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Intro to Girl You'll be a Woman Soon - 1st in a series by Kim Shelton "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you...You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride." -Song of Songs 4:7-9 When I say that out loud I have this picture in my mind of catching my Heavenly Father’s eye and I struggle to find a breath. Instantly doubt whispers in my ear... "You? You have stolen nothing but the crumbs that have fallen from the Lord’s table." I live in constant fear that I must cling to even the slightest blessing I have received, as if it was meant for someone else. As if the Holy Sprit got the wrong address. I wait for the knock at the door to retrieve it and place it in the hands of its rightful owner. This is not where our love story began and it certainly isn’t where it is today but there was a time in the desert where I was led by my Lord and He spoken tenderly to me while I was there. (Hosea) It is a dream of little girls to be rescued and found lovely by their prince charming: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the list goes on. For most of my life I thought that prince would be my husband...as it turns out that Prince is my Father, my Savior, my Comforter and my God. My Heavenly Abba...Daddy. Many of us have heard that the Bible is a love letter from God telling us how much He loves us. While that is is true and beautiful, it is a lot like when your Mother tells you that you are pretty... she has to say that. I was truly humbled when I learned that it was also a love letter about how much He longed to be loved by me. ME?! The most high God longs for my love! Our love story began when I was about 4 or 5. I was drinking coffee with my mother. That particular morning we happened to be getting our church on TV and at the foot of her bed. The Pastor spoke of God’s love for me, of healing and salvation. That all I had to do was ask Him into my heart and give my life to Him. I was in awe. Who was this "Father" that wanted me so much? I knew of no such earthly father that existed and yet I believed anyway. So I did just that, I asked Him into my heart. And He has never left. It was also at about the age of 5 when my earthly father left, for what would be the first of many times. He came in and our of our lives and I quickly learned that he was not to be relied upon. I remember when I was about 7 he came back for the last time. I watched him lay on the floor, the light of the TV in my parent’s darkened bedroom reflecting on his face. I looked up at my mother and asked, "Do you think he will stay?" She didn’t know. He didn’t stay. This was the last time he left. I glued a picture of myself to a piece of paper, stamped my name underneath it and handed it to him in our front foyer. "This is so you don’t forget who I am," I said. I didn’t cry. I didn’t cause a scene. I didn’t chase after his car. I think I knew, even then, that it was not meant to be for him and me. With God, however, it was meant to be and He did not ever forget who I was no matter how hard I tried to make Him. Through all of it...my hard heart, rebellion, drugs, drinking, sex, and scandal, I tried to push God away but still He sat in the midst of my broken heart waiting for me to return again. But when I did try to return, it was only to be led astray by a "bible study" that was heretical and the dominating false teachings of my eldest sister. I was confused and hurt, to say the least. And yet I was still sealed to Him. Written on His heart and He on mine. To no other did I belong. This is the story I must tell. This is the story of how a young girl became a broken woman and by the touch of her Lover’s hand was made whole and beautiful again.