Hope for a Heart Hungry for Love
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Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash
When I was a kid, I imagined that someday when I was all grown up and had a husband, all my dreams of feeling perfectly loved would come true.
I have been blessed with a wonderful husband, so many of those dreams have come true. But I've also discovered that only God can fully meet the needs of my heart.
This week, in honor of Valentine's Day, I'm sharing an article I wrote for the Joyful Life Magazine last year. In it, I share some of my journey of learning to turn to Jesus to meet my need for love, as well as some things God has shown me about another woman who longed for love—the Samaritan woman. Most of my life, I didn't think I had much in common with her, but it turns out, we are more alike than I realized.
You can read the first part of the article below, then click the link below to read the rest.
As always, you are in my thoughts and prayers! And happy Valentine's Day!
❤️ In purpose and faith,
Hope for a Heart Hungry for Love
I stand on the porch of my tiny playhouse, my thoughts as long as my brown braid. Spruce trees tower behind me, gilded in slanting sunshine, and warm summer air kisses my skin. The evening feels enchanted, and, in my little girl heart, I dream of someday sharing just such a magical night with my true love. In my fantasy, I see myself with flowers tucked in my hair and a handsome man by my side, gazing into my eyes. I imagine someone who will adore me and think I’m beautiful.
I’m only about 11 years old, but I’m already counting on my future husband to sweep me off my feet, fill my empty heart, and make me complete.
DEFINED BY HER WRONG DECISIONS
I’ve been thinking a lot about a woman who was once an innocent young girl like I was with similar dreams of her own happily-ever-after. It’s only recently, though, that I’ve begun to see her in this light.
Before, whenever I read the story of the Samaritan woman Jesus encountered at Jacob’s well, I saw only a worn-out, used-up woman who had been married five times. I saw an immoral ex-wife who now was living with a man to whom she wasn’t married.
I thought her story was a straightforward tale of a bad woman who made some bad choices and messed up her life badly. I viewed her through the lens of what I perceived to be her wrong decisions, and I thought her wrong decisions were the focus of Jesus’ attention too. When Jesus asked her to go get her husband, she admitted she wasn’t married. In reply, Jesus said to her: “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband’” (John 4:18). I assumed it was Jesus’ intent to expose her sin. I thought, in essence, He was saying: “I know every bad thing you’ve ever done.”
But as I’ve meditated on this encounter and studied the cultural context, God has been giving me a new, unexpected perspective, both on the woman and on the meaning behind Jesus’ statement…
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I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it. Thanks!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission, with no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
