A Message for the Invisible: "SEE ME"

Have you ever felt invisible?
Like you're just existing in a crowd, but no one ever sees you?  
Do you always feel chosen last?  As if you're friends are only there when they need something from you, or when everything else is falling apart.

For everyone who feels alone.
                                      A shadow.
                                              Different.

                                                 
And you just can't seem to fit in - I write this.  I write your message to the world in this poem; most importantly, I write a message to you that will bring substance to your shadow!  Let me just tell you, if you feel invisible, it means you are the farthest from insignificant!  In fact, it means you were created for something completely unprecedented.  It means that people can't get you because you have a PURPOSE they cannot understand.  

You are a frontrunner.
                       An innovator. 
                                A world changer.

I hear your heart cry.  I see your struggle.  So does SOMEONE else, and He sees even more than you could hope, dream, or imagine for your life (Ephesians 3:20)...

INVISIBLE SEEN

Do you see me?

No.  Is it ME you see?

I wave and say hi,

and you keep passing by.

Would anyone care if I were to die?

Should I even continue to try?

I’m breaking slowly and no one knows.

I’m good at hiding, so it never shows.

But I feel if you really were to look,

you’d read me like a book.

Behind this smile is a soul

on which the rejections have taken a toll –

they’ve trampled me to the ground,

left me without a sound.

I just want to be found,

and this loneliness only continues to expound.

When will you choose me first,

not just be my friend when things are at there worse?

I feel used.

Abused.

And I’m so confused…

this pain with exhaustion is fused,

making me think, It’s no use.

The isolation tightening like a noose.

I’m breaking…

While everyone around me is FAKING.

BECAUSE THEY DON’T SEE ME AT ALL,

OR THEY WOULD HEAR MY HEART’S CALL!

So here I am…alone again.

My mind on this crazy tail-spin,

thinking, What if…

the thought makes my limbs go stiff.

What if something were to happen to me?

THEN you couldn’t help but see…

there’s the knife and the pills –

the thought gives me the chills.

What if though…

How would the scenario go?

“WAIT!  I see you –

and everything you’ve done and do!

I chose you before you were born –

to be here for you I’ve sworn.

I’ve collected each tear,

and held you near.

You are not invisible.

And I know you’re miserable,

but I love YOU…

I LOVE YOU, it’s TRUE!

I have more in store;

you haven’t even opened the door

to the plans I have for your life

beyond this pain and strife.

There’s SO MUCH I’ve set you apart for,

a purpose I’ve weaved within your very core.

So, now, I have a question – ‘Do you see ME?’

Because I came to set you free.

When your eyes are focused on mine,

You can endure anything of da kine.

I’m going to repair your heart anew

and carry you through

so you can accomplish all I have for you to do.

Look, see ME and let me make the invisible visible to you!”

© Krinda Joy, August 2011

For my dearest girlie – a shadow you are not,

but your heart’s been bought, and you’re a treasure that’s

been sought.  You are seen, and with God’s light you let

off a sheen.  So keep you smile, you’ll make it through this trial!

Intimate Moment with Jesus...

"I'm here....
I wait here every day.
I wait for you to meet with me.
I'm waiting..."

And there He is, as I work away, waiting, and waiting, and waiting...So patient. He reaches out and touches my shoulder.

I shrug off the feeling of a little feather tickling my back. My head goes 90 miles an hour - what am I going to do next?  What do I have to accomplish today?  "God, what do you want me to do about this?"  "Where do you want me to move?"  "What do you want me to write?"  So many questions.  And I don't hear answers.  I don't listen...

"Krinda...."  So soft.  He calls me to STOP.
STOP.  
Be silent. 
Rest.  
Just be in My Presence.

I spend time with Him every morning, everyday.  But I forget I am SPENDING TIME WITH HIM.  I forget it's not just about me reading what He has to say to me in the Bible, or me speaking to Him.  He wants to talk back.  He wants to touch me where I need it.  When I'm not attentive to that though, all I feel is a little "irritant," because He's trying to probe a spot that's sore, that' I've covered up.  And I throw all these questions at Him, one after the next, after the next - until that's all I end up praying -  questions.  And then I ask Him, why can't I feel you?  Why can't I hear you?  He wants to answer that, but I have to LISTEN for that as well...

And He doesn't just speak, when I STOP, He shows me.  He shows me a picture:
There I am, typing away, paying bills, and cleaning.  I'm praying.  I'm talking.  But I'm looking at everything but Him.  For He's right there next to me, just waiting.  His arms are open for a hug, and His ears are ready to listen, His mouth ready to speak answers.  Instead of turning to face Him and receive, I keep about my business and mutter to the air.  
Then, I see a different picture:  I've turned to face Jesus.
And there we are, face to face.  He looks directly at me, I look directly at Him.  But He doesn't just look at me, He SEES me.  His eyes penetrate to my heart.  I don't even need to speak my questions at this time.  He just begins pouring into my heart answers, or peace where I am unsure.  And our moment lasts a lifetime, even though it's only a few minutes of intimacy with Him.  The entire day, I sense His presence I long for.  He walks beside me.   Hyper, tired, questioning - the strength of His presence keeps me my heart stilled like calm waters.  He's there, speaking, "Krinda..."  Calling me to a constant state of rest in Him.


He's calling you.  Like the whisper of a lover, He longs that you simply spend time WITH HIM.  Speaking, but also listening.  Let Him be a PART of your quiet time with Him.  It's not about how much you read, or how long you pray, it's about you truly stopping, resting, being silent, and just BEING IN HIS PRESENCE.

This is your moment with Jesus...
He's waiting on the side as you read these words.
Now, STOP.
Rest.
Listen.
Be in His intimate presence....

Revelation of the Future NOW

Sometime in the future…

The earth is corrupt.  Streets are strewn with garbage.  Prostitutes wait, available on every street corner.  Strip-clubs and seedy bars exist next to mansions of governors and leaders, even within them.  Hate crimes, for skin color or just sheer anger, occur every day, every-where.  Children are abused, used, and abandoned.  People follow the Religion of Self – seeking only to satisfy their stomach and cravings.  And, they worship a man for his “miraculous signs.”  This man, however, holds humanity in captivity, for he is a beast:  violent, manipulative, and possessed.  His exists to destroy lives and souls, and hunts those who will not surrender to the mark of his following, “666.”  Those who do not give their lives over to this beast receive persecution; they cannot eat, for they are not allowed to buy food.  They are mocked, spit on, and murdered.  There is no free voice in the world, for the beast’s word stands as the supreme authority.  Darkness hovers over the earth as the beast speaks the orders of the abyss – he serves satan. 

At the height of humanities’ orgies, violence, abuse, and sinful revelries, the entire planet literally boils with evil blackness; and, all creation is in upheaval, the seas roaring, the ground rolling, the core spewing upwards. Without warning, the sky splits open and light pierces through, as if two large hands peel back the curtains of darkness cloaking the earth.  Evil cringes, blind and afraid.  Descending from the heavens on this carpet of light appears an army.  The soldiers perch atop white horses, and wear linen weaved in white, at its cleanest and finest quality.  Leading the charge gallops the fearful sight of One who causes humanity to tremble, and creation to rejoice.  He comes upon a giant horse so white it gleams, with muscles rippling and hooves pounding with power.  The Rider is resplendent:  His face brilliant as the sun, feet glowing like bronze in a furnace, eyes blazing with fire.  Upon His head He wears many crowns – the crowns of the nations.  Like the rest of His army, He wears a white robe, but around His chest a gold sash marks His royalty and dripping from the linen is red liquid – blood.  The blood is His own, which He gave for the sins of humanity so that they could be clothed in white like His army, but now this blood comes with another purpose – to bring justice upon those who mocked the sacrifice and refused its substitution for their sins.  The Rider has many names:  Faithful, True, Word of God; and, sewn into His robe as well as tattooed into the skin of his thigh in bold letters is the Name which He rides forth in authority with – KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.   He is Christ, the returning Messiah, coming to bring justice to the earth, and rule with that faithful, true and just Hand.  

The beast of the earth, his armies, and all his followers that served him as if he was king, gather – a pale formation in opposition to the blazing brightness of the army of heaven.  All the strength of humanities’ evil becomes miniscule before the power of Christ.  The sides charge towards eachother, and out of the Rider’s mouth comes a sword glinting with razor sharpness.  With this sword comes all the Word’s of God, all the prophecies of His justice and victory; the voice speaking forth the Word thunders.  The Rider’s words pound like all the rushing waterfalls of the earth reverberating to the ground at one time, and they pierce the army of the beast straight through – slicing their very joints and marrow like a million daggers.  Instant death.  Not so for the beast and his main leader; they are captured and thrown by the King of Kings into the depths of the universe, the very fiery pit boiling with every evil imaginable which torments and burns souls for eternity.  Later, satan himself follows the sentence of his followers, and sin is terminated…forever.

 Justice is served to the earth. The clouds of corruption dissipate, and the abused creation collapses to be replaced by a new, glorious, and perfect earth connected indefinitely with heaven. The light of the Rider in White, now upon His throne, brings splendor to everything and everyone, never again to be touched by tears, pain, or dark.  The King rules in a new city with all His faithfulness – a city glowing.  Every kind of gem is inlaid in the walls, streets shine of gold, waters sparkle like crystal, and gardens so green they appear as emerald, with fruit of every kind available.  Everywhere you go, people are singing and dancing, praising and rejoicing…never a negative word or cry to be heard.  Zinging through the very air is holiness and reverence.   The people are pure.  Perfect.  And in constant contentment as they live their lives in unity, respect, love, and relationship before and with their King, their Lord, and their GOD…forever. (Revelations 1:13-16; 19:11 – 22:5)

This is the future. 

The real future. 

It’s not some hypothetical, sci-fi flick I am re-enacting a scene from, but it comes straight from the scriptures (go read it yourself!  It’s incredible).  I tell the story of the future of the earth to remind myself, and others, of the power of this Jesus I talk of so much.  He is not just Jesus, but He is Jesus CHRIST – Christ means “anointed,” or “anointed one” in the original Hebraic text.  He is anointed by the Spirit of God to ride forth and bring Justice, and fight against evil in this world!  And he glows, blazes, shines with the brilliance of this cause!  He is not tame, clean cut, or small…He is fierce. 

Certainly this reality gives me confidence, knowing I serve a God who’s not just beautiful, loving, and gentle, but He is just, a warrior for what’s right and true. 

But there is more: 

the future impacts our now.

 This battle starts now. 

There are aspects of Christ the Rider and Warrior that we are to display.  You see, our battle against this evil force occurs daily, and we ARE a part of the heavenly army.  This is going to blow your mind…

That Spirit of glory and fierce power that anoints Jesus lives within us!  Romans 8:11 says that the Spirit that was in Jesus is now within us; and “He has anointed us” (2 Corinthians 1:21) while we’re on this earth to do His work.  Like the armies of heaven, we are clothed in this splendor – “He has clothed me in garments of salvation and arrayed me in robes of His righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). One thing of note is that, through Him, we have not a touch of red upon our garments and no blood marking their purity; He has removed the scarlet stains (Isaiah 1:18) and taken them upon Himself.  He wears our sins.  We have been given the right and privilege to have faces filled with radiance (Psalms 34:5) and we receive from Him “white clothes to wear” (Revelations 3:18) because HE TOOK THE SHAME AND SIN.  So, my first point is to honor this.  Do not choose to put back on the garments or face of shame when He gave everything so that He may clothe you in brilliance and anoint you with power.  Live to part the clouds of darkness as you walk in this holiness.  In HIM, in the power of His Spirit, the forces of satan tremble before you. 

Secondly, the weapon of the Rider also has been granted for you to wield; for the Rider is called “Word of God,” and what comes out of His mouth, the sharp sword, symbolizes this Word.  We have been given the sword as well; it’s called the Bible – “for the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  I believe that when Christ, the returning Messiah, uses the Word it literally pierces people like a sword, for this is what is said to destroy the armies of the beast in Revelation.  However, for us, the sword has this effect in the spiritual realm.  We are commanded to TAKE IT UP – “take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).  Today, we are entrusted with the sword of Christ; we are charged with the mission to penetrate sin with the Word’s truth – even to set free souls from the clutches of evil spirits, as it says that the sword has the power to divide soul and spirit.  Do not ignore the weapon that Christ Himself uses (even Jesus in the wilderness used the Word to fight satan)…begin to use it daily!

This future is going to happen –

and we have a profound effect on this future.  We are, after all, “Christ’s ambassadors” (I Corinthians 5:20) on the earth.  Before any battle, ambassadors are sent to negotiate peace, and minimize damage.  We have a message for the people of this world to surrender now to Jesus and accept the garments’ of His army; the less who have to suffer with the beast’s fate, the better.

Our mission is profound.

Our covering and weapon is anointed.

Our leader is resplendent.

Our future is secure through Him.

…but, there are those who’s futures are still burning with turmoil, and there is time still for them to join the army of heaven, before final Justice rides in in His Fearsome Glory to demolish sin for eternity.    

ALL OF CREATION IS CRYING OUT FOR US TO STEP UP AND BATTLE NOW WITH THE LIGHT AND TRUTH BESTOWED WITHIN AND UPON US. (Romans 8:22-25)

Part II: The Display and Connecting of Beauty

(Read Part I: "The Thing About Beauty" first)

Women long to display beauty.

Men long to possess and connect to this beauty.

We need to display or hold beauty.

Which is why I write this piece – part two on “The Thing About Beauty.”  We have a need for human display of beauty upon this earth, and it connects once again with the basic definition of beauty.  Let’s revisit this definition:

  “The quality(s) in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit; a beautiful person or thing, especially a woman; brilliant, extreme.” (Webster’s Dictionary)

Even this definition singles out women specifically.  Women were created to be beautiful, and display the image of God’s beauty to the world, which is why ladies long so much for this.  And, if women truly are an image of HIS beauty, it affects the mind and spirit of others – it draws them to God.  It causes them to pause.  To ask – “What is it about her?”

Most my life I’ve heard this “fact”:  that women represent God’s beauty.  I always wondered where this detail could be found in the Bible, though.  I mean, where does it say, “Women are the beauty of God on this earth.”  As I studied beauty, I began to understand the reality of this statement.  As we established previously, GOD IS BEAUTY…His face and His presence is beautiful.  When God created man and woman, He created them “after His own Image; in His image.”  Adam alone was not enough – he was incomplete without Eve, because the image of God was incomplete.  (Genesis 1-2) What was Adam missing?  Beauty. 

Throughout the Bible, this fact is re-affirmed.  Women are called beautiful – men are called “strong,” even “well-built” and “handsome” and their hard work and valiant qualities are highlighted (see passages on David or Joseph).   But, let’s read some of the verses describing women in the Bible:

• ·      “The daughters of humans were beautiful” (Genesis 6:2).
• ·      Abraham’s wife, Sheri, was “a very beautiful woman” (Genesis 12:11)
• ·      Rebecca, married to Isaac – “She is beautiful” (Genesis 26:7)
• ·      Of Rachel, who’s husband was Jacob, it was said, “Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful” (Genesis 29:16)
• ·      Abigale was described as “an intelligent and beautiful woman.” (1 Samuel 25:3)
• ·      Tamar, daughter of Absalom, “became a beautiful woman.”
• ·      Ester was said to have “a lovely figure and was beautiful” (Ester 2:7)
• ·      “Nowhere in the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters” (Job 42:15)
• ·      And, of course, there’s Song of Songs, “How beautiful you are my darling! Oh, how beautiful!” (1:15); “You are all together beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (4:7). 

These passages are only a few selections out of numerous; obviously, there’s something about a woman’s beauty for the scriptures to mention it so frequently.  Now, I pause:  I hear the beat of the hearts and tears of the souls of so many women who have gone on the quest to display beauty and it’s lead only to pain and incompleteness.  BEAUTY AS THE WORLD DEFINES IT IS NOT THE BEAUTY THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT.  Physical beauty is certainly part of it, but physical beauty without a beauty which is deeper holds no power at all.  It doesn’t take the breath of the world away.  It does not last.  Notice, when the passages above talks about the figure of women, it refers to the physical aspect as “lovely,” but when referencing beauty, it references the whole of a woman.  As Song of Song 4:7 puts it, she is “all together beautiful.”  So, for the women who believe they must shape the perfect form to be beautiful, for those girls starving themselves to display “the image,” for the one who hates herself because she sees nothing pleasant looking back at her, please listen up:  you are created to be beautiful!  Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time.”  Everything!  That means you, and your time of beauty shines forth the more you spend moments gazing on God’s beauty; spending time in His presence; absorbing and becoming a part of the song of His beauty all around.  A woman’s physical appearance eventually mirrors of her Source of beauty – for human beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31), but there’s something about an inner beauty that’s “unfading” (1 Peter 3:4).  In a woman’s desire to display beauty, she must never forget it is GOD who draws out the splendor of His beauty that IS within her. Woman of God: “Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty [because] the splendor I [God] had given you made your beauty perfect” (Ezekiel 16:14).  Perfect beauty that a woman longs to display IS GOD’S BEAUTY.

Now, through the ages, men have sought this beauty, because they have a longing need to possess such beauty.  Once again, this returns back to what he was missing at the beginning: beauty.  For it exalts and inspires his mind and spirit!  Men will conquer nations for true beauty –  however, he will try to conquer woman for false beauty…for the “sexy” worldly version of beauty inspires actions out of lust, not of strength and valor.  But, pure and perfect beauty fulfills that need which God declared man was incomplete without.  There’s the saying, “behind every good man, there’s a good woman…” look back at the scripture passages: the men of note had a beauty by their sides.  There’s fulfillment that comes in connecting with a truly beautiful woman, because if it’s pure beauty, it’s GOD’S BEAUTY THEY’RE CONNECTING WITH and taking possession of.  All of this need connects back to Jesus – for He came to conquer the evil in the world for pure beauty as well!  He came for a Bride!  His church He longs for, and He sacrificed His life for the sake of her beauty – to have her beside Him in heaven one day.  Read Revelations! 

Women, please don’t shrink or withdraw here; please understand that a man’s longing for beauty is a wonderful thing!  For, a man of God is drawn to God within you strongly…he recognizes “unfading beauty.”  I repeat once again, it’s not about being perfect the way the world thinks of perfection!  Women, consider our need for man’s strength and provision – do you not think that it is intimidating to him?  Do you not think he fears failure and falling short?  But, a woman of God realizes that true strength isn’t about being perfect, but about going to God first and having His heart; just as a man of God recognizes that about true beauty.  After all, the church is incomplete and imperfect, but through GOD it becomes a reflection of PURE BEAUTY.

Ultimately, displaying beauty is vital for the world; and it is vital for all of humanity to redefine beauty and recognize the presence of true Beauty.  This is why women need to display beauty, and men need to have it as a part of their lives – it completes the image of God!

This completion, under God’s covenant, is a whole-other thing of beauty.

© Krinda Joy, August 2011

Part I: The Thing About Beauty

We have a beauty obsession!
Our world lives daily, hourly, minutely, even secondly seeking to view, possess, absorb, or contain beauty. Whether you realize it or not, you are too; it’s a need inborn within us. That’s the thing about beauty, we need it!  

We were made with a desire to display beauty, if you’re a woman; or, as a man, to desire to be connected to beauty (in my second blog of this series, I’ll talk more about beauty in relation to males and females).  However, as human beings, we are all born to long to be in the presence of beauty, and even to be a part of it.  Some people are on a constant search to absorb this elusive thing called beauty – most the time not even knowing that’s what they’re seeking – but can never quite find it, so they either throw themselves into unhealthy behaviors or simply numb-out.  But others find it!  Oh for those who find beauty!  They are never the same!  They are content, for they find what they’re seeking everywhere, everyday!

I can hear the cry of so much longing.

With actions, the world is asking, “Where is beauty?” and even, “What is beauty?”  I have an answer, and it may surprise you.  First, at the very base definition, this is beauty according to Webster’s:

  “The quality(s) in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit; a beautiful person or thing, especially a woman; brilliant, extreme.”

Even according to the dictionary, beauty is not just a “thing” that exists, but it affects us in our senses, our minds and our spirits.  It causes our spirits to exalt even.  So the answer to “what is beauty” involves the fact that it’s a quality that actually impacts our physical senses as well as us spiritually.  To the question, “Where is beauty?,” then, here is the answer: God is beauty.  He is the one who created beauty, and formed us to desire and long for beauty, because we really long for His presence; and when we absorb His presence, we begin seeing the beauty we so long and desire for all around us in His creation, since He put reflections of Himself within the work of His hands. 

The beauty our world needs and desires is all around, but unless they’re connected to the Source, the world constantly feel that disconnect from what they know must be there.  Until they learn to be a part of the One who created the beauty, the desire will never be relieved, for the echo is all around calling like sirens to somehow join such splendor.    

So, it starts with Him.  Psalm 50:2 says that God is “perfect in beauty”; and in Psalm 27:4 the psalmist longs “to gaze on the beauty of the Lord,” even “the beauty of His face.”  I never gave deep thought to the connection between longing, beauty, and God, until a few days ago.  Listening to my i-Tunes that day, songs speaking of this aspect of God kept playing: “You’re beautiful, beautiful…”; “I just want to dwell on who you are/beautiful/beautiful/I’m lost of more to say/you’re beautiful to me”; “Beautiful One I love/Beautiful One I adore.”  I repeat again, God is beauty.  Apart from Him, we never fully experience or even fully SEE beauty with clear vision.  When we spend time in His presence, just talking with Him or listening, it is as if we can feel the wonderful warmth and beauty of His smile before us.  That warm feeling, that full content feeling, that feeling that all is right and that exaltation of every part of our being – that’s experiencing beauty. 

As I said before, from there we experience the beauty everywhere, for “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  Nature becomes beautiful:  the Bible talks about trees and cities, as well as the land, as reflecting beauty.  When you watch a sunset, or walk through green forest-land, there’s a glorious emanation that seems to speak forth from the sights – and for anyone who’s really looked with clear eyes upon this, you know that this emanation goes straight within and causes your inner self to sing as well!  The sad thing about beauty that is if we don’t have the beauty of God inside of us, this song from such glory has no harmony within our soul.  It’s as if we gaze at the sunset, and we want to consume and let it be a part of us, but it goes straight through us.  Ah, to know the beauty of God is to know the song of beauty and to sing along in perfect tune!

And, when learning the tune of beauty, suddenly we begin acting in a beautiful way, for beauty can work itself into action!  Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”  Now, we all know that feet are NOT a beautiful thing, but the action of someone walking towards another and extending the love of Christ to them is.  Another instance of action becoming beautiful occurs when a former prostitute came to Jesus during Passover and washed his feet with her tears and perfume – wiping them with her hair.  Jesus declares, “Why are you bothering her,” at the disciples rebuke her  for her action, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.”  When we get God within us, and absorb the beauty of His presence, suddenly we begin displaying beauty in all we do and with our words! 

Yes, the thing about beauty is that it’s not just a thing:  it’s a presence, it’s a song we’re meant to get within us, and then preform the notes outwardly with our actions.  Not only were we created to take in beauty and see and experience it clearly, but to bring this glory to the world! 

Of course, until we actually can fulfill that longing to GAZE, literally, upon the beauty of God’s face in heaven, we’re always going to have some slight need within us.  BUT, for now, our need can find more than enough satisfaction in the presence of the Creator, the Sculptor, the Artist of all things glorious and beautiful!

To You, my God, I join the song:

“I just want to dwell on who you are/beautiful/beautiful/I’m lost of more to say/you’re beautiful to me”

© Krinda Joy, August 2011

GENDER BATTLE: The Cry to War FOR, not against, the Other!

THE BATTLE OF THE QUESTION

"Where have all the men gone?"

I hear this question a lot;  and, I'll admit, I've asked it myself a few times.  Okay, more than a few times! But, another question I think we should be asking is, "Where has femininity gone?"  Not, "Where have all the women gone?" because, oh, are there ever "women" abounding.  You cannot go anywhere without women displaying themselves in front of your eyes:  magazine covers, billboards, television commercials, and even while walking along the street you'll see a-whole-lotta women - too much in fact.  Not that there are too many women, but what I mean is you see too much OF them, their body and their skin and brazen attitude overshadows the fact that beneath it all there is a heart and mind.  Which is why I ask, "Where has femininity gone?"  Answering the cry for femininity links to answering the question of "Where have all the men gone?"  So, this blog is for men and women - for, we are both responsible to God and to each other to be accountable for our own gender-roles, and to be supportive of our counter-part's role.

SEXY vs. FEMININE - BEING A TRUE LADY

First, to the ladies:  ladies, if we want a man, we must be more than just a "woman," we must be feminine!  It's obvious we're women, but it seems in our world today that we must prove this by being sexy and gathering attention through our bodies.  And, we're taught to perfect the art of flirtation and subduction.  The more attention we get, the more drooling guys we have following after us, the more "woman" we are.  Often, we inadvertently gain this perspective because the women we see on the magazines tell us to be like HER - the suggestive look, the cleavage wearing/mid-drift showing, independent woman who is free and confident, right?  She can get any man she wants, right?  I'm here to say, no.  No, that's not what being a woman is all about; no that's not what it means to be confident and free; and no, that won't get the man you really want.  If we want a man, a true warrior, then we must not display our woman-hood with our bodies and seduction, but through femininity.  This word has become archaic in our society, and I want to excavate it and begin bringing it back to life.  So, let me explain what being feminine involves; first, let's look at Genesis.  Genesis speaks of woman as being a "helper" to man; and she was also the final crescendo in the creation process.  This means, we were formed to support men, to help them in becoming all they can be, not to try and control them and conquer them with our "charms."  We also are to display and bring the final touch of beauty to all of creation, hence our society (isn't that what Eve did).  Not beauty as the world defines it, which encourages lust, but a beauty that inspires valor and integrity from those around us.  How can we expect respect from men when we aren't carrying ourselves with respect?  If we can't set boundaries and coverings with our own bodies, can we really expect that they cover us and protect boundaries?  No, the beauty we were created to shed in this world is God's beauty.  These are the characteristics of beauty God displays that are to shine from within us, and be cast to the world around us:  His gentleness, displayed in the the soft colors of the evening; His sacrifice and heart of giving, which is shown in nature by the ways female wildlife will give their lives for their young; His compassion, shown by Jesus Himself when He ministered to children, prostitutes, and broken people; His sweetness, reflective in countless ways from honey, to the scent of flowers, to the presence of His Spirit we declare sweet, to the juice of a pineapple, to the taste of mountain stream water, to...well, you get the point, God is beautiful in His sweetness!  Gentleness, sacrifice, giving, compassion, and sweetness are all things that define a feminine heart and capture God's beauty within us.  Yes, we still need to take care of ourselves, after all, we are God's "temple" and so we must respect our bodies.  With self-care and the characteristics of beauty paired together, we display true femininity;  a femininity that INSPIRES man to be all HE was created to be.  Before I move on, I have one final thing to say, you may be reading this, my fellow lady, and cringing.  You may be thinking - smock wearing, push-over, mild little church-mouse is what being "feminine" means.  Heck no!  Being gentle, sacrificial, giving, compassionate, and sweet does not mean you become quiet, diminutive, and fashion-less.  I am a far cry from that - I wear bright colors and high heels, state my opinion when needed, and am passionate about life.  It takes great strength and assertiveness to be truly feminine because often you must stand alone, have a heart that is willing to expand and hurt for others, and have confidence and boldness to declare/defend what's right and true!  Churchmouse?!?  No.  Lion-ness?  YES!  Fierce sacrifice and giving paired with gentle care for the vulnerable mark a female lion, thus mark your feminine heart - so erase the thought that feminine means doormat, and instead realize again that God created femininity as a necessity to help bring completion to creation's beauty and inspire justice in this world.

TO MEN:  WHAT FEMININITY CRIES FOR 

Alright!  For the men still reading, if you skipped over the above address to females, I think it's important that you read it.  Understanding that there are some ladies who desire to go against the tide of selfish-womanhood may encourage you to continue striving to be the man your heart longs to be.  Now, I know I'm just a girl and I don't know what it means to be a man, but I do know a few things.  I know that the way the world displays women, and the way women display themselves, has done a disservice to you.  For this, I am sorry.  We've created an environment where it's HARD to be a real man.  Not only do we make it difficult for you to live in purity, but often your efforts have been devalued when you try and rise up; the times you've tried to open the door, let a lady go first in line, offered to help, extended a genuine compliment and you're efforts have been denied have all built up to scream out, "Don't try," and "that's not what women really want."  All of those magazines, movies, etc suggest that women want something different; they say, "I am woman, I want to be conquered."  They also say, "I don't need you," "I am an object for you to stare at and drool over," and "I like to flirt and play, with no real commitment, because I'm free-woman."  But, that is a lie, for true femininity asks that you support and protect her.  True femininity pleads that you stand up and be a MAN and a WARRIOR.  With all these mixed messages, I can understand why men wonder, "What on earth do women want?" and women ask, "Where have all the men gone."  Because we're both not supporting eachother.  Before I speak from my hear to you, men, I think we need to revisit all that a woman is not supposed to be or made to be, in order to see what a real lady is and what she wants...

FEMININITY'S CRY TO THE WARRIORS

I am not...

a piece of meat,

a challenge to defeat;

another pin-up on your wall

or girl on call.

I am not...

just a pretty face,

one more body covered in frill and lace;

a girl in the crowd

you can heckle out loud.

I am not...

an image to be oogled

or a prospect to be googled;

nor a simple ego-booster

admiring as you strut around like a rooster.

Finally, I am not... 

a materialist easily bought,

an object quickly caught,

a body with no brain 

who plays some game for my own gain.

But, I AM...

an intelligent conversation

who has a heart for this nation;

a listening ear 

with empathy's tear.

I AM...

a lady,

formed by the loving God who made-me;

a bearer of grace

with the goal to show Jesus' radiant face.

I AM...

a work of art

to be admired with respect to start;

a combination of body, mind and heart,

made to be sweet by the Spirit, not bitter-tart.

I AM...

wanting to bring true beauty to this earth,

striving to inspire new life to birth,

asking men to stand for me when I face defenselessness,

pleading they see me as a princess,

begging men to believe all that I am not

and see all that I AM is to be protected and sought.

I AM every woman who stand for femininity in this world,

crying for men to let their warrior-heart be unfurled. 

                                                              © Krinda Joy, July 30,2011

If you are a man, and you are reading this, this is what real femininity pleas for, and cries out for in tears on her pillow at night.  Deep down, you know God created you as an overseer of creation, like Adam, and to stand for justice, love, and right in this world.  He gave you woman as a gift, and gifts are to be cherished.  She was a gift to complete your life and to help you to achieve your mission on this earth.  So, let her in!  Let her be a part of your heart, let her help teach you to learn to love more gently, and let her inspire you to be the warrior of your childhood longings.  Stop hiding in the safety of isolation, and let her touch the place within that asks for feminine encouragement, approval, and nurturing.  I know it takes vulnerability, and it's easier to keep a woman out of your heart, but when you shut-out and shut-down and get "rough," it's like telling her she has nothing to offer and no beauty she can impart (think of those times I talked about earlier when you tried to be chivalrous and it was shoved in your face - same  concept).  Don't tell her to "be tough," or discourage her from loving you; for if you protect a woman's femininity, she will respect and encourage your masculinity.  Now, I understand, women have abused so many men who have opened up to them.  Once again, I'm sorry, but please don't shut down from being a man.  Please hear the request of the feminine heart that asks that you see her as a princess, to listen to her, and to be the one who will believe in her and fight for her.  Be willing to go to battle for injustices in this world, and to be a little wild in the risks you're willing to take - like Jesus, who overturned the temple tables, went into the wilderness for 40 days to pray for His purpose in this world, defied religion, and walked on the water in the MIDST of the storm!  Yet, Christ listened to the cry of the bleeding woman, defended the adulterer, and honored the former prostitute, all who came to Him for His covering.  He protected them in their defenselessness and vulnerability.  He was a man of intense fight AND an open heart; that's what true femininity looks for and is calling for in men.

TURNING THE QUESTION ON YOURSELF

Now, in closing, I have to address that single men and women must approach with a bit more caution.  For example, a single women has to be careful with how she lets her "nurturing" heart out around men, and a single man cannot "fully open" to a woman.  However, we can support and encourage each other to be truly feminine and truly masculine.  Women can honor men by how they present themselves, and men can protect women by defending her and looking at her as a beautiful creation of God.  We must stop bickering about each-other, and instead:  (1. Seek to represent our gender as God created us to be, and (2. Choose to see and support the other gender as God created them to be.  

Turn the question of the apparent lack of manhood/womanhood on yourself: ask instead, "Am I being all that I AM supposed to be?"