Oh, girl.

You’re beautiful.

Stunning.

Drop dead gorgeous.

Why can’t you see it?

All you see is imperfection

when you sneer for hours

at your reflection.

But I want you to know:

That’s just an infection

of perception

because,

the truth is,

the God of the Universe,

the image of perfection,

thinks you are

absolutely lovely and

wants to give you

all His affections.

He wants to shower you

with love

and adoration.

But you only have

objections.

He wants you to be

His bride.

His beloved.

Dressed in white.

And He loves you so

desperately.

Eternally.

Irrevocably.

He has done

the unfathomable

so that you can receive

the unattainable.

But.

You denied it.

Because despite the fragrant aroma,

You despise it.

To receive the unattainable

is painful,

and so you’d rather

improvise

and continue with the

lies

than to admit

The Truth and abide in it.

But you can decide

not to believe the lies.

The ones that Satan implies

time after time

when he whispers

in your ears

confirming all your fears

telling you again

and again

and again

and again

and again

that you are worthless

worth-less

unless

you weigh-less

wear-less

or have less

convictions

inhibitions

about committing sins,

you know the kind.

You can decide to listen instead

to the King of Kings who wears

a crown of thrones upon His head,

for He has died

but is no longer dead.

He was denied

by those He came to save.

Crucified.

And sent to the grave.

His message is one of truth,

the only one you can find

that will not wind

up

entwined

around your neck,

choke the life from you,

and steal your last breath.

It will revive you.

Supply you

with precious air to breathe

and water to drink.

He will

always

always

always

adore you.

Restore you.

Pay the price for you.

Because

girl, He loves you.

And He thinks that

you’re beautiful.

Stunning.

Drop dead gorgeous.

(Source: ashmariie)

settheworld-onfire-forhim:

latenights-and-oldguitars:

Do you think God ever gets sad? Like, “What do you mean, you don’t love yourself? I worked so hard on you….”

This hit really hard. Hadn’t really put it into that perspective.

Wonderfully and Fearfully made. <3

Oh

Not only did He spend a lot of time and effort on each and every one of us, but we are all made IN HIS IMAGE. So, if we love Him, shouldn’t we, by association, love ourselves too?

(Source: kingcheddarxvii, via livingabetterstory)

The older I get, the more I realize how much Christmas really isn’t about presents and tinsel and lights and carols and Santa Claus. It’s about spending time with the ones you truly love, and worshipping our Lord above, who was born 2,000 years ago with the full intention of dying for our sins. He was born to die, so that we may all be saved. That’s what it’s all about.

remoldmelord:

colorofsound:

ayshalee:

I wish I could be alone with God right now. In the most impossible way. Sitting in a humble old house somewhere in a familiar but vague patch of grassy countryside. Crossing our legs at a kitchen table with evening light coming through the window, hitting the sides of our faces and making long shadows on the floor. I wish I could reach across the table and hold His hands and mindlessly play with His thumbs while we talk of the things that make my heart so heavy.

This..

If I could REALLY be alone with God, I think that the two of us would take up space on an old couch in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Outside the window, we would hear the birds and maybe some farm animals. We would cuddle and and He would run His fingers through my hair, and I would just allow my body to sink into His, my head perched on His chest and my legs all curled up under me.

And we would talk about this broken and fallen world in which we live. And I think we would cry together, He and I. We would cry about the state of the world, this world that He created. This world that He intended to be beautiful and perfect in every way. And His people. His people that He created. His people that He created in His own image. His people that He intended to be perfect but are so catastrophically far from perfect. His people that intentionally turn their backs on Him day after day after day. His people that He fervently loves, despite it all.

And then, when we have had enough of being saddened by the brokenness of our reality, our conversation would turn instead to what I could do to make it feel just a little bit less broken. We would talk about love. We would talk about relationships. We would talk about the purpose for which He created all of mankind. We’re supposed to love Him, and to love one another.

(via heartofamissionary)

I know in my head why there is evil in this world.

I know it’s because man is innately sinful. God is in control of it all, but bad things happen because Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.

…to put it simply. (if that can be done…)

I know these things.

But, sometimes, on days like today…

My heart aches for an answer to all of this that makes sense. My heart aches for Jesus to return and redeem His people from all this pain. My heart aches because children are dying and mommas and daddies are losing their babies. My heart aches because I know there are people who need someone to hug them tonight, but it’s not a hug they will ever get. It’s so hard not to overflow with ridiculous amount of anger at the kind of man who would steal joy and innocence and precious life from a bunch of children BABIES.

Sometimes, on days like today, I just feel like this world is too much to handle.

And, with a very heavy heart, I am off to bed.