#LovingInYourLanguage by Stephanie
At some point I’m certain you’ve heard of the 5 love languages, taken the quiz, or read the book. If you haven’t, don’t worry - we have the links below.
Love seems to be a popular topic of discussion in our society; whether on TV, in bible study, podcasts, and other avenues of communication. We talk, read, study and discuss love so often, but many people don’t know how to love, and we all at one point, have failed miserably at loving someone. I am a firm believer that love is stitched into our daily lives; often our motivation or deterrent in life choices.
The Five Love Languages illustrates the importance of understanding love on a deeper level. The author, Gary Chapman, allows us to gain insight into the way we receive love, but also the way in which we give love. He was able to categorize these methods of love into 5 different languages; Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Physical Touch, Gifts, and Acts of Service. And he concluded that we all respond to and show love in 1-2 of these ways. I encourage you to read in depth about each category on the website, and take the quiz to learn what your language is.
So what does this have to do with the #iCelebrateMe2016 challenge? Well, I’m glad you asked!
Celebrating ourselves is about what we allow to enter into our heart, soul, and mind. One of the biggest ways we feed ourselves is through relationships with others. Many of us, my younger self included, struggle to find what makes us feel valued and fulfilled. So often we attach ourselves to people who love us, but not in the language that we speak.
If my love language is words of affirmation, and my partner is showing love by giving gifts;
Will this fulfill me?
No.
Will I feel loved?
No.
Will my spirit be fed?
No.
This is why I want to impress upon you the importance of knowing how you give and receive love; so you can begin to foster relationships that will mature up, add to your life, and feed your spiritual self.
Staying in relationships, situations, and environments that do not foster the love that speaks to you, will eventually break your spirit. Broken spirits allow room for broken pieces to seep through; depression, fear, low self-esteem, unhealthy habits. We can begin to celebrate ourselves by being unapologetic in the way we require those around us to love us; but also being willing to reciprocate this!
Make it plain - I wouldn’t speak English to someone who only speaks German. And likewise, we have to learn to treat love with the same importance. It’s okay to believe you are worth it, and require the people who surround you speak your language!
So let’s begin celebrating ourselves by:
- Learning our love language; how do you give and receive love?
- Pray for the strength to walk away from relationships that aren’t providing the sustenance you need to grow
- Foster relationships, situations, and environments that will allow you to be spoken to through the language you speak!
- Reciprocate! Love those around you with the same regard.
Blessings,
Stephanie!
Stephanie describes herself as a sister, a lover, a friend, and a counselor. Born and raised in Richmond, VA, Stephanie is a self-proclaimed Pinterest addict and loves crafting. She studied Social Work at Christopher Newport University and Virginia Commonwealth University. Stephanie's passion is serving God's people through her clinical work. In her free time, when she's not crafting, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones.