Captivating.

by John and Stasi Eldredge

I cried when I first read this book. I'd start reading it then start crying. Then eventually I'd put it down because I had other things I needed to do. But then I'd pick it up again and start crying all over again. Perhaps I was just really emotionally unstable at the time. But then when I read it again about a year later, I think I cried in some parts again. And then when I read it again a few weeks ago I didn't cry, so I guess I'm less unstable now. But anyway.

The title says Captivating ... unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul. I suppose that's a pretty big claim to make, to say that this book you're holding unveils the mystery of a woman's soul. I tend to be a bit skeptical about books for women or men, just because I feel they generalise too much, or are prone to stereotyping, which I don't particularly like. But this is an AMAZING book. And it actually did unveil some mysteries.

We think you'll find that every woman in her heart of heart longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That's what makes a woman come alive.

TO BE ROMANCED: Now, being romanced isn't all that a woman wants, and John and I are certainly not saying that a woman ought to derive the meaning of her existence from whether or not she is being romanced by a man... but don't you see that you want this? To be desired, to be pursued by someone who loves you, to be someone's priority? Most of our addictions as women flare up when we feel that we are not loved or sought after. At some core place, maybe deep within, perhaps hidden or buried in her heart, every woman wants to be seen, wanted, and pursued. We want to be romanced.

OH MY GOODNESS!! When I read this I was like, huh? It's normal? I had NO IDEA! I thought I was just being stupid and unrealistic and caught up in movies and novels. But the desire to be romanced is actually meant to be there. And I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that it most certainly is there. I've lost count of how many times I've written in my diary that I want to be wanted. And I know all too well how crappy it is when it feels like I'm not.
But more than that, as an image-bearer of God (Gen. 1:27), a woman's desire to be wanted and pursued reflects GOD's desire for the very same thing -
I am convinced beyond a doubt of this: God wants to be loved. He wants to be a priority to someone... From cover to cover, from beginning to end, the cry of God's heart is, "Why won't you choose me?" It is amazing to me how humble, how vulnerable God is on this point... In other words, "Look for me, pursue me - I want you to pursue me." Amazing.

AN IRREPLACEABLE ROLE IN A GREAT ADVENTURE: ...[Women] were made to be part of a great adventure. An adventure that is shared. We do not want the adventure merely for adventure's sake but for what it requires of us for others. We don't want to be alone in it; we want to be in it with others. Made in the image of a perfect relationship, we are relational to the core of our beings and filled with a desire for transcendant purpose. We long to be an irreplaceable part of a shared adventure.

And here again I find myself struck dumb because that's EXACTLY how I feel. I do want to be an irreplaceable part of SOMETHING. I want to be needed and I want to know that I have something that only I can offer, and should I find anywhere that needs it, I would offer it immediately. (Again, I'm sort of embarrassed to be admitting this). In the book it talks about the translation of Gen. 2:18 - "It is not good for the man to be alone, I shall make him an [ezer kenegdo]". Hebrew scholar Robert Alter... says this phrase is "notoriously difficult to translate". The various attempts we have in English are 'helper' or 'companion' or the notorious 'help meet'...What is a help meet, anyway? What little girl dances through the house singing "One day I shall be a help meet"? Alter is getting close when he translates it 'sustainer beside him'. The word ezer is used only twenty other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance the person being described is God himself, when you need him to come through for you desperately.
I think the point is, that you ARE needed desperately. And you DO have an irreplaceable role to play.

BEAUTY TO UNVEIL: For now, don't you recognise that a woman yearns to be seen, and to be thought of as captivating? We desire to possess a beauty that is worth pursuing, worth fighting for, a beauty that is core to who we truly are. We want beauty that can be seen; beauty that can be felt; beauty that affects others; a beauty all our own to unveil.
But in order to make the matter perfectly clear, God has given us Eve. The crowning touch of creation. Beauty is the essence of a woman... Yes, the world cheapens and prostitutes beauty, making it all about a perfect figure few women can attain. But Christians minimise it too, or overspiritualise it, making it all about 'character'.

Ouch. These were the most painful chapters for me to read. The book says that all women long for a beauty to unveil, and that this desire is part of her design. When I read this I was like, oh no. I'm SCREWED. Beauty to unveil? Beauty? What beauty?!! Sure I want it, of COURSE I wish I had a beauty to unveil. Just not so sure I have it. Whatever else it means to be feminine, it is depth and mystery and complexity, with beauty as its very essence. Now, lest despair set in, let us say as clearly as we can: Every woman has a beauty to unveil. Every woman. Because she bears the image of God. Beauty is an essence that is given to every woman at her creation.

This is just a very brief overview of the book. I can lend it to you if you'd like. I think guys should also read it, because it also mentions the heart of a man and his role in the world, also how he is meant to relate to the women in his life. (Note that this is not a book to help you get a girlfriend.)
Girls, I highly recommend this book to you, because it will help you understand some important truths about yourself. It's actually okay to want to be wanted. And yes, you are actually beautiful. And yes, you do have something to offer this world that only you can offer.

Jesus is extending his hand to you. He is inviting you to dance with him. He asks, "May I have this dance... every day of your life?" His gaze is fixed on you. He is captivated by your beauty. He is smiling. He cares nothing for the opinion of others. He is standing. He will lead. He waits for your response.

grace.

Now here's a totally mindblowing concept. I'm somewhat hesitant to write on this topic, just because I don't think even the most eloquent of bloggers could capture what grace actually means. I don't want to miss anything out or use the wrong word that fails to convey what exactly it is I'm trying to say. In fact, I'm not entirely sure how to begin saying what I want to say.

Grace. If you're not completely amazed by it then I don't think you really understand it. Grace, as defined by my Bible glossary is unmerited favour, unearned benefit, undeserved kindness. God's amazing gift of forgiveness of sins and power to live with dignity in the present and with hope for the future.
Grace is AMAZING. It's like one day winning $20 million in the lottery and saying, "But...I didn't even buy a ticket..." It's like getting 99.95 in VCE and not even studying. But better.

Grace totally baffles my mind. I have stuffed up SO MANY times in my life. Lots of minor things, also lots of major things. I know I'm so far from perfect sometimes it's hard not to get smothered by all my failures and shortcomings. But then I think about God's unmerited favour, His unearned benefit, and undeserved kindness in my life and I'm like, wow. I think of all the blessings He has poured into my life - house, food, nuclear family, a job, education, my friends at uni, friends at youth... Things I definitely don't deserve even if only because of all the times I've taken them for granted.

God, why would you love me? What did I ever do to deserve this? Nothing. What could I ever do to repay You? Nothing. Then why do You love me so much? I created you for Myself. So just relax and let Me love you.

I can't imagine living life without God's grace. Must be horrible. Thinking that you need to make it on your own, that you need to be good or do good in order to be someone with a secure place in heaven. But you can't. It's not possible. Firstly, why would you believe in heaven and not God, and if you do believe in both heaven and God then what god exactly is it that you believe in because grace is an inherent part of God's character. Secondly, if you don't believe in God but still think that you need to 'be good' to get to heaven, then where exactly did you find your standard of 'good'? I don't belive our morals and sense of right and wrong could have possibly arisen from evolution. If that were the case then why is rape such a heinous crime?

I suppose most people fall into one of three categories: those who think they don't need grace, those who know they need grace but feel too far out of reach, and those who know they need grace and embrace it.

For a long time I fell into that second category. I'm actually a very insecure girl for all sorts of reasons (but working on it). Being 'too far out of reach' was one of those things I felt I just needed to deal with and live with, because I felt so messed up that I didn't see why anyone, let alone the God of the universe, would want to have anything to do with me. These thoughts and feelings sort of governed my life for a few years, they affected my schoolwork, relationships, everything. It was pretty depressing, in case you didn't guess.
But now - now everything is not perfect. I'm possibly still as messed up and insecure as I was before. But now I can have hope that there is something better for me out there, that I'm not too far out of reach, or too messed up to love. I believe now that despite all my flaws and failures, God loves me for who I am and His grace and mercy extends even to people like me. And you :)