Today, on Valentine’s Day, we talk of love and romance and all things Cupid. But it’s also Ash Wednesday, when we are reminded of the greatest love that ever lived, the love that died so we might truly live. To top it off, in just a few days my daughter will celebrate her 18th birthday.

The convergence of all these events has prompted a little introspection and a desire to make sure my girl understands what true love really is. Maybe, just maybe, it’s a reminder we all need as we celebrate Valentine’s Day and honor Ash Wednesday.

To my sweet girl,
You’ll be eighteen in just a few days. Such an exciting time of life, marching into adulthood, considering colleges and making plans for your future. More than any before, this year, your birthday is a poignant reminder to me that time is fleeting.
I’ve been thinking over the past couple of weeks about all the things I want you to know before you leave our home. Some of them you’ve already mastered, like how to do your own laundry and make cupcakes. But some of them are lessons I know will take a lifetime – what we’ve shown and taught you is only the start. At the top of that list is what it is to love.
I want you to know the truth about love. I’ve been praying Scriptures this month about what love is and how we live it. I’ve prayed for you to know the fullness of God’s great love for you – a love that gave itself up, the ransom for your eternal life. And I’ve prayed you will love others with a love that can only come from God, from the assurance of His tender care for you.

The truth about love isn’t what the world says. Oh no! It’s far more beautiful and far more precious, and it is only found in Him.
Here’s the real truth about true love: We love because he first loved us. –1 John 4:19
You’ll never know what true love is until you find it in Him. As you grow in that love, He will give you an ability you never believed possible to love others.
I am so proud of you! I’m thankful to be your mom. I delight in seeing you become the young woman God created you to be. Lean into Him, abide in His love, and then walk out that love in everything you do.

With all my heart,
Mom