a real life fairy tale
This is something I wrote a couple of years ago, but lately there is a theme that has been recurring in my life and this story again seemed to fit it. I'll have another post about this theme, but I just wanted to post this for now.
Once upon a time there was a ordinary young woman. She wasn't really anything remarkable. In fact, she wasn't really anything to look at, she didn't have any amazing talents, and she lived on the streets. Her clothes were filthy, and her feeling of hunger was constant, not just a hunger for food, but for love and a better life. In short, she was filthy, and she often wondered if anyone really cared or would look past all of her filth to see the person beneath it.
One day, her hunger was so great, that she gave in and stole some food. As she ate it, it practically stuck in her throat as her conscience pricked her for stealing, but she ate it anyway, and gradually she became accustomed to stealing to eat.
She lived a life of fear, always afraid of being caught, afraid of finding a safe place to lay her head at night, afraid of the dark, cruel streets. One night her worst fear came true, and she was attacked by a man who beat her and used her and left her lying in the gutter in her filth and blood. She lay there too cold and too hurt to move, and she began to cry.
At that moment, a prince was passing by, and heard the soft crying, and saw the young woman laying in the gutter. He was so moved by her state, that he gently picked her up out of the gutter and carried her back to his palace, crying himself over her wounds.
At the palace, he ordered his servants to attend the young woman, and she was bathed and as her filth was washed away, there emerged a beautiful young woman. She was clothed in the finest silks and satins and fed until her stomach could hold no more. She was given the finest room and her every want was attended.
The prince came to her everyday and spoke with her, gradually learning her story and earning her trust. As he began to know her, he was assured of the love he had first felt for the poor creature in the gutter. Everyday, he showed her his love, and yet she harbored doubts and withheld from him the one thing he desired above all else, her heart.
He couldn't really love me, she thought, I am a poor gutter rat, and he is a prince. One day she overheard the servants whispering about her, and how he had brought her to the palace, and she was convinced in her heart that she was not good enough for Him. He was so perfect, and she was a used and worthless woman, about as far as one could get from a princess.
So she resolved to run away from the good prince. She would go far away so he couldn't find her, and eventually he would find someone who was worthy of his love. She made her plan, and as night fell, she slipped out of the palace, uttered a sigh and a look of longing, and began to run. As she ran, her heart grew heavy and her tears poured down her face, but she was doing the right thing, she resolved. He deserved better than her.
As she ran, blinded by her tears, she ran headlong into something, someone. She looked up through her tears to see Him.
"Where are you going, my Love?" he asked her kindly.
"Away," she told him.
"Why?" he asked her, already knowing her answer.
"Because I don't deserve you, and you deserve a real princess, not a pretend princess."
"Ah, but don't you know, my Darling, that I chose you. I did not love you when you were clean but when you were lying in a gutter. You are my princess because I picked you. You have been washed in my tears, and clothed with my colors. I have claimed you for my own, and to me you are pure, blameless, radiant, and perfect. I see no blemish in you, no fault. It has all been washed away, and you are beautiful. I love you with every ounce of my being, and all I ask from you is your heart. Will you give it to me? Will you let me heal that too?"
This is a true story. This is my story. My Prince found me when I was filthy and battered and broken. He washed me and clothed me in His righteousness. He pours his love out on me daily, and He delights in my heart. Even when I try to run away from His amazing love, He finds me. I say, I am not worthy, and He says, I have made you worthy. I am living a real life fairy tale beyond anything I could imagine.
Once upon a time there was a ordinary young woman. She wasn't really anything remarkable. In fact, she wasn't really anything to look at, she didn't have any amazing talents, and she lived on the streets. Her clothes were filthy, and her feeling of hunger was constant, not just a hunger for food, but for love and a better life. In short, she was filthy, and she often wondered if anyone really cared or would look past all of her filth to see the person beneath it.
One day, her hunger was so great, that she gave in and stole some food. As she ate it, it practically stuck in her throat as her conscience pricked her for stealing, but she ate it anyway, and gradually she became accustomed to stealing to eat.
She lived a life of fear, always afraid of being caught, afraid of finding a safe place to lay her head at night, afraid of the dark, cruel streets. One night her worst fear came true, and she was attacked by a man who beat her and used her and left her lying in the gutter in her filth and blood. She lay there too cold and too hurt to move, and she began to cry.
At that moment, a prince was passing by, and heard the soft crying, and saw the young woman laying in the gutter. He was so moved by her state, that he gently picked her up out of the gutter and carried her back to his palace, crying himself over her wounds.
At the palace, he ordered his servants to attend the young woman, and she was bathed and as her filth was washed away, there emerged a beautiful young woman. She was clothed in the finest silks and satins and fed until her stomach could hold no more. She was given the finest room and her every want was attended.
The prince came to her everyday and spoke with her, gradually learning her story and earning her trust. As he began to know her, he was assured of the love he had first felt for the poor creature in the gutter. Everyday, he showed her his love, and yet she harbored doubts and withheld from him the one thing he desired above all else, her heart.
He couldn't really love me, she thought, I am a poor gutter rat, and he is a prince. One day she overheard the servants whispering about her, and how he had brought her to the palace, and she was convinced in her heart that she was not good enough for Him. He was so perfect, and she was a used and worthless woman, about as far as one could get from a princess.
So she resolved to run away from the good prince. She would go far away so he couldn't find her, and eventually he would find someone who was worthy of his love. She made her plan, and as night fell, she slipped out of the palace, uttered a sigh and a look of longing, and began to run. As she ran, her heart grew heavy and her tears poured down her face, but she was doing the right thing, she resolved. He deserved better than her.
As she ran, blinded by her tears, she ran headlong into something, someone. She looked up through her tears to see Him.
"Where are you going, my Love?" he asked her kindly.
"Away," she told him.
"Why?" he asked her, already knowing her answer.
"Because I don't deserve you, and you deserve a real princess, not a pretend princess."
"Ah, but don't you know, my Darling, that I chose you. I did not love you when you were clean but when you were lying in a gutter. You are my princess because I picked you. You have been washed in my tears, and clothed with my colors. I have claimed you for my own, and to me you are pure, blameless, radiant, and perfect. I see no blemish in you, no fault. It has all been washed away, and you are beautiful. I love you with every ounce of my being, and all I ask from you is your heart. Will you give it to me? Will you let me heal that too?"
This is a true story. This is my story. My Prince found me when I was filthy and battered and broken. He washed me and clothed me in His righteousness. He pours his love out on me daily, and He delights in my heart. Even when I try to run away from His amazing love, He finds me. I say, I am not worthy, and He says, I have made you worthy. I am living a real life fairy tale beyond anything I could imagine.
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