In your Shade

As most of you have probably figured out I am currently reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge again. And it is just perfect timing because somehow I just needed to hear some things again. Very different things than I learned the first time I read it though.
The thing is I want to be a woman after God's heart. I want to be the Proverbs 31 woman. Some of you might say, "Oh Ramona that's too high of an aim" or "Ramona, these are just symbols" or "Ramona, come on really?" Yes really. I want to be the kind of woman that when I enter a room God's love and grace and His anointing are shining so much out of who I am that people will be attracted to me. Not because of me and all the great things I can do, but because of God through who I am what I am.

In the chapter Beauty to unveil they really explain what it means to be with a beautiful woman and is not the outward appearance but beauty that comes from the inside. And there is one line that really got me and encourages me to be eager to become like that. "You find room for your soul. It expands. You can breathe again. You can rest. It is good. That is what it is like to with a beautiful woman. you are free to be you."
Actually it is like being a tree.

And yes being that. Being at rest and offering this beauty to others is risky. Really risky. As you open your heart to share with others, to invite others to eat from your fruit or sit in your shade is a leap of faith. You don't know if they will respond at all or if they will come and cut of the branches or throw away your fruit.

Nonetheless I know how important it is to offer that beauty even if it hurts sometimes. Even if branches are cut off or destroyed. But I am planted on a riverbank (Psalm 1) and like that one quote in one of my favorite movies The New World "Think of a tree how it grows around its wounds. If a branch breaks off, it don't stop but keeps reaching towards the light."

We must offer beauty. We must invite and share.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: Listen to some new songs on my Current Soundtrack
PSS: Have a look at my Travels
PSSS: I watched this beautiful movie yesterday
PSSSS: Picture from my sister's bachelorette party in July.