As a huge fan of the book Wild at Heart, the last time I recently read it, I caught that the author, John Eldredge, co-wrote the book Captivating with his wife, Stasi. It was on my must read book list... then God.
I was in a quaint used bookstore yesterday in search of an author, when within 1 minute of being in the store, the book Captivating was the first that captured my attention. Imagine my thrill... yes! The perfect book for my journey to the mountains that begins today.
I've said many times throughout the years, my blog is called The Magical Highlighter, because God has always met me where I am with words that jump out as if they are magically highlighted, comes to life and captures my attention, exactly when I need it.
Let me share some snippets from this book I am over the moon excited to dive into...
The mystery of the feminine heart was meant to be a good thing, by the way. A source of joy. Yet it has become a source of shame - women universally feel they are "too much" or "not what they should be." Men tend to pull away from the deeper waters of a woman's soul, unsure what they will find there and how to handle it. And so we have misused this treasure that is the heart of a women, missed the richness of femininity was meant to bring to our lives, missed the way it speaks to us of the heart of God.
I love how she shares books on godly femininity sending messages to women if you do the following ten things, you can make the grade, to be a godly woman... it is soul-killing, and that femininity cannot be described in a formula.
So --- is a true woman Cinderella or Joan of Arc? Mary Magdalene or Oprah? We come with different career paths, strengths, personalities, and different dreams.
God has set within you a femininity that is powerful and tender, fierce and alluring, valiant and strong. No doubt it has been misunderstood.
What about women like Esther, Mary, Ruth, Deborah, and Rahab? Biblical women who who had irreplaceable roles in the bible. Not "safe" and "nice" women, not merely "sweet," but passionate and powerful women who were beautiful as warriors.
And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play and irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the beauty of the story. They are the secret to the feminine heart.
Sometimes when she watches a movie, sometimes in the wee hours of the night, her heart begins to speak again. A thirst rises within her to find the life she was meant to live... Your heart matters and the longings you still feel as a woman... a woman who is truly captivating.
I confess, I live full throttle. I lose myself in love when my soul finds it, because it's the most natural desire God gives us. I confess, my motives are pure but my methods are questionable... thus boudoir. I confess, I would rather live in freedom to know all these things than to be stifled by legalism, judgment, and never have the experience of them.
It's time for me to pack and leave now for my journey to a beautiful cabin in the mountains of Tennessee. You see, adventure speaks to my soul.
I cannot wait to dive into this book and share it with you. In fact, get the book yourself. Reclaim your heart and your life, if you've lost it. We are many things in life... we are mothers, daughters, sisters, best friends, and some of us are sweet little grandma's (ha ha). At the end of the day we are women.
Then the time came when the risk it took
To remain tight in a bud was more painful
Than the risk it took to blossom.
- Anais Nin
