Dear Friends,

February is a great month to celebrate our relationships and reflect on the nature of love. We understand love to be the action taken for the well-being of another.  It is not an emotion, sentiment, or preference. It is an effort of the will that involves affection, compassion, care and self-sacrifice.

These are a few reflections on the biblical principles that highlight the nature of love:

• Love is counter intuitive. It is not natural, as it requires a fundamental shift in our hearts and minds from being self-focused to other-focused.
• Love unifies. It keeps no record of wrongs, humbles us and binds us together.
• Love motivates. Love is the best motivator as it fuels desire. It creates a “want to” versus a “have to” mindset.
• Love is sacrificial. It puts the needs of others above our own.
• Love overlooks an offense. Love gives us patience with others; it encourages us to consider the other person’s perspective.
• Love encourages maturity. It teaches us to say no to ourselves and yes to what is true, right and wise.

At Willow Springs, biblical love is our method, mission and metric.  We reflect on the principles of love described in scripture to define how we care, how we grow, and how we measure change.

Sincerely,

The Willow Springs Counseling Team