A Season of Love: Being Your Own Valentine and Learning to Love Yourself First

At Sunlight Home, love isn’t just something we give—it’s something we help our residents discover within themselves. This past week, our home was filled with warmth and joy as volunteers decorated our dining room for Valentine’s Day, bringing light, beauty and love to the center of our home. But the most important transformation wasn’t just the pink and red flare that had been added to the house—it was in the hearts of the women who call Sunlight Home their refuge.

In a special session led by relationship coach Courtney Morlock, our residents explored one of the most fundamental truths about love: before we can accept love from others, we must first learn to love ourselves. For Karley, this lesson was more than just words—it was a revelation.

Karley’s Story: A Journey to Self-Love

Karley has never known real love. Growing up in an abusive environment, affection was conditional and often absent. Walls formed around her heart from a young age because “love” was only offered after someone did terrible things to her. She never had someone to tell her she was worthy, she never had a place where she felt safe enough to be vulnerable.

But here, at Sunlight Home, surrounded by staff and women who love Karley for who she is and who remind her of the unwavering love the Lord has for her, Karley is beginning to understand what unconditional love looks like.

During Courtney Morlock’s session, Karley listened as Courtney spoke about self-worth, about how we attract the kind of love we believe we deserve. If we don’t first embrace ourselves, we risk settling for relationships that don’t honor us. For Karley, this was a hard truth to swallow. She had spent years accepting less than she was worth—because she had never believed she was worth more.

But something is changing in her. As the conversation unfolded, Karley shared her fears of never being enough. And in response, the women around her, many who had once felt the same way, reminded her of her strength, her resilience, and the beautiful future she is building for herself and her baby.

A Home Filled with Love

As Karley looked around at the women beside her, at the volunteers who had come to make this place beautiful—not for themselves, but for her you could see her heart opening. And for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to feel something she had never truly felt before: belonging.

Self-love isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s a journey. And at Sunlight Home, it’s a journey we take together.

To everyone who came to decorate, who gave their time, their kindness, and their hearts—thank you. Your presence reminded our residents, and especially Karley, that love is real. And it starts from within.

To donate to Sunlight Home, a local nonprofit organization in Naples, FL that helps single moms and children, please visit our Events Page to donate through the Giving Event or our Donate page. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us provide the care and support these women deserve. Together, we can ensure that Sunlight Home continues to be a beacon of hope and transformation.

Thank you for helping us help homeless pregnant women and their babies like Kaley everyday. We are so grateful for your unwavering support and prayers as we focus on what truly matters: saving lives and building futures.