The Great Romance

A poem I wrote called: The Great Romance

I felt that feeling
… Again …
It’s your presence
Drawing me
Into our
GREAT ROMANCE

Just turning
I get lost
In Your stare

It’s a wonder
How You do that
It’s a secret
MYSTERY

How my heart
Can melt
So fast
In your arms
Unfailing LOVE

Like a blanket
OVERWHELMING
All of me

To many years
Lied to

I didn’t
know

It seems
Unfair

That life
In YOU
A divine
LOVE AFFAIR

A perfect
DANCE

In your arms
I become
The perfect
PARTNER

We complete
Your plan
Reunited in true
DEVOTION

In Your sacrifice
Of LOVE
Our hearts
become your
PERFECTION

In Your strength
I lose my
Weaknesses

The pain
You suffered
In LOVE
For your
BELOVED

Envelops the wounds
Of my pain
Into a redemption
Of true
JOY!

Your fearless
In receiving
The gifts of
My fears
Being Surrendered
To LOVE

You unlocked
The blinders
Finally I can
SEE
The masterpiece
You created
ME

Embracing the
BEAUTY
You see
The reflection
Of YOU
Shining
On ME

Your everlasting
LOVE
Has made me
A place
Decked out
In perfect
PEACE

A haven ~ my refuge
A closet ~ my heart … our secret meeting place
A fountain ~ my soul’s retreat

Filled with
LOVE
To share
YOUR LOVE

Making life in
GOD
Attractive

Come one …
Come all …

See His
HANDS
In waltz
Extended

A grand
ROMANCE
Is Beckoning

HIS VOICE

is whispering

It’s time
To join
THE DANCE

This poem is dedicated to the one who gives me life and SAVES me daily!

~Ris

Defender of All Things Beautiful

A question has been stirring in my heart for about a week awakening a curiosity to search the answer out by bringing it before the heart of God. In all my selfishness I had not thought of asking it before. It’s not hard for us to come before God wondering by asking, “What is it Lord you think about me? What is on your heart for me?” It’s like His finger shifted the question to broaden it’s base and yet it’s answer would teach me so much more about myself … my heart inquired, “Lord, what is on your heart for your women …all your women? What was your heart and purpose from the beginning when you created us? My mind raced anticipating a great mystery revealed, yet the answer came in the simplicity of one word: beauty.

The word beauty alone resonates so deeply in my heart as if we both knew we were meant to be together from the beginning. In humility my heart wrapped itself around the word slowly saying it over and over. He created us women with beauty intricately woven into the DNA of our spirits. We are drawn to it, we create it, we desire it!  I don’t know a man that has ever desired to be called beautiful, but think just for a moment how a woman’s heart melts in the presence of this word … but why? Maybe because it was innately put in us as a gift from our Maker not just for foo-foo and frills, but also with a purpose … a purpose to bring beauty (His beauty) to all we encounter. Not the beauty of this world and its standard stick, not a beauty contrived or a beauty bought, nor the aesthetic trappings of walls painted with nothing inside. I’m talking about the essence of beauty a woman has the ability to bring to a room, a relationship, and a marriage … really everything she touches. So many examples come flying across my mind. Just think bachelor’s pad. I had the opportunity to see many of my husband’s friend’s apartments before their finance’s moved in. Simple, mere basics and necessities and then beautiful moved in when their bride moved in. What had been a place to sleep became a home: an atmosphere charged with nurturing, love, and beauty. We as women have that ability. We also have the ability to withhold beauty when we are hurt. I feel the Holy Spirit pausing on this. I can see all the times hurt was trying to steal “beautiful” from my heart and how sometimes it succeeded. How it left me feeling hollow, how withholding beauty from my relationships felt like the offenders just reward and yet it robbed me from who I was created to be. If you’ve been robbed or robbed yourself, this is your moment to let beautiful seep back into your heart, into relationships in your life that need your beauty again.

You were created to be beautiful to bring beautiful to your world! But the raw reality is that your “beautiful” was born into a fallen world where the so called ruler of this world is the king of darkness. He has been out to steal the word beautiful from our hearts since we were little girls. Twisting what beautiful means. Putting more emphasis on merely outer beauty forsaking the treasures of our ability to love, our giftings, and unique dispositions that were fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). He (our enemy) created a standard that is unachievable and yet it woos us with promises of acceptance, of confidence, and of influence over others. It is a brutal taskmaster that often asks us to betray the integrity of our hearts in hopes of being “loved” by others. It has turned the beauty of our hearts into sizes and numbers. It has tortured many into habitual acts of self-hatred. I know to some of you this sounds harsh, but now is the time, we have to tell the truth and shame the devil. He is the same devil that molests and rapes young women in hopes of forever stealing beautiful from their reality. He desires for them to live a life robbed of even the hope of beauty. But they don’t have to! I know the one who restores true beauty, a kind of beauty that resonates true to our very core and yet this world (the worldly system of life without God) knows nothing of it. For some he has twisted a desire to be loved and called beautiful into a vain pursuit in the arms of men. Men, women, Moms, Dads, pastors, counselors, the list goes on … people can not heal us, restore us, bring beautiful back to a woman’s heart, only Jesus can. And He wants too! I can remember the day I asked Him into my heart while I had the revelation; He had always been loving me … I just needed to decide to love Him back. You see if you’ve been robbed or if you have been mislead to serve a standard that has hurt you, His arms are open ready and willing to restore beautiful through His healing love. He comes to you, gently running His hands through your hair … sliding your hair from your face grooming you for your destiny. He is speaking these words softly and slowly over you, He says:

“(Your name), you are beautiful! You are highly treasured and desired by Me. When I made you, I didn’t hold back! I decked you out in delight! You are my highly favored and loved daughter in whom I take great delight! Nothing can separate you from my great love for you. My plans for freedom and healing in your life would blow your mind, how great are my plans for you! YOU, my beloved are beautiful!”

Ps. 5:11-12 (THE MESSAGE)

“But you’ll welcome us with open arms
when we run for cover to you. 
Let the party last all night!

Stand guard over our celebration.
You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers,
 for decking us out in delight.”

So the next time the devil comes to steal the word beautiful from your heart simple tell him to “GET OFF! It doesn’t belong to him and it never did!” Choose to be the defender of all things beautiful in your life and heart.

I leave you with this benediction:

May the word beautiful become close and dear to your heart. May it grow as His love waters it. May you walk in greater revelation of what you have to impart into the lives of those around you through the beauty that is innately in you. May you discover greater levels of freedom as His truth nestles itself into your heart and shines through your life!

You are carried in my heart and with Great Love,

~ Ris

You can also see this post at: Destiny in Bloom