Slipper Syndrome: Is it all Cinderella's fault?

If you've known me for a while you know that I have a huge fascination with Cinderella. In fact, I AM Cinderella...well, that's what the quizzes always told me. Whether you think you're Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, or any other Disney Princess, we all share the desire to be fought for and won over. We all desire that "So This is Love" moment where the world stops and our prince has finally asked us to dance.

So many people deem the whole fairytale story in two different extreme ways: either they are totally in love with the idea and actually believe it can happen OR they think it's ridiculous and don't hope for that at all. Both logic's are incorrect. Yes, there is an in between and there is hope.

When most of us think of Cinderella we think of the happy ending where they ride off and the birds sing and everything is okay. Why do we focus just on the ending and then wonder why we're so impatient with God's timing for bringing Mr. or Mrs. Right? We focus on the end and choose not to think about the process that took to get there (Tomorrow we will talk about the "getting there" process in more depth). Cinderella had to go through the death of her father, becoming a servant to her evil stepsisters and stepmother, and being completely humiliated when she finally thought she was presentable enough to be seen by the public.

Remember your awkward years? Mine were...well, awkward to say the least. Thank goodness those years don't last forever. But I'm finally at a place where I can laugh at those days and realize the need to be at such a vulnerable place in my life. Even though girls are all so often blamed for their vulnerability and that being an excuse for allowing a guy to hurt them, we are FAR from healthy vulnerability.

"We have been wounded into believing awful things about ourselves....to be alive means that we are and have been wounded." - Your Captivating Heart (Eldredge)

Want to know what we as women of God were created to be? Princesses. Utter and complete royalty. Strong, yet gentle warriors. There is nothing on earth comparable to a woman of God.

Cinderella went through the pain daily. She scrubbed those floors and sang her heart out despite the pain. Her beauty did not come from her fairygodmother but from the inner beauty that was within her and that had been created in her through the pain she went through.

"Your beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit."- 1 Peter 3:4

Did you read that? Your beauty should be that of your inner self. Cinderella's strength was in her quiet gentle weaknesses. Contrary to popular belief, weakness is not...weak. Your "inner self" includes your doubts, your pain, those destructive thoughts you 've had, you're eating disorder, your sexual impurities....ALL of you, not just what you consider to be beautiful. No matter what "ugly" things you've been through, God still calls you beautiful. God still chooses you out of all the rest to dance with.

Before Cinderella ever went to the ball, she focused on the work that was given to her. So many times we all, yes I'm included in this, we all catch the Cinderella Syndrome and think "Should I wear that shirt today? I mean what if I meet 'The One' on this youth retreat? Or what if he's in the band playing and he looks down at me in the crowd and *bam* love?". Do you honestly think ANY guy of Godly character and right intentions is going to let a girl chase him? Nope. And if he does then consider that a BIG red flag, because after all guys were created to be the one's who like the great challenge of capturing a woman's affection. (Not to say that women shouldn't help a brother out every once in a while and not make it so difficult for him to grab their attention. Us Christian women are the worst about overlooking a good guy. You're welcome, boys.)

What am I saying here? I'm saying to STOP searching for 'the one'. Just stop. Obviously if God hasn't brought him into your life yet then God has something else you should be doing while you are still single. No, you won't be single forever. I mean, unless you've been called to remain celibate (And all the power to you!). Anyways, stop focusing on the wedding day and start focusing on TODAY. Be a woman or man of God and completely abandon yourself to Him and what He has for you in this season. And when that season is over and it's Wedding Season (Hooray! Yesss! Finally!) God will make it clear to you.

Wouldn't you rather have the awesome story to tell of how you had all these Godly adventures before you met your spouse? Wouldn't you want to be walking completely in God's will for your life so when that person comes along you KNOW it is the person you are suppose to marry? You know it not because you have a "gut feeling" (psh) but because you've been so connected in God's will that He sends you a text and say "Dear ____, That's her. Love, God."?

Being Cinderella is possible. You can have your own Cinderella story. But remember, Cinderella went through pain, frustration, feeling unworthy, and lots of waiting before Wedding...Marriage Season came along. Be like Cinderella and do the work that is in front of you and don't worry about when He or She is going to come along. Every step you take in God's will is like leaving behind you're very own glass slipper, the person created to find your glass slipper will find it only when he is also in God's will.

"He (or she) is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you." -Col. 4:12-13

Abandon yourself to what He has for you in this season. And when Wedding Season finally comes along and God sends you a little text message of confirmation, I promise you it will be worth it.


So worth the wait.

P.S Send me a wedding invitation when the time comes. I love weddings.