Before Any Man, There Was Jesus, My First Valentine

Valentine’s Day used to feel a little heavy for me. After my first breakup in 2015, love felt like something that slipped through my fingers. What followed was seven years of singleness that stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. Some days I was strong and independent; other days I quietly wondered, Will I ever trust again? Will I ever be loved well? Watching everyone else couple up while I healed felt lonely at times. But in that space, God met me differently. He became close—like really close. Not just Sunday-morning close, but everyday life close. Through sweet memories with my nieces and nephews, late-night laughs with my siblings, traveling the country, building my career, and growing deep roots in prayer and the Word, I realized something life-changing: Jesus wasn’t a backup plan. He was my first love all along. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And honestly? That truth held me together.

When I stopped chasing love and started resting in God’s love, everything shifted. My heart softened. My faith grew muscles. And in His perfect timing—not mine—God led me to my husband, a man who reflects Christ’s patience, kindness, and steady love. That season taught me the biblical lesson of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be added to you.” When we put Jesus first, He orders the rest. So if this Valentine’s Day finds you single, healing, or waiting, don’t rush the process. Let God romance your heart first. Journal your prayers. Sit with Him. Build with Him. Because when you know your first love deeply, every other love flows from a place of wholeness—not lack. And trust me, that kind of love hits different. 🤍