I'm being Romanced by God....

...and so are you.

"Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge

Our reading group is working on a book called "Captivating" and we are taking our time reading through it, only six chapters a month, thus allowing us to really just soak in the message from each chapter.

The first six chapters really opened us up and worked out things that we did not think of as holding us back from Gods richness and our relationships here on earth,... starting with Adam and Eve.

It really opened my own eyes as to why, "us woman" try and dominate our husbands and what a struggle it is for men to be dominated by us and what we end up doing to them and our relationship with them when we do, not to mention our families. Fallen Eve controls her relationships. Adam wasn't somewhere in the other part of the garden while the snake deceived her. No, Adam was standing right next to her listening and watching the whole situation unfold. Why didn't he save her? Why didn't he step in? Instead he stood right there, elbow to elbow and went along with her. Eve the leader. Our curse, loneliness. Mans curse, fear of failure.

There is so much more then this little blurb I am going to post today, it has been a refreshing message and I have enjoyed reading and studying together with this group of sisters.

After the author of this book brings you to the well, thirsty, dry, broken and desperately needy for God, she then gives you a refreshing drink of water. She really brings you to a place of wanting more of Him.

Have you ever been romanced by God? The answer is positively YES! Every song you love, every memory you cherish, every moment that has moved you to holy tears has been given to you and I from the One who has been pursuing us from our very first breath in order to win our hearts.

Have you ever been in the woods at night with friends and you see a shooting star? I have many a times been on camping trips with our family and friends. At night, when it was very dark and the stars were out we would all lay flat on our recliners and just fellowship while watching for shooting stars. Here we all are watching the same big sky and I see my first star...wow! How exciting!!! "Did you guys see it?!" I'd yell! Nope, we didn't see that one. I was just romanced by God! That was just for me! I'd never thought of it that way until now.

Gods romance is immensely personal. It will be as if it had been scripted just for me,...or you. God knows what takes our breath away, what makes our hearts beat faster. If we don't feel Him romancing us, then chances are we have shut down our hearts in order to endure the pain of life.

I'd never thought of Gods beauty all around me as Him romancing me. When you think about it, the beauty here on earth is really useless, it is for our enjoyment from God. He created it for you and me to enjoy. He is lavishing us everyday with His beauty.

We are only half way through the book, and I can't wait for our meeting this Saturday so I can begin the next six chapters. For now I am just re-reading these six over and over again.

We come to God in worship not to get from Him, but to give to Him. To be spiritual isn't to be busy, dutiful or disciplined. To be spiritual is to be Romanced by God. The desire to be romanced lies deep in the heart of every woman. It is for such that we are made. And we are romanced, and ever will be.

I am really enjoying this book and highly recommend it!

enjoy =O)