Valentine’s Day on Social Media—a Lot Not to Like

heart-700141_960_720Like many holidays, Valentine’s Day stirs mixed emotions for many people.

To celebrate it, we buy chocolate or flowers for those we love, and even send children to school with bags full of handwritten notes and treats for their classmates. Couples go out to dinner or exchange gifts to mark the holiday.

But what about those who are single on Valentine’s Day? What about the person whose spouse has passed away? Many people have an attached sadness to this day every year. These feelings of sadness can easily turn into an (understandable) sense of bitterness towards the day.

While this is no new concept, there is something in society that I feel has made this experience worse for many people – even people who are in a relationship on this Valentine’s Day: social media.

On February 14, people will scroll through their Instagram feeds to find countless pictures of the bouquet of beautiful flowers from a romantic boyfriend, the scrapbook made by a thoughtful girlfriend, or the fancy candlelit dinner setting for two at an extravagant restaurant. Facebook feeds will be filled with paragraphs written about how amazing some husbands and wives are.

So what is the problem? Are any of those things wrong? Absolutely not. In fact, such things are worth celebrating and capturing once in a while.

However, here is where it gets a little tricky: Those pictures, posts, and statuses do not show the entire reality. In fact, they often create a false reality of perfection – especially for people who are sitting alone on Valentine’s Day viewing the posts from afar. Worse yet, social media fosters an unhealthy comparison between couples, and the day turns from a celebration of love into a competition of who gets the most likes on a post or picture.

While I definitely do enjoy Instagram, I have come to the conclusion that social media never gives the whole story. People never post about the fight they had on the car ride to the restaurant or the financial struggles that have them celebrating on a tight budget. And rarely do you read about the hard conversations needed to navigate a Christ-centered relationship. These just don’t make it onto our social media feeds. Social media posts simply show the highlights of people’s lives – usually through rose-colored filters.

So, for the people who are in a relationship this Valentine’s Day, what if instead of bragging about your husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend on social media, you write them a letter saying what you would have posted? Or better yet, you tell them face to face? Social media can be an amazing, creative outlet and is made to be enjoyed, but I wonder what would happen if we thought twice about what we post and ask ourselves: Will this picture create a false reality? Might it lead to unrealistic expectations?

For the people who are not in a relationship this Valentine’s Day, when you are scrolling through social media on February 14, remember that those posting have their own struggles, and hardships in their lives that a box of chocolate or beautiful bouquet of flowers cannot fix. Their lives may look perfect, but that is only through the lens of social media.

Jesus Christ is the only perfect and pure example of what true love looks like. Instead of getting our ideas about love this Valentine’s Day from our Instagram feeds, may we all look to the cross.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” I John 3:16

“The Beauty Project”

REALife Relationship and Love Training is partnering with Oasis Ministries International for “The Beauty Project”. This event will take place at the Bobbi Brown Studio in Montclair and will be a great time of fellowship and encouragement for young women. The cost is $25/person and registration is required. Some scholarships may be available if this presents a hardship. Contact Lauren at laurenk@lighthouseprc.org if you have any questions.
For more information and to register visit, oasisministriesintl.com/registration

#‎summerlifesupport Young Adults’ Bowling Night

Lighthouse thanks all those who came out on Tuesday to make our Young Adults’ Bowling Night a big success. Thank you also to our sponsor Paramus Chevrolet and local businesses who donated prizes. Pictured here are those who made it to the end of the night and those who won the prizes! Thank you to Cornerstone Christian Church and Powerhouse Christian Church and Living Word Church and LifeNet and many other groups for being represented that night and providing ‪#‎summerlifesupport‬.
Young Adults' Bowling Night

Take a Step 4 Life!

Take a step for life today by purchasing a Steps4LIFE t-shirt! Your purchase also provides a shirt for a Paterson student participating in our Zumba fitness-based healthy relationship program! Half of your $20 donation is tax-deductible. Please visit our donation page and indicate desired size when ordering (adult s, m, l, xl or xxl). Orders must be received by June 30 to guarantee size availability. Thank you!

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Baby Bottle Boomerang!

Spring brings our Baby Bottle Boomerang!  The premise of this fundraiser is simple, but the results are profound because change changes lives!  Last year we raised over $93,000 through the change/cash/checks put into baby bottles — which equals 1.5 months of life support at all 3 Lighthouse locations —  plus healthy relationship programs for students in our community!

This year we need your support to save and change MORE lives!  Typically our Baby Bottle Boomerang launches on Mother’s Day and runs through Father’s Day. However, your church or school group may opt for the time period that works best for you!

If you would be willing to serve as the coordinator/liaison to help carry out the Baby Bottle fundraiser at your church or school or youth group, we would be so grateful.  For more information, please contact Events@LighthousePRC.org or 973-238-9047 ext. 10.

Don’t forget to post pictures of your group participating in Baby Bottle Boomerang using #BringLove2Life or #ChangeChangesLives!

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Lighthouse 2016 Fundraising Banquet

“… so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
2 Cor. 4:15

Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center would like to thank all those who joined us for our Annual Fundraising Banquet on March 7, and all those who made this event such a memorable celebration of a milestone year! We are so thankful for the videographers who brought to life the birthing of our Paterson Center, plus the 300 faces of grace born in 2015, and the stories of grace made possible by our generous partners. A big thank you to our featured speaker Cynthia Wenz and her son Roman for demonstrating the power of a life saved and changed by God’s grace.

The support pledged that evening will make possible 86 days of extending grace and hope through compassionate life support for women, men and teens facing unplanned pregnancies and related concerns. If you didn’t have an opportunity to participate, there’s still time to help underwrite a full day of free life-enhancing services at one center ($800) or all three ($2,400)! Equipping teens with one day of REALife Relationship and Love Training to make healthier choices is just $200 – less than $20 a month! Click here to donate now.

Every day of support matters because every life matters. Thank you for partnering with us to bring grace to life!

P.S. More pictures coming soon; Click Here to see yourself as a portrait of grace.

portrait of grace booth