Princess

In the new movie, “Country Strong”, Gwyneth Paltrow plays a country superstar who takes two newcomers with her on tour; Chiles and Beau. Chiles is a sweet, beautiful young artist/beauty queen with big dreams and a huge, hopeless heart. Beau is a rough, tough cowboy with a voice from God and an equally huge heart. In my favorite scene, Beau brings Chiles a pair of star-shaped, diamond earrings. Earlier in the movie, Chiles talked about a similar pair of earrings that made her feel like a beautiful princess when she was a child. Chiles opens the earrings in awe. Her face lights up and every girl in the viewing audience melts like chocolate on a stove.

Chiles instantly tells Beau that he can’t afford those and insists on giving them back. Beau, with his gentle smile, tells her not to worry about anything; to just put them on. And she sparkles. I was instantly reminded of…myself. How many times have I, as a woman or young girl, settled? Or refused proper treatment? How many times have I denied being a princess because I thought I was undeserving?

I was raised by an incredible family; this family has built ranches and homes and success. Both of my grandparents were hard workers, and very dedicated to being successful. In turn, they have taught me that the best way to succeed and live is to take care of myself. (Whether this was intentional or not, I’m not sure.) And so, this alpha female set out to make the world what I wanted and to experience it for myself.

While being an alpha female isn’t a terrible thing, it can sometimes distract me from my heart. God created women, and their hearts, to be beautiful and captivating. In turn, he created man to be a warrior and hero. Now, some of us have completely lost this concept but, He did, in fact, create us like two characters in an epic movie. Guys, you were created to fight battles and win wars, and as you know, winning a woman’s heart may as well be like winning a war…maybe even a bit harder. And girls, we were made to be loved and adored and pursued, just like our God loves, and adores, and pursues us. We are doing ourselves a disservice every time we settle for anything less than a great warrior.

Think about when you were a little girl. I was wearing dresses and cowgirl boots (pictures of THAT to come soon!), posing for the camera with a hip-tilt and a huge smile. I dreamed of the day a wonderful man would come in on his horse and we would ride off into the sunset. Obviously, many of your dreams don’t look or sound like mine. In fact, mine has changed quite a bit as well. But my heart has stayed the same. I still hope for the man that loves me for who I am-the girl who loves pictures; the girl who is organized and makes plans to make plans; the girl who listens to romantic-sappy lyrics at all hours of the day.

As girls, we have to keep our heads held high and wait for our Beau. We deserve nothing less than to be treated like a princess. We deserve someone who listens to our words, asks about our thoughts, prays for our safety, and cares for our heart as if it were their own. You will know this man by the way he protects and cares for his own heart. You will know this man by the way he listens to you and asks things about you. Trust me, you will know.

I know this concept seems far away, probably lost even. But I can assure you that there is a man out there who will love all the little things about you. I can assure this because with each day, that hope and dream is getting closer and closer for me. I’m reminding myself that I, too, can be a princess. My God loves me like a bride and princess, and He has created a man who will too. I am reminding myself to let a man pay for dinner, walk me to my car, and, in some ways, take care of me. I am reminding myself, and every young girl, that a man will come along and sweep you off your feet. And who knows, he might even bring you your own pair of star-shaped, diamond earrings.

With all of that said, I recommend seeing "Country Strong" in theaters! Also, check out 'Capitvating' by Jon and Stasi Eldridge, or 'Wild at Heart' by Jon Eldridge