// as Christ loves the Church //

// The knowledge that Christ loves us, longs after us, in the highest, purest and most complete of ways, should be a comfort to any lonely soul. His is not a love tainted with carnal desire and feelings, as even the best of earthly loves must inevitably be. His is the perfection to which ours must point. In His very heart He longs for our souls and wishes for us to be brought into His Bride, enough so that He would humble Himself utterly and then die and rise again. So that He might buy us to Himself. - h.d. //

Have you ever stopped to just consider that?? I wrote it during Church on Sunday, and I have to say that although I knew it already, it really sank in in a new way as I was thinking on it. 

Let's be honest- I think most young women struggle with feelings of loneliness once in a while. Tell me I'm not way out there! We were created that way, after all. It's not wrong to dream and long for a hopeful future! But I myself know that I need to get past letting that consume my thoughts or getting me down. We can't help but think about wanting a husband, a home- we are women, it's just part of us. But(I'm speaking for and to myself here) we can't let it become a discontent, or impure thought process. And it gets that way fast, no? 

But, when you think about the fact that, for real, Jesus really does, in a way have the same desire to win us that a man(hopefully) someday will, and even more. Because He doesn't want just an earthly wife, He wants our souls in His Eternal Bride!!! 

Ephesians 5:25-33

That just helped me when it struck me, because lately I've been(I shall admit it) been feeling a little... lonely. Not because I am lonely, I have my family, my best friend-sister, and other friends and church family. But just a wistful lonesomeness for that someone that I've never met. You know? (It actually bothers me at the same time, because I also can be a bit of a feminist from time to time, and so feeling that way irritates me on two levels...) 

But really allowing the truth that Jesus' love is truly all I need and trying to comprehend it's greatness has helped a lot. So next time I start feeling that way(because, yes, I know it will happen) I'm going to try to remember this. I hope that it can maybe be a little help if you ever feel the same!!!

all images via pinterest

(by the way, did yesterday's video work?? it didn't show in my email browser. Click through and watch it if that is the case for you because it is worth it!! Also happy birthday to L.M. Montgomery!! Ah her short stories- hm, now that I think about it I think I have some left on my kindle that I haven't read...)