Tears and Beauty
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she listened. She sat in the passenger seat of the car. It was dark outside and we sat together in the car in front of her home. Our conversation on the long ride home finally brought us to our destination. Her home, yes, of course but it was that deep and raw place in her heart that was in need of healing and we were touching upon that secret place not many open up.
I turned toward her in my seat, her face was shadowed from the streetlight behind her. I spoke softly and with a powerful love in my voice, “My friend, you are so beautiful. You are absolutely beautiful in your physical appearance. But…. Do you know how beautiful you are on the inside?”
So didn’t speak.
I pushed forward, “Let me now affirm you in love. I see who you really are. Your heart is filled with love to give to others. You have a depth of caring for people that most don’t know lives there. You have a love for Jesus that literally shines from your eyes and tips the corners of your beautiful smile.”
“I affirm you. You are so beautiful on the outside but you are absolutely stunning on the inside.”
She murmured back to me, “Thank you. I needed to hear those words. I have a deep longing to hear my husband say them to me.”
“You deserve to hear those words from your husband. You are worthy of them and they are words of truth. Sometimes, often times, our men don’t know how to say words of this sort. They don’t even know sometimes what it is that they see in their wife, that is beautiy on the inside, so they are at a complete loss. They are convinced that saying “I love you” adequately and fully relates their feelings to us. Many of our men were raised where emotion or words of depth were never spoken or if they were, they were met with shaming or ridicule.”
“I’m not excusing our men. We as wives, we deserve every word of love and adoration in the dictionary. But there are sometimes when they just don’t ever arrive for us.”
So today, let me affirm you my sister. God sees you. He sees your beauty of a sacrifice to love on your imperfect husband. He sees the hours you pour into your children to grow them into young men and women of integrity and faith. He sees how you love Jesus, His Son, and how you are trying to live your life for Him.
Now hear His voice, “You are stunning and I am forever struck by your beauty. I am smitten by the woman no one else sees but Me. I love you with a jealous love and will guard your heart all of my life. You are beautiful inside and out.”
If you need words of affirmation, please take these as your own. Our Lord sees us very differently than we see each other or ourselves. Be affirmed today, Hugs, Lynn
I love John Piper and his book Desiring God is life changing. To become a hedonist for Christ is a wonderful concept.. to desire HIm above all things. I would love to invite you to visit my blog as the spirit is leading me to start a new initiative in writing on the times we are facing in our families, society, government, media, etc,,, and how the scriptures give us everything we need to overcome and persevere through these troubling days. I am looking for thoughtful interested bloggers who may be led to join the discourse with me in encouraging others how to find peace in the journey. Thanks and God bless!
This captured my heart, as the sentiments and need for affirmation from a husband are so valuable to his wife.
I pray that when given the chance we would follow your lead and affirm others, and see with eyes of God the beauty within.
Let us pause in our daily life, and say, “Yes, Lord!”
Dearest Lynn, Girl I’ve got tears on my face from this. I could swear you wrote it just for me, it so touched me. For those of us who never grew up with positive affirmation and now don’t get it from the very one we should, there is a pain and hunger inside for this love. I love your last paragraph and am going to copy it out and put it where I can see it.
Hugs to you today.
Love, Noreen
Thank you so much for this, Lynn. Like Noreen, I am crying and feel it was written for me. It’s been such a hard day and I am hurting inside right now. I am not feeling very beautiful today; inside or out, and the words I have heard today are not affirming at all. So, again, like Noreen, I will be copying that last paragraph on a 3×5 card so I can repeat it to myself and let it sink in. Thank you for writing this, my friend.
I love you Heather. Keep walking the walk. You are on the right path. Hugging you tight. Lynn
Nor,
I have never met you face-to-face yet I know the depth and breadth of your inside beauty. It is lost on this broken world except to just a few of us. I am so richly blessed to know your real beauty. Love you and hugging you tight. Lynn
Cup of Goodness,
I echo, “Yes, Lord!” Blessings to you this day and hugging you tight. Lynn
Carolyn,
amen.. To desire Him above all else… Thank you.
Those words mean so much to me! My husband is an elder in a denomination that has beliefs that I do not share. We fellowship at different churches and grieves me because I always envisioned us working side by side in the Lord’s vineyard. Sadly, his denomination does not believe that women can be used of God, and are only intended to be homemakers. They don’t believe that women should wear pants or be leaders in any capacity in the church (not even leading in prayer, or laying hands on the sick). Our marriage has been so strained by our differing beliefs that I often wonder if God will ever deliver me from the oppression, and accept a loveless marriage!?! I believe that the Lord has good plans for my life and take consolation in that belief, but it’s still “hell in the hallways”, as I wait for Him to complete the work He’s doing in my heart, as well as my husband’s heart. Please pray for us.
Wow, Lynn.. what woman doesn’t need to hear this! So beautiful and encouraging. In a world where so much emphasis is placed on physical beauty its hard to believe in the real beauty that is within us. You are so right, it took my husband nearly 20 years to understand my need for affirmation. Even now, in my weak moments, I need to hear him say ‘why’ he loves me, what he sees in me. He’s gotten a lot better at it.. Praise God!
Thank you for this. God bless!
Love you Karen. I’m writing you an email. Hang in there you greatly honor Jesus. Hugs.
I love you Lisa Maria for sharing your authentic heart here with me. Your beauty shines from your words. I hope you see that because it is so brilliant it is shining before the Father. Hugging you. Lynn