Romance me

The culture of women in the church today is crippled by some very pervasive lies. "To be spiritual is to be busy. To be spiritual is to be disciplined. To be spiritual is to be dutiful." No, to be spiritual is to be in a Romance with God. ..The persecuted church is vast today. More Christians are being martyred in our lifetime than in any other time in church history. It is not obedience that is carrying our brothers and sisters-unwavering, steadfast, eyes ablaze- to their deaths. It is holy, fierce passion. Hearts affire. For the root of all holiness is Romance. ~ Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge I don't know about you, but the idea of God wanting to romance me disturbed me just a bit. I thought "Really? Is that okay? Is that....normal to even think?" And yet so many times in the bible we are compared as the bride of Christ. A bridegroom romances his bride, and God romances us. Today I awoke early as I was anxious about starting another school year (I'm the student though, not the parent.) And I'll be honest. I hate mornings. I've never in my life loved mornings. I hate the way my body feels, the way the early morning air smells. Frankly I'd rather be in bed. But today I walked outside and the sky was ABLAZE with color. Every color you could think of; red, orange, purple, pink, blue, aqua. It was like God splashed Sherwin Williams all over the sky, and I knew that it was just for me. He was romancing me again with the beauty of his creation. Men bring flowers and chocolates, while God brings rainbows, sunsets, starfish, wildflowers, waterfalls. The majesty and beauty of His creation knows no bounds. This is where I am in my journey towards Godly beauty. This is where I've come to. I'm captivated by God. I'm mesmerized by His goodness. I now understand why people are willing to give their lives to bring God to other people. Please here my heart when I say that God loves us and He wants to free our hearts from bondage. There are so many things that take His place in a woman's heart-men, beauty, fashion, fame, childhood wounds, victim attitudes, even church. There is a special place in God's heart that only you were created to fill. God desires, longs, and waits for us. My journey started at Gateway church at an event called Kairos, but your journey may start elsewhere. Maybe it's on a heart quest. Maybe it's a revelation that comes from God's creation, maybe it's by reading this blog and sharing in my journey....whatever starts you on it, pursue it dear sisters. Pursue it. My whole life I had a hole in my heart the size of Texas. Even as a Christian I knew I was saved, but I also knew I wasn't leading the free, abundant life that God had promised those who love Him. I used to hear others testimonies and think that maybe they were taking "happy pills" because I couldn't comprehend what they were saying. What is true in the natural is also true in the spiritual. God set up the marriage covenant to resemble His own relationship with mankind. He wants to Romance us. It is the call of the beloved. The promise of new life. The key to breaking the chains. It is the Sacred Romance.