Valentine's Day Guide Available Now!

Have you ever wondered how St. Valentine's Day came to be? Maybe, you are looking for some books and films to help put you in the Valentine's Day mood. The ORU Library now has a St. Valentine Research Guide filled with information to help you celebrate this holiday of love. The guide is split up into separate sections including: Who Was St. Valentine, How the Tradition Grew, God's Word on Love, Alternative Views, Falling In Love With Fiction, Valentine's Day Inspired Films, Books To Help With Dating, and Marriage Inspired Reads. 

Whether you're single, engaged, or married, there are various resources on this guide to put on your personal "to be read list" and "to watch list". Some featured fiction reads range from the classics Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Some modern reads for Valentine's Day include Love On The Line by Karen Witemeyer and Loving by Karen Kingsbury. If you don't have time to read, but you would like to watch a film to put you in the holiday spirit, check out the film section. Classics like Sleepless in Seattle and Pride and Prejudice are featured on the list of recommendations.    

Valentine's Day is a special holiday to set aside time and reflect on God's love. The history of Valentine's Day is actually not as romantic as we might think. Marriage was outlawed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II because he believed that single men with less family responsibility fought better than men who were married. In the midst of this unfair government rule, Valentine stood up for traditional marriage and continued marrying couples. Valentine gave his life for his beliefs when he was sentenced to death. Valentine's life is a testimony to John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Just as Christ laid down His life so that we might all experience salvation through His sacrifice.