Over the years my definition of love has shifted through different seasons. Early on, I thought love was the butterflies I got in my stomach when my crush was in the room. As I got older and began to date, I believed it was the security and comfort of another person’s affection. As I entered adulthood, I realized I actually had no idea what love really was. I realized I was searching for something in another person that only God could fulfill. Upon this revelation, I began to fall in love with the Lord. He pursued me in a way no man ever had, protected me from things I couldn’t see, and gave me what I never even knew to pray for. As I sought God’s heart in return, He showed me what love was. He showed me that love isn’t an emotion or feeling but rather a commitment and an intentional choice. He showed me love isn’t about comfort; it’s about dying to the self. When I met my husband, I had another realization. I knew exactly what love was, but embodying that love was a mountain I would have to choose to climb.

If you asked me a year ago when I fell in love with Daniel, I would’ve told you it was the season my mother had her stroke, and he dropped everything to come spend the week with me. I would’ve told you it was when he spent countless hours at the hospital and paid my bills so I could take off work and spend more time with her, never asking for a single thing in return. The truth is, that isn’t when I fell in love; that’s when I experienced love. I experienced Christ shining through another person. So when did I fall in love? I fell in love when I chose to give love. It wasn’t a single moment that I fell but instead, a choice to fall every day. A choice to keep showing up when things got messy, and I didn’t feel like it. A choice to let go of things the way the trees let go of their leaves in late October.

“Falling in Love” is inspired by the trees that choose season after season to continue dying to themselves. The wise trees shed their autumn leaves knowing new growth, new life awaits on the other side. The mountains represent our struggles, and the pathway represents our intentional choice to move towards them and overcome them together. So often, God doesn’t intend for us to move mountains but rather, face the mountains together with Him.

This painting as well as our hike to the top of Black Balsam Knob became a milestone in our marriage, a metaphor that illustrates the challenges we face together. We had to start our painting over time and time again, once even chucking it across the backyard. But each time we began again, we held on to faith that we could create something beautiful together if we just kept working at it. The hike was another challenge we faced. We started later than we planned and had to move quickly so we could make it before sunset. Our stomachs were empty; I was in a skirt, and at the halfway point, I wanted to give up when I saw how far we had left to go. But I chose to keep moving.

Ironically enough, falling in love is a lot like climbing the Great Balsam Mountains. It’s rocky; it’s challenging, and you must be willing to overcome your flesh. But just like the climb we made that day, something wonderful awaits on the other side of love, and facing the challenges is so incredibly worth it when all is said and done.

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Each autumn the tree

gives Earth its leaves

paying no mind

to what it receives.

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The mountain so high

will patiently wait

for us to climb;

it’s never too late.

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See the mountain’s not there

to tempt us to hide;

it’s there to show us

we’re on the same side.

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We walk this path,

though never a race.

We conquer together

whatever we face.

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And just like the leaves—

fall without fear.

Surrender to one another,

while the other’s still near.

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We graciously fall

with our eyes fixed above.

That’s what it means

to fall in love.