Free from seeking attention and praise for my looks or my body.
Free from the desire to give myself up to anyone, especially someone who wouldn’t walk a mile for me – let alone five hundred.
I was free from the life that was so far from what was intended for me.
And, sweet friends, that life is also so, so far from what is intended for you.
I want to encourage you today. No matter how disappointing, empty, discouraged or worthless you feel, I want to remind you that you are not any of those things. You are more than your mistakes. You are loved, precious and worthy. Whatever it is that you are dependent on or in bondage to, God is offering you a fresh start.
You may be married now and bear the burden of guilt for your past decisions. Or you are in the midst of living out these mistakes today, seeking a way out without any direction. Either way: you are loved. You may not have deserved a second chance, but you are offered one. And today you have the choice to choose Him – over yourself – and begin afresh.
I’ve been married to my husband, Jesse, for five years now. He and I fought really hard to remain pure until we were finally married. And it was so worth it. Some people mocked it, but I didn’t mind. I was secure in the belief that God created intimacy for my husband and him alone. I was content in waiting (even when it got really stinking hard.)
Jesse loved God enough, and loved me enough, to actively show me that his priority was my heart and not my body. I had never been offered that kind of respect before. I had never even tried to earn it.
The closeness in our relationship was unmatched because we spent time talking and learning about one another rather than leaning on intimacy as a crutch.
He displayed an unconditional love for me that I had never once received in my life. He made me feel really, truly loved. He would have walked five hundred miles for me without a second thought.
And he made me feel like I was worth waiting for.
On our honeymoon, it all came together. It was one of the most beautiful weeks of my life. My story was no longer one of shame, but one of redemption.
It’s a story of ashes to beauty because of forgiveness and love. And I understood, in that moment, exactly why we are called to wait. He was mine and I was his. I didn’t have to fear him leaving or not calling the next day. We were One. I can give him every portion of my mind, body and soul because he is my protector. He is my safe place. And he is my forever, not my “maybe forever”.
God moves in us. God heals us day after day from the brokenness we cause for ourselves. He fills our lives with a fullness that we can’t even fathom without Him. And He loves you enough to set you on a new path. Are you willing to let Him change your story today?
With Grace,
Lindsey
*** This article originally appeared at Sparrows + Lily.
