Americans spend nearly 19 mil-
Oh, excuse me.
19 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day. Most of it pays for those gross little heart candies, silver heart necklaces, heart-shaped chocolates, and store-bought cards exploding with even more hearts. Oh, February–what a time to be alive!
But after the heart cookies are frosted and we’ve sent 37 heart emojis to our friends, I wonder,
What about our hearts?
Not the beating-to-keep-you-alive heart, but the deep-down-soul-holding heart. The place for favorite songs, childhood memories, secret daydreams, and hidden emotions. The heart that makes you, well, you. 
Whether you are taken or totally awesome on your own, we both need to take better care of our hearts. This Valentine’s Day, I want all of us to look at four areas of the heart that may need a little more love.
1. Worries.
I am one of the biggest worriers ever. I could worry about the lightbulbs in my room if I thought about them long enough. However, I’ve found if you are worrying about it then you aren’t trusting God about it. Is it your G.P.A? Work? Finding friends? The unknown future? Our hearts can’t be completely free when they are holding onto worry; so let it go.
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7
2. Worth.
I’ve put my worth in all the wrong places–grades, appearance, boyfriends, popularity. And sometimes I still do. If I get a bad grade back on a quiz, I immediately think, “Wow. I am a failure.” But that is not true. We are more than our test scores and trendy clothes. We are treasures. Valued and unconditionally loved by God, no matter what we do.
3. Wants.
Everybody wants something–whether it’s finding internship or finding that special someone. The problem comes when we don’t want God before those things. When we choose God first, our wants then turn into God’s wants. It can be hard to do, but I know that God takes care of our hearts and everything we store in them. So even when things don’t go the way we wanted them to, it only means there is something better out there that he wants for us.
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
4. Wastes.
And finally, wastes–the clutter that surrounds us everyday. How much of it are you letting in your heart? If there are things, thoughts, or people in your heart that don’t correspond with the verse below, then they don’t belong there. Get rid of those things, throw away those thoughts, and disconnect with those people that are dirtying your heart. You deserve better.
“…One final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8
When we try to carry these worries, worths, wants, and wastes on our own, it’s only a matter of time before our hearts get weary, sink to the bottom of our chest, and are forgotten about.
Sweetheart, your heart isn’t meant to collect dust. Remember that it isn’t even meant for this world. It’s too bright and beautiful; it holds too much power and too much potential. You are lovely, but you are also loved. And that is how a heart is made to be. So spend a little more on your heart this Valentine’s Day. Because out of all the hearts we can buy in February, yours is the one that’s priceless.
Forever your Valentine,
Molly
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
the laundry chat 