We need you, man of honour...

I don't know why I am attempting such a thing as this. Maybe I'm a little bit crazy.

A good friend of mine asked me a few really big questions the other day about dating, guys, boundaries, and basically, why did it have to be such a mess?

Just weeks before that I was at a friends house with a bunch of other friends, a nice mix of guys and girls. The question came up, "What do you ladies dislike most about Christian men when it comes to dating?"

Deep sigh.

Now that I've thought about it, I can't help but remember having a bunch of group discussions where they all eventually diverge to that one hot topic: relationships. 

I don't know everything, and I may be a little biased, but what I've gathered from the girls I know, there are a few basic points that we as ladies would love you as Christian men to know.

So, here is an open letter to all the Christian men who are interested in the pursuit of a dating relationship:

Dear Christian Men,

1. What happened to your courage?
What happened to your courage that would lead you to boldly ask a girl out on a date? Do you remember that era (It feels like it has been that long)? All we seem to remember these days are ambiguous coffee "dates" or casual hang outs. I know you want to get to know a girl, but can't you rather do that in a group environment that protects her heart from wondering about the unknown? Can't you find the courage to show that you are interested in getting to know her more, and clarify that through your words rather than just asking her to hang out one on one? You know that we are girls and that we over think almost everything. You can, of course, just expect us not to over think things, but the reality is you could easily clarify the situation to help us guard our hearts. I'm not taking away from the fact that we should definitely practise some self-control. The load isn't all on you, I promise.

I have heard of so many men asking ladies out for coffee without any clarification of intention. I'm not saying things need to be serious from the beginning and that you need to decide to be in a committed relationship headed toward marriage at that first coffee date, but I honestly don't think it would hurt if you simply said, "Hey, I think you're great, and I would really like to get to know you better."

Ladies, don't go crazy. Stop yourself from dreaming about your wedding and what your future children may look like. Stop. For real. Practise self-control and take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

2. You are stronger than any intimidation. 
Now trust me, I understand. There are a bunch of things that you might be intimidated by. You may be thinking, "What if this chick gets super serious really quickly?" You are not committed to a relationship by taking a girl out for coffee. That is not what you signed up for. And that is why clarifying your intentions can be so beneficial to all people involved. It enables you to defend your character and your motives, as well as to protect and guard her heart.

I'm sure the thought of rejection is intimidating also. Actually, I'm more than sure of it. And the reality is, being bold and taking a step out of your comfort zone means there is a bit of vulnerability. Rejection may happen. You may get "bat". But, you have immense worth despite that. You have such a vital role to play in this world, and only you can fulfil it. Do not let any rejection from any human being stop you from acting as the man God has created and called you to be. In the same way, you should never be afraid to tell a girl that you do not see your relationship moving toward a romantic relationship. You don't have to ignore her. You don't have to starting being slightly mean to send subliminal messages to her. You don't have to be afraid to lovingly express to her that you are simply not interested in continuing the pursuit of a relationship. If you've been prayerfully seeking God's voice, listening to what He is saying, honouring her by protecting her heart, then you are simply respecting her in another way by being up front and honest with her. This doesn't take away from her value or worth because it is God given. Do not allow intimidation to take away from the way you can honour her.

I've got to be honest, the men around me who have been up front, forward and honest with me have gained all of my respect. Mainly because I know they are more concerned about me than their pride. That always sets an example to me of how valued I am by them and God.

3. Be Intentional.
You may not be ready to ask her out on a date yet, but I think the best way to honour her as your sister in Christ is to put the two of you in healthy and safe environments that would give you the opportunity to get to know her without crossing any boundaries as more than her brother. Maybe don't speak to her all the time over social media or over text messages. Maybe it would be a good idea to refrain from flirting or showing her loads of attention if you aren't yet ready to make the small commitment of putting yourself out there and clarifying that you are interested in getting to know her more. Maybe ambiguous one on ones are more harmful to the both of you than you know.

I hate to say it, but Christian guys (I'm sorry for the generalisation) have been known to lead girls on, speaking to them on a regular basis, taking them out for coffee dates without clarifying if they had any intention or not, and then all of a sudden "dropping" girls - cutting off all communication, ignoring them, and so on. I know relationships aren't easy. I know it's difficult to figure out what you want, but you have the responsibility to take care of her heart.

That girl that you would like to get to know better? You get to model Christ through the way you pursue her. Protect her. Don't ask for her intimacy - physically, emotionally, or spiritually, until you are prepared to commit to her. And if you aren't sure you want to ask her on a date, I'm not sure if you are ready to make a genuine commitment.

"The reward of commitment is intimacy."

I've experienced so many guys and girls who have ended up confused and hurt because the other person didn't communicate their feelings or intentions well or at all. I've come across a lot of guys who thought they were doing the right thing by simply taking a girl to coffee, but she ended up reading it as just coffee, and after the third time he had asked her, she had to clarify that she was not interested in that way. He ended up really hurt, and it all could have been avoided.

I don't want that to happen to you or anyone else.

There are so many practical ways to honour yourself and her by being proactive and intentional with these types of situations. I know that all situations are different and bring their own difficulties, but I am 100 percent sure there are healthy and safe approaches to each and every one of those situations.

4. We need you to be a man of honour.
But more than anything I've already written, I want you to know this: We need you. You have been created to bear the image of God as a creator, a leader, and a protector. You have a wild side in you that God Himself gave you, furnished with the desire and ability to fight, conquer, and protect. More than anything, we need you to know the value that you possess. We need you to know that despite all the rejection you have faced, we need you as our brothers to come to our defence. We need you to love and honour us as your sisters in Christ and to reflect the value we have in the eyes of our Creator.

You have a role to play in this world that only you can fulfil. You are more than enough. You are more than capable. Be the man that you have been created to be. Rise to the occasion.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12

With the love of Jesus,
Your sister in Christ

Security and worth.

We've bought into a lie that has promised us security.

But in return we're being destroyed, slowly but surely.

We're continually wanting our security to be tanglible, and obvious, and affectionate. Something we can hold and grasp onto. We want it to be affirmed now. We've been raised in a world that tells us our security is based on another's opinion of us. Perfectionism has noted every mistake, error, fault, flaw, and blemish in and on us like a check list against us. We've been whispered to by our ugly culture, believing that our worth is based on our beauty, or sex appeal, or the amount of attention the opposite sex gives. So what do our hearts do? They reach out. They try to check our lists and get more checks on the “good” side rather than on the ugly side that we tend to think is reality - what defines us. We reach out for affection and affirmation from our check lists, the attention we're given, the compliments we recieve. We want people to adore us, our faults and our failures included.

And that's normal.

But if that is what determines our worth, it's not healthy.

Not when our heart loses sight of the love our Father has for us.

Our sight tends to fixate on the now, and we've been swept up into a continual cycle of affirmation and condemnation. Leaving us dependant and desperate for those around us to dictate who we are and the amount of worth we possess.

BUT...

Our worth is not determined based on what others around us confirm or think. Our worth, Lord, is found in the fact that “You know me...and You are familiar with all my ways.” You know us. You've searched us. You have created us intimately and intentionally. You see us in what we think is absolute darkness and failure and loss – but it is all light to you. You saw us while we were unformed, yet every single day of our lives were written in Your book. And through it all, You laid Your hand upon us and You never leave. Never. (Psalm 139)

That alone confirms my security and worth.

That alone confirms your security and worth.

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. Psalm 112:7-8

Don't buy into the that lie your heart or the world around you screams. Renew your mind to His truth.

He knows you, and loves you more in this moment than anyone could love you in an entire lifetime. You've been lavishly loved! 

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a

It'll be worth the wait.

While sitting on the all too familiar chair, talking and listening and seeing the familiar face of one of my favourite people in the whole wide world, I experienced something so absolutely beautiful I almost opened the flood gates of heaven! Yep. Right there in the middle of cooking dinner and catching up, God displayed His love, affection, and His desires to my heart! Grace, Sarah's 3 year old daughter put a veil on her head and flowers in her hand and walked around, glistening with pride and awaiting the approval of her mother and father. They both showered her with love, repeatedly telling her how beautiful she was. Grace then proceeded to go into the living room and danced around to the song her aunt had just recently danced to at her wedding. Her daddy went and danced with her, picking her up in his arms and swaying back and forth. Grace's face lit up and she kept telling her daddy how much she loved dancing with him. I was enamoured by this beautiful picture before my eyes. Sarah looked at me and whispered sweetly, "It'll be worth the wait." I was holding back my tears the best I could. It was absolutely beautiful.

Earlier that afternoon my daddy and I were talking. I was fidgeting with my ring, as I tend to do, and it fell through the cushions and planted itself under the couch. I bent down, and began looking for my ring. I wasn't expecting any help, but here comes my daddy right next to me, on his knees also, with a flash light in hand. It may seem little, but in that moment my hero was right there with me, helping me find my ring and assisting me in any way possible. I can't explain how loved I felt in that moment. This man has "saved" me from so many big things, and he loves me enough to get down on his knees with me and do the little things too. Him and I kept a conversation going after this, but all I could think about was how amazing he was to me, and how he truly is my hero.

These two men displayed an absolutely beautiful picture of my Heavenly Hero, my Heavenly Prince. You see, I want to get married. And at one point I was so unsatisfied with all that God was, because my eyes were fixed on earthly satisfaction and blinded to the deep reality of all that He truly is. I thought having someone in my life would fill my heart and make me whole. Come to find out, that's not quite true. If we continually expect humans to fill us in a way that only God can, we are left empty and those humans break under such a weighty expectation. Satisfaction in all that God is for us in Jesus brings such an indescribable freedom. You don't expect to be emotionally filled by other people, because the unfailing love of God is your source, and in return those people won't buckle under your unrealistic hopes. When we find satisfaction in God, we are freed and also free those around us.

A few months ago God showed me that I needed to be fully satisfied in Him. I knew that, but it almost felt like I was being teased. It took a lot of time and effort. I still struggle on a daily basis. I had to battle lies that told me I needed other people or things to satisfy me, I had to reprogram my mind to think biblically and to raise Scripture as truth in my heart and mind, and I needed a lot of courage and strength to revisit some uncomfortable circumstances that I had been through. But God worked so greatly in my heart. I can stand and say that I know what true satisfaction in Christ is, and it surpasses anything and everything I've ever experienced! I'm so thankful that the Lord has taught me this now! One day I'll be able to love my husband with unconditional love. I won't expect him to fill me up, but I know that his love for me will be added to the love that God has for me, and my cup will overflow.

My heart was made for His. I know that I can jump in His arms and dance around for hours, absolutely and completely content in His arms and with who He is. I know that I can find all the desires of my heart fulfilled in the embrace of this God-man Jesus. It's not just about learning to be content with Him because I don't have a husband or a boyfriend, but knowing deeply that in every hour, day and season of my life, Christ is absolutely enough. One day I will have a husband who will dance around the living room with our children, and he will open doors for me, remind me of who I am in Christ and lead our family to do the will of God - none of that will fill me, but will continually remind me of the amazing love that God reflects through marriage and family. One day my children will be in basic, every-day situations and look up at their father, just as I did, and see the love of Christ represented with so much grace. The only relationship that can truly satisfy our heart is our relationship with Christ. All other relationships simply display a fragment of His love to us.

Christ is the ultimate prize. 

He is my portion. He is my all in all.

Since I get to wait with Him, rather than on Him, it'll be more than worth the wait.

Satisfaction.

Relationships. Yup, I'm going there. Now, before you jump to conclusions and assume I'm simply talking about romantic, lovey dovey relationships, know that I'm not! This is about relationships in general, and applies to the relationships you have with different types of people - friends, parents, a significant other, acquaintances, etc.

Let's just say that recently God has really been busy in my heart. It hasn't been the most fun, but it has been stretching and I'm thankful for that! God always wants to grow us and mould us to look more like His Son Jesus! So after I got myself into a silly situation, made mistakes, didn't use all of my brain, allowed my emotions to dictate my decisions, and ultimately ended up hurt, God opened my eyes to His hand moving in my life. Take note of this please: God does use our mistakes for His ultimate good, but He doesn't desire for us to make those mistakes in the first place (Thank you daddy for reminding me of this). God is gracious and He does make everything work for our good, but He never wants us to stray from Him at all. He wants us to be in tune with His Holy Spirit so that we can avoid sin, bad decisions, and ultimately heartbreak. I strayed. My quite time with Jesus diminished. My prayer life was rare and often self-centred and out of desperation. I focused on my desires rather than Christ's. There was no consistency with our relationship.. I loved Him when it was convenient, trusted Him when I had all the answers, and indulged myself in earthly satisfactions to fill the hole in my heart. Too bad everything else in light of Christ is only temporary satisfaction.

So what did I learn? And what in the world does this have to do with relationships? Jesus. Satisfaction. Those are the answers. I hadn't realised how desperate I was for love, yet I looked everywhere but God. Maybe it had something to do with my childhood. Maybe it had to do with feeling like the Jesus freak outcast in high school. Maybe it had to do with the teasing that I experience day in and day out. Maybe it's because I'm insecure and want people to think well of me. Maybe it's because I hold myself to an unrealistic standard. Or maybe it's simply because I am sinful and am determined to turn away from God (Hosea 11:2). EITHER WAY, I wasn't satisfied in God or His love. Not because His love wasn't satisfying, but because my mind was focused on being satisfied by earthly and temporary things: PEOPLE!

Relationships are beautiful. People are awesome. But they are NOT God. They never can and never will fill you the way that a relationship with God will. And I don't just use that word relationship lightly, I mean an intimate, daily, even hourly, communication with the God of Heaven, and the Jesus who lived and died for you, kind of relationship! I had to learn this the hard way. You cannot go into any type of earthly relationship looking to be filled with love or security. You will simply drain that person and put unrealistic expectations on them, because ultimately you are expecting them to fill a hole in your heart that only God can fill. Healthy relationships are made of people who have been made whole by Christ's love, and are then able to love others because of God's love in them! They don't come into any type of relationship as needy or insecure, expecting love in return for their love. That isn't unconditional, that's conditional! And we are NOT called to love people in that way!

Maybe I'm rambling and making no sense, but this is what God has shown me over the past few weeks.. He is all sufficient, all satisfying, and everything we need. Allow Him to fill you with His love, and learn to be satisfied in Him. Draw near to Him. Know the truth that is in His word. Take His promises to heart and trust Him. Learn more about who God is, and allow Him to reveal Himself to you more and more. Trust me, you'll stand in awe of Him and your heart will be AMAZED by the beauty and glory of who He is! You were created to know the God of heaven and earth! He is Emmanuel; God with us. He is El Shaddai; All sufficient!

I'm praying for you...the same prayer that Paul prayed in the book of Ephesians: I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11 :)

"God surpasses our dreams when we reach past our personal plans and agenda to grab the hand of Christ and walk the path He chose for us. He is obligated to keep us dissatisfied until we come to His plan for complete satisfaction." - Beth Moore

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. Psalm 28:7 

Whom have I in heaven but You? And the earth has nothing I desire besides You. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Psalm 73:25-26

Dear you, once again...

Dear..... you,


God has really been speaking to me a lot lately about you. The funny thing though, is that He is showing me more about myself so that I can get my act together for the life He has planned for...me, you, us. You see, I've been waiting for you for a while now. But my waiting has been useless, because I've been waiting on God rather than waiting with Him. I've been stagnantly waiting with high expectations of when you will come rather than waiting actively and preparing myself for you. Do you see what I'm saying? So, my darling, even though this is extremely weird that I'm writing you a letter and posting it on the internet, I want you to know that this is how much I love you. I'm not going to dream endlessly about you or make future plans for us, but I'm going to involve myself in God's plans for my life. I will wait with God until you come and I pray that you are diligently preparing yourself for the life and mission God has for us. I love you, whoever you are.


Love, 
Corina


Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; Psalm 37:3-7a


Trust, do good, dwell, enjoy, delight, commit, trust, shine, be still and wait WITH God! Place your delight in Him and He will transform your heart for His desires. Do these things and He will allow your life to shine for all to see His glory!


^.....so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe  as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:15-16

Dear...You,

Dear Future Husband,

I surely do miss you. I'm not really sure who you are though. The closer Valentine's day gets, the more I think about you. I wonder what you'll be like, will you have a goofy laugh or say "dumb" jokes? What kind of job will you have? I hope you like sports. I want you to know that I pray for you. I've decided to wait for you. I'm devoted to giving God my full heart, and when it is the right time, He will give you my heart to take care of. Patience is tough, but I am convinced His timing is perfect. I hope you are praying and waiting for me too. I can't wait to hear about your life and your dreams. I hope you know that I love you, even though I don't know your name. Please wait for me.

Love Your Future Wife,
Corina

For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5

True Love..

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5

Before I even start writing, I want to let you know that this blog is going to be very hard to write, and to organize and put into understandable words rather than my crazy thoughts. Please bear with me.

Here I go.. Dating. Boys. Crushes. The life of a teenage girl! So many girls feel that their worth or value is found by how a boy feels toward or treats them. I can attest to this. Honestly, what girl can't? I've talked to so many girls and I've heard many stories of girls who have had their heart "broken" because they placed their worth and trust in a guy. "Been there, done that, wore those sweat pants."

So, here is my view on dating. You might be surprised and kind of confused but I promise I'll do my best to explain. I don't think dating, personally, is the best thing for me right now. And to some of you who know me, you know that I've made a commitment to God not to date in high school. I've even gone as far as to not read books with love stories in them, or watch love movies. I'm basically trying to abstain from any sort of worldly portrait of love that will corrupt my view of true love. It's been VERY hard. I've had to skip out on birthday parties, on group sleep overs and a bunch of other things where girls get together and watch those kinds of movies. Not that it's wrong for everyone, but personally I can't handle them. I'm the kind of person who thinks about things a LOT. If I watch a love movie or read a story I will think and idolize that person for hours even weeks on end. I know that may sound a little creepy, but I'm betting I'm not the only one. Here are the two main reasons I've decided this is best for me. 

1)INFATUATION
I can honestly say at times, most of the time, I place the thought (since I'm not actually in a relationship) of having a relationship with a boy before God, making the thought an idol. That's where it truly becomes a problem and that's why I made a commitment to God and am trying to stick to it, "fixing our eyes on Jesus."

"Anything I put before my God is an idol. Anything I want with all my heart is an idol. Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol. Anything that I give all of my love is an idol. We must not worship something that's not even worth it. Clear the stage and make some space for the One who deserves it." This is a song called Clear the Stage by Ross King. The lyrics bring conviction to my heart. 

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:3-6 

     

Just to be clear, God is not jealous of us, He is jealous for us. He sees the motives of our hearts and recognizes when we displace Him as God. He sets these commands because He wants the best for us, and He knows that when anyone places their value in anything but Him, they will be broken. He is our Maker, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. When we place our hearts, our desires, our longings in His hands, he perfects us. He shows His love to a thousand generations! 

2)SELF-SACRIFICE
"Relationships with the opposite sex can no longer be about 'having a good time' or 'learning what I want in a relationship.' They're not to be about getting, but giving. Every relationship for a Christian is an opportunity to love another person like God has loved us. To lay down our desires and do what's in his or her best interest. To care for him or her even when there's nothing in it for us. To want that person's purity and holiness because it pleases God and protects him or her." Joshua Harris, I Kissed Dating Goodbye 

Sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows, and the gentle music of a string quartet filled the air. Anna walked down the aisle toward David. Joy surged within her. This was the moment for which she had waited so long. He gently took her hand, and they turned toward the altar. But as the minister began to lead Anna and David through their vows, the unthinkable happened. A girl stood up in the middle of the congregation, waled quietly to the altar, and took David's other hand. Another girl approached and stood next to the first, followed by another. Soon, a chain of six girls stood by him as he repeated his vows to Anna.  Anna felt her lip begin to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?" she whispered to David. "I'm...I'm sorry, Anna, he said, staring at the floor.  "Who are these girls, David? What's going on?" she gasped. "They're girls from my past," he answered sadly. "Anna, they don't mean anything to me now...but I've given part of my heart to each of them."  "I thought your heart was mine," she said. "It is, it is," he pleaded. "Everything that's left is yours." A tear rolled down Anna's cheek. Then she woke up.

This story breaks my heart. I so badly want to give my husband my whole heart, but I know I've already given part of myself away. Not necessarily physically, but mentally and emotionally. I was thinking about it just today in the car. I wish it would be as simple as knowing who I was going to marry and being able to give my whole heart to him. If only it was that easy, but it's not. I need to devote myself to waiting patiently for that person, and praying for my own purity and his. 

This is going to be the most important thing I write.. Please listen to how awesome this is! In Ezekiel 16:4-19 God is speaking specifically to Jerusalem. I think we can take this and relate it to what He says to us:
    On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
    “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. 

    “‘I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
    “‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty. You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.  And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD. 

I'm learning that God pursues us. He takes His time to get to know us. He sees us kicking ourselves in a puddle of blood. He cleans us up, bathing us in water and cleans the blood from our faces, gently putting medicine on us. Giving us life, forming us as we grow and making us beautiful, clothing us in the most extravagant clothes and jewelry. He makes us His, giving us His eternal covenant. He tells us that He will always love us, He will never leave us. Yet we don't realize who our first love was. We were nothing before God came to us and made us into a beauty. And I dare to say we break His heart everyday, because He longs for us and yet we long for another. We use everything He gave us to fulfill our own desires and seek another man. 

I pray that every girl who is seeking their worth in a man, will fall face first and look up to see that God is the one there with open arms. Waiting to clean us up and make us His. He is the only One who can give us worth. And He deserves every part of our heart.