“To be in the presence of even the meanest, lowest, most repulsive specimen of humanity is still to be closer to God than when looking up into a starry sky or at a beautiful sunset. For we cannot really love a sunset; we can love only a person.” ~ Mike Mason, Author

“The deepest urge in every human heart is to be in relationship with someone who absolutely delights in us.” ~ Larry Crabb, Psychologist

“Love makes us who we are, and who we can become.” ~ Thomas Lewis, M.D., Researcher & Author

“In love the soul acts in accordance with its nature, because it is created to live in connection with other souls.” ~ Johannes Pedersen, Theologian

“True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed. It is a committed thoughtful decision.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

“Love is a greased pig. No sooner do you get a hold on it than it squirms and jiggles and runs away.” ~ Sam Keen, Philosopher & Theologian

“Falling in love is a sort of illusion which in no way constitutes real love. … It is a trick that our genes pull on our otherwise perceptive mind to hoodwink or trap us into marriage.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

“True love will lead the beloved to the best possible path. And that will mean that from time to time disciplinary measures will be taken.” ~ Leon Morris, Theologian

“Love doesn’t really make the world go round. It just makes people dizzy so it looks like it.” ~ Martha Lupton

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrong and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.” “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrong and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.” ~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher ~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher

“The only place outside of Heaven that you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” ~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher

“Love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an emotion. It is a state not of the feelings but of the will; that state of the will which we have naturally about ourselves, and must learn to have about other people.” ~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher

“Love is as love does.” ~ Eric Fromm, Psychoanalyst

“Widespread cultural acceptance of lying is a primary reason many of us will never know love. … To know love we have to tell the truth to ourselves and others.” ~ Bell Hooks, Author

“Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.” ~ Eric Fromm, Psychologist

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~ Romans 5:8 (TNIV)

“Of all the misconceptions about love the most powerful and pervasive is the belief that ‘falling in love’ is love or at least one of the manifestations of love.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

“The myth of romantic love is a dreadful lie. As a psychiatrist I weep in my heart almost daily for the ghastly confusion and suffering that this myth fosters. Millions of people waste vast amounts of energy desperately and futilely attempting to make the reality of their lives conform to the unreality of the myth.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

Falling in love = “a temporary and partial collapse of ego boundaries.” Falling in love = “a temporary and partial collapse of ego boundaries.”

Love is not doing what makes you feel good, but doing what IS good in spite of how you feel. Love is not doing what makes you feel good, but doing what IS good in spite of how you feel.

“Love is the choice to value someone and to treat them according to that value.” “Love is the choice to value someone and to treat them according to that value.”

Love is other-centredness. Love is other-centredness.

“Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

Our Definition: Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person. Our Definition: Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person.

“Love, then is a form of work or a form of courage. … If an act is not one of work or courage, then it is not an act of love. There are no exceptions.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

Our Definition: Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person. Our Definition: Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~ John 13:34-35 (TNIV)

“Love is the free exercise of choice. Two people love each other only when they are quite capable of living without each other but choose to live with each other.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

“Allowing yourself to be dependent on another person is the worst possible thing you can do to yourself. You would be better off being dependent on heroin. As long as you have a supply of it, heroin will never let you down; if it’s there, it will always make you happy. But if you expect another person to make you happy, you’ll be endlessly disappointed.” ~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

HEART = leb (Heb.); kardia (Gk.). The centre of a person; someone’s deepest being. Can express emotion, but more centrally the place of the true will and being of a person. HEART = leb (Heb.); kardia (Gk.). The centre of a person; someone’s deepest being. Can express emotion, but more centrally the place of the true will and being of a person.

This people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote. ~ Isaiah 29:13 (NASB)

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self [kruptos anthropos kardias ho], the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. ~ 1 Peter 3:3-4 (TNIV)

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind [kardia] has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12 (TNIV)

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. ~ Romans 2:5 (TN IV)

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ~ Romans 10:9-10 (TNIV)

The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? ~ Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)

KIDNEYS = kileyah (Heb.); nephros (Gk.). The seat of our emotions, passions, desires. KIDNEYS = kileyah (Heb.); nephros (Gk.). The seat of our emotions, passions, desires.

But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tries the feelings [kileyah] and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause. ~ Jeremiah 11:20 (NASB)

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. ~ Psalm 51:17 (NRSV)

Turn to me now, while there is time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and morning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful. ~ Joel 2:12-13 (NIV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51:10 (NLT)