But Jesus

Within the pages of this book, you will meet a fellow traveler, a sojourner of sorts, who carried a backpack full of skepticism. She was a small-town girl thrown into a real big world. For most of her life, she felt like the misfit, the outsider, and the imposter who was not supposed to be here. She was not cool, popular, or attractive. She was not the one people gravitated towards. You would probably find her in the last row or backstage, hiding from the spotlight.

Life seemed to find pleasure in her invisibility, but she found solace in it. Every time she thought she had found stability, life seemed to pull the rug out from under her. When she could not take it anymore, she decided to give this Jesus she had learned about a chance. She called out to Him, doubtful if He would show up. Did He care? What was He going to say? Would He tell her everything that was wrong with her? Would He hand her a long list of rules to follow? Would He be able to relate to her life? Would He preach her into submission? Guilt her into tradition? Advise her to be like everyone else and keep the peace? So many things raced through her mind, but she asked anyway. She expected to hear a religious authoritarian response.

Instead, it was a still small voice that reached back into her spirit. He extended an invitation to experience a lifetime of true intimacy. He waited patiently for her to make up her mind. He rejoiced when she finally said yes. He embraced her fears and loved her quest for answers. He listened to her mortal narratives and gently replaced them with His eternal perspectives. He opened her eyes to the limitless heavens. He contradicted her broken belief: that as a woman, she was expected to be the trustworthy saint, who sacrificed herself to untrustworthy men. He handed her His heart and offered her a trust that she had never experienced before. He sacrificed His life to be with her. He entwined His beauty with hers. With Him, she felt splendidly flawed.

Layer by layer, she uncovered her chaotic heart to Him. Layer by layer, He mended the carnage of her torn soul with His life-giving blood. In His arms, she flourished. She revealed her human trenches of pain, and He filled them with His divine love. He raised her in places of careless neglect. He protected her with fierce concern. He was her covering, and in Him, she rested. Not once did He abuse her for disagreeing with Him. Never did He speak a harsh word to realign her being. She marveled at His gentle masculinity, and He nurtured her strong femininity.

He made her laugh when tensions between them were palpable. He treasured her sense of humor and was captivated by her purity. When she ran from Him in shame, He chased her down with forgiveness. He called her His own. He promised her that He would do anything to be hers. He courted her in dreams and romanced her with visions. They played in the rain, sang songs at riverbeds, and ran across fields for fun. They laughed till they cried and giggled till their bellies hurt. They danced without shame when they were overcome by the rhythms of creation. They spent time in the gardens of heaven and traveled many worlds together. Theirs was a love story that nobody understood but they felt no need to explain. This was fearless relationship. This was perfect love. There was no condemnation, just an eternal commitment.