God's princess

If Men Were Like Buses

2005-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

a friend forwarded this article to me the other day. although i haven't thought much about marriage except for knowing God will give me the love story that will sweep me off my feet (this is His promise to us!) this article provided me deep insights on how to wisely choose my husband-to-be in the future.

i hope it will be a big help to you as it did to me ^_^

If men were like buses, how do you catch one? A more important question is - how do you catch the RIGHT one? Simple: You take only the bus that's headed the RIGHT direction. First we must allow our Heavenly Father to do the picking. And second, the decision for a mate must be made on a spiritual and intellectual basis before it's made on an emotional one. Whenever you meet a man, you need to get clearance from God, check out his attributes, and then allow your heart to engage. Dating exists not for mating; it exists for collecting data. I believe that the biblical design would be friendship, courtship and then marriage. Friendship is two people walking together in agreement and accountability, learning and growing together. Courtship follows the mutual agreement to commit to one another exclusively - it is the decisive turning toward the agreed-upon goal of the marriage altar. It is a period of laying a foundation and preparing your life together after marriage. But dating? Well, if you do date, use the time wisely to gather facts. So when you do gather facts, let us compare the process to clothes shopping.

1. Check out the fabric. Is the person mate material? Does this man have an intimate relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ? Does he care what God thinks about his behavior? Is he accountable to God as well as another co-laborer in the faith? Accountability is an important factor. It is imperative to maintaining a committed relationship. Is your potential spouse a member of the same family -the family of God? Scripture is clear on this: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Cor 6:14). You need to have common interest and values and agree on the essentials of living day to day. You have a similar spiritual walk. You eat the same diet. You enjoy a lot of similar things. You have like interests, like goals in life, like opinions on basic life issues. You have had like experiences in your background. Though there is some truth to the idiom that opposites attract, like-minded folks fare better together. Furthermore, does he want to get married? If you want to be married and your dreamboat isn't interested, don't waste your time. Remember, women fall in love and get married. Men decide to get married and then look for a wife. Note the difference in order. So if a guy says he's not looking for anything serious, take his words seriously. If he's not going your direction, get off the bus & wait for the right one.

2. Does this man want you? Is he pursuing you? The man who is right for you will pursue you and God's hand in the relationship will be clear. No guessing, no fleeces, no dead ends. Scripture says: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord" (Prov 18:22). Note - who finds whom? THE MAN FINDS THE WIFE. From the beginning of time, God has transported men & women across the world in order to put them together. At the RIGHT TIME, He will bring that man on the scene and he will find you. In God's perfect design, the man is the one who recognizes his mate. Adam has no problem recognizing that Eve was his missing rib. You do not need to strategically place yourself anywhere. You don't have to help a guy because he's shy. Men will do whatever they have to do to get what they truly want. The man in your life should recognize you as the pearl of great price in his life and be willing to do whatever he must in order to gain your hand. If he is passive about gaining your affections, take it as a sign that he is not interested. Many a woman's mother has suggested that it is a good idea to marry a man who loves you more than you love him. As cold as that sounds, it actually might be scriptural if you stop to think about it: "We love him because he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19). Until then, take the ultimate chill pill. You don't need a bunch of men in your life to make you feel all right about yourself. You need only one man - your man, the one God has selected to select you. And trust me, the right man at the wrong time can be just as awful as the wrong man at any time. So trust God's timing in this. He is the ultimate matchmaker. Relax, sit pretty and allow yourself to be found. Again - WAIT until the man voices his intentions. He should take the lead in establishing the relationship. You may have an inkling that he is the one, but God will use the man to set the tone of the relationship. Allow him the opportunity to woo you - this is your first act of submission. Jesus set the standard for all men to follow. They should love us first. And they should lead the relationship.

3. The man in your life should not desire to move into your house, only into your heart. A man who prepares for your future has made his intentions clear. A man who is husband material has the means to take care of a wife. He is a responsible human being who understands he needs to have something to offer. In short, a man should have the means to be suitable for you.

4. Check out his buddies. Everyone knows birds of the same feather flock together, yet most women fail to see the connection between a man and his friends. A man's pals tell you a lot about the person that you haven't seen yet. They reveal things about the guy's character that might be hidden when he is on good behavior. Everyone knows how to put his best foot forward. Don't stay focused on the foot, check out the rest of the body!

5. Check out his relationship with his mother. How does he treat her? This is your preview of how he will treat you. There are lots of men who, because of a negative relationship with their mothers, really don't like women, yet say they do. Unresolved issues between mother and son continue between husband and wife.

6. Remember that a man's family reveals the cloth from which he's cut. Take note and decide whether you want your future with the man in your life to look like his present family situation.

7. Check out the patterns of his life. Do you see repeated cycles of drama in his personal kingdom? Broken relationships? Problems in making commitments? Including the job market? Mood swings? Is a problem always someone else's fault? Does he embrace responsibility or shirk it? Does he keep his promises? Is he a man of good reputation? Remember all garments look wonderful hanging in the store, but with wear, some begin to wrinkle. Give yourself time and space to check out the man in your life. Time will always reveal whether or not he is made of the right stuff.

8. Does this man have a vision for his life? Is he running with that vision? Remember, God decided Adam needed help once Adam got busy DOING his assignment. As we saw Adam, a man doesn't need help until he is busy doing what he was created and called to do. Is your guy guided by a sense of destiny and purpose, or does he just allow life to happen around him? A man who is not certain of his mission can be a most miserable person - and you'll be miserable too if you know where YOU want to go in life. A man who has vision, is not intimidated by a woman whose mission statement is clear. He will be your best ally, cheerleader and assistant because he wants you both to make it! A man who cannot be a supportive of your achievements because he is floundering in a sea of uncertainty over his own life is not a healthy partner to have and to hold forever. Creating dependencies or feelings of obligation is not the way to get the best out of your man. Somewhere along the way, he will resent you and flee from the smothering burden of obligation he associates you with. You want a man who is firmly anchored in his identity in Christ. Remember, we are looking for a man who will be priest and leader of his home. His first instinct should be to want to cover you, redeem you, and provide for you. Your job is to decide if this is the man God has ordained for you to complement.

9. Complementarities. Do your talents and gifts complement his? Do his gifts complement yours? What about your temperaments? Do you see the two of you as an effective team capable of bringing blessing to the lives of those around you? Do your futures mesh? Can you coordinate your gifts in an attractive and effective way? This is why knowing your purpose is so important. Make sure your hearts beat for mutual causes. When I go shopping always consider the fabric, the fit and what I already have in my closet. Will my next purchase be a complementary addition to what I already have? If I find that I am going to have to buy shoes and matching accessories to go with a new outfit, I leave it right on the rack. It is too expensive a proposition. If the man you meet makes you feel that you need to completely reinvent yourself, something is wrong. This is where I ask you to consider the relationship in terms of cost. Is this relationship expensive spiritually, emotional or physically? Does your longing for a mate make you willing to forfeit who you are in the process? Or does he see you as the gift that you are? The man in your life should consider you a rare find, a priceless jewel - because of you he is getting ready to get blessed big-time! Any relationship that causes you to feel unworthy, unlovely, unacceptable, undesirable or that causes you to work for love is too expensive! God has called the man to cover, protect and provide not only materially for a woman but emotionally and spiritually as well. You should be richer in mind, body and spirit for your union with the man of your dreams. The man in your life should make rich deposits into your heart and spirit, not withdrawals.

10. Does he have a healthy love & acceptance of himself? Make sure the man in your life has taken time to heal from past relationships and has made peace with himself. How he cares for himself is how he will care for you. A man's relationship with God is crucial here. His love for himself will only be as strong as his love for God. This is not something that you can impart. You cannot be his savior or teacher. That is out of spiritual order. In his rightful place as your personal priest, he should be leading you to a richer relationship with Christ. If he is causing you to compromise your faith and destabilize your walk, if he is leading you into sexual sin or causing you to be distracted from your commitment to Christ, the relationship is too expensive. Offending the Lover of your soul, who promises you eternal love, is too high a fare to pay for a ride that has a limited run. If you and your man can't soar in the Spirit, when the force of your love for another is tested by the pull or gravity of the world, your union will not be able to survive. So you decide. How much is your life worth? How much is your love worth? You will be able to accept only what you believe you deserve. God himself calculated the worth of your love and decided it was worth His life. He now pledges you His love for eternity. Yes, Jesus sets the example for all others to follow when He paid a ransom for His bride. Should you expect less from a mortal man? Throughout the biblical age, men were willing to pay the cost for the hand that they desired. The truth of the matter is, everyone knows that anything worth having, costs. And no one gets a ride in this life for free.

Your prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I confess that I have not always been as careful as I should've been with my heart. From time to time, my desire for love has caused me to leave my heart in the wrong hands. I now commit my heart into Your hands for safekeeping. Please help me to stop being so impulsive with what you deem so precious. As I learn to celebrate Your love for me, let me learn from Your example what a bridegroom should really be like. Help me to never settle for less than what you desire for me. As I embrace You as the Lover of my soul, keep my affections in the haven of Your own heart. As I rest in Your love, make me more discriminating of those who approach me. I ask that You take over this area of my life. Keep me from those You know would hurt my heart. I invite You to set a hedge around me and keep me from all who would draw me into unfruitful relationships until the day you present me to the mate that You have selected for me. Grant me the discernment to recognize him as he recognizes me. Cleanse me from the temptation to typecast the men I meet according to what I see. Help me to trust in Your knowledge and lean not on my own understanding. I know that You know what is best for me; therefore I yield to Your choice.In Jesus Name. Amen.

--author unknown

Princess in Different Names

2005-05-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

ever wonder if your name mean something? or what origin did it came from? ^_^ i was browsing online looking for the origin of my own name then suddenly thought of searching for names which mean "princess"...i found several of them. some were those which i've never heard before. i posted them below together with their origin ^_^

almira (arabic)
damita (spanish)
roderica (teutonic)
sadie (hebrew)
caliana (arabic)
diahann (french)
edlynne (anglo-saxon)
sabrina (english)

tiana (greek)

gormlaith (irish)

nkosazana (african)

armelle (french)

jahzara (african)

shaylee (celtic/gaelic)

yepa (native american)

zariel (american)

parmida (persian)

jadzia (polish)

i remembered my psychology teachers in college when i wrote this down. they used to say that if a word has different names in different cultures, this indicates its level of significance. the more translations a word has, the greater is its importance. taking this to account, it means that the word "princess" is important to all kinds of people. what a great discovery!

i'm now more glad for using the word princess to present who we are as God's daughters, because that's how important we are in His eyes. we are His princesses, and very special to Him...nothing could be further from the truth ^_^

God's Beautiful Bride

2005-05-30T02:54:00.000-07:00

THE BRAND NEW YOU
by Max Lucado

Have you ever noticed the way a groom looks at his bride during the wedding? I have. Perhaps it's my vantage point. As the minister of the wedding, I'm positioned next to the groom. By the time we reach the altar, I've been with him for some time backstage as he tugged his collar and mopped his brow. But all that changes when she appears. And the look on his face is my favorite scene in the wedding.

Most miss it. Most miss it because they are looking at her. But when other eyes are on the bride, I sneak a peek at the groom. If the light is just so and the angle just right, I can see a tiny reflection in his eyes. Her reflection. And the sight of her reminds him why he is here.

And such are precisely the feelings of Jesus. Look long enough into the eyes of our Savior and, there, too, you will see a bride. Dressed in fine linen. Clothed in pure grace. From the wreath in her hair to the clouds at her feet, she is royal; she is the princess. She is the bride. His bride.

Walking toward him, she is not yet with him. But he sees her, he awaits her, he longs for her.

“Who could bear to live without her?” you hear him whisper.

And who is that bride? Who is this beauty who occupies the heart of Jesus?

You are. You have captured the heart of God. “As a man rejoices over his new wife, so your God will rejoice over you” (Isiah. 62:5).

The challenge is to remember that. To meditate on it. To focus on it. To allow his love to change the way you look at you.

reunion with siblings ^_^

2005-04-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

this was taken during our vacation in baguio ^_^

i'm grateful to God because we had time to be together

again after a long time ^_^

we don't look alike noh? what do you think? ;o)

Landscapes of Grace

2005-03-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

The beauty of God is seen in His creation...

God loves to decorate. God has to decorate.

Let Him live long enough in a heart, and that heart will begin to change.

Portraits of hurt will be replaced by landscapes of grace.

Walls of anger will be demolished and shaky foundations restored.

God can no more leave a life unchanged than a mother can leave her child's tear untouched...

God has high aspirations for you.

He envisions a complete restoration.

He won't stop until He is finished...

He wants you to be just like Jesus.

--Max Lucado

Deeper in Love With God

2005-03-21T03:38:00.000-08:00

the song of my heart now ^_^

morning brings a smile to my face
when i worship You, i feel Your sweet embrace
as you pour your Spirit on me
You have opened my eyes to see.

i live to serve you each day
forever to eternity
making You my Lord
heavenly Father I owe
everything and so much more
You're my all.

i grow stronger in You everyday
and i hear Your gentle voice when i pray
makes my heart close to You
i know that You are true.

I live to serve You each day
forever to eternity
making You my Lord
heavenly Father i owe
everything and so much more
You're my all

Evening Thoughts

2005-03-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

i'm almost ready to go to sleep, but had the impulsion to write here my evening thoughts ^_^ it's almost midnight and in a few minutes another day will unfold. it makes me wonder, have i fulfilled God's purpose for me today? was He pleased with me?...then i smiled and realized God's grace was there for me throughout the day...i knew that as His child, i pleased Him not because i did something, but because He is already pleased with me even before i do something ^_^

such is the confidence we have as children of God. God is pleased when we put our faith in Him (without faith it is impossible to please God..Hebrews 11:6).

with this confidence, we can face tomorrow with no worries and fears. we are assured that His grace would be there already for us, to sustain us in every way.

i remember one poem called Day Lilies at Dawn. it ministered to me about trusting God for tomorrow and believing He will fulfill His will in our lives.

DAY LILIES AT DAWN

At dawn
day lilies
stretch and catch
drops of liquid
rays of light
gathering vitality
for their
day in the sun.

Straightforward in
elegant simplicity
their resplendent
golds and oranges glow
more sumptuously textured
than any of Solomon's
most finely woven
royal robes.

Do they know that
tomorrow...
they will be gone
already having fulfilled
exactly
each individual bloom's
God-ordained
destiny?

FLOWER IN THE RAIN

2005-03-08T03:02:00.000-08:00

You are the one, there's no one else
Who lifts me up and gives me water from the well.
But there's a hole that seems to drain it all away.
And once again I'm left in fear and doubt
When all my strength is crying out.

So, here I am again
Willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain.
Tell me what have I to do to die and then be raised
To reach beyond the pain like a flower in the rain

The evil wind, it blows a storm to rock my world
Just when think I'm safe and warm.
I'm led astray far too easily.
It's always hard for me to say I'm wrong
Until I know I can't go on.

So, here I am again
Willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain.
Tell me what have I to do to die and then be raised
To reach beyond the pain like a flower in the rain

Lord, you have searched me and know
When I sleep and when I rise. You're familiar with all my ways.
Even the darkness will shine like the day
When you look into my heart.

So, here I am again
Willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain.
Tell me what have I to do to die and then be raised
To reach beyond the pain like a flower in the rain
Like a flower in the rain

--jaci velasquez

This song reminds me of God's great goodness and compassion for His children. No matter how far we had ran away, when we come back to Him, He receives us with open arms...we can come in full confidence to Him who loves us.

Love Song For A Savior

2005-03-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

--Jars of Clay

i just saw the concert last night! it was an exciting moment for me! and i especially love this song...makes you fall in love with God all over again ^_^

A Picture Of Purity

2005-03-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.--Psalm 19:9-11

The Answer to Arguments

2005-02-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

this is my favorite passage from my favorite Christian author ^_^

Get along with each other,

and forgive each other. If someone does

wrong to you, forgive that person

because the Lord forgave you

Colossians 3:13

Unity doesn't begin in examining others but in examining self. Unity begins not in demanding that others change, but in admitting that we aren't so perfect ourselves.

The answer to arguments? Acceptance. The first step to unity? Acceptance. Not agreement, acceptance. Not unanimity, acceptance. Not negotiation, arbitration, or elaboration. Those might come later after the first step, acceptance.

--Max Lucado, In the Grip of Grace

God's Letter to a Woman

2005-02-26T22:55:00.000-08:00

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being.

When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils.

But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man, because your nostrils are too delicate.

I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you.

Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity.

From one bone, I fashioned you.

I chose the bone that protects man's life.

I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do.

Around this one bone, I shaped you.......I modeled you.

I created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile.

You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart.

His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life.

The ribcage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart.

Support man as the rib cage supports the body.

You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him.

You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.

You are my perfect angel.....You are my beautiful little girl.

You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart.

Your eyes...don't change them.

Your lips, how lovely when they part in prayer.Your nose, so perfect in form.

Your hands so gentle to touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep.

I've held your heart close to mine.

Of all that lives and breathes, you are most like me.

Adam walked with me in the cool of the day, yet he was lonely.

He could not See me or touch me. He could only feel me.

So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with me, I fashioned in you; my Holiness,my Strength, my Purity, my Love, my Protection and Support.You are special because you are an extension of me.

Man represents my image, woman my emotions.

Together, you represent the totality of God.

So man......treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile. In hurting her, you hurt me.What you do to her, you do to me. In crushing her, you only damage your own heart; the heart of your Father, and the heart of her Father.

Woman, support man.

In humility, show him the power of emotion I have given you.

In gentle quietness, show your strength.

In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.

Did you not know that WOMAN is special in God's eyes?

--what a great letter for the women! we are indeed beautiful in God's eyes ^_^

TRUE LOVE WAITS

2005-02-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

hehe i just attended a christian seminar today called True Love Waits. i was blessed by the sharings i learned from other participants. it's great when you know and realized in your heart how God wills the best partner for us at His own time. all He asks of us is to wait!

there's a book about what was discussed in the seminar. i hope to buy a copy soon ^_^

i left early but i was told the seminar ended with a song of promise to God. it has the perfect message on trusting God until we stopped waiting. i posted the lyrics below ^_^

THE PROMISE
by jaci velasquez

Lord, You know my heart
And all my desires
And the secret things I'll never tell
Lord, You know them well
Though I may be young
I see and understand
That at times like sheep we go astray
And things get out of hand

So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you

Until then, O Lord
I will be content
Knowing that true love
Will come someday
It will only come from You

Cause I have seen the suffering
That loneliness can cause
When we choose to give our love away
Without a righteous cause

So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you

NO YESTERDAYS

2005-02-22T00:44:00.000-08:00

the scene was so familar
the questions nothing new
i pray Lord can you forgive me?
for what i've put you through
though the sins that i've surrendered
seems too hard to forget
Jesus must have known my struggle
as He looked at me and say

"I can't remember yesterday
your sins are forgiven washed away
and all that really matters now
is living for today
as you reach towards tomorrow just remember
there are no yesterdays."

--East to West

twin bonding ^_^

2005-02-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

this is me and my twinsister ^_^ i'm so grateful to God for her presence in my life! ^_^

Love Lessons: His plan for your mate

2005-02-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

Life Line: Advice and Features Magazines
Vol. 3 No.2 March, 1997

Love Lessons: His plan for your mate

You long to give yourself completely to someone...
To have a deep soul relationship with another...
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively...

BUT GOD SAYS:

"No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone, with giving yourself totally, unreservedly to me...to having an intensely personal, unique relationship with Me alone, discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, then will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

You will never be united with another until you are united with Me...exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing...one that you cannot imagine.

I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE BEST.

Please allow me to bring it to you. Just expect the greatest things...keep listening and learning the things I tell you. Just wait. That's all..

DON'T BE ANXIOUS, DON'T WORRY.

Don't look around at the things others have gotten or that I've given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away and up to Me or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love more wonderful than you could ever dream of.

You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready (I am working even this very moment to have both of you ready at the same time)...until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life that I have prepared for you, you can't experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me and is thus the perfect love.

I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.

Knowing that I love you utterly, believe it and be satisfied".

i'm a disciple of Jesus

2004-11-08T22:57:00.000-08:00

I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast.

I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished with low living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lifted by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me - my banner will be clear.

--anonymous