How He Loves Us

I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.  God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. -Eph 3:15-20 Msg.

May you allow the Lover of your soul to romance you, lay your head on His chest and hear the heartbeat of Heaven. May His unending, unfailing Love fill you up to overflowing.  May He surpass all your expectations with His extravagant Grace.  You are beautiful, you are treasured, you are LOVED.    

Sweet Girl,
     I want to be the lover of your soul. I want to romance you. My banner over you is love. All those things you want to hear a man say to you? I want to be the first to tell you. I want to tell you how beautiful you are, because no man knows or understands the depths of your beauty like I do. I created it, all of the inner and outer workings and mysteries of it and I called it good! Let me tell you first, so that when a man comes into your life, your soul won’t be starving to hear it and fall for one whose words are not authentic. But I will delight as the man I bring for you begins the journey to discover all of the incredible beauty I’ve woven into you. And sweet girl, this is so precious, when you realize it’s value you won’t be tempted to give it away to just anyone…only one man, the one I hand-picked for you, will be deserving of such an honor.
      I want to tell you how I delight in you! I want to fill you up with all love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control so that they spill out of you onto everyone you encounter. I want
to show you how incredible and amazing the gifts are that I’ve placed within
you. I want to develop and anoint those gifts so that the work of your hands
would glorify me! I want to change your heart and develop your character so that I can entrust these things to you that you may teach them to your children and those around you. 
      Sweet girl, I’ve got such great things for you in my Kingdom! Won’t you take
hold of them and catch my vision for you and your family! I want to do such
amazing things through you for my glory, things that I’ve equipped and gifted
only you to do. But because I love you so much, I’ll never force you to do
anything or take part in anything you don’t want to do. I’m a gentleman like
that. Would you take my hand and join in this adventure with me?

Love,
Your Love

(Prophetic Love Letter from Kelle Branting 2.14.11)

 

A Woman Who Knows Her Value... (Part 1)

"A woman who knows her value knows that she has something incredibly valuable to give and something important to protect" -Nancy Houston

Where are we finding our value though?  I find it somewhat ironic that the world has us all trying to “find ourselves” and somehow in this search we are running to other people to tell us who we are and what we’re worth.  It’s exhausting and confusing, and it’s wrong. 

Connecting with the heart of God is how we find out identity and value.  The Bible says our value is intrinsic and immeasurable.  Our identity as children of God is unquestionable.  From birth, before really, we are loved greatly, beyond measure.  Our Father sacrificed His Son, that’s how much He loves us.  A King died for us, that’s how much we’re worth.  We have to stop looking to others and first seek His heart to better understand who we are in Him. 

If we as women can come to understand better who we are and what He has given us as unique reflections of Him, we could be spared so much heartbreak and loss.  As representations of God’s feminine side, we posses tenderness, nurturing and warmth.  There is an innate beauty in us, a gentle graciousness.  He has given us countless unique gifts, placed within us mystery, allure, softness and power.  We have so much to offer.  According to Him we have hearts full of love and kindness, and eyes that shine like stars.  These things are meant to be treasured and held sacred, first by us and then by others. 

When we miss the value of the gifts He has given us and underestimate our true worth, it becomes all too easy to give pieces of ourselves away, sometimes not even knowing we’re doing it.  There is a scary tendency to feel as if we need a man, this leads to desperation, and desperation leads to heartbreak.  He created us for relationship for sure, but there is such a push, both from within us and in our society to become quickly entangled, and quickly sexual.  Somehow sex has become a tool to get and keep a relationship. 

We were created for so much more than that though.  And sex was created for so much more than that too.  Sex is more than a physical experience, it is a communion of life.  As much as the world would like us to believe it, there is no such thing as “no strings attached” sex.  Women it seems pay a higher price for testing this theory.  We feel deeper, and loss and heartbreak lead us to a confused sense of self.  Grasping the truth about our value and identity is the surest way to break free of this harmful cycle.  We have to rise up and do our part to guard our hearts.  Giving ourselves away to men who don’t understand the immense value placed in us leaves less of us for the man who someday will.