Announcing: A Valentine's Day Links Extravaganza!

One of the fun things I've done is browse and search the Internet for links I could share on my blog on Valentine's Day. The Big Day has arrived and I've got a collection of links to share and take your mind and heart off roses that aren't for you ... hopefully one or more of these links will bless and encourage and uplift and amuse you! Enjoy!


Doesn't the picture of this eclair make your mouth water?!? Click here for the recipe! (And if you make it, don't forget to leave a comment at SundayThroughMonday to let Melanie know how it turned out!)

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Crystal Paine of Biblical Womanhood is holding a Valentine's Day Contest! Go and check out some of the beautiful and thoughtful ideas other young ladies had for celebrating Valentine's Day and blessing other people! If the voting is still open, vote for the idea/project you think worthy of winning the Contest!

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While the rest of the world exchanges red roses and cute cards, do you feel in need of a little especially-for-Christian-single-young-ladies encouragement? If so, check out The Burning Candle! It's a resource many single young ladies appreciate ... I admit, I haven't read every single word on every single page, but it's part of the YLCF website, so I'm confident that you'll find it refreshing and uplifting!

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"Don't waste [your maidenhood], or wish it away, or settle just to be done with it. Don't count its trials as a curse, or treat its relative freedoms too lightly. Above all, cultivate your relationship with Christ--'attend to Him without distraction'--for it will not only be your stay in waiting days but your husband's crown 'when the desire comes.'"

Check out "June Brides"!

"The gift of being able to recognize the blessings of God--cloaked in shadow as they may be--is in itself a gift. But it does help to keep ever in mind that this season of your life may very well be the most formative in your relationship with Him, your reliance on Him; that the ability to ‘attend to Him without distraction’ is so rare and precious and will bear rich fruit all the rest of your life."

Learn to recognise "Sweetness in Singleness"!

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Maybe you're suffering from 'Valentine's Day's Blues' and would like empathy as well as encouragement. If so, read "Solitair Blues" by Gretchen Achesons of YLCF (she wrote this post when she was single!) and "Non-Wedding Blues" by Me! I highly recommend Gretchen's post. It's one of the most moving and empathetic-but-encouraging posts about singleness and singleness blues that I've ever read. I've read it dozens of times, but it tugs on my heart-strings every time I read it again! Another post that tugs on my heart-strings every time I read it is "When I Was One and Twenty." (And if you're feeling 'strong' and want to read the latest update of Gretchen's 'story', read Gretchen's 2008 Valentine's Day Post ... it almost reduced me to tears, it's so sweet!)

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On the subject of sweetness and romance, what do you call this?

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If you're worried that you'll be single forever, maybe this will remind you that God isn't asking you to cope with a lifetime of singleness today.

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And if you're feeling emotional, maybe this will give you a fresh perspective ... I found it very challenging (in a good way!) and encouraging!

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But, you know, ultimately the only time we have is the time we're already living at this moment. So go and read "The Time is Now" and remember to live today, even if it's Valentine's Day and you don't have a Valentine. God knows that and He'll give you strength and joy!