Conversation hearts are a part of each Valentine’s Day, a tradition that began in 1866 when Daniel Chase created the machine that pressed food dye letters into the candy lozenges his brother Oliver made famous as founder of the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO).

For the second year, we asked Triad’s executive staff to pen spiritual “conversation heart” devotions celebrating God's heart and love. These are their contributions:

I LOVE YOU

Valentine's day is a time to remember to be generous and thoughtful to that special someone you love. It is also a reminder to me to give back to the Lord what He has so blessed me with in this life. I do not give just to get a blessing. I give so the blessing does not get me. I have often told the Lord through the gifts that I have given back to Him, “Nothing that you gave me is more important than you. Nothing you put on me is more important that you. Nothing you did for me is more important than you. I will not worship what you gave me. I will worship you. I will always prefer the blessor over the blessing. And so I lay these gifts you have given me at your feet because I love you.”

Lead Pastor Rob Decker

BE MINE

All throughout scripture God says, “BE MINE,” as He unfolds His plan of redemption in the Old Testament and brings it to fruition in the New Testament. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He wants to save us and restore a relationship that was broken by sin. He also wants us to be devoted to Him for the purposes He has laid out for each of our lives. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

God says, “BE MINE” and I’ll save you. “BE MINE” and I’ll use you.

Scott Compton, worship director

MY GIRL

In Genesis 2:21-24 we find the story of God creating a helper for Adam. This helper was created for the man because God said that it is not good for man to be alone. Eve completed Adam in a way that no other thing in all of creation could. In essence, Adam looked at her for the first time and said, “My girl!” On Valentine's Day we most certainly should celebrate this God-ordained relationship with our spouse, but we must also give thanks to God for His kindness towards us in creating the husband/wife relationship in the first place.

What a glorious gift it is!

Jared Hoots, Radiate high school student ministry pastor

BE TRUE

Parents, your children see you 24/7. They see you for who you are. They see your flaws and shortcomings, and even though your path will not be perfect, your dependence to God and being true to Him will be the ultimate lesson as they learn to depend on Him, too!

Tim Gerber, executive pastor for children and ministries

YOU ARE MINE

This is what God is saying to us. You are all mine! There are two ways to take this that apply to our lives. The first, and one that is extremely comforting in times of need, is that this is how God loves us. He loves everyone with enough love that it feels like you are the only one who could be so loved. The second way to apply it is to realize that everything is God’s. There is nothing that doesn’t belong to Him, and that includes your life! Do we live our lives this way? Do we show by how we live that we have surrendered everything to Him? It’s already His so we need to stop living like it’s all ours!

Toby Pegram, The Crossing middle school student ministry pastor

KISS ME

We typically assume that a kiss signifies something to do with love, but even a kiss can be deceiving. “Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48). One of Jesus’ closest followers took something meant for greeting or affection and used it selfishly. True love is not selfish but believes, hopes, and endures all things. True love never ends! This Valentine’s Day let the true spirit of unselfish love control your relationships with God and others. May it be a time of reflection on our motives and what true love really means. God is love, made manifest through Jesus so that we might live through Him.

Austin Needham, assistant children’s ministry director and TBCA campus pastor

ONE & ONLY

Think about the verse Galatians 4:9. We as Christians claim to know God or at least to know about God. But this verse tells us that we are “known” by God. What a humbling revelation. As His children, He knows us and everything about us. It’s a relationship so intimate that according to Galatians 4:6 we can call Him “Abba Father” or, in our earthly vocabulary, “Daddy.”

There is truly no one but God who loves us this way. He truly is the “One & Only” God who alone is worthy of our praise.

Dennis Roberts, executive administrator

Have a conversation heart and story of your own you’d like us to consider sharing? Email it to connections@tbcnow.org.