I’m not by any means an avid reader, but I do very much enjoy a good inspirational book. Last night I started the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge as suggested by a good friend (Love you ev!). Only two chapters in and I’m already hooked.

Women basically have three core desires:
1) To be romanced
2) To play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure
3) To unveil beauty

Chapter 1: The Heart of a Woman
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life,” [Prov. 4:23]

“Every woman I’ve ever met feels it – something deeper than just the sense of failing at what she does. An underlying, gut feeling of failing at who she is. I am not enough, and, I am too much at the same time. Not pretty enough, not thin enough, not kind enough, not gracious enough, not disciplined enough. But too emotional, too needy, too sensitive, too strong, too opinionated, too messy”

“We desire to possess a beauty that is worth pursuing, worth fighting for, a beauty that is core to who we truly are. We want beauty that can be seen; beauty that can be felt; beauty that affects others; a beauty all our own to unveil”

Chapter 2: What Eve Alone Can Tell
Eve is the crescendo, the final, astonishing work of God. Woman is God’s finishing touch, his piece de resistance! There is a reason why we all yearn for the same thing, why tales as old as time exist… of a princess and her prince charming, like in Cinderella, Pretty Woman, etc. We should not be ashamed as women to yearn and desire these things because it is how we were designed.

“Rather than asking, what should a woman do- what is her role? It would be far more helpful to ask, what IS a woman- what is her design? And why did God place Woman in our midst?”

Beauty invites: Women, just like a piece of beautiful music, is captivating. It invites you in, commands your attention, and makes you want to look deeper.
Beauty nourishes: Our bodies are sacred and our bodies nourish the soul and nourish our children. The flesh is not a ‘bad’ thing.
Beauty comforts: A simple smile or an act of love comforts us when we need it most. In our darkest times, find the beauty in every little thing for comfort.
Beauty inspires: When you are in the presence of a great woman, it inspires you to better yourself. As said in As Good As It Gets, “You make me want to be a better man”…beauty inspires.
Beauty is transcendent: It is our most immediate experience of eternal. It reminds us that “there is a glory calling to you”.

“One of the deepest ways a woman bears the image of God is in her mystery”. Mystery as in, something to be explored. “You cannot simply have me. You must seek me, pursue me. I won’t let you in unless I know you love me”. Just like God, we yearn to be known. And just like God, we yearn to be sought after. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,” [Jer. 29:13]. A woman is not something to be solved, but a vast wonder to be enjoyed.

“Beauty is an essence that is given to every woman at her creation”