Relationships – Page 2 – I and Thou Reflections

Sacred Love: A Valentine’s Day Reflection

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

I welcome love that honors, cherishes, and meets me where I am.

Valentine’s Day can stir many things — good, bad, and indifferent.
But beneath it all lives a deep, primal need for love.
Sacred love.
The mutual kind. Tender. And true.

Sacred love says,
I see you.
I want to pursue you.
I delight in you.
I choose you again and again.

It moves toward you with intention. It rests in you with joy. It honors the beauty you carry — even the parts you hide. Or ignore.

And on this day, when the world is full of roses and romance, may you remember this:

You are worthy!
You are worthy of a love that cherishes your soul.
A love that listens.
A love that protects.
A love that celebrates your existence.
A love that reflects the heart of God.

Is your lover loving you like God does?

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death.

— Song of Solomon 8:6

May this day remind you that you are deeply loved by God.
May you be open to receiving the sacred love that God offers.
May you feel held, chosen, and treasured. Amen.

#SacredLove #SongOfSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Sacred Love: Being Delighted In

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

I welcome love that delights in who I am — not who I try to be.

There is a longing deeper than being seen or being pursued.
It is the longing to be delighted in.
That feeling of bringing someone joy.
Or causing someone to smile.
Or being the twinkle in someone’s eye.

Delight says,
I want to be with you.
I want to see you smile.
I appreciate you.
I enjoy your company.
I cherish you.

Think about that.

If you are not sensing these feelings in your relationship, it may be time for an honest talk.

In the Song of Songs, delight is everywhere.
It is spoken.
It is sung.
It is celebrated.

The lovers do not hide their joy in one another.
They speak it.
They name it.
They savor it.

Sacred love invites you into that same truth —
that you are not only wanted,
not only pursued,
but delighted in.

Delight is different from desire.
Desire reaches for you.
Delight rests in you.

Is your lover resting in you?

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

— Song of Solomon 2:3

May you feel the sparkle of being delighted in.
May you find joy within you and around you. Amen.

“Tulips & apple tree | Tulipany i jabłonka” by Maciej Szczepaniak is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

#SacredLove #SongOfSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Sacred Love: Being Pursued

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

I welcome love that seeks me and chooses me for who I am.

There is a longing to be pursued.
At least, that has been my experience.
Maybe it’s a female thing — maybe it’s a human thing.

It’s the longing to be wanted.
To be chosen.
To be treasured.
Not because it is “the right thing to do” but because it feels so right.

When someone pursues you, and the relationship begins to take root, there is a season of euphoria —
or maybe it’s desire, maybe it’s wonder —
that feeling of I can’t get enough of you.

Being pursued carries questions.
Will the time and effort be worth it?
How will the journey go?
Will it be smooth sailing?
Or will there be gusts of wind that throw it off course?
Or will the boat capsize, leaving no survivors?

Yet sacred love tells a different story.

In the Song of Songs, pursuit is:
Bold.
Eager.
Joyful.
Mutual.

And why is that?
Because God is navigating the boat.

The lovers row toward one another — with love, joy, and anticipation.

Sacred pursuit is about being wanted.
It is about someone seeing your worth and moving toward you because of it.
And it is about God reminding you that you were created for connection —
that you deserve to be pursued with tenderness and intention.

It is a gentle invitation to commune with God in a way that stirs your heart, a way that makes YOU whisper, “I can’t get enough of You.”
Because the deeper truth is this:
God delights in you more than you can imagine.

Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday? Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends?

— Song of Solomon 1:7

May you feel the excitement of being pursued —
the beauty, the delight, the anticipation.
May sacred love draw you toward a lover who rows toward you, listening as God navigates the way. Amen

*“Rowboat” by kkalyan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.*

#SacredLove #SongOfSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Sacred Love: Being Seen

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

I welcome love that sees me and honors me for who I am.

We all have a longing.
To be recognized.
To be understood.
To be cherished.

And yet we often hide the very depths of our souls.
Those quiet places.
Tender spaces.
The place where there is fear.

We fear we are too much.
Or not enough.
Not worthy.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

One of my long-time friends once told me he loved my eyes — “exotic, almond‑shaped,” he said. Forty years later, I still remember those words. Why? Because in that moment, I felt noticed. I felt like I mattered. I felt valued.

How often do people notice a small sacred detail about you and then actually speak it?

What kind of world would we live in if we spoke the beauty we see instead of keeping it to ourselves?

How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.

– Song of Solomon 4:1

May you truly experience what it feels like to be seen —
not for what you do, but for who you are.
May sacred love meet and guide you where you need to be. Amen.

*Image Credit: “The Veiled Woman” by Koshyk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.*

#SacredLove #SongOfSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Sacred Love: Welcome

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

Welcome to Sacred Love.
A month of longing.
A month of poetry.
A month of receiving real, sacred love.

Throughout this series, we will explore the longing that rises from the Song of Songs:
the longing to be seen,
to be held,
to be delighted in,
to belong.

This is an invitation to slow down.
To breathe.

To cherish the beauty of intimacy — emotional, spiritual, and physical.
And to honor the desire God placed within us for connection that is tender, virtuous, and deeply human.

I welcome the beauty of sacred love.

February invites us pause and reflect on love—
Not the commercial love of Valentine’s Day.
But the love that is felt before it is understood.
A love that stirs.
A love that is found in the sacred space within each one of us.

Song of Songs is a book of longing—
the longing to connect to another human soul.
One that is designed by God.
Blessed by God.
And breathed into our very being.
Yet it is only experienced when we invite God into it.

Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers.

—Song of Solomon 1:4

May your heart and eyes open to sacred love.
May you see and feel this love reaching for you more and more each day. Amen.

*Two figures embracing by Joy Cho found on Athome.com*

#SacredLove #SongofSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Sacred Love: Introduction

A Series of Longing from the Song of Songs

Love is tender, poetic, and intimate.
There is no doubt that love rises from the sacred space within each of us.
It is the longing to be seen.
To be heard.
To fill the loneliness.
And to remind us that we were created for connection.

The Song of Songs is one of the poetry books of the bible. It is the 22nd book in the Old Testament. Some say it is erotic poetry. But it is far more than that.

Two lovers on a love journey, each longing for the other. Their story is filled with desire, delight, and devotion. Rich with allegory and vivid imagery, this book sings a song of longing and intimacy —
a song that helps us understand what love is all about.

This month, we will step into that longing. The place where we want to be known,
chosen,
pursued,
and deeply cherished.

Sacred love is designed and defined by God.
It is passionate.
It is faithful.
It is holy.
And it is reachable.

It is like nothing else on this earth.
Love is fragrant.
It is mystical.
It is emotional.
It is intimate.
It is sacred.
It reflects God’s love for us.

And so, we begin —
a month of love. And what better place to start than the Song of Songs.

*“Pair lovers, null ida teichmann” is marked with CC0 1.0.*

#SacredLove #SongOfSongs #Valentine’sDay #Intimacy #Faith #Poetry #IntimateFaith #HolyLove #LoveJourney

Hey, Honey! I’m Home: Final Thoughts

A Series on Love, Relationships, and Bricks

A Seven-Story House of Love

Image Source: “brick wall” by palmerkim29 is licensed under CC BY 2.0 with inserted text overlay

Brick by Brick

A Solid Foundation

Seven bricks.
One beautiful foundation.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re not just dreaming of love—you’re building it.
One question, one smile, one kind response at a time.

Love

Love isn’t found.
It’s formed.
It’s in between the moments of each day.
It lives in the mundane. The mysterious. The life ever after.

Love isn’t built in a day.
It’s built in the everyday.
It’s not something you find.
It’s something you build.
Together.

Brick by brick.

Practice with me:

When things feel hard, let’s remind each other:

“We’ve got this… brick by brick.”

Want to keep these bricks close by?

I’ve put together a “7 Bricks to Build a Love that Lasts” PDF—a little reminder you can hang on the fridge or tuck in your journal.

Go to www.thepaisleyfrog.com and fill out the contact form, and I’ll send it your way!

You’ve got this…
A House Built Upon a Rock!

What brick are you working on right now in your relationship?

I’d love to hear in the comments.
Yes, it really does matter for more reach.

#Building Together #FaithandLove #StrongFoundation #MarriageMatters #LifetimeCommitment #BrickByBrick

Hey, Honey! I’m Home: Build Your World

A Series on Love, Relationships, and Bricks

A Seven-Story House of Love

*Image Source: “brick wall” by palmerkim29 is licensed under CC BY 2.0 with inserted text overlay*

Brick by Brick

Brick 7: Build Your World

This is the fun part.

The inside jokes.
The Friday night pizza routine.
The dance moves no one else gets to see.

Every couple builds a world.

What will yours look like?

Creating shared meaning is what turns a relationship into a home.

It’s the stories you tell.
The quirky traditions that might make others scratch their heads, but make the two of you laugh every time.

Do you have a theme song?
A go-to snack?
A code word for “I need a hug”?

These are the things you create over time.

They whisper:

“We’re a team.”
“We’ve built something that’s uniquely ours.”

And when hard days come (because they will), these shared moments become little lighthouses.

A refuge.
A place to go to for safety.
For joy. And comfort.

Practice with me:

“Let’s brainstorm a team name for us.”
“What’s one thing we could do every month, just us?”
“Remember our first vacation? You bought a postcard? Let’s buy one each time we go somewhere new. Okay?”

A Lifetime

A lifetime of love isn’t about avoiding the cracks.
It’s about noticing them early and repairing them quickly.
Within 24 hours.
So you can get back to what you were meant to do:

Grow together.
Build your world.
One story.
One layer.
One postcard at a time.

Let your love be something between both of you. Something you treasure with your whole heart.

You’ve got this…
A House Built Upon a Rock!

I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Please comment and like this post. Yes, it really does matter for more reach.

#Building Together #FaithandLove #StrongFoundation #MarriageMatters #LifetimeCommitment #BrickByBrick

Hey, Honey! I’m Home: Dream Together

A Series on Love, Relationships, and Bricks

A Seven-Story House of Love

Brick by Brick

Brick 6: Dream Together

Let’s dream a little. Shall we?

Big dreams.
Little dreams.
Someday dreams.
Right now, one’s, too.

Whether it’s climbing Mount Everest or finally cleaning out the garage—

Every. Dream. Matters.

In a healthy relationship, dreams aren’t just “yours” or “mine.” They become ours.

You cheer each other on.

You say:

“I believe in you, honey.”
“I’ve got your back.”
“I’ll hold the ladder while you climb.”

Dreams aren’t always glamorous.

Sometimes they’re small:

Like walking 10,000 steps a day, growing a garden, or returning to school.

The size doesn’t matter.
But support? That matters a lot.

And dreams have a habit of shifting over time.

Keep asking:

“What are your goals today? This weekend? This year?”
“What’s something new you’d love to try?”
“How can I help you get there?”

Practice with me:

“Great job walking 10,000 steps today. I’m proud of you.”
“I see you working so hard. I’m cheering you on.”
“What can I do to help you reach your goal?”

When you dream together, you grow together.

So go ahead and cheer each other on!

Because love isn’t just about where you are now. It’s about where you’re heading—together.

You’ve got this…
Brick by brick.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Please comment and like this post if you feel led.

#BuildingTogether #FaithandLove #StrongFoundation #MarriageMatters #LifetimeCommitment #BrickbyBrick

Hey, Honey! I’m Home: Manage Conflict

A Series on Love, Relationships, and Bricks

A Seven-Story House of Love

Brick by Brick

Brick 5: Manage Conflict

Let’s be honest. Conflict happens whether we like it or not. Even in the best relationships, you’ll hit a bump (or twelve million).

So, how do you manage it?

You learn to fight fair, not dirty.
You’re not enemies.
You’re co-captains of the same ship.
You are mates.
On a ship.
Sailing in the same direction.

It’s okay to feel angry, frustrated, or overwhelmed.

What To Do Next?

That’s what matters.
It’s critical like a SOS.
Will you throw words like daggers?
Or take a breath… and talk it out?

Managing conflict means:

Taking a pause before reacting.
Speaking to your honey, not at them or in a condescending tone.
Choosing calm over chaos.

Why?

Because when you let things fester, it spreads like a fungus.
A virus.
Hard to shake. Harder to fix.

Practice with me:

“I’m sorry you’re upset. Let’s sit down.
Tell me what’s going on—I’ll listen. Promise.”
(Write it down. Repeat it if you need to. It’s okay.)

You’re not trying to “win” the argument.
You’re trying to protect the treasure: your connection.

Every Couple Disagrees

But how you repair those bricks is how the house keeps standing.

So next time things heat up:

Take a break if you need it.
Return with respect.
And remind each other: You’re on the same team.

You’re not just patching bricks with mortar. You’re reinforcing the layers to withstand the storms of time.

You’ve got this…
Brick by brick.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Please comment and like this post if you feel led.

#BuildingTogether #FaithandLove #StrongFoundation #MarriageMatters #LifetimeCommitment #BrickbyBrick