Betrothed

I gladly accepted the day You proposed. 

I’m wearing Your ring so that everyone knows

I belong to Another, my soul is betrothed

To the Man of my dreams, the King of all kings. 

Your kisses are sweet and yet quietly sudden. 

I love all Your kisses, can’t get enough of them!

How long till Your royal procession is summoned?

O, to lay eyes on You may be too much to bear. 

Your Bride is awakened, donned in her gown,

Breathlessly awaiting a whisper, a sound. 

The Day is upon her to lift off the ground.

What joy could be greater than marriage to Christ?

The ultimate wish of all women’s hearts

Is to marry a prince and not once be apart,

To be cherished and loved for the person we are. 

The One I will marry is matchless by far!

-- Charity Lacroix

"For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin." (2Co 11:2 NASB)

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2Co 1:21-22 NIV)

"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal 3:29 NIV)

"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (Joh 14:2-3 NIV)

""Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." (Rev 19:7-8 NASB)

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." (Eph 5:25-27 NASB)

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1Co 6:19-20 NASB)

Attribution notice: Wherever noted, Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Wherever noted, other quotations taken from the NASB, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission.

Photo credit: Image by Charity Lacroix is taken from my children's blog, A Brush with Life,

Author's note:  The poems in this blog were written by my children, ages twelve through nineteen . The Why This Blog post explains how the Lord inspired these poems in answer to a prayer during illness.  I also recommend visiting my children's blog, A Brush with Life, where you will also find beautiful art they have drawn for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Jesus?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International . He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Fragrance of Holiness

Holiness—

Sweetness in its purest form

And God its very essence

As we effuse 

The fragrance of His presence. 

The smell of holiness

So delightful, desirable,

Right and wonderful! 

His hallowed Name

Is oil upon the lips. 

What aroma from His kiss!

Breathe deeply

Of His holiness. 

Aromatic spices—

The blend of liquid myrrh 

And aloes fill the senses.

Cinnamon and cassia

How utterly delightful

Is the fragrance 

Of the holiness

Of God!

So sweet,

I’m swept away,

So let me take it in

The moment You pass by.

I’m overcome,

Could die

Beneath the power

Of exhilarating love and fire!

Your perfume

I’m helpless to resist.

-- Charity Lacroix

"Cinnamon emits a fragrance that is representative of an odor of holiness to the Lord. It was used in the sacred anointing oil of the priests and the tabernacle.” – taken from Song of Songs: Divine Romance, The Passion Translation by Dr. Brian Simmons.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. "Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. Do not pour it on anyone else's body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.'" (Exo 30:22-33)

“You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.” (Psa 45:7-8)

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you! Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. How right they are to adore you!” (Son 1:2-4)

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2Co 2:14-15)

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'” (Act 2:28)

“… love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.” (Son 8:6)

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission.

Author's note: The poems in this blog were written by my children, ages fourteen through twenty-one. The Why This Blog post explains how the Lord inspired these poems in answer to a prayer during illness. I also recommend visiting my children's blog, A Brush with Life, where you will also find beautiful art they have drawn for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Jesus? 
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe. Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_____________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.