February — the month of love! I’ve been having fun learning there’s more to love than romance (though I did know that before… LOL). We’ve taken a peek at the four of the varieties of love as set out in C.S. Lewis’s book, The Four Loves.
This week? Agape! Isn’t that the best kind of love ever? According to Wikipedia…
Agape (unconditional God love) is the love that exists regardless of changing circumstances…
I’m so thankful that God loved us so much He sent His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners. Can I get an amen?
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Toni Shiloh’s winner is Winnie Thomas!
Jan Thompson’s winner is Caitlyn Santi!
Shannon Taylor Vannatter’s winner is Suzannah Clark!
Heather Gray’s winner is Kelley Blair!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
Taking a Chance on Mr. Wrong by Liwen Y Ho is on sale for 99¢ through February 28.
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Mary Manners invited us to enjoy the ride.
On Tuesday, Staci Stallings shared the challenging art of weaving a story.
On Wednesday, Heather Gray discussed the end… and #giveaway.
On Thursday, Kimberly Rose Johnson encouraged us when life throws you ice cubes, make hot chocolate!
On Friday, Hallee Bridgeman offered a cover reveal and bad boy trope.
On Saturday, Janet W Ferguson discussed friends-to-more with Pepper Basham… and #giveaway.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Jackie Castle (Escape To Beautiful Places)
Tuesday: Lindi Peterson (You Are Cordially Invited)
Wednesday: Marion Ueckermann (Writing Americanese with a British Brain)
Thursday: Merrillee Whren (Love Triangles)
Friday: Angela Ruth Strong (10 Things I’ve Learned From A Decade of Writing Romance)
Saturday: Liwen Y Ho (4 Common Misconceptions About Romance Readers + #Giveaway)
I shared personal photos to demonstrate the other three loves in previous weeks, but this one is from Pixabay. What shows the love between God and us? It’s hard to capture in an image, but here I see God’s love for us shown in this amazing sky, and the response of love and worship.
New Releases
February 2020
Glimpses of Gossamer (Urban Farm Fresh Romance 8) by Valerie Comer
The Texan’s Promise (Cowboys of Diamondback Ranch) by Jolene Navarro
Love Once More (Abundance 4) by Sally Bayless
March 2020
Making Believe (Imagination 8) by Staci Stallings
Look for Me (Vacation Sweethearts 4) by Jan Thompson
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Thanks for sharing about the four loves. I always have a feeling we don’t really know Agape. It’s beyond human understanding..though every now and then we get a glimpse of it (strong feelings of peace in midst of caos for example)…
Thanks for the new vocabulary word! I will have to remember this one.
Hi Valerie! Thanks for sharing the four kinds of love during the love month February. Good reminder. Best wishes. Enjoy your Sunday.
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for your post on the four kinds of love. God’s love is truly amazing!
Take care.
I’ve been studying through the fruits of the Spirit, and “love” is the Greek word agape. I blogged about it here, if anyone is interested in a word study on agape: https://www.liladiller.com/blog/love-as-a-wife-how-to-discipline-your-affections.
I so agree. Agape isn’t a love that comes naturally to us. Or that we recognize and understand intellectually, anyway!
It might be one of the BEST words in existence! :D
Thank you! A skiff of snow here this morning, first in a month or more.
God’s love is VERY amazing! Thanks for stopping by.
That’s cool! Thanks for sharing, Lila!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful series of loves….amen to Agape!
Thank you for sharing this series! And, Amen to Agape!!! I honestly can’t imagine doing this thing called life without having Jesus as my Savior, and without the Holy Spirit living in me! I know He’s the one that lead me to finding Inspy!!!
Amen and amen! :)
Life would be so hopeless! We’re so thankful you found us at IR, too :)
I was deeply moved as a young man by all of C.S. Lewis’ work. The Four Loves especially spoke to me, bringing clarity to the frustrating ambiguity in English surrounding the word love. In that spirit, I offer a brief summary of the 4 loves:
Storge – Belonging – Catch phrase: Me too
Lover – Welcome, opposite: ignoring
Beloved – Belonging, opposite: isolation
Philios – Companionship – Catch phrase: We two
Lover and beloved – sharing and receiving – opposite: self focus
Eros – Desire for the beloved – Catch phrase: Oh you!
Lover – Deep longing for the beloved, opposite: indifference
Beloved – Gratitude, opposite: rejection
Agape – Unconditional, sacrficial Commitment – Catch phrase: Give to
Lover: Unearned commitment to the best for the beloved, opposite: selfishness
Beloved: Humility and gratitude, opposite: arrogance
Wishing you blessings and love (all 4!) in the coming week, my IR friends.
Thanks you for sharing!
Hi Valerie,
When our kids were younger we learned about the 5 Languages of Love.
When we determined which language they spoke, it was easier for them to know we loved them.
If you’ve never heard of this look into it. It was an eye-opener.
Thank you so much for these posts, Valerie! I looked forward to them each week! I had not heard of this C.S. Lewis title, but now that you’ve brought it to my attention I’ll definitely be giving it a read! 🙂
It’s a great book! I can tell you what many of my characters’ love language is – it’s one of the tools I use for character development!
Yay and thank you!
Agape love is unfathomable. Thank you for sharing. Blessings
It sure is beyond human comprehension :)
Agape is the greatest love of all.
Isn’t it amazing?!?!
Love this!!
Amen to John 3:16! Have a great week!
Thank you!
You, too!
Thank you for sharing the Love Amen I Love John 3:16 Have a great Day!
Hope you have a great day (and week!) also :)
Have a blessed week everyone ❤️
You, too!
I’m so thankful for the Agape love. I don’t deserve it but I’m so thankful He chose to love me. ❤️
I’m with you, Rebekah!
I love the word Agape it is just a beautiful word!
It is, isn’t it!
Beautiful types and meanings of love!
Thanks!