for use in our 
After Jesus rose from the dead, He commanded His followers: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).
– it is writing a letter to a loved one, expressing interest in that person’s spiritual welfare;
Proverbs 31:20 “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”
For other people, they may not need help deciding at all! You may choose to serve someone who simply needs assistance moving stuff or taking it to a donation center. Depending on the size of the job, you may need to enlist the help of someone with a truck. Try not to leave the person with the bigger job of cleaning up after the organizational overhaul. Allow yourselves enough time to complete the task, even if it means returning a little later to finish.
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