What A Girl Wants Series

Our house backs up to a tree-covered mountain. In the spring, when the sun begins to set, there is a point when it disappears behind the trees and the ground is dark, while the sky is still light. There is a clearing at the very top of the mountain, up and to the right as you look out the back of our house. There is a magical minute or two when the sun is behind the trees from where we are, but is still sending long shafts of light down the slope, through the trees. The forest is tall and old, and there’s not a lot of undergrowth, so these beams of light are like searchlights, slowly moving through the forest as the sun sets. In the spring, these last sunbeams of the day pick out and seem to linger over the occasional dogwood, whose tiny new leaves are just appearing. This is a beautiful sight – the dark mystery of the forest, the golden beams of light, and the fresh green life of the new leaves. After a crazy day at work, I can come home to that vision, that moment, and all the stress fades away. It satisfies me, it calms me, and it gives peace to my soul. It puts everything into perspective. But most of all, that color, the golden light and spring green leaves against a background of veiled mystery – that’s exactly the color of Tammy’s eyes. I love to look into her deep, deep eyes.

Go ahead, after we break, ask her if you can look in (not at) her eyes, and you will see what I see. But make sure you have someone to hold your hand – you might fall in. I did twenty years ago, and I’m still lost.

You’ve heard me tell the story of the time I was in Siberia for three months. This was just after the communist wall went down, and Russia at that time was a cold, dark, dirty place. I remember riding the subway, passing thousands of Russian faces, not one of them smiling, not one of them laughing. The streets were covered in a dirty grey slush. It was bitter cold inside and out. We didn’t see the sun all of February. No warmth. No Passion. No Hope. You know what I missed most? My Ezer Kenegda – the life-giver I desperately need by my side. I missed Tammy’s eyes.

Guys, have you ever noticed that women can break down your defenses, make you an emotional basket-case? The same thing is true of God. You’ll find, if you haven’t already, that as you draw closer to God, your heart becomes very soft – an emotional puppy. That’s uncomfortable for us guys, but it is good. We can learn about the character of God as we learn about the women He has created.

Guys, it won’t be a surprise when I tell you that God made women very beautiful. We are drawn to their beauty like a moth to a flame. Beauty is attractive. This, too is a character of God, one given to women. Men ask themselves, “Do I have what it takes?” Women ask themselves, “Am I worthy of being loved?” Your job, men, is to show her, not just tell her, that she is.

And a word here to our young women. Be careful to make sure that it is your own inner beauty that you give to men, you do not get your beauty from men. You are beautiful and uniquely loved by God. Whether or not a knight rides up on a white horse for you, God is there for you, and you are beautiful.