In the same documents given to us at Timberline that explained the love languages, there was a list of how to use your love language in your own self-care.  We talked about how to take care of ourselves in a way that spoke meaning into our lives, gave us reason for hope that life would get better, and turned around the negative thought process toward ourselves that precipitated the self-harm, addictions, anxiety, and depression.

Here is a list of suggestions:

1. Acts of Service
   1. Maintain a clean home
   2. Run an errand
   3. Bake something
   4. Try a cooking or cleaning service
2. Quality Time
   1. Meditate
   2. Journal
   3. Spend time in nature
   4. Plan a retreat
3. Words of Affirmation
   1. Keep a compliment scrapbook
   2. Write affirmations on post-its and put them around the house
   3. Write yourself a love letter
   4. Speak the truth of scripture to yourself
4. Physical Touch
   1. Give yourself a foot massage
   2. Volunteer as a client for a massage student
   3. Take a bubble bath
   4. Wrap up in a soft blanket
5. Receiving Gifts
   1. Budget for small rewards just for fun
   2. Buy yourself flowers
   3. Sign up for a monthly gift box subscription
   4. Give yourself a bucket list experience

There are many versions of the Five Love Languages book – for teens, for singles, for men, for couples, etc.  One version shows us how God loves us with the love language he created as part of our make-up.  These are some verses that show how God loves us in different ways; these are mostly about Jesus when he was here, but I’m sure you can think of verses that describe how God loves in each of these ways.

1. Words of Affirmation
   1. I Peter 1:25 – But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
   2. John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I  know them, and they follow me.
2. Quality Time
   1. Luke 10:23 – And he turned him unto his
      disciples and said privately, Blessed are
      the eyes which see the things that ye see.
   2. Luke 10:39 – And she had a sister called
      Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and
      heard his word.
3. Receiving Gifts
   1. James 1:17 – Every good gift and every
      perfect gift is from above, and cometh 
      down from the Father of lights, with
      whom is no variableness, neither
      shadow of turning.
   2. Matthew 7:11 – If ye then, being evil,
      know how to give good gifts unto your
      children, how much more shall your
      which is in heaven give good things
      to them that ask him?
4. Acts of Service
   1. John 13:5 – After that he poureth water
      into a bason, and began to wash the
      disciples’ feet and to wipe them with
      the towel wherewith he was girded.
   2. John 21:9-12 – As soon as they were come
      to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and
      fish laid thereon, and bread…Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
5. Physical Touch
   1. Mark 10:13-16 – And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me…And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
   2. Matthew 17:5-7 – While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud…And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.