Tag: Love

Handmade Gift Ideas That Show You Care

March 3rd, 2026
I always catch myself overthinking what to get people for special occasions. This is because I always want to give gifts that are meaningful and actually useful for them. It gets tricky though, since I start pondering about the occasion, what I know about the person, and items I’ve seen them use before. I’ve noticed that handmade gifts usually hit the mark because they show that I put in time, effort, and care. So, I’ve put together a list of ideas if you’re thinking about giving a handmade gift. I also made sure they’re pretty easy for anyone to whip up!

Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose]
just as he has decided in his heart,
not grudgingly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver
[and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].
2 Corinthians 9:7 (AMP)
1. Origami: According to Britannica, origami is the art of folding objects out of paper to create both two-dimensional and three-dimensional subjects. You can make a bookmark with a Bible verse on it, or a box for a baked good, or an envelope with a heartfelt message within, or make some shapes as part of a design for a card, or even fold money creatively.
2. Jewelry: You can grab some beads and string from a craft store and make some super cute bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, and more. Sure, the whole point is to DIY, but if you wanna snag a fancy handmade piece from a local shop, I totally get it.
Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people!
Proverbs 18:16 (NLT)

3. Food: Let’s be real, everyone loves food, and putting together some baked goods or a meal is a super nice way to show you care. This is especially great for new parents, people bouncing back from being sick or having surgery, and college students studying for exams. Oh, and you could also throw together some fun prep-kits like cookie-in-a-jar, spice mixes, or hot cocoa mixes so they can make it their own. Check out the example below!

Image by Nagi Maehashi

4. Letters: You can write a sweet letter packed with your favourite memories with the person, what you love about them, and how much they mean to you. One fun twist I’ve tried is the “Open When” letters. Essentially, these are a bunch of letters for different moments (open when you’re angry, sad, hungry, bored, when you miss me, and so on). Each envelope has a note and/or a little treat. For instance, the ‘open when you’re hungry’ envelope could have a gift card to a restaurant, or the ‘open when you’re bored’ envelope might have some printed sudoku sheets to keep them busy.

For if the willingness is there,
the gift is acceptable
according to what one has,
not according to what one does not have.
2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)

5. Household essentials: These are super fun gifts you can whip up using stuff you probably already have lying around the house. They also double as awesome little souvenirs for small group hangouts. A perfect example? A DIY body scrub! Other examples include bath bombs, clay coasters, room sprays, and lip balms.

6. Hand-knitted blankets: So, I’m not the best at knitting, but this was super easy! Like the name suggests, you don’t even need a knitting needle. Just grab some yarn and start knitting! You can whip up a simple blanket in just an hour or two.

Give, and you will receive.
Your gift will return to you in full—
pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,
running over, and poured into your lap.
The amount you give will determine the amount you get back
Luke 6:38 (NLT)

7. Sewing: If you’re awesome at sewing and have a sewing machine, you can whip up some cool stuff like snack wraps, bookmarks, mug sleeves, key-chains, coasters, place mats, handkerchiefs, dresses, and even some fun texture toys for the children. And hey, if you’re just starting out and don’t have a machine, no worries! I’m sure you can totally make a few of these by hand.

Which other handmade gift ideas do you have?
Praying for others

November 7th, 2024

I talk a lot about love on this blog. One great way you can show your love for others is by praying for them. In Christian parlance, it is referred to as intercessory prayer. I will be sharing some prompts supported by Bible verses.

I looked for someone who might rebuild
the wall of righteousness that guards the land.
I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall
so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land,
but I found no one
EZEKIEL 22:30 (NLT)

Who and WHat Can you pray for?

1. Your Country – Jeremiah 29:7, Matthew 9:37-38

2. Your Leaders – Proverbs 21:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-4

3. Your Family (nuclear and extended) – Proverbs 17:17, 3 John 1:4

4. Your Pastor and Church family – Psalm 133:1, Colossians 1:9-11

5. Your Friends – Romans 1:11-12

I would be disobeying the Lord
if I stopped praying for you!
I will always teach you how to live right
1 Samuel 12:23 (CEV)

6. Your Coworkers – Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 90:17

7. Missionaries – Acts 16:14, Colossians 4:2-4, 3 John 1:5 (NLT)

8. Unsaved Loved Ones – Ezekiel 36:26, Mark 9:24

9. War Torn Areas – Jeremiah 30:17, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

10. Persecuted Christians – Luke 22:32, 2 Peter 2:9

Don’t look out only for your own interests,
but take an interest in others, too
Philippians 2:4 (NLT)

Who else do you pray for that is not included in my list?
Witnesses

June 5th, 2023

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a witness is someone that gives evidence or specifically, someone who testifies in a cause or before a judicial tribunal. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are called to be a witness.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
Acts of the apostles 1:8 (NLt)

In recent times, I’ve been feeling convicted about this. I haven’t been telling people about Jesus as much as I’d like to or rather, as much as I should be. I thought about possible reasons for this and I came up with a few, but I am going to share two here. These reasons may apply to you as well.

The gospel isn’t considered as good news

Now, you may consider it good enough for yourself, but not up to the standard of the world which is why you don’t talk about it much. Look at this: In the book of John, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”. I would interpret this to mean that giving one’s life up for someone else (literally or figuratively) is the best possible type (or demonstration) of love that a human can have. I was intrigued to read Romans 5:8 in the same Bible: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. To me, this means that the Creator of the world loves you more than any human possibly can because He gave up His life (literally) while you weren’t friends (in fact while you hated Him). That is truly amazing news and worthy of being shared.

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard
Acts 4:20 (NKJV)

We don’t care enough about others

This may be a difficult pill and I hope I don’t step on any toes. So I was reading some Bible verses (Jude 1:23 and James 5:20) and the references given were very serious. One talks about saving a soul from death and the other about a sense of urgency (similar to saving someone from a fire). I imagine someone drowning and you have a floatation device to help them, but you refuse to throw it to them because you are concerned that the person may reject it. Anyone around witnessing this will most likely urge you to give them the option at least. Your refusal to help after the urges may be considered a mean act and may even be likened to an act of hate. Add this image to the message in 1 John 4:20 and the consequence in Revelation 21:8. If you’re a believer, I bet it almost feels like you’ve been punched in the gut. At least, that’s how I felt when I read them.

What other reasons can you think of?
Couples of the Bible: Moses and Zipporah

May 20th, 2023
This is an interesting one, at least for me. Typically, when you hear the name, Moses, you think of a baby in a basket on River Nile or the parting of the Red Sea or water coming from a rock. You may not be aware that Moses was married or even if you were, you may not have thought much about his marriage. Well, that’s why you have me. If you’re still unclear, this post is about Moses and Zipporah!

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses
because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married;
for he had married an Ethiopian woman
Numbers 12:1 (NKJV)

From the above text, you can see that Moses had an interracial or intercultural marriage. An Israelite had married an Ethiopian. You can also see that his siblings didn’t really like the idea of it. There is work involved when two people from different cultures decide to come together in a marriage relationship, but it is worth it.

There is a particular story about their marriage that I would like to review with you. This event took place after the famous burning bush encounter that Moses had.
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“On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Like you, I have questions. (Why would God want to kill Moses when He just called him to Egypt? and other questions). I don’t want to dwell on them. One thing I can say is that God does not reduce His standards for anyone. 
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My Thoughts

After reading different comments on this story, I have come to admire Zipporah’s sensitivity and courage. She may have been the one who opposed the circumcision initially (may have been a culture clash incident), but she realized her error and the solution to it and acted quickly. Another angle is that Moses may not have brought it up with her and when God confronted him, she was sensitive to know the solution to the issue they were facing. She may or may not have understood the gravity of the call of God on her husband, but she loved him enough to want to spare his life.

On a side note, Zipporah’s father was a good man. He brought Zipporah and her children back when Moses had sent them back to Midian (Exodus 18:2, 5). He also advised Moses to delegate so he wouldn’t get burnt out (Exodus 18:13-27).

What are your thoughts?
Proximity

April 10th, 2023

Proximity in simple terms means closeness. My focus will be on proximity to people. This post is especially for those who refuse to have close relationships for whatever reason i.e. they refuse to allow themselves to be loved and to love others truly. You meet someone, you find common ground, you start to grow closer, then you pull away leaving the other person feeling confused. Does this scenario ring a bell?

As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend
Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

I understand that there are many risks attached to letting people come close. For one, you could get really hurt if they betray your trust. Also, there could be serious conflict from differing opinions and personalities. In a previous post, I shared about friendships and different characteristics of friends. Those characteristics can really only be expressed when there is proximity (not just physical proximity).

Two people are better off than one,
for they can help each other succeed
Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

Proximity is a privilege and should be treated as such. There are certain people that may have given you the privilege of proximity to them. Cherish it. Use it to build them up. Don’t treat it lightly. All in all, I believe the benefits of proximity far outweigh the dangers. We cannot live this life alone. We need others, but we cannot get the related benefits without proximity.

Final Thoughts

You should be careful who you give your gift of proximity to. Not everyone needs to be that close to you. By being prayerfully selective, you can guard against some of the risks of proximity.

Do you have people you can truly say have proximity to you?
Love is hopeful

January 19th, 2023

In recent times, I’ve been learning about the power of hope. I want to attempt to explain it in this post even though I doubt I will do a very good job of it. I have needed to remain hopeful in certain situations in my life and I will admit that it has been tough, but I encourage myself with this: Hope is available.

Anyone who is among the living has hope;
even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
Ecclesiastes 9:4 (NIV)

I recently visited home in Nigeria and while it was a joy to be reunited with family and friends, and enjoy the warm weather, I was saddened by some of the issues I witnessed. To be honest, I felt like some situations in the country were hopeless, but I was amazed (and humbled) to find hope in the hearts of many people. I began to realize that the reason many people got up to go about their day and are eager to vote in the upcoming elections is hope. Hope that that day and the next will be better than the previous ones. As a result, my hope was rekindled.

To them God has chosen to make known
among the Gentiles
the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27 (NIV)

Life brings challenges with it and not a single person is immune to them. I read recently that among the top reasons given by people who attempted suicide or have suicidal thoughts is the feeling of hopelessness. What is profound to me is the fact that hope, though just a belief that things will get better, is so strong that people hold on to it and want to continue to live. Now you might say, Lovelyn, I know some people whose situations never changed till they died. Why should I keep hoping that this relationship will be restored? As a person of faith, I will respond with the Bible verse below where the writer speaks of another life. Not everything can and will be accomplished in this life so your hope should extend beyond this life. With that mindset, you hold on to hope till the end of this life until you can get to a place where hope is no longer needed.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ,
we are of all people most to be pitied
1 Corinthians 15:19 (NIV)

Final Thoughts

If hope is powerful, a love that is hopeful is therefore a powerful type of love. My word of encouragement to you today is this: DON’T LOSE HOPE! As usual, God is able to uphold you when it gets difficult to continue to hope.

What are you hoping for this year?
Trophies

January 10th, 2023

Photo by Nikita Grishin on Pexels.com

Trophies are symbols of victory. They look different for different individuals. The designations people put after their names are types of trophies signifying their triumph in the examination and coursework required. I like trophies and have a few myself. Literal trophies and figurative ones.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended;
but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind
and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God
in Christ Jesus
Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

I recently read a story in the Bible that got me thinking about trophies and what kinds of trophies one should hope to acquire and hold on to. The story can be found in the book of 1 Samuel from chapter 4 to chapter 6 verse 8. It is a lengthy read, but I encourage you to do so for proper context. In summary, the Philistines attacked and defeated the Israelite army and took the ark of God. The ark was a symbol of the presence of God for the Israelites, but a symbol of victory for the Philistines.

The Philistines held on to this ark for 7 months as the story says and they had so much pain while doing so. From tumors to the destruction of their idols to death. During these months, they passed it around from city to city (chapter 5) until they sat down and asked themselves what to do about it (1 Samuel 6:2).

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this,
that the spirits are subject to you,
but rather rejoice because your names
are written in heaven
Luke 10:20 (NKJV)

A rational listener or reader of this story would ask themselves why they held on for so long. Did they not know it was causing them all the pain they were experiencing? I think they did because as they passed it along from city to city, they saw patterns which caused them to continue passing it along. My guess is that they held on to it because it was a symbol of their victory against the Israelite army and letting go would mean they may have ‘won the battle, but they lost the war’ as the saying goes.

Over to you now, what are you holding on to that you need to let go of? Did you give someone a piece of your mind and put them in their place and are now left with a severed relationship as your ‘trophy’? Or have you built a standard for yourself that is preventing you from interacting with certain individuals? I mentioned earlier that I have accumulated some ‘trophies’ in my life so far and I learnt that while job searching, especially when changing career paths, certain trophies need to be excluded as they are irrelevant to the role.

Final Thoughts

Celebrate your wins. Remember this though: As great as trophies are, one needs to know when to lay it down or one risks experiencing hurt.

What are some trophies you’ve acquired over the years?
Proactive Love

December 31st, 2022
According to Merriam Webster, to be proactive means to act in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes. For any relationship to flourish, work is required. These days, I see that many people take the reactive approach in their relationships. They wait for the other person to make a move so they can reciprocate.

What if you make the first move? I admit that it may be a vulnerable position to place yourself in, but you will be in good company because you know who else makes the first move? God! Time and time again, God reaches out to humanity in love before humans even realize their need for Him.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power.
He went about doing good and healing all
who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him
Acts 10:38 (ESV)

I believe God also expects us to be proactive in our love for others. He tells us to love our enemies (people that do not like us) and to pray for them. Someone doing this is not waiting for the enemy to have a change of heart, but is being good to them before they have a change of heart. In addition, He has shown us what true love looks like and His behaviour should be emulated.

I have stored up Your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against You
Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

Benefits of being proactive with love
- You can set the tone of the relationship
- Potential for reduced stress because needs are usually prepared for
- Potentially makes you more observant
- Your creative skills get sharpened
- You can set boundaries
How are you going to proactively love henceforth? What are some other benefits of being proactive with love?
Love runs deep

December 14th, 2022

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Pexels.com

I read this article by John Piper which discusses the depth of God’s love for us. I encourage you to read it.

Our ultimate example of love shows a depth that is yet to be exhausted so why should our love end? I think any love that has no depth is not worth it. Love requires a lot from an individual; time, resources, energy and so on, to really make an impact on another individual. Without depth, love runs out quickly.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge
Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)

If you feel like you’re running out of love, draw from Christ. When some people hear my name (Lovelyn), they respond by saying that I must be so full of love and I laugh. I do love people, but I still struggle with it. There is room for growth in love. I once heard a mother say that she didn’t know if she was capable of loving a second child until she laid her eyes on the child and suddenly realized that her capacity for love had increased.

An article by Powell, A., in Harvard Gazette actually speaks of some positive health benefits in married couples who share deep (eros) love. For example, they have increased immune function, tend to live longer and have higher survival rates from major surgeries.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

Final Thoughts

The kind of love that runs deep takes time to build. The key though is for you to stay rooted in Christ’s love and that love is reproduced in one towards others.

What does deep love look like to you? Do you think that love needs to run deep? If so, why? If not, why?
Bible Study and Prayer

December 11th, 2022

I don’t want to assume that everyone prays before they read the Bible, but I do believe it is important to do so. For me, it’s similar to listening to an author’s thoughts and process regarding their book prior to reading or re-reading it. It changes the way you read said book because you would most likely now be reading from the lens of the author. It will take extra effort to read it otherwise. It also helps you to possibly understand the angle the author was coming from.

The Bible is inspired by God so He would be the best person to walk you through His book (Romans 11:33). I believe ‘praying the Bible’ is a great way to pray especially if you don’t know where to start praying. It can also be useful if you have been praying for a while because God is able to give new insight on the same verses. Below are some verses you can pray before diving into God’s word:

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions
Psalm 119:18 (NLT)

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel
Ezra 7:10 (NKJV)

They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from His path
Psalm 37:31 (NLT)

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled
Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening”
1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)

Final Thoughts

There are many other verses you can use as a guide to pray or just pray the words directly. These are just the ones I have compiled over the years. You can also pray from the heart. These are to help prepare your heart before studying the Bible.

Which verses not listed do you pray before you study the Bible? How often do you study the Bible?

Tag: Love

Who and WHat Can you pray for?

The gospel isn’t considered as good news

We don’t care enough about others

My Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Benefits of being proactive with love

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts