Wanted

We live in a world of want ads.

Some of them are printed on pages,

many more are unspoken:

Wanted:

A woman who is a perfect friend, mom, wife, coworker, housekeeper, cook, driver, thinker, encourager, and more. Messy, real, in-progress people need not apply.

And so we strive.

But God has a very different idea in mind.

Wanted:

A woman who is imperfect, in need of grace, gloriously gifted, flawed and beautiful who dares to believe she's loved through it all by a God who has an amazing purpose for her life. No need to apply. You're already known. You've already been chosen. The Lord looks at the heart. I SAMUEL 16:7

You've got what it takes.

Because you've got a God who takes you as you are.

 

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Comments

[Jennifer]

Holley,

You speak right to my heart. Thank you.

Jennifer

[Charlene Armstrong]

Hi,Holley: I always enjoy words that encourage me. My husband has cancer & has been taking chemo since May. So far treatment is working. In August we have a petscan & hopefully surgery in Sept. So, I pray the Lord will heal him. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the Lord in my life. I don't let him see me get upset so I pray & cry alot by myself.
My favorite scripture has always been "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". So, that is how I was so drawn to your encouragement.
Thank you!!
God Bless You!! Charlene

[Melissa Runcie]

Yes, please! This has been such a theme for me this year...doing more of the unseen to be seen by Him alone...

[Becky]

Dear Holley,

I was hoping to find a post by you this morning. And, yes, there it was. Thank you.

Now I just have to try to believe it. I've been having a difficult time staying encouraged lately. Wondering why I'm here. Tired of getting excited about the future, thinking God is working and has plans and a purpose for me, only to be disappointed when nothing happens. I get so discouraged and begin to believe that things will never get better and I'll always feel this way.

So, like I said, now I just have to believe it. A part of me is warning myself not to get my hopes up that God has an amazing purpose for my life because I've gotten my hopes up before only to be disappointed later. But part of me still wants to believe it. I'm just glad God takes me as I am -- discouraged and impatient. I think I need to get off the computer and pray.

Thank you for your words of encouragement this morning, Holley.

Love and blessings,

[Betty Cook]

Good morning! Thanks for helping me to start my day off in a positive way. What you described in UNCONDITIONAL love, that we all need to practice. Thanks for your encouragement day after day. Are you sure we don't live next door to each other, as you always seem to know what I need to hear. Now, I must go and put it into practice.
Praying and Believing,

[Fatima]

Hi Holley,
I'm so excited to let you that God is working out all things together for our good....Rom 8:28.
Remeber alst week i sent you an e-mail concerning our situation, i want you to know that God is at work in our lives and our prayers are being answered.
1. He has provided funds for my husband to go for his hip replacement surgery in Israel!
2. He has provided a job opening for my husband.
Praise God for His mercies and goodness.
Please continue to pray that as i join my husband to go for the surgery the Lord Jehovah Rapha will perfect my husbsnd's healing in Jesus name.
3. That God will see me through with my studies as i juggle both family and studies.
Thank you Holley for allowing God to use you to touch millions of hurting and discouraged hearts like mine.
God bless you.
Fatima.

[pam]

Holley
im so glad i dont have to apply to be loved and accepted. i would fail the application. im nt perfect, have many flaws, and lots to learn. but i do have the LOVE OF GOD, which is accepted, just where i am. thank you for your tender words of encouragement.
jeremiah 29 11-13, one of my favorite verses, for I know the plans for you, declares the lord.

[Charissa Steyn]

Holley... Thank you for your little messages of encouragement from God's heart. So anointed!

[Petra]

Hi Holley. Your messages are so encouraging and so timely. I am far from perfect, and am so thankful that we have such a loving heavenly Father who accepts us just as we are. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God bless you, Holley

[Lynne]

Holley ~ Thank you for your timely messages of encouragement...they bless my heart!

Lynne

[Holley Gerth]

Hey Lovelies! Thanks for much for your kind words. Praying we can all take God's love to heart today (I struggle with that too). Charlene, praying for your hubby. Becky, hang in there, girl! Fatima, thank you for the update! XOXO

[tamara]

Beautiful post Holley! I love God's want ad version! I am going to post this on my fridge! I have been feeling too much of a "need not apply" due to my messy in-progress status these days. Thankful He has a different plan in mind! I too pray we can all take His love to heart today! Amen!

[Joanne Sher]

I LOVE this. SOOOO much.

Holley - you always always ALWAYS bless me. So glad I found your blog. Soo glad.

[Ruth]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for those words this morning. Have been recently wounded again by harsh words from an ex-husband who was looking for the perfect wife and found out he'd married imperfect me. And even though the we've been divorced for a year, he still has power to wound me. Thank you for your encouragement!

[Jan]

Good morning Holley and sisters who've posted comments ahead of mine (and those of you who will post comments after mine) :-)
I lift each of our prayers and comments to the Lord. May they all be a sweet incense of praise and honor because we are all seeking Him in love, in faith, in trust, in obedience.
Great posting Holley -- it truly is SOOOO wonderful to KNOW that God loves me just the way I am because "I am complete in Christ, accepted in the Beloved". THE best thing about our daily walk with the Lord Jesus is that HE is everything we need!! HE supplies His manna blessing and provision every moment of every day ~~ wherever we have need for strength, wisdom, peace, courage, faith, grace, etc., HE is The Perfect Provider and Friend!! The intimate love of Jesus is so amazing ~~ HE fills every need!!
I want to say a special prayer for Becky, who spoke of "not wanting to get her hope's up for fear of disappointment" ~~ my heart goes out to her, as I have been fearful soooo many times to "get specific" with God about certain things, for fear that He will say "No" to something I hope for. I had a recent situation where God really "cornered me", as if He was saying to me "What is it SPECIFICALLY that you want ~~ don't be afraid to ask Me ~~ I will give you grace to be willing to receive and accept My answer. And know this ~~ I DO CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THE LONGINGS OF YOUR HEART!" I have felt ashamed so many times, that I have doubts about His perfect love for me, and that He DOES INDEED know and hear the longings of my heart, after all, HE is the one that makes our hearts the way they are for specific and individual reasons. I pray Becky will feel encouraged and unafraid as she talks to God each day, and that God will give her joyful anticipation for the good He has planned for her life and how it will "fit her heart" perfectly.
God bless you all. Jan

[Marion]

thank you.....

[HONEY]

Holley,
Where do I begin...this posting is so on target for me once again. Like you have a window into my soul and you see the inner most pain that comes as an ebb and flow.
In dealing with some financial issues here at home while my husband is in Iraq working, and announcing to him that our plans for our goals were going to be met and I was going to put into motion the necessary paperwork to complete what we needed to finish....paying our home off.....he from a distance not only typed a screaming message to me, but then disconnected after he saw that I was not allowing him to disrespect me from afar. He then immediately disconnected from the internet and now is in silence, this is my punishment for being a good wife, mother, friend, confident, partner, housewife, maintenance worker, yard keeper, bill payer, debt solver, and all round gopher.....i ask myself....where do I go from here.
We have been struggling for years in our marriage and with infidelity and by grace, I have forgiven and tried to move forward, but control is his choice of love. I am feeling so not qualified and yet so very qualified....I just want to be loved unconditionally and thanked for a job well done in his absence and noticed for things done that he would not do to keep our home up or to manage money or to climb out of the pit of debt. He has worked off and on and I have set my vision on a debt free life and I am knocking at the door to achieve my goal for our future. He keeps pulling me away from opening the door, why, I am not sure.....but I am praying for divine intervention and confirmation that I move forward to make life what we planned, even though he was screaming....YOU WILL NOT PAY THE HOUSE OFF TILL I RETURN. END OF DISCUSSION. Please lift me up today...I am in a dark place and wondering, if this is all worth it. I know God has a plan....I have been waiting for God to take that heart of stone and replace it with a fleshy one....I am worthy, I am imperfect, I am in need of grace, gloriously gifted, flawed and beautiful....I know He has a purpose for my life. I know that I am known, and that the Lord has chosen me, and that He knows my heart....Please Lord speak to me today, take this feeling of despair away and give me the confidence to move past his anger and be a whole person full of joy and peace again. I need all you wonderful women of faith to pray for me today....Thank you, in the name of Jesus.

[Sadie]

Wow, Holley, did I need this today! Thanking God for His amazing love and you for sharing it! xoxo

[Linda]

Two years ago my husband and I were employed and had all the things every middle class family had. Today, we have no full time jobs and we're down to one car that needs repair. I had to cancel an interview with a headhunter because I couldn't get there without my car. Reading your post brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of what an awesome God we serve. He loves me and values me for me. Nothing else, just me. I bring nothing to the table. I'm completely dependent on Him. Thanks for directing my eyes off of this world and on to our great God. I feel like He just gave me a big fat I love you hug!

[Sylvia]

This is so on target for what I need for today in order to reach a 15 year old girl who is looking for love in all the wrong places .

[Dana]

Thank you. Perfect timing. Perfect God.

[Joan]

Dear Holley:

You make me smile on my saddest day. Thank you.

Joan

[Pauline Skinner]

Holly, thank you for the daily encouragement. It means so much to me. Your encouraging words are like healing balm to my spirit.

[Elenita Phillips]

I love this very much, it's like speaking to me.
Thanks.

[Gardenia]

Hello to everyone, and what a beautiful blog Holley. As I read it I smiled inside of me. Every time you surprise me. While all blogs are significantly beautiful, meaningful and inspirational this one defines and talks to most of us women.
Isn't it sad though, how many of us under-appreciate ourselves? We put value into materialistic and people things, rather than ourselves. Disregarding how really special, valuable, and worthy we are simply because, God has created us. He loves us, unconditionally. For this same reason, let us be thankful to God, and acknowledge what he see's in us. Trying to please others and for them to see our true essence, is probably harder than the financial times many of us are facing. The truth is, we have to see things different, and love ourselves. One cannot change people's way of being. People change by choice. Love is natural and cannot be any better coming from God. It's simply ideal and perfect!