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| Totally Free Ministries | February 2012 |
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Dear Friend,
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!"
With all due apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, we're just past Valentine's Day, and love is in the air. In my refrigerator are two-dozen chocolate covered strawberries. Or there were yesterday. The number is rapidly decreasing! No variety of strawberries lasts very long in our house: I enjoy them too much to let them spoil you understand. Valentine's Day often means cards, heart-shaped balloons, teddy bears, flowers, cards - and chocolate covered strawberries. I think you know what my favorite is! (Thank you, my wonderful husband!)
My perspective on Valentine's Day is not much different than years ago, now that I've been married for a few years. Some of you may look forward to Valentine's Day, and others of you may dread the emphasis on love and romance and relationships. Merchants love Valentine's Day, with the candy, cards, and flowers. Do you? And more important, do you have somebody to love you? And to love? Let's talk about that this month.
Be sure to read the Ministry Update section at the end of this letter. Our ministry family is growing, and we enjoy hearing from you what these letters mean to you. Our website and radio program are also growing! There is much to share with you. So keep reading!
Sincerely,
Carol Tanksley
Totally Free Ministries |
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How Do I Love Thee?
- Let Me Count The Ways!
Somebody to Love
What is it about the human heart that responds to love - or wants to? I think it's the way we are made, and the way God intended it to be. But those parts of the human heart can become tricky to manage, and can be the cause of both deep pain and wonderful joy.
I know what it's like to be single and lonely: I was that way for 48 years. Like probably most single people I went through the range of emotions, and asked all the "Why" questions. I also now know what it's like to be married, in love, and thrilled with the joy, comfort, and security a healthy marriage can provide. I'm grateful for my life now, but I also know many of you are not in that kind of relationship.
 During my single years I remember wanting to be Number One to somebody. I had friends, but that wasn't the same as being someone's Sweetheart. I wanted to belong to someone, to be cherished, to be wanted, to be seen as lovely. I wanted someone to desire me, chase me, and miss me when I wasn't there. When I didn't find somebody to love me, I often wondered whether there was something seriously wrong with me. I've grown up a lot since then, but that desire to be Number One to someone is still there. (Thankfully I AM Number One to my husband now!) And I can imagine many of you women have felt the same.
And you guys aren't immune to such feelings either. Haven't you wanted someone to respond to your advances? Don't you want someone to look up to you, be proud of you, give you the sense that you've rescued the most beautiful woman in the world? To cheer you on to the adventure you've dreamed of for so long? You want to be wanted, and to have someone need you, respect you, long for you, and to see the good in you. You want to be Number One to someone as well!
Matters of the heart, such as romantic love, touch us deeply. And if you ever imagine love is in the air you'll do just about anything - things you would never do if you were in your "right mind!" Sure, biologically those desires are necessary for the human race to go on, but they also signal something much deeper, much more profound, much more spiritual.
Simply being married doesn't automatically meet those deep human desires to be someone's Number One. Loneliness in a painful marriage can be much worse than being single. And the comfort and security of a good marriage does not prevent the pain and struggles of life that too often happen. True love doesn't give up when it gets hard. (But that's a topic for another letter!)
A Fool For Love
Being in love makes you do things you wouldn't dream of doing any other time. You spend money, "waste" your time, and can't stop thinking about the object of your desire. You are willing to make a fool of yourself to try and win the game.
If you've been in love, you know what I'm talking about. And nobody else can tell you you're being foolish. And surely you've had friends or family members fall in love. You are certain they've lost their mind! Reasoning with them has no effect. Whether or not their actions and decisions are in their long-term best interest, the desires of the heart seem to take over. (Now I'm not advocating getting involved unwisely: I'm just commenting on human behavior.)
I believe that more than biology, our whole being was created for love because God loves us, and desires our love in return. How we respond to the prospect of love, how much we become willing to invest or give up, the lengths to which we will go, all speak to how deeply this need is built into the human heart and soul.
Whether you're single or married - and happy or unhappy about it - take a moment to consider the hunger for love built into our human heart. What have you done for love? What WOULD you do for love? Have you ever acted the fool because you loved someone, or wanted them to love you? What do you think that says about the way God made us?
Falling In Love Again
You CAN fall in love again, you know. Or for the first time if you never have. God is the One who created you for love. He knows the holes in your heart, and how to fill them. There's something very spiritual about how our hearts are made, and that's because HE made them that way. And short of Him, nothing else will completely fill our need for love.
Why not fall in love with Jesus? Regardless of your current marital status, you ARE Number One to Someone. You ARE wanted, cherished, chased after, and seen as lovely. There IS Someone who is proud of you, needs you, responds to you, and longs for you. And He will never tire of you, or let you go. He is passionate about you, and can handle all the strong and deep emotions your heart feels without getting tired or frustrated. He's totally crazy about you, and will do absolutely anything to win your heart.
Fall in love with Jesus all over again this Valentine's Day. And if you never have, tell Him you want to. He loves you! Let Him know you love Him in return. And what you'll get in return is much more then chocolate covered strawberries!
What does falling in love mean to you? Have you experienced falling in love with Jesus? Do you want to? Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you.
Until we speak again, in Christ's love and freedom,
Dr. Carol Tanksley
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Ministry Update
We've heard from some of you recently in ways that make our hearts both soar, and break. When we hear that God's love is making a difference for you, and that your life is changing as a result - there's nothing better than that! And when we hear of the struggle and pain or confusion you wrestle with we pray that God's love and grace minister to you and bring you healing and strength.
The Dr Carol Show is experiencing some wonderful growth. People from Michigan to Mississippi, from New York to California, and of course in our home area in Texas and even in other countries are finding out about this program, and responding in various ways. Much of that is because of you! Thank you for telling someone about the Dr Carol Show, our website, and these letters. You never know the difference that may make in someone else's life, as well as your own!
We invite you to regularly go to our website www.drcarolshow.com, check out the regularly updated features, and be part of our family there also. We invite you to comment on our blog posts, or to write or call us at any time. And do share this with your friends. We hope you will check back often, and comment regularly.
And now, I pray you know the ravishingly strong and beautiful love of the One who gave everything to win your heart. May the God Who is Love, His Son Jesus, and His Loving Holy Spirit, be your daily companions. And may the love from His heart so fill your own soul that it flows out to meet the needs of other hungry lonely hearts. |
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Final thoughts
We would love to hear from you at any time. You are the reason Totally Free Ministries exists! Let us know how we can help you, or how these letters have made a difference in your life. You can reply to this email, or use the contact information here to get in touch with us.
You can also check out our website at www.totallyfreeministries.org. We encourage you to forward this email to your friends, and let them know about Totally Free Ministries. Invite them to sign up to get the newsletters as well. And if you know of a friend who cannot receive these letters by email, let us know their postal address, and we will be happy to forward a paper copy.  You can also make a tax-deductible donation to Totally Free Ministries. Use this link to make your donation now. 6101 W Courtyard Drive, Bldg 1, Suite 150
Austin, Texas 78730
Totally Free Ministries
512-358-6733
Copyright (c) 2012 |
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