When a Woman is "Known"

I look back at my relationship with my husband and I look at the times when we were dating and I felt so cherished and "seen" and "known" for who I was.   During these times, I didn't have to prove anything to him and I didn't necessarily have to prove a point or try to explain myself to him, because he really knew me for who I was. 

This week, I have found myself in a couple situations where I feel like I haven't been able to express my heart towards some tough situations  I feel like a couple people on my team misunderstand me.  But then I ran across this line,  "She needn’t be heard…. because she was known."  And as I went to Jesus and expressed my frustration over not being heard, I felt as though the Lord whispered to my heart that I don't always have to be heard, as long as I am known by Him.  And when God really knows what it is my heart, I have peace unexplainable as situations arise.  He is my Defender, He will rescue me, He will make all things right.

A Lover gives personal gifts

This week...marveling at the perfect gifts Jesus has given me....personal gifts. Gifts that prove to me that He "sees" my desires and loves to give me good gifts.

Like the fact that I really like everything in the same room to match, down to the kleenex box. And so when a friend offered us a booster seat for my baby and it was red and matched our dining room decor, I received a gift straight from His heart to mine.

Or when I was struggling over a past hurt and my husband "washed me with the water of the Word" as we spent time away for our anniversary weekend and shared a precious Word that I needed and I wept as Matt was used as a personal gift to speak to me- to bring healing and reassurance.

Or when we first planned our anniversary trip and were going to take advantage of a friend's offer for a timeshare weekend, but discovered we didn't fit the criteria. And then to have other friends who had a cabin we could use FOR FREE (no strings attached) situated very close to the original timeshare location...a very personal gift.

I love being loved so well! To be known personally, intimately and individually. I am His chosen, I am His beloved.

May you also discover His deep love and may your eyes be open to how He is giving you gifts to prove to you that He loves you personally, intimately and individually! You are His chosen, His beloved.

Loving Jesus' Imperfect Bride- Tough Relationships

Why can relationships be such a challenge? It seems like some of my relationships with close family members who declare they are Christ-followers as well as some dear friends who also love Jesus, have become strained and difficult to maintain. As the Church, we are called to be the Bride of Christ and to love each other. Looking at these relationships, I ask myself, "what does true love really look like in these relationships? Why is it so hard?"

And as I was asking God these tough questions yesterday, He reminded me that I too, am His Bride. And He finds me so lovely in spite of my sin and garbage. I might be a challenge to love at times, but Jesus is crazy nuts in love with me. And so His challenge for me is that as I become more like Him, I would choose to see these tough relationships just as He chooses to see me and those that I am challenged to love- as a soiled Bride that because of His blood, has a dress that is white, pure and holy. And to really confirm what He spoke to me, I read this quote in another blog last night, " Every chance I have to love imperfect people is another chance to perfect His love in me." May I represent my Heavenly Groom well- as one who grows in her perfect love towards others!

A King's Proposal to His Bride

We celebrated a Passover meal this evening with some close loved ones. As we look back at the symbolism offered in the food and drink we shared together, I am reminded of the signifigance of the communion we shared together as we drank wine from the cup and ate the unleavened bread symbolic of Jesus' body that was broken for us. And it was a revelation of beauty, how something so painful and bloody could turn into a beautiful love story between my Savior and I. The deeper meaning of a Christ-followers action of taking communion is beatifully described in Ann Voskamp's blog today. Take it in:

"A Jewish man, he was teaching the marriage customs of the first century Jewish people in the land of Israel.“The young man’s father would take a flask of wine. He would pour a cup of wine and hand it to his son. The son would then turn to the young woman, and with all the solemnity of an oath before Almighty God Himself, that young man would take that cup of wine and say to that young woman, ‘This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.”“In other words, “I love you. I’ll be your faithful husband. Will you be my bride?’ ” Is that why He took the cup?Like a young man offering His very veins as the exorbitant price for the bride? Offering her the cup of His heart ? Waiting for her to take? And if she took it, if she drank of it, she accepted his life and offered him hers, and the two were betrothed, love sealed by a cup to the lips. Is that why he takes the cup? To take us?Who can bear a love like this? And every time I take it, look into that cup of blood-wine and the depths of His heart – aren’t I saying yes with the lips that swallow completely down?At communion, Christ is offering no less than communion — and who will say yes with their life?The Passion is a proposal and every communion is a call to come say yes.

This Holy Week leading up to His victorious resurrection, my heart answers His proposal.....YES, YES, YES! I desire to be where You are, my King! My Jesus!

He died for such things as this

Been pondering how the mistakes I have made can be used by God to bring Him more glory than if I live the perfect role modelish life so many people believe I live. I am His Beloved and like any true knight in shining armor, He came to rescue me from my sin and pain. The truth remains that I know for these things (sin, injustice, lust, selfishness, insecurity) Christ died and his forgiveness is very real to me. I live to please His heart and His alone. My heart is overjoyed by those who don't judge me, but instead by those who respect me more for being real about my weakness...I will boast in my weakness for that is when Christ's power can be made perfect in my life. And thru my sin, pain and brokeness, I can love & minster more, accept more and win those who don't think they are good enough for Jesus to Him, because I am a sinner in need of grace just like them and somehow thru this, they will know for such as them; He died. I want to be used by Jesus so bad...and thru my mistakes; I wonder if He can still use me, He has spoken to my heart and said to keep my chin up for there is nothing I can do to make Him love me more and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me less. He is Sovereign and He knew the choices I would make that would break His heart, but like an artist, He will make a beautiful masterpiece of even the broken things in life. May I always extend the grace He has poured into my life these past several months into the lives of those who are struggling too- for such things as this- He died.

Feelings of being cherished and chosen

God has put into the heart of every woman a desire to be cherished and chosen- to be beautiful and noticed. I have been on a great adventure in the past year or so of what it feels like to be cherished and chosen by a human man, but also what it is like to experience the deep love of Christ towards me. This blog is full of the thoughts and revelations I have and will have as God begins to give me more understanding of His deep love for me. I am 4 weeks away from my wedding day and I believe God has so many ways He desires to woo my heart