1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV) Do everything in love. COMMENTARY PEARL Two or my closest friends write incredible romance novels. When the main character finds herself in a terrible situation, along comes the hero. Somehow, against dismal odds, they solve the problem and fall in love in the process. These stories are entertaining, and the characters are memorable. But aside from these colleagues' works, I rarely read books in that genre. Why? Because I'm already living a romance. Nothing beats reality. My first years together with my husband, David, were like a winding road with a washboard surface. We struggled to understand the mystery of wedded bliss, clunking along until we found the answer in Luke 6:31 (NIV): Do to others as you would have them do to you. If I want romantic moments, I need to offer them. If I need forgiveness, I first must give it. And to be appreciated, I must possess a thankful heart. Like a novel, David and I perpetually find ourselves in the midst of one fix or another. Now married for forty-two years, our current challenge is the bathroom. At this point, it has a toilet. That's it. And it's been years getting it this far. Will our love survive this test or will our relationship fall by the wayside, yet another victim of household repair? I've peeked at the conclusion of this story and know it ends happily. Today is Valentine's Day. There will be kisses and secret smiles and maybe a flower or two. But the gift I'm most thankful for is my husband's devotion. Jesus's love permeates our union, whether we have a bathroom sink or not. Heidi Gaul Faith Step: Be fully present for your dear ones today, offering all you do in love. [Mornings With Jesus 2023 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] COMMENTARY Don't Quit Years ago, I listened as Anna Sklar, the author of a book titled Runaway Wives, shared some shocking statistics: Early in the twentieth century, for every wife or mother who walked away from her home and responsibilities, six hundred husbands and fathers did so. Just ten years later, after the women's liberation movement, for each man who did that, two women did the same. Pause and let that sink in. Do the math. I'm not advocating either side, but I'm just amazed at the unbelievably rapid rise in modern-day women who choose escape as their favorite method of coping. There is not an achievement worth remembering that isn't stained with the blood of diligence and checkered with the scars of disappointment. To quit may feel good now, but it's a bummer when life's bills come due. Churchill put it well: Wars are not won by evacuations. Battles are won in the trenches, in the grit and grime of courageous determination not by a violent jerk now and then but a prolonged pull, day in and day out. The same is true of our salvation. The man who bore on his body "the scars that show [he belongs] to Jesus" (Galatians 6:17) was a living example of his own counsel: My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Giving thought to giving up? Considering the possibility of quitting? Looking for an easy way out? Entertaining the idea of running away stopping before it's finished escaping from reality? Admittedly, the holiday season only encourages such feelings of despair. Don't! Instead, I urge you to draw near to God and to His people. Don't retreat, but rather surround yourself with loving, supportive friends. And let God be gracious to you. It's always harder to quit when a few friends stand with you. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.] LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY 1 Corinthians 16:14 - Whatever You Do, Do It With Love. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200310-1550.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/