Tuesday, April 25, 2006

"...unveiling the mystery of a Woman's Soul"

A book I'm reading is, "Captivating-Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul." By John and Stasi Eldredge, John wrote "Wild at Heart." The book I'm reading is for women, the other's for men. It's really good. I'd recommend it for the girl's out there, if you haven't read it yet. THis is my 2nd time through it. I also read "Wild at Heart," which is also very good.

Guys if you want to understand females more and better you should read it. It helps to explain a woman's heart.

Here's some quotes from the book:

"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
"Now can you see how the desires of a man's heart and the desires of a woman's heart were at least meant to fit beautifully together? A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strenghth allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man, it draws out his strength. She inspires him to be a hero. Would that we all were so fortunate."
"The whole story of the Bible is a love story between God and his people. He yearns for us. He cares. He has a tender heart."
"As Tozer says, "God waits to be wanted."
"...God yearns to share a life of beauty, intimacy, and adventure with us."
"The reason a woman wants a beauty to unveil, [the essence of who she is...not really "physical" beauty], the reason she asks, Do you delight in me? is simply that God does as well. God is captivating beauty....Can there be any doubt that God wants to be worshipped? That He wants to be seen, and for us to be captivated by what we see?"-(Wild at Heart)
"Every experience of beauty points to [eternity]."-Hans Urs von Balthasar
"...The Evil One ...hates Eve because she gives life. Women give birth, not men. Women nourish life. And they also bring life into the world soulfully, relationally, spiritually-in everything they touch." We were made to give life!
Talking about why we are attacked by the Evil One...
"It changes things to realize that, no, it is because you are glorious that these things happened. It is because you are a major threat to the kingdom of darkness. Because you uniquely carry the glory of God to the world.
You are hated because of your beauty and power."
This is good!:
"A woman in her glory, a woman of beauty, is a woman who is not striving to become beautiful or worthy enough. She knows in her quiet center where God dwells that he finds her beautiful, has deemed her worthy, and in him, she is enough. In fact the only thing getting in the way of our being fully captivating and enjoyed is our striving."
"A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become."
"This is what it is like to be with a beautiful woman. You are free to be you. It is one of life's greatest gifts...A woman who makes herself vulnerable and available for intimacy invites others to do the same...She says to the world...,You are wanted here. We want to know you. Come in. Share yourself. Be enjoyed. Enjoy me as I share myself....A woman who is unveiling her beauty is inviting others to life...She is not demanding, but she is hopeful."
"The gift of presence is a rare and beautiful gift. To come-unguarded, undistracted-and be fully present, fully engaged with whoever we are with at that moment. Have you noticed in reading the Gospels that people enjoyed being around Jesus? They wanted to be near him-to share a meal, take a walk, have a lingering conversation. It was the gift of his presence. When you were with him, you felt he was offering you his heart. When we offer our unguared presence, we live like Jesus. And we invite others to do the same."
This ones kinda hard to hear:
"Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who have had their hearts enlarged by suffering. By saying, "Yes" when the world says, "No." By paying the high price of loving truly and honestly without demanding that they be loved in return."
"...it is in the waiting that our hearts are enlarged."
"And so it is with a heart awakened to its sorrow. It is more aware, more present, and more alive, to all facets of life."
So ladies borrow, or buy the book. There's some really rich "soul-food" for the taking. It's blessed my heart already a number of times. It's not just a make you feel good book... it's deep and honest.
Remember ladies everyone of you is beautiful... it's deep inside of you, and if you know God sees you as beatiful, and you live in that truth your beauty will draw others to God. It really will.

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