Take a step outside your comfort zone to show your love

“Love one another …”#8212; John 13:34 (NIV)

I bought a box of heart ornaments a few weeks before Valentine#146;s Day. I used them to decorate a garland I attached to a curtain hanging over our kitchen window. I had a few left over and kept them in the box and put them away for future use.

One day while my husband was taking a shower, I decide to place one on his key chain #8212; it was part of my #147;romance your spouse#148; theme for my Valentine#146;s anniversary. I wasn#146;t sure how he#146;d respond to this red, heart ornament hanging on his key chain. But I thought I#146;d take a chance on it being a positive, self-sacrificing gesture.

We often think of love as receiving. We want the romantic gestures, the cards, the flowers and the kind words. Those things are good and important to exchange in loving relationships, but to pursue and maintain love we must be willing to sacrifice. Sometimes sacrifice means taking a chance. I took a chance by giving my husband a silly little trinket. He could have thrown it away #133; but he didn#146;t #8212; he liked it!

Each time we love someone it costs us something #133; time, money, precious emotions and even swallowing our pride.

When we become passive and stop putting forth an effort in making our relationships fun and joyful, that#146;s when we become mundane, disillusioned and unsatisfied instead. We look for a lifestyle we want, but want to be effortless to bring it about. We want to be on the receiving end, but overlook the pursuing side.

Love requires involvement. It doesn#146;t isolate, it initiates. We have to get involved in how people feel, support their godly interests and commit to making the relationship work #8212; whether it#146;s a spouse, good friend or prospective mate.

Love is willing to step out in fear and make the first move to forgive, heal and restore. Love requires commitment and effort #8212; the best things in life don#146;t come easy.

I wanted to restore the passion my husband and how I felt when we first fell in love, so I took a step and gave my heart to him. Is there someone you need to take a step toward? Ask God to help you take that first step. Although it may not always turn out exactly how you want it to, if you don#146;t take the chance, you#146;ll never know the outcome.

Ÿ Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, inspirational speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at Annetteebudzban@aol.com.