Dancing With Jesus

This post is a response to a blog post entitled, "Hey, Stripper!" It hit my heart and I had to share what began to stir inside of me as I read each word. It holds such deep truth and encouragement for both men and women. So many times we hear the lies of culture and exposure makes us start to believe them, but we must be reminded of the Truth. (seeprestonblog.com/2011/07/hey-stripper/)

I work with 90% men. I am one of two girls that works dayshift at my job, sometimes I love it, and other times I loathe it and wish I had a female counterpart to express my frustration to. All day I listen to the guys make comments and gestures about women and young girls that come into my store. "I'd bone that." "Hey mama." "Ooohh piece of candy!" "I would do unspeakable things to her in bed." "That girl has some ass!" All day. Everyday.

One day they were talking and saying that if you start a relationship by paying for things, eventually the girl will get comfortable around you and all of a sudden they show up in sweats and no makeup and ask to go do something. One guy says, "So I say to that, 'well, go change into something where I can see your ass, fix your face, and then maybe we'll talk about going out."

I honestly don't know if I have heard more disrespectful comments about women than ones I have heard at work. So, having been around this for nearly a year and a half, I have had to fight to not believe what I have heard and seen. Is all men want really an ass, breasts and sex? Something to look at, touch, feel and use for their own pleasure? Why are the only girls that they pay attention to the ones with shorts skirts and cleavage hanging out?

I have, time after time, made a commitment to live in purity. In the way I dress, speak, act, think and live out my life; in the secret place, in public, around my girlfriends and especially around guys. You know how much male attention I get? Little to none. The only guys who take notice are desperate, old creepers who just want a young piece of meat. I swear its like my mother is praying that I get no male attention so I keep my focus on God. (I know she does this, she did it with my sister until her husband came along and we knew he was the one.) So frustrating. And it only feeds the lie that in order to get attention, I have to dress a certain way, have my hair perfectly groomed in a way that accentuates my face, and have no flaws or at least have make-up covering any ones I might have.

I want a man to love me for my heart, my personality, and I know I have so much to offer, but it frustrates me to no end that no man seems to want that. Maybe who I am isn't enough.

About three years ago, I bought into the lie that I was fat and in order to be loved and worth something I needed to lose weight. I began starving myself, skipping meals, throwing up everything I ate, and running in all my spare time. I lost weight rapidly, but I lost a lot more. I lost my health, I lost my self-worth, I lost my drive to fight-and gave into every lie the enemy was feeding me. I was stuck in this life for nearly seven months before Jesus stepped into my dark pit and lifted me out, setting me completely free.

I am getting mixed signals. Like an AM radio. So many different sounds, and so hard to make out which one to listen to. One says, "guys only like you for your body." Another says, "no guy will ever notice you unless you show him what he wants to see." Another shouts, "Just give him what he wants to feel loved, wanted!"

But the voice that shouts louder than them all and makes all other fade away, is not a shout, but a still small voice. He is saying, "Daughter. I love you. You are worth far more than the most expensive diamonds on earth. Protect your heart. Hide yourself in me. Dance with me, and when the time comes, I will let the right man take your hand and you will dance with him for the rest of your lives. You are beautiful. You are treasured. You are loved. Your patience and endurance will pay off in my timing. Wait."

Lovely one, it may not seem like you are noticed, wanted, or loved by a man. I know that this struggle is especially prevalent for you beautiful souls that did not have a father around to tell you how beautiful you are, how much he loves you, how much of a treasure you are. I grew up without my father. I never heard the words, "You are lovely. You captivate me." And oh how my heart longs to hear those words.

Fatherless sister, you are not fatherless, you have a Father. He is perfect. He will never leave you. He will never turn away from you. He is captivated by your every move. He can't wait for you to wake up in the morning, just so He can talk to you, watch you, love on you. He wants to wrap you in His arms and tell you how amazing you are. His embrace is eternal. Crawl up into the lap of your Father and listen to His heartbeat. Let Him sing the song He is singing over your life into your ear. He loves you with an everlasting love. You are loved. You are treasured.

Beloved sister, if you have been used, abused, violated, or given yourself freely to a man in hopes of feeling love. You may feel dirty and worthless, but I have good news for you. You have been made new. There is hope, there is forgiveness and restoration. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old has been buried and the NEW has come. God wipes away every stain and blemish on our lives, and calls us clean. God throws our sins and past into the ocean and puts up a "No Fishing" sign. No one can bring up your past but you. The blood of Jesus makes you pure. You are not a "slut" or a "whore", you simply wanted to be loved, and my heart breaks for you. Let Jesus take your filth and rags, and replace them with a pure white wedding gown.

Lovely One, YOU ARE WORTH IT. You are worth being loved, treasured, respected, and honored by a man who has fallen in love with your heart and the beauty that radiated from the inside to the outside. Don't sell yourself short. Don't lower your expectations. Don't reveal yourself to a man who is not prepared to serve and love you for the rest of his life within a covenant relationship. Who you are is enough. Who you are is perfect for the man God has waiting for you. Pray for him and guard your heart.

Dance with Jesus.