So, here I go…my first ever blog entry.  I am not sure I have the words to express how blessed I feel as a result of God entrusting me with this little ministry and the fact that my wonderful daughter (Nicole) wants to do it with me!  It started last fall, inspired by The World Needs More Love Letters, I began infusing the world with a little more love by leaving tiny heart “pillows” for people to find. I experimented with handwritten messages on the back in an effort to let the people who found them know that the pillow was not lost – it was intended for them. I also experimented with scriptures because I wanted to point people to God’s love.  Finally, I settled on what I thought most everyone would welcome and relate to, regardless of their religious/spiritual beliefs or non-beliefs;  “A little love for you” and the scripture from 1Corinthians 16:14, “Do everything in love”.  Afterall, who can’t use a little more love???

Next, I made a commitment to leave a heart pillow for someone to find everyday in 2013 and thought I was all set.  But, at Nicole’s urging, I took steps to set up a website so people could find an explanation behind the pillows they found. So, in January 2013, I bought the domain name www.alittleoveforyou.com. NOW I was all set…but then I started to think perhaps I should try directly handing the pillows to people who looked like they could use a little love.  This was a little outside my comfort zone but the response I got was pretty addictive!! People just seemed to melt and give me the biggest smiles in return for the pillow! Ok, now I was just too excited to keep my little ministry a secret any longer and shared it with a few friends.  One had the immediate response of “can I buy some?” I said no, but you can help me hand them out! That gave me the idea to try and increase production to put more hearts out in the world on the day of hearts – Valentine’s Day. I had seven volunteer Valentine “Elves”, including me, so I thought it would be great if I could supply each with 10 hearts…70!!!  But I was going to need help!! To speed production, Nicole designed a printable back eliminating the handwritten step and I recruited some friends to help with the assembly.  We put together 50 hearts in just a couple of hours and just as it looked like we would easily make our goal, God laid it on my heart to go for 100!! YIKES!!!!  A few days before Valentine’s Day, one of my “Elves” – who also happens to be one of my Pastors – asked if she could have 25 more heats, in addition to the 10 designated for her.  She was speaking to a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group on February 13^th on the subject of giving and wanted to give each of them a heart and a challenge to give it away.  Guess that solved the mystery of my crazy new goal of 100! My wonderful sewing friends offered to assemble hearts from home and we made it!!!!!

The Monday before Valentine’s I finished up these cute felt hearts from the Purl bee as a thank you to my “Elves”, packaged up the hearts for everyone…and the rest is history.

Footnote – a little selfishly, I had been hoping for an email from someone ever since I set up the website. I know it’s not about me but I just wanted to know what kind of difference the hearts might be making.  Well, Diana more than made my day when at about 10pm on Valentine’s Day she sent the first ever email to alittleloveforyou.com. Thanks to Nicole who upgraded the original website, you can see Diana’s email posted on the “Pillow Talk” tab. Thanks Diana!!! And thanks to everyone else who took a moment to send us a note.  We treasure each one!

I’ve never really thought of myself as a “giver” but thanks to God and alittleloveforyou, that is changing a little.  The more hearts I give away, the more I feel my own heart grow.  Isn’t that just like God? You just can’t out-give Him!!!

So, now it is May…in March I stitched some hearts with kelly green thread for St Patrick’s Day but I only handed out one before I fell and broke my foot!!  That put a halt to my own direct distribution but my “Elves” came to my rescue again and have been handing them out on my behalf. Now we are in full swing production again with a sewing party planned for this Saturday. I am hoping for another 50 to be completed – my “Elf” team is growing and asking for more hearts 🙂 Yay God!!!

Prayers and stories greatly appreciated!!!

Love,

Debby