The Letter

     Over the past 8 months, Psalm 46:10 has been coming up a lot. The past 8 months have been a big time of change and anticipation in my life. Whether it was through personal devotions, sermons, or even just scrolling through Facebook, this verse would come up.
     This summer, while participating in a small group devotion, we were encouraged to reflect on a piece of scripture. You guessed it, Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." While reflecting privately, I began writing. The words, I was writing, began to flow onto the page with uncommon ease. Upon finishing the letter, I felt such a sense of peace and love. Not sure of what I just wrote, I read it.
      Now, I would like to share this letter with you. The overall message of this letter has become a solace for my heart and is something I will cherish for many years to come.

Psalm 46:10 

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Be still and rest in my goodness, my mercy, my desire for you.

You are my beloved, you are precious in my sight, 

my steadfast and overflowing love completes and protects you. 

You find rest in my arms.

Do not lose vision of what I have created for you, you may feel lost, alone, and empty, 

but I have equipped you to be capable of love beyond all compare.

Your soul may cry our for more, but cry out to me.

Cry out “Holy!” and I will bring you rest.

Be still.

Be still and know that I am God. I am Lord over all.

You know my way is good and my yoke is easy.

Surrender. 

Surrender your hopes, anxiety, fear, selfish attitudes, and hurt to me 

and I will bring you peace and rest. 

I will use you.

Let me in, all the way.

Surrender the fears and desires of your heart to me and trust me to bring you peace. 

You are good, you are mine, 

you are gently held by the One who loves you. 

Be still and know that I am.

I am always with you.

I didn’t create you for the easy things. 

I created you to do the hard things,

the selfless things, the things that require great love and care.

Go deeper, I will heal your heart.

Go further, I will give you strength.

Go longer, and I will give you rest.

Do the uncomfortable, challenge the limits and above all else, love. 

Love fearlessly, love endlessly, and love unconditionally.

You are loved, you are desired, you are brave, and you are my creation.

Be still and know that I am your God.

the return.

It has been a while since I last posted…and by a while, I mean far too long. I was not sure what to write about and have recently come to some self realizations. I wanted to share this little message that came to me as I listened to a sermon this morning. 
I will also leave you with a new song that I am so in love with and how beautiful the words are. The song reminds me of how beautiful God's love is and how it is the only thing that will ever be enough, the only thing I'll ever need. How someone could love me enough to suffer for me in the way Jesus did is something I will never fully understand. What I am learning is that no matter where we look or how hard we want to find a love on earth that will satisfy us, the only one who can ultimately offer us this love is the one who created us, the one who stitched us together, the one who made us His masterpiece. 

Those who find themselves on the road to ruin, can choose to find themselves on their way to something beautiful. An overwhelming grace and love that can appear unreal. We must learn to rest in this love and peace of The Lord Jesus Christ and we will find an overwhelming restoration from The One who created us, gave all of Himself...on a cross that overcomes anything we may face. Such beautiful love and beautiful grace as this is the only thing that will satisfy the thirsting of our hearts.


You never change, you are the god you say you are
When I'm afraid you calm and still my beating heart
You stay the same, when hope is just a distant thought 
You take my pain And you lead me to the cross

What love is this, that you gave your life for me
And made a way for me to know you
And I confess you're always enough for me
You're all I need

I look to youI see the scars upon your hands
That when I can't you always can
I'm standing here beneath the shadow of the cross,
I'm overwhelmed that I keep finding open arms

What love is this that you gave your life for me 
And made a way for me to know you
And I confess, you're always enough for me
You're all I need

Jesus in your suffering you were reaching your thought of me
Jesus in your suffering you were reaching your thought of me

What love is this, that you gave your life for me
And made a way for me to know you
And I confess, you're always enough for me
You're all I need

What love is this, that you gave your life for me
And made a way for me to know you
And I confess, you're always enough for me
Always enough for me
Always enough for me



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLRyZMKbb0

I've learned....

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
I've learned that no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.
And it's not the end of the world.
I've learned that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned that it's not what you have in your life,
but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
When it needs to be done
regardless of the consequences.
I've learned that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don't know how to show it.
I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned that true friendship continues to grow even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to
doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean that they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual
ahead of their actions.
I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I've learned that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.
I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing,
as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life
are taken from you too soon.
I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice
and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
I've learned to love
and be loved.
I've learned...

-Omer B. Washington

Lovely.

Let me tell you a story

Of a little boy who had lost his way

In search for something to make it a better day,

But all he seemed to find

Was a world of hurt and pain

And a place that didn't seem to care that he'd lost his way.

So the boy began to cry.

Yes, the boy began to cry.

Does anyone love?

Does anyone care?

Is anyone out there?

That finds me lovely

That fnds me lovely

That finds me lovely?

Just when the little boy had lost all hope

Well, along came a man that usshered him in.

He held him to his chest

and He saidm Little boy, it's time that you rest

He opened up His arms

And said, I've been searching for you for some time.

now, little boy, you have found a home

And now longer shall you roam

Then the man began to cry.

Yes, the man began to cry.

Don't you know I love you?

Don't you know I care?

And I will always be here,

And I find you lovely.

Yes, I find you lovely.

Yes I find you so so lovely.

I find you lovely...

Yes, I find you lovely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8xbRx8xDWA

blessing.

This post is not about Captivating, but I feel as if I really just need to write and see what comes out, so please bare with me. I have just finished an intensive week of counselling fourteen girls around the age of twelve at a Christian camp. The strength and maturity of these girls goes far beyond what anyone could expect. The age at which young girls become wounded by the hurtful ways and words of this world is progressively getting younger and younger. These girls need the healing and overwhelming love of God to overflow in their lives. Their question of "Am I lovely?" is lingering over them, completely unaware of their dire need to have it answered. They are longing to be accepted. To be found lovely. To be desired for more than what the world expects from them. Although I just spoke of the unbelievable strength and maturity of these girls, inside...they are broken. And vulnerable. We all are...and it breaks my heart to think that we all walk amongst each other carrying this weight of brokenness with us. We need to learn to guard our hearts.

          Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." 

     

     Our hearts are the most beautiful part of who we are, because our hearts reflect parts of God's heart that have been instilled inside of us. I can guarantee that we can all remember times in our lives that someone has said something horrible to us...I definitely know that I can. But why do we listen to these voices when the One who made us is screaming at the top of His lungs how precious we are? He is saying, "You are precious" (1 Cor. 6:20), "You are loved" (Jer 31:3),  "You are special" (Eph 2:10), "You are unique" (Ps 139:13), "You are chosen" (Jn 15:16), "You are beautiful" (Ps 45:11), and "You are mine" (Is 43:1). There are so many more things He says to us through His word, but why do we continue to look for the answer to our question in a world that will always fail?  Our God desires for us to come to Him. He wants to step up and fight for us. He has made us in His image, we are His masterpiece! We must guard our hearts against the ways of this world, against the harshness that lies within it. 

      We are broken. We are left vulnerable. But in that brokenness and in that vulnerability, we need to run to the everlasting and overwhelming love of the God who made us and takes pleasure in relationship with us. Allow our hearts to be vulnerable to Him. Allow Him to shield us from the world and only have ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to feel the love He pours out to us. 

Remember that you are loved. That in Him we are made complete. In Him, we are chosen. We are loved. We are adopted. We are His, and we are worthy to be loved by Him. This is the blessing He so abundantly pours out upon us. When we seek Him and His love, we will find it in abundance. A love like that is worth pursuing.

Blessings and all my love,

~a

Trust.

I know it has been a while since my last post....too long for my own liking. I have been spending time thinking and figuring out what is occupying my thoughts and doing my best to figure out what it is God is trying to do in my life and teach me at this stage of my life. I've also been learning about faith. Knowing that I have growing faith, but that it is still so small in comparison to what it should be. Realizing that if I am living out the life God has called me to and following His perfect path, that there is nothing that I should fear...not even the uncertainty of the future ahead of me. Trusting that no matter what, I belong to a God who is constantly pursuing me, a God who loves when I turn the gaze of my soul to Him in hope, in faith; in trust.

I want to dive back into this book and share with you what I am reading. I am still absorbed in this book and value its purpose and the message it brings to women, and men. It is a window into the heart an soul of a woman, and as I share my thoughts and parts of this book with you, my hope is that you too can see through this window...and that you may begin to understand more about who you are and the beauty you possess within you.

     The scariest thing for a woman is to offer her beauty into a situation where she does not know if it will make any difference. Or worse, that she will be rejected. In this reluctance, we can find ourselves afraid...full of fear.
     He doesn't want us to hide or fun from this fear, He wants to come along side us. He wants us to feel His love...and we can't wait to feel safe to love and invite. But of course it is scary giving up what we hold on to, the things we want to control. It's scary. It's vulnerable. It's exposing, but God calls us to stop hiding, to stop dominating, to trust him, and to offer our true selves. He wants us to bear the weight of our lives and all that he has given unto us, and offer it to the world. To entice. To allure. To invite others to Jesus by reflecting his glory in our lives. But, He will give no guarantee that others will enjoy us and respond well. In those moments or seasons in our lives, God invites us to bring our sorrows to Him.
     As we become women of substance, women who offer true beauty, we find that our hearts grow in their capacity to love and be loved, to desire...to live. Our hearts become enlarged by Jesus. To posses true beauty, you must be willing to make scarifies. Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who have had their hearts enlarged by suffering. By saying "Yes!" when the world says "No." By paying the high price of loving truly and honestly without demanding that they be loved in return. And by refusing to numb theory pain in the multiple ways possible. They have come to know that when everyone and everything had left them, God is there.
     Living in true beauty can require much waiting, much time, and much tenacity of spirit. We must constantly direct our gazes toward the face of God, even in the presence of longing and sorrow. IT is in the waiting that our heart are enlarged. The waiting does not diminish us. God does not rescue us out of a painful season. You know that he does not always give us what we so desperately want when we want it. He is after something much more valuable than our happiness. Much more substantial than our health. He is restoring and growing in us eternal weight of glory. And sometimes...it can hurt.
     But the experience of sorrow in no way diminishes the joy of living. Rather, it enhances it.
     Every woman possesses a captivating beauty. Every woman. But for most of us, it has been long buried, wounded, and captive. It takes time for it to emerge into wholeness. It needs to be cultivated, restored, set free. Yes, life is hard on a woman's heart. It has been hard on your heart. The assault on our beauty is real. But Jesus is urging us now to care for ourselves, watch over our hearts. The world needs your beauty.
     Our hearts need to feed on beauty to sustain them. We need times of solitude and silence. We need times of refreshment and laughter and rest. We need to listen to the voice of God in our hearts as he tells us what we need.
     Beauty is a quality of the soul that expresses itself in the visible world. You see it. You touch it. You are drawn to it. Beauty illuminates. Beauty flows from a heart that is alive. We are romanced, we are loved. When we are at rest in that knowledge, we can offer our hearts to other and invite them to Life.
     We'll have to trust him that we have a beauty, that what he has said of us is true. And we'll have to trust him with how it goes when we offer it, because that is out of our control. We'll have to trust him when it hurts, and we'll have to trust him when we're finally seen and enjoyed. That's why unveiling our beauty is how we live by faith.
     Unveiling our beauty is our greatest expression of love, because it is what the world needs from us. When we choose not to hide, when we choose to offer our hearts, we are choosing to love...and to trust.
      The Lord invites us to come to him, to draw near to his heart and trust him with all of our being. You contain a beauty within you that the world desperately needs and you can only begin to share that and unveil that when you truly trust the Lord your God with it and believe that he has instilled it within you.

Remember that you are loved. You are cherished. You are truly beautiful.

Blessings and all my love,
~a

unveiling beauty.

I cannot put this book down. It is so nurturing and I am loving what it is helping unveil within me and it is further helping me understand many things. I am sad that it is slowly coming to an end, but the lessons I'm learning in this book are going to go far beyond the number of pages it holds. This book is leaving a lasting impact on me and my life. For this entry, I'm not sure if my words will do the message of this chapter justice. It was written so perfectly, so I feel like I need to bring specific sections of the book to you in this entry, but my thoughts will be included throughout. This chapter, Beauty to Unveil, will probably come to you in two separate entries, but I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave comments to share what is on your heart.

    The essence of a man is Strength. A man is meant to be the incarnation - our experience in human form - of our Warrior God. A God who comes through for us. To experience the strength of a man is to have him speak on your behalf. As women, we long for someone strong to stand between us and the vicious assaults of our Enemy. Of course, a man might like to work our at a gym, but id he is only physically strong, he is a hollow man. A man might like to do many different things like read, cook, or play an instrument, but that does not in any way diminish the strength of his soul. Then strength of a man is first a strength of the soul - a strength of heart. As he lives this out, he owns it, and inhabits his strength, he does become more handsome, more attractive.
     As a woman we've lived so long under the pressure to be beautiful. But stay with the thought for a moment, because it will really help. The beauty of a woman is first a soulful beauty. And like a man, as we live it and own it, we inhabit our beauty, we do become more lovely. More alluring. It flows from the inside out.
     The essence of a woman is Beauty. She is meant to be the incarnation - our experience in human form - of a Captivating God. A God who invites us. Beauty is what the world longs to experience from a woman. The coming of spring after a hard winter is almost too glorious for a soul to bear. God's beauty is lavished on the world.
     God has given Beauty to Eve, to every woman. beauty is core to a woman - who she is and what she longs to be - and one of the most glorious ways we bear the image of God in a broken and often ugly world. It's messy to talk about. It's mysterious. And that should not surprise us. Women are creatures of great mystery; not problems to be solved, but mysteries to be enjoyed. And that, too, is part of her glory.
     Like said before, Beauty is the most essential and, yes, the most misunderstood of all the feminine qualities. Hear clearly that it is an essence every woman carries from the moment of her creation. The only thing standing in the way of our beauty are our doubts and fears, and the hiding and striving we fall  to as a result.
     A woman in her glory, a woman of beauty, is a woman who is not striving to become beautiful or worthy or enough. She knows in her quiet center where God dells that he finds her beautiful, has deemed her worthy, and in him, she is enough. In fact, the only thing getting in the way of our being fully captivating and enjoyed is our striving.
    "He will quiet you with his love" (Zephaniah 3:17). A woman of true beauty is a woman who in the depths of her soul is at rest, trusting God because has come to know him to be worthy of her trust. She exudes a sense of calm, a sense of rest, and invites those around her to rest as well. She speaks comfort; she knows that we live in a world at war, that we have a vicious enemy, and our journey is through a broken world. But she also knows that because of God...all is well, and all will be well. A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become. In her presence, we can release the tension and pressure that so often grip our hearts. We can also breathe in the truth that God loves us and he is good. This is why we must keep asking. Ask Jesus to show you your beauty. His words to us rest and unveil our beauty.
     Beauty beckons us. Beauty invites us. Come, explore, immerse yourself.  God - Beauty himself - invites us to know him. He delights in alluring us and in revealing himself to those who wholeheartedly seek him. He wants to be known, to be explored. A woman does too. She fears it, but below the fear is a longing to be known, to be seen as beautiful and enjoyed. So the unveiled beauty of a woman entices and invites.
     When you experience the Beauty of God here on earth, you find room for your soul. It expands. You can breathe again. You can rest. It is good. That is what it is like to be with a beautiful woman. You are free to be you. It is one of life's greatest gifts.
     A woman who makes herself vulnerable and available for intimacy invites others to do the same. Eve, all women, are the incarnation of the heart of God for intimacy.


     A woman who is unveiling her beauty is inviting others to life. She risks being vulnerable: exposing her true heart, who she is, and inviting others to share theirs. She is not demanding, but she is hopeful.


    Ultimately, a woman invites us to know God. To experience through her that God is merciful. That he is tender and kind. That God longs for us - to be known by us and to know us. She invites us to experience that God is good, deep, lovely, alluring. Captivating.

In God's faithfulness, He is changing me. Instead of making me into someone else, He is making me more me. And that is one of the beautiful things about him. The more his we become, the more ourselves we become; more of our true selves. I have learned that to have a gentle and quiet spirit is to have a heart of faith, a heart that trusts in God, a spirit that has been quieted by his love and filled with his peace. This is something I have been struggling with. Wanting to have my heart be at peace, but struggling to let go. I am on a journey...I am learning. But the more I become his, the more I am becoming my true self...I am a woman unveiling my beauty.

Blessings and all my love,
~a

songs of worship.

I promise, this is my final entry on chapter seven. This particular chapter just seemed to really hit home in a few ways for me. There was one specific thing that really got me thinking. It has come up a few times this summer, but it wasn't until I read this that it really clicked for me. 

     As I've talked about before, I am a singer. I study music and singing in University; so you could say that I am someone who finds myself particularly attached to and drawn to music. Music plays a very special role in my life aside from my studies. There is something inside me that longs for music and the special connection I find with it deep inside. There is something about music that is so indescribable for me, something that intrigues me in a way I can't explain.
    As I previously posted, every song we love, every memory we cherish, every moment that has moved us to holy tears has been given to us from the One who has been pursuing us from our first breath. As I'm sure you can imagine, there are many songs that I love. And a lot of memories that I cherish include music and there have been moments when music and the presence of the Holy Spirit has also moved me to holy tears. As I also previously posted, for me, singing is a completely spiritual experience. 
     Captivating mentions going to get some worship music that really moves you. Music that speaks of an intimacy with Christ. Music that draws you into intimacy with him. 
     I cannot get through a day without spending time listening to my favourite worship music. I know it sounds funny, but if I don't spend time listening to and taking in this music...I miss it, a part of me is longing for it. There is a certain intimacy that I experience when it comes to music. I'm realizing more and more that it is this intimacy with my Lord that I long for, that I desire...and I find it in music. It is what draws me to close to the heart of my God. 
     I find pleasure in spending time alone listening, singing, and playing worship music, meditating on the worlds and letting the music wash over me. It is almost like I'm transported to a different world, a place where things feel a little bit different. A place where my heart is open. Music is my greatest outlet for worship. This form of worship is where I find intimacy with my Father. 
      It is in music that I hear the word and voice of God speak. It is in these quiet times that I find a connection and rest in God and a time that I never realized held so much weight in my life. 
      During my studies I came across this an article in Music in the Western World: A History in Documents selected and annotated by Piero Weiss and Richard Taruskin that talked about how singing is one of the most transcendent experiences. It also talked about there being something special about using the voice in such a way and how it was one of the ways to be closest to God. I did not think much of it at the time, besides thinking it was cool, but now...I really see how it is true. Never have I experienced the presence of God more than when I've been singing. This doesn't always mean while I'm performing, but in the quiet, intimate moments while singing worship songs. 
       This being said, I'm not sure exactly how to explain it...but I'm not sure I'm supposed to. It is something I share with God and something that is felt deep down in the depths of who I am. God knows my heart and the desires that lay in it. He knows what takes my breath away and I find peace knowing that I am deeply loved by a God who searches after my heart, who comes to rescue and fight for me. Who desires relationship with me. 
       I am overjoyed knowing that I have found this special thing in my life that binds me so closely with the heart of my God...and my desire for you is that you find what binds you closely to the heart of God  as well. Whether it be music, or in painting, photography, volunteering, hiking, parenting...whatever it may be. Find what that is, and when your heart is most open. Invite God, and allow Him in; allow Him to move and breathe through you. Sit in the quiet, find that worship music that really moves you, and welcome your God that deeply loves you and desires relationship with you. Personally, I'm still working on this, but I know that I as I find myself coming closer to the heart of my God, the more open my heart is to receive Him and give Him the love He so rightfully deserves in return. 


I just want to leave you with the text of one of my favourite worship songs. 

Blessings and all my love,
~a 

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath-
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow. 

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry. 

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God-slain for us.
What a love! What a cost! 
We stand forgiven at the cross.

You're Beautiful.

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say 
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring 
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlTzH9xkXQ

Loved continued.

Earlier today, I wrote about the first half of chapter seven, Romanced. There was so much in this chapter that I might even have to break this into three separate entries. But for now, I want to talk about this section and let you read my thoughts and sections from this chapter. I've really been learning a lot while reading this book. Please feel free to comment and share what is on your heart. 

     Every song we love, every moment we cherish, every moment that has moved us to holy tears has been given to us from the One who has been pursuing us from our first breath in order to win our hearts. God's version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and crocket symphonies; warm winds, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion. 

     This romancing is immensely personal. It will be as if it has been scripted for your heart. He knows what takes your breath away, knows what makes your heart beat faster. We have missed many of is notes simply because we shut our hearts down in order to endure the pain of life. Now, in order to allow our hearts to heal, we must open our hearts, and keep them open. We don't do this foolishly, not to anyone or anything. But we must choose to open our hearts again so that we might hear him whispering to us. 

     In my last entry in my blog, I mentioned seasons in our spiritual lives. For me, there are seasons in my life when Jesus seems very near and seasons where I can't seem to find him at all. Sometimes it feels like we're playing a game of hide-and-seek, but he's got all the best hiding places. But all relationships have high and low points. 

    The low points exist to draw our hearts out in deeper longing. In the sense of emptiness, an open heart notices. These are the crucial moments. We need to keep our heart open so that our Lover can come for us, can come and fight for us. We need to allow our aching and longing to turn into longing prayer. And he comes, he fights for his bride. His flowing waters of love bring healing to place in our hearts that still need his touch. Our hearts need to open and remain that way.

     In the same way, there is also a place in God's heart that only you alone can fill. You are meant to fill a place in the heart of God no one and nothing else can fill. He longs for you. 

     God wants to pour his love into your heart and he longs to have you pour yours into his. He wants your deep heart, that center place within, that is the truest you. He is not interested in intimacy with the woman you think you are supposed to be. He wants intimacy with the real you.  

     There was an event that took place in the life of Jesus that he said should be told whenever the Gospel is proclaimed around the world. It is when Mary and Bethany came and anointed him with the perfume, that cost a year's wages. It was an extravagant act of sacrificial worship, and the aroma of it filled the room. Jesus was profoundly moved by it. The men who gathered there were indignant. It was a woman who did this for Christ. Just as it was also a woman who rushed into the Pharisee's house uninvited and washed Jesus' feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and kissed them in an act of intimate, repentant worship. 

     It was a woman who followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. It was women who stayed at the foot of the cross, offering him the comfort of their presence until Jesus breathed his last breath (only John remained with them). It was to women that Jesus first revealed himself after he rose from the dead, and it was women who first "clasped his feet and worshiped him" as the Risen, Victorious Lord. 

     Women hold a special place in the heart of God. A woman's worship brings Jesus immense pleasure and a deep ministry. You can minister to the heart of God. You impact Him. You matter. Jesus desires you to pour out your love on him in extravagant worship that ministers to his heart. This is not just for women who have the time, women who are really spiritual. You are made for romance, and the only one who can offer it to you consistently and deeply is Jesus. Offer your heart to him. 

     Living in a world where women seem to have no idea of their worth, or struggle with what their place is, this chapter really speaks to this. Women hold a valuable and irreplaceable spot in the world and in the heart of God. There is a radiance hidden inside every woman that the world desperately needs. 

You are special. You are beautiful. You are desired and longed for by a God who longs to romance you. You are worthy of all love and beauty.

Blessings and all my love,

~a