Many girls dream of a prince on a white horse, or of a man who will always love them and sweep them off their feet. But they are often mistaken, thinking that if a man fulfils all their whims and gives them expensive presents, they will be happy. That won’t give the heart peace. In fact, a woman’s heart [and not only a woman’s] longs to be known. As my daughter said about a certain boy: “How can he say he loves me and can’t live without me, when he doesn’t even know my favourite colour?”

There was once a woman who had had five husbands, and was living with a sixth, who was not her husband. Her heart thirsted for love, but no man was able to meet her need. One day she went to fetch water and met a seventh man at the well. After talking with Him and finding out who He was, she went away filled and satisfied. He said to her: “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” When she returned to her town, she said to the people: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did.”

Not only did she go away filled with His love, but she also bore fruit. Just as the first woman, Eve, bore sons after Adam knew her, so the Samaritan woman bore much fruit. After Jesus had talked with her, He said: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

May the coming year 2013 be for you a year of His love. If you have not yet met the One who knows everything about you, know this: He is sitting by the well, ready to fill you to overflowing the next time you come to draw water. And if you already know Him, may you come to know the power of His love for you in the coming year, and then you will bear much fruit.

Happy New 2013, the Year of Love!!!