https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/rss.xml Articles, features, and videos about love and the celebration of love on St. Valentine's Day Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Mon, 25 May 2026 22:32:48 -0400 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-festive-dishes-to-make-for-valentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-festive-dishes-to-make-for-valentines-day.html Alicia Searl https://www.crosswalk.com/author/alicia-searl/ Love is in the air. Can you feel it? Usually, by this time, I already have red and pink hearts gracing my mantle and cute mini mailboxes on our dining room table waiting to be filled with love letters. Yet, this year, I am moving a bit slower, and the box of love-filled décor sits on my garage floor, ready and waiting to be displayed. Maybe I will get to it today. Yep! I think I will.The truth is that the weather has altered my motivation a bit. We have had some pretty cold days around here, and I still feel like I am in hibernation mood, ready to curl up with a good book and get all cozied up until a blanket. So, while I am ready to celebrate love and always anticipate this sweet holiday, I am finding that I need some warm, cozy, and maybe even nostalgic dishes to welcome it in and set the tone.Generally, my little family makes a nice meal and then sits around the dining room table, decorated with hearts and pink plates, as we open up our mailboxes and read the love letters we wrote to one another. Sometimes, it goes smoothly; other times, it brings laughter, but we (my dear hubby and I) usually have to tamper our expectations and remember we are celebrating with our children, two of whom are teens. And, trust me, it can bring all kinds of unexpected blunders. Last year, we ate dinner at 9 pm because my oldest had to work. Other times, we have had boyfriends or our daughter's friends join us, which is always fun and eventful. I also vividly remember when our two oldest daughters got into a food fight because one forgot to write a letter, and the other one who did write a letter wasn't "so loving." Needless to say, they cleaned the kitchen out of their "love" for me-ha!But, even though I have no idea what Valentine's will bring, I am still always eager to make a fun and festive meal to show my family just how much I love them, flaws and all. Maybe you have a plan to bring love into your home as well, and you need some festive foods that will welcome the ambiance of love. Well, friend, I've got you covered. Below is a simple dinner plan along with several "sweet" dishes (because it's all about the dessert, right?) that you can grace your table and spread the love.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/People Images Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:41:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/new-and-fresh-ways-to-celebrate-galentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/new-and-fresh-ways-to-celebrate-galentines-day.html Alicia Searl https://www.crosswalk.com/author/alicia-searl/ Who doesn’t love getting together with “their girls” and celebrating friendship?Valentine’s Day may be marked with flares of romantic love, but the love found within a friendship is truly special and should most certainly be celebrated! After all, these lovely ladies have seen you through thick and thin, all the highs and lows, along with your best and worst days--and they still adore you!They have witnessed your heartbreaks as you have theirs, and you have faithfully been by each other’s side, bringing comfort and reminders of God’s unfailing love. Such a blessing! Oh my, how sweet friendships really do refresh the soul (Proverbs 27:9).And so, sometimes, do chocolate and romcoms! But if you're looking for more unique and lasting ways to celebrate with your beautiful friends, this list will give you ideas you've never thought of before.So, as the holiday of love draws in, let’s find some special ways to get together with your precious friends and honor your beautiful relationship that was brought together by a good and gracious Father.Here are 12 Galantine’s party ideas that are sure to strike your fancy and allow you to “treat” yourself and those dear ladies in your life who bring you so much joy!Photo Credit: ©Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:32:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/5-ways-to-uplift-your-lonely-heart-this-valentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/5-ways-to-uplift-your-lonely-heart-this-valentines-day.html Dana Che https://www.crosswalk.com/author/dana-che/ I gave the delivery driver a sad smile and shook my head. “Send them back,” I said flatly, as I shut my front door as politely as I could. I drew in a deep breath, put my cell phone on silent, and returned to my friends Ben and Jerry, who waited quietly on the coffee table in front of my couch. I dug out a cherry from the melting pint of ice cream and flipped through the endless options on the TV, quickly skipping by the Hallmark channel and any other reminder that my love life was anything but bliss on this cold Valentine’s Day. I felt my phone vibrating near my leg and rolled my eyes. It was on silent mode, but I should’ve just turned it off. I knew it would be mere moments before my husband would plead his case. But I didn’t want flowers. I wanted faithfulness. I didn’t need apologies. I needed accountability. But we both knew that cost substantially more than the red roses I’d just denied. Being lonely on Valentine’s Day can feel painful. Being lonely while married on Valentine’s Day can feel punishing. And that’s exactly how I felt. The emotional distance caused by my husband’s betrayal cut deep, and no gift could gloss over the gaping hole the wound left behind. Maybe you find yourself in a similar state of mind this Valentine’s Day. You’re fighting loneliness while everyone around you seems to be celebrating love. Yay them. Loneliness Is a Real Part of the Human StoryThroughout Scripture, we find that even faithful, God-fearing people felt the sting of loneliness. Take a brief scroll through the Psalms, and you’ll hear the aching echo of David’s cries to the Lord: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). After Elijah had been faithful to God’s command, he found himself running for his life, with no one to comfort him. “I alone am left,” he reasoned (I Kings 19:10). Even Jesus pleaded with God not to abandon him as he hung on the cross, panting the iconic question, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” - Matthew 27:46None of these three had done anything wrong to warrant their loneliness. It was just a necessary part of their journey. How might your heart be encouraged if you realized that loneliness might be part of the necessary ingredients for your journey, too? ALSO SEE: Bids for Connection & Attention Plus The Cure for Loneliness in RelationshipsEmbracing this understanding sets the foundation for you to accept the things you cannot change and gives you the strength to see how loneliness can work in your favor.Photo Credit:©Unsplash/Alex Ivashenko Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:03:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/ways-to-celebrate-female-friendships-in-february.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/ways-to-celebrate-female-friendships-in-february.html Carrie Lowrance https://www.crosswalk.com/author/carrie-lowrance/ When we think of Valentine’s Day, ‌everyone’s mind goes to romance. Sure, romance is great, but I think it’s important to celebrate all the love in your life on Valentine’s Day. Affection for your family, pets, and female friends. These females are the ones who pick you up when you fall, encourage you, and speak to you with truth and love. Here are some fun ideas for celebrating the female friendships in your life.1. Galentine's Day: A Celebration of SisterhoodGalentine’s Day is on February 13th and celebrates sisterhood. This day honors female friendships and the support, joy, and empowerment they bring to our lives. Rooted in sisterhood, this celebration encourages women to come together, appreciate each other, and bask in the beauty of female camaraderie.Galentine’s Day became popular through the show Parks and Recreation. Character Leslie Knope organized a brunch for her female friends, calling it the best way to celebrate the women in her life. Her enthusiasm for sisterhood and friendship resonated with the audience and ‌gained traction in the real world. A fictional celebration soon became a real-life event full of meaning and significance.How to Celebrate Galentine’s Day-Host a brunch or gathering-Plan a girls' night in-Go out to dinner-Go for coffee and dessert-Give each other small giftsPhoto credit: ©GettyImages/Maskot Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:13:48 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/does-the-bible-encourage-romantic-love.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/does-the-bible-encourage-romantic-love.html Blair Parke https://www.crosswalk.com/author/blair-parke/ Romantic love: the fuel for sappy movies, Valentine’s Day, and the quest many of us undertake to find that special someone chosen for them by God. The idea of falling in love has led many to pen beautiful poems and stories of love, create vivid artwork, and write heartfelt songs.But despite all the illustrations we can find in society today, nothing paints a better picture of romantic love than the Bible. Many see God’s Word as demonstrating examples of agape love (God’s perfect love for us) and phileo love (brotherly love), but romantic love is also prevalent in the pages of Scripture.From the intimate details between two lovers in Song of Solomon to the meaningful love shared by biblical couples like Isaac and Rebekah, Ruth and Boaz, and Mary and Joseph, romantic love is alive and well and worth emulating from God’s Word.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/RG-vc Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:22:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/romantic-ways-to-show-your-spouse-you-love-them-this-valentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/romantic-ways-to-show-your-spouse-you-love-them-this-valentines-day.html Linda Gilden https://www.crosswalk.com/author/linda-gilden/ We will talk about new, fun, and exciting ways you can show that love to them in a way they understand. We will consider their personalities as well as their primary love languages. People have different ways of receiving love; we will explore those along with some ideas for showing love to our spouses as Valentine's Day approaches. Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:43:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/how-to-save-your-teens-from-a-drama-filled-valentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/how-to-save-your-teens-from-a-drama-filled-valentines-day.html Jaime Jo Wright https://www.crosswalk.com/author/jaime-jo-wright/ If you have a son or daughter in that pre-teen through teenage segment of life, Valentine's Day can be an entirely different experience. The angst, the drama, the nonchalance, the pretending they don't care, but they really do, and then the whole boy/girl crazy element. It can be tricky to navigate—for them and us as parents. Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:43:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/5-guards-to-put-around-your-heart-as-valentines-day-approaches.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/5-guards-to-put-around-your-heart-as-valentines-day-approaches.html Jennifer Waddle https://www.crosswalk.com/author/jennifer-waddle/ As Valentine's Day approaches, the article offers five essential ways to protect your heart and affections from potential pitfalls like unreasonable expectations, self-pity, unhealthy thought spirals, compromise, and division. Discover practical strategies to foster contentment, maintain purity, and strengthen relationships by guarding your heart against the enemy's tactics. Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:47:45 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/what-a-wife-really-wants-on-valentines-day.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/st-valentines-day/what-a-wife-really-wants-on-valentines-day.html May Patterson https://www.crosswalk.com/author/may-patterson/ We laughed, and then he said, "I never know what to get for you. Roses and chocolate and dinners seem so unoriginal, so what do wives really want on Valentine's Day?" It was a good question. Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:09:00 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/relationships/are-you-loving-people-the-way-jesus-loved-you.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/relationships/are-you-loving-people-the-way-jesus-loved-you.html Clarence L. Haynes Jr. https://www.crosswalk.com/author/clarence-l-haynes-jr/ It is one thing to love someone the way you love yourself. It is completely different to love someone the way Jesus loves you. This begs me to ask - how has Jesus loved you? Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:48:33 -0500 2026-05-25T22:32:48-04:00