Oh please do read through!

This is just another excerpt, but please do read through below - for im sure it will leave you (as it did me) thinking twice, and blessed! 

It was finally here - Anna's wedding day, the day she had dreamed about and planned for months. The small, picturesque church was crowded with friends and family. 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, walked 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 is 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.

I often think of Anna's dream. There are girls from my past, too. What if they showed up on my wedding day? What could they say in the receiving line?

"Hello, Joshua. Those were some pretty lofty promises you made at the altar today. I hope you're better at keeping promises now than you were when I knew you."

"My, don't you look nice in that tuxedo. And what a beautiful bride. Does she know about me? Have you told her all the sweet thinks you used to whisper in my ear?"

I am aware of the consequences of my selfishness. I gave my heart away too many times. And I took from girls what wasn't mine.

[- from: I Kissed Dating Goodbye, Joshua Harris]

Some things to consider for ourselves, ladies:

How many men could line up next to me on my wedding day?

How many times have I given my heart away in short-term relationships?

Will I have anything left to give my husband?

Please know that I do respect each person's stand. And i would like to keep this to myself.. But I have to share what has blessed me, and I can't keep to myself when I know there is more to this common and worldly love we are bombarded with.

Thank you for reading through! I appreciate your patience - the post is rather long :)

♥♥

(just a side note, there really is a more beautiful, much more beautiful love story God has for each of us..it is NOT found in momentary "happy feelings" that does not stand on true promises at all)

Happy waiting, God's lovelies!

Have you ever run out?

Have you ever run out of ways to love, to understand, to accept, to see the good in someone, to let go, to forgive, to show kindness, and live Jesus?

Does it make you weary at times that you even wonder how God can ask us to do something beyond our human strength?

I do. 

But whatever happened to "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?" (Phil. 4:13)

Is this verse good only when we are aiming for promotion? Do we only claim this with high hopes of passing with flying colors?

Does this apply only to certain favorable areas of our lives , and yet we become the first ones to forget when we have run out of strength to love and understand and give room for grace?

The word "All' encompasses, as defined by the dictionary, "any whatsoever, every, total extent, or the whole, the totality, wholly, completely." That means, we can do all things - whether we are vying to achieve a goal in this world, or having the forgiveness in our heart, when it seems impossible from someone else's point of view.

The Lord Jesus does not give partial strength. His strength becomes ours. We become the branch of the Vine Himself (John 15:5). And when we grope for understanding and love and kindness for someone, when we are at our weakest to respond to 'the-person-deserves-it' call, then we become strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Think of it as the Divine Exchange, a Heavenly Trade of your weakness to His Strength.

So the next moment you find yourself running out of patience, and love, and forgiveness, and letting go in God's Hands, choose instead to go back to the Word that promises Strength when human effort fails. Yes, we can love and forgive and understand and give room for grace - all because of Christ who gives us strength.

Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

- ♥♥

Song of Songs 2:7

Men who are not our husband.

Borrowed words from Ms. Jen Wilkin (please read entire post here) 

What an honest reminder to us women.   ♥♥    ♥♥    ♥♥    ♥♥    ♥♥    ♥♥    ♥♥

"Live like I was married even before I was married: to guard my time, my speech, my dress, my thoughts, my actions jealously for the husband-who-was-to-come."

As a single woman, be careful about spending time alone with men who are not your husband.

As a single woman guard your speech around men who are not your husband.

As a single woman, think hard about what you wear around men who are not your husband.

As a single woman, think twice about your body language around men who are not your husband.

As a single woman, guard your thoughts about men who are not your husband.

Here's a similar post. 

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