Captivating....

I met with a young lady this morning who is just starting college and feels like she is a "loser."  In my mind, she is kind, sweet, lovely and very adorable!  However, because of the community college where she is attending, the type of student is mostly working adults who go to school for one or more classes and then go off to work!  So, the social aspect of "college life" is lost at this campus.   Also, most of her friends went off to a 4 year college, out of state or out of the city.  So, Miss Meghan is feeling a little lost.  Her best friend is 2 hours away and they do talk each week, but the closeness that she and her friend used to have on a daily basis is gone.  This young lady does so many things:  she goes to college full-time, works at a wonderful daycare for infants that she loves, and teaches kindergartners at her church every Wednesday and Sunday. Some would say she has a full life!

So, what is missing for her???
A sense of belonging, a feeling of closeness, feeling like she fits in, being plugged in and feeling worthy of her new stage in life.  What if she realized that she was "captivating?"  What is that you may ask.  Well, the dictionary definition is:  To fascinate by special charm or beauty.  To be enchanting.  Hmmmm....has any of you read the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge?  It is a wonderful book for young women!  The authors explore the idea of unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul....sounds pretty fascinating, doesn't it?



Here is the recap that Amazon has on their website:

Every woman was once a little girl. And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the beauty of the story. Those desires are far more than child's play. They are the secret to the feminine heart.

And yet―how many women do you know who ever find that life? As the years pass by, the heart of a woman gets pushed aside, wounded, buried. She finds no romance except in novels, no adventure except on television, and she doubts very much that she will ever be the Beauty in any tale.

Most women think they have to settle for a life of efficiency and duty, chores, and errands, striving to be the women they "ought" to be but often feeling they have failed. Sadly, too many messages for Christian women add to the pressure. "Do these ten things, and you will be a godly woman." The effect has not been good on the feminine soul.

But her heart is still there. Sometimes when she watches a movie, sometimes in the wee hours of the night, her heart begins to speak again. A thirst rises within her to find the life she was meant to live―the life she dreamed of as a little girl.

The message of Captivating is this: Your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel as a woman are telling you of the life God created you to live. He offers to come now as the Hero of your story, to rescue your heart and release you to live as a fully alive and feminine woman. A woman who is truly captivating.

I would recommend it for anyone who has a young lady or daughter in their lives!!!  And, giving it to Meghan to read at her leisure made me think about some questions to ask her next time we visit together:
What if  felt that she was fascinating?  If she knew that she had beauty and charm that was sent from Heaven above? That she was enchanting just the way she is?  I know this doesn't really cover the feeling Meghan described as being a "loser," but it made me think of how many young women who don't realize God has a great plan for their lives.  I hope you will share this book with someone this week!  Or, perhaps, read it yourself!