What Was That About?

HI! I hope you have had a wonderful day thus far. Oh, it is warm and sunny in Colorado...Almost a guaranteed wonderful day for me. Unless of course you lock me inside. I simply love the warmth of the sun! Yes, my legs are hanging out the door of our apartment right now soaking up the rays :).

I have a couple of questions and thoughts for you from the next section of Captivating.

First, have you ever had one of those moments when you walk away from a situation and you can't figure out what just came out of you? Maybe you were in a wonderful mood and then out of nowhere you completely snapped at someone. Or, you had ever right to snap at the person because they were cruel to you; yet, you know that is not really how we are supposed to love people (giving them a piece of their own medicine). What was that about? How about a moment when you watch another woman manipulate or be nasty to her child or husband. Where do these moments come from? As women aren't we supposed to be inviting, alluring and captivating? Not striving and a sharp-edged, cold strength. The thought that Stasi followed with this first question was; How do people experience me?

Hmmm, humbling. I believe, for me personally, that in twentyFOURseven, (a leadership academy I attended for 2 years) I was experienced as hard, tough, striving, and cold (probably literally and figuratively). But now, coming up on 4 years out of the program and 1 year married...I am not so sure any more how people experience me. My prayer for my own heart is that the Father will begin to show me. I would encourage you to ask him as well. Are we striving to be something we are not? Are we trying so hard that it is stealing from the true beauty he wants us to offer? Wrestle with this...what is he telling you?

This final idea really brought to my attention something that I never could put into words or fully understand. Why do we hear and see so few women friendship, when it seems like the men always have a band of brothers?? Well, it is because we are relational to our core! Both the enemy and God know this. So the enemy can use it to his advantage by getting us (women) to fill those relationship holes with other things, food, exercise, reading, busyness, work, etc. And God hopes that in our search for relationships we will finally give up all the counterfeits and come to him; the only one that can fill those holes. WOW...it makes so much sense to me. Since men aren't necessarily relational to their core this is not a way that the enemy tries to attack very often with men. I am not saying male relationships don't ever get attacked, because I know they do. But I am saying that this is one of the main targets for women.

I would challenge you to explore this thought. I don't feel like I communicated this well, but I hope the Father is still able to use it!

"Fallen Eve controls her relationships. She refuses to be vulnerable. And if she cannot secure her relationships, then she kills her heart's longing for intimacy so that she will be safe and in control. ... when we do this we are really refusing to trust our God."

"When we live like this something precious in us is lost. Something the world needs very much from us."

Enjoy his beauty...Explore your heart...Listen to Him

-Abby