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I’ve been rejected. Have you?

May14

Let’s talk about rejection. How many times have you experienced really liking a guy, or even loving one, and he rejects you? You cried, maybe even begged, but still he wouldn’t budge. I have experienced this way too many times. I mean really, once is more than enough, but on my quest for love, after one rejection I just continued running forward, heartbreak after heartbreak.

Dozens of crushed hopes later, at the age of 18, I finally decided I had enough. Instead of crying over a boy, I cried out to a Man— thee Man. 

I knew about Jesus; the son of God who died on the cross for the sins of the world. But, I did not know Jesus. One thing I did, however, that I could cry out to Him. And that’s what I did.

“Natasha, did He answer you?”

So overjoyed that you would ask. Of course He did.

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
3 May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
5 We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

9 Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.” -Psalm 20

 

 

Do you know that when I was twelve I asked Jesus to forgive my sins, and come into my heart? But after He did, I ignored Him and chased after every boy I found attractive—and it wouldn’t be until more than six years later that I finally look to Him for my need to be loved. Talk about feeling rejected. 

No one on this planet has been rejected more than Jesus has. We’re talking billions of people rejecting His plan for their life. [Maybe dying for that plan wasn't enough].

Next time you are, or feel rejected, think about Jesus hanging on a rugged wooden cross with bleeding gaping holes in his hands and feet, ribbons of flash hanging off his back, a crown of thorns piercing his head, and the people He’s dying for standing before Him mocking and spitting at Him while He’s begging His Father to forgive them. 

 

Check out this prophecy written by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years before Jesus hung on the cross:

“Who has believed our message?

    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”-Isaiah 53

 

Trust me princess, Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected, hated, abused, and made fun of. When He walked this earth He was well acquainted with grief and suffering. But He conquered all the pain in this world when He rose up from the grave and defeated death. This incredible Son of God stands with arms open wide desiring you. I pray you stop rejecting Him and instead, run to Him.

Ladies, please know your worth.

with love,

Natasha

 

I caused some brothers to stumble.

May6

Not too long ago I wrote a post about modesty. The other day I was at the building where my Church gathers, and on two occasions  I noticed different brothers looking at me.

As I drove away from the building, I began to pray, and in my time of prayer, God revealed something to me: I had been practicing vanity. Although I wasn’t showing skin, or cleavage  my tight shirt and jeans did show off my curves, and my extra makeup (mascara, lip-color, and some eye shadow), had made me more attractive, and hence, I was causing my brothers to stumble.

The Apostle Paul (the man whose letters make up more than half of the New Testament), says in one of his letters to the Church in Rome:

 ”It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”-Romans 14:21

And then to the Church in Corinth:

“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”-1 Corinthians 8:13

And how much more so should we sisters be mindful of what we wear in order to look out for our brothers? See, in my vanity (my desire to look good), I had caused brothers to stumble. Had I simply settled for presentable, with no extra makeup and clothes that did not hug my hips and outline my curves, they probably would have been alright. But really, you ladies know that the skin-tight jeans you wear show off your butt, and what man needs to see that? The only man who can and should is your husband. If you ain’t married, you shouldn’t be flaunting and making both single and married men stumble.

If you’re saying right now, “Oh please, brothers just need to control themselves and not lust. It’s not my fault they’re lusting,” you are not obeying Christ’s command to walk in love. Love does not provoke nor is it self-seeking, but as Paul says, you look out for the interests of others, not just yourself.

Christ is our example. While on this earth, He was all about others, number One being His Father (now for us who believe, our Father), then sinners, and lastly, Himself. We are to have the same mindset: God the Father first, others second, and ourselves last. Jesus said:

“If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”-Mark 9:35

May we stop sinning against God by serving ourselves, and start walking according to His commands. This is possible by confession and repentance. We get honest with the Lord, and then stop wearing things that cause our brothers to trip up. We pray for God to break our vanity and/or insecurity, and to help us be 100% satisfied all the time by His love and acceptance of us just the way we are.

Ladies, know that your worth doesn’t come by how good you look on the outside, and how appealing you are to men. It comes from the fact that Jesus thought you were worthy enough to die for. May you come to grasp the fullness of His love for you, and be filled by it everyday.

With love,

Natasha

God’s will regarding your sex life

Apr26

“For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated (separated and set apart for pure and holy living): that you should abstain and shrink from all sexual vice,”

We’re gonna chew on this first. God’s will: Be separated from the ideology of the world, i.e. how they do relationships, their views and opinions etc. and rather, be open and willing to be made pure so that you can live a holy life in God’s sight. Paul specifically points out sexual sin in this verse. Why? Just as our current culture is obsessed with/worships sex, the culture in Thessalonica also worshiped sex. So this book speaks volumes in our day and age. Let’s continue.

4 That each one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his own body in consecration (purity, separated from things profane) and honor,

God expects us to know how to control ourselves and our lusts, whereas the world will tell you you’re just animals so give in to the urges and have as much sex as you want. Now I don’t disagree with having as much sex as you want, but when you’re married! Not when you’re single and spreading STI’s. Purity in God’s sight is controlling your hormones and waiting until marriage. And a tip to help you stay pure is to separate yourself from the profane, i.e. promiscuous friends, sexual films and music, inappropriate jobs and places etc.

5 Not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will,

Basically what I stated previously: not to splurge on your urges and have sex before marriage, because it is not God’s will for you.

6 That no man transgress and overreach his brother and defraud him in this matter or defraud his brother in business. For the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we have already warned you solemnly and told you plainly.

We’re not to convince our Christian boyfriend or girlfriend that it’s okay to have sex before marriage. God will avenge.

7 For God has not called us to impurity but to consecration [to dedicate ourselves to the most thorough purity].

Give yourself whole-heartily to God’s will. Do what you must to establish and maintain purity.

8 Therefore whoever disregards (sets aside and rejects this) disregards not man but God, Whose [very] Spirit [Whom] He gives to you is holy (chaste, pure).

I think this Scripture’s pretty straight forward.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 is only one of many passages on sexual purity. God takes this very seriously. He wants to protect you. Please heed His warnings, and as always,

Know Your Worth

Natasha

Allow God to be Your Husband before you begin looking for one.

Apr7

Ladies, before you start looking for a man (which you should never do by the way–that’s the Lord’s job), you need to become the LORD’s wife. You need to come to such a place of intimacy and closeness with Jesus, that it doesn’t even MATTER if He brings you an earthly husband or not. Otherwise, you will NEVER be joyful.

I will take you to be My wife forever.
I will take you to be My wife in righteousness,
justice, love, and compassion.
 I will take you to be My wife in faithfulness,
and you will know Yahweh. -Hosea 2:19-20

God can and wants to be so fulfilling to you that you need NO ONE ELSE. What happens when you are not completely satisfied in Him, is this delusion that if you had a husband, you’d be complete. You begin to fantasize and hope and hunt for a man and in many cases, since you’re not ready for the man God’s preparing you for, you’ll end up settling for a guy who is NOT the man of God appointed for you, and you make a huge mess out of your life AND his life, and God is watching you like, “Why didn’t you just obey my simple command: seek Me diligently.”

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” -Hosea 4:6

I promise you, jumping into a relationship when you have yet to become fulfilled in Christ, WILL destroy you. And you may or very possibly may NOT ever come back after that destruction (I know of people who the outcome has gone both ways). Sexual immorality is a VERY powerful demonic stronghold that opens the doors for a flood of different demons to pour in and cause suicidal thoughts, lying, manipulation, perversion–the list goes on. Do not allow your “deceitful and wicked hearts” to control you. You must surrender YOUR WILL to God, and allow Him to give you new desires–HIS desires–so that you won’t be destroyed by foolishness and sin, but will walk strong and empowered, led by His Holy Spirit, into the eternal resting place He is preparing for you.

And realize, if you are not a faithful and committed wife to Your Husband Christ first, what makes you think you will be faithful and committed to an earthly husband?

Pray. Ask the LORD to really take all of your heart, to be not just your Savior, but Lord of every area of your life. Seek Him diligently. Read His Word, pray fervently, allow Him to be your husband.

Know your worth,

Natasha

Daughter of the King, Stop Conforming!

Mar21

“Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” -Romans 12:2

In other words …

You don’t have to dress provocatively and get lustful attention from men.

You don’t have to move in with a guy and have sex with him before marriage.

You don’t have to get married just to divorce and then remarry again and continue the viscous cycle.

There’s a best way to go about life and relationships: God’s way.

Instead of dressing provocatively and drawing in men that just want to have sex with you. Dress modestly and draw in guys that think you’re pretty and would like to get to know you better for you.

“Women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and good sense; not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God.” -1 Timothy 2:9-10

 

Don’t believe the hype: being overtly sexy isn’t liberating, it’s enslaving. You will always be enslaved to pleasing a man’s lustful appetite and competing with every other girl who puts herself on display. And if your main tool in drawing in men is your looks, as time works with gravity, and your beauty starts to fade, you’re gonna encounter some serious issues.

Instead of moving in with your boyfriend and giving him your body, wait for the man God brings you; who will respect and honor you and God by waiting for you until marriage.

Don’t believe the lie that men in our day and age just don’t wait till marriage anymore, because I know plenty of men who have–one of them being my husband.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. -1 Corinthians 6:18-20

 

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. -1 Corinthians 7:1-4

 

Notice it doesn’t say, “For the girlfriend does not have authority over her own body, but the boyfriend does.” The HUSBAND has authority over your body. Get it together ladies!

If you’re having marital problems you don’t have to divorce like this world advises you to do.

The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” -Malachi 2:14-16

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 Forthe husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. -Ephesians 5:22-32

 

Notice a trend? It’s a command to love one another, not an option.

I know of couples who were already divorced–some thirteen years!–and God brought them back together! Check out this amazing testimony.

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/the-scruggs/

 

So enough conforming! Not only are we breaking God’s heart when we justify sinning, but we place ourselves in an unsafe place spiritually.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. -Hebrews 10:26-31

 

Know your worth,

Natasha

Ladies, Stop Makin’ Brothers Stumble!

Mar17

I’ll be sitting in church behind a girl who’s upper back and shoulders are out; no straps, just bare backs. Now I’m a girl, however, I know that bare backs can be alluring to men. I can just discern the men around me, forcing their eyes on the pastor, likely trying to not imagine this sister’s naked backside.

Call me over-the-top, but men are such creative visualizers. You give ‘em a little tease, and their minds are painting you nude!

Now, this is serious. Why? Because of your willingness to be a, “little sexy,” (aka to compromise God’s standard of modesty), you are causing a brother to stumble before the LORD.

May I remind you dear princess, that our Heavenly Father is holy, and His inspired Word says:

 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

We cannot think our God overlooks sin. He doesn’t. His desire is that we confess and forsake it by turning to Him and resolving to do what is right in His sight. But many in our modern-day Westernized Church are like babes being fed milk–God is love, He is loving, He loves unconditionally–and they’re not being fed meat–Just as God is love, He is also just, He hates sin, and avenges wrongdoers unless they repent.

Just ’cause we’re believers doesn’t mean we can get away with compromise.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.  Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.  How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?  For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. -Hebrews 10:26-31

Jesus even went as far as commanding us to deny ourselves because He knows we’re prone to doing evil, thus to hurt Him, ourselves, and others!

Now, God is gracious and long-suffering; He knows we’re mere dust, but after warning us, when we don’t heed His voice but harden our hearts, He says:

because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

He will render to each one according to his works:  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.  There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. -Romans 2:5-13

So Christian, do not take your walk with God lightly. Yes, we serve a loving God, but just as much as He is loving, He is holy, and we must strive for holiness if we wish to stand before Him for all eternity.

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ -Matthew 7:22-24

New Video Coming Tomorrow!

Mar14

Hey prince and princesses! I know it’s been a while, but we have a renewed sense of commitment and obligation to you all regarding the videos we post. We are going to pray and see how consistent the Lord wants us to be, and if He so wills, we will try and post a new video at least bi-weekly. The next one’s going to be up tomorrow on YouTube (http://YouTube.com/NatashaSapienza). We’re going to be getting serious. Tomorrow we’re featuring a powerful testimony of redemption from someone who objectified themselves and allowed others to as well. 

So brace yourselves, for tomorrow, the videos return. 

Sex before marriage. I gotta word or two.

Feb19

TrianaRosePhotography.com

Premarital sex Fornication.

The purpose of marriage is to exemplify Christ’s love relationship with His church, His people. The Bible refers to Christ as the “Bridegroom” and the church as “His bride.” This relationship is to be a representation of Christ’s faithfulness to us, His commitment to us and likewise ours to Him, His unconditional love and sacrifice for us, and our obedience and submission to His guidance.

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  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 [q]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;  for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body.  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” -Ephesians 5:22-32

When you have sex outside of the holy covenant of marriage, you are being number one, unfaithful to God. You are disobeying His command because you are indulging in a body that has not yet been given to you by Him.

“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 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.” -1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Only when you have committed your life to a person through marriage does God share their body with you.

“The husband must fulfill his [sexual] duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.  The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” -1 Corinthians 7:3-4

Notice it does not say, “The boyfriend must fulfill his sexual duty to his girlfriend and likewise the girlfriend to her boyfriend.” Only when husband and wife are you to submit your body to the other person.

There is no real accountable commitment in a relationship outside of marriage.  You can move in with a guy and if things go sour, he can kick you out (I know several girls who have had this happen to them). You can cheat on your boyfriend or girlfriend, but in most cases you don’t have a family with this person so there’s not that extra pressure of hurting your entire family if you get caught.  In a marriage it’s a lot harder to up and leave. You gotta go through courts, judges, lawyers, money. You have to end things with the person you committed your life to in front of loved ones and God Himself.

When you’re fornicating you’re not displaying unconditional love. Your love is clearly conditional: you have to have sex with this person. If your love wasn’t conditional, prove it by refraining from using this person for your sexual desires until after you’ve walked them down the aisle.

When having sex with this person before marriage there is no sacrifice. You are getting everything you want from this person: full access. There is no sacrifice on your part, no holding back. Sacrifice by pledging your life and signing it away to this person till death do you part, being held socially accountable by loved ones and God, and legally accountable by the government. That holds so much more weight and is such a bigger sacrifice because you literally have to pay to get out of it.

Christ laid His very life down. He gave everything for His bride. If you have not committed your life to another person through God’s covenant of marriage, yet are touching them sexually, you are not representing Him well, and are hurting Him, yourself, the other person, the other person’s future spouse, and your future spouse. You are acting unfaithfully and selfishly. Yes, these are powerful words, but I say them to you in love.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” -Proverbs 27:6

So if you’re having sex outside of marriage, repent. Turn away from that. Confess to God and truly surrender your will and desires to Him. You won’t be chained now by His “rules” but rather, you will be free to walk as the prince or princess He created you to be. You’ll be free from guilt and shame, free from addiction, free to walk in self control and purity and right standing with God, and that dear friends, is more enjoyable and pleasurable than any orgasm you’ll ever have. And when the timing is right, and God blesses you with a spouse, your sex life will be all the more blessed by Him because you obeyed Him beforehand. He blesses obedience, but disobedience reaps many consequences–some you’ll have to live with your whole life. Do yourself, others, and God a favor by choosing to follow Him, by His strength and with His might.

“For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” -Philippians 2:13

“I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.” -Colossians 1:29

If you’ve given your life to Jesus and asked Him to come into your heart, He has given you His Holy Spirit. His Spirit abides in you, and gives you the power to live out His commands (so you have no excuse). Depend and rely upon Him, not yourself, and you will be able to wait until marriage.

Much love to you, and please know your worth.

Natasha

I submitted to my husband’s will today.

Feb15
TrianaRosePhotography.com

TrianaRosePhotography.com

God in His amazing faithfulness revealed to me yet again just how true He is to His Word.

Me and Sir Jonathan are in a financial rut. Today was the dead-line to pay for this writer’s conference I got a partial scholarship to attend. It was $425.00. My husband was a bit sad because he had some important things he wanted to pay for/off, so I didn’t press. Instead, I prayed. He had just dropped me off at work. I spent time in prayer to the Lord and asked Him to reveal to me what to do in this situation. My heart was willing for whatever the Lord wanted, even if that meant sacrificing going to the conference and working instead to help with bills and what not. (Yes, my man is the main provider, praise the Lord. I provide for basically the electric bill, groceries, and my own gas). So the Lord did speak to me. He, in the still small voice first mentioned in the book of 1 Kings chapter 19, said:

Heed the voice of your husband. Whatever he says, do.

Some of you feminists (lol, I love you ladies), might be sayin’ “Wait, hold up! God would never say such a sexist thing!” But I’d like to first say this command is not sexist, and yes, He did say this to me.

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”-Ephesians 5:22-24

Although it may be hard to believe, God gives us this command in His Word because He desires to see our marriage work! He knows that two heads equals dysfunction. Put two kings on a throne and watch what happens. It isn’t sexist, it’s merely God’s order. This is not to say that women do not lead, because they do (Titus 2:3-5), but simply that men and women have distinct roles. The role of the husband is to be the “head” of the household as Christ is the “Head” of the Church. Yet Christ also submits to the Father, so He desires for us women to submit to our husbands because marriage is supposed to be a picture of His love relationship with the Church, His people, His “bride.” If you resist the “neck” role (one who supports the head), then ultimately, you’re not resisting your husband, you’re resisting God. And trust me wives, this will put a major hindrance on your relationship with God and thus a strain on your marriage. But, when you submit, you see how much more beautifully your marriage functions, and how God blesses obedience to His commanded roles. See, right after God told me to heed the voice of my husband and do whatever he says, I texted Jonathan:

“My love, you are my leader. Whatever you decide, I will follow.”

Later on I get a call from sir Jonathan saying he’s downstairs and has a Bible for me (he knows I like to read at work, but didn’t have one in my car). So when I go and get it, I ask him:

“Did you get my text?”

He smiles. “Yes.”

“Have you decided what you wanted us to do?”

His smile widens. “I believe God has opened a door for you with this conference, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. I also believe God is trying to teach me not to try to be in control of everything.”

See, God blesses obedience. I wonder how things would have turned out if I had argued with him and fought to get my way. I’m sure this story wouldn’t have ended so beautifully. And you realize: husband’s have the harder job. They need to lead us–many times stubborn–women, protect and provide for us, and even give up their life for us if need be. My husband is leading, he is setting the example of sacrificial love in our marriage, something I struggled with a lot in year one and still do from time to time. He’s helped so much and worked so hard so that I can pursue what God’s calling me to do, and he is doing this with patience and love. Jonathan trusts God, and he believes in me.

So, my encouragement to wives, ALWAYS SUBMIT! The only things you shouldn’t submit to are things that cause you to sin against God (in that, your husband’s on his own). But everything else, just give in. This takes time; in our first year I wasn’t such an easy submitter. But God has done amazing things in our hearts during this second year and I’m telling you, it is possible to become submissive, and the fruit of it is really pleasant! I enjoy submitting when I see the results. You will too.

Know Your Worth.

With love,

Natasha