Confessions of a Runway Bride...

There I was listening to my ipod when Eddie Carey's "If I Start to Cry" came on. Now, despite how depressing that song actually is I love it. Why? Because of the line "If I start to cry I may not stop. Love runs dry, I run off." Being the hopeless romantic that I am I thought "Oh how romantic. She becomes a run away bride and he has to go get her." I love those movie scenes where the guy is running to the airport to try to stop her plane. And I know that that's how I'd be if my love ran dry. But then I got thinking. It works for movies, but this is not a good philosophy to live by. Because you can't outrun your problems for forever.

Long Beach was my escape. I couldn't wait to get out and leave my old life behind. It wasn't that I hated my old life- in fact I quite enjoyed it- I just needed to get away. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. That's why we take vacations. But I realized I was using Long Beach to deal with my problems instead of facing them. When I left Bakersfield, I felt like I was leaving the past behind. I got over the things and the people that had hurt me not because I forgave them, but simply because I separated myself from them. I never looked back in the rearview mirror because I believed that just leaving them behind would make them disappear. But it didn't.

I also became disillusioned. It seemed that everything bad had been in Bakersfield. It was almost as if I were untouchable in Long Beach. Sure there was the average every day school stresses, but nothing major. Not in my Long Beach no way! But then when my grandma died the problems came over the grapevine. Long Beach wasn't a safe place anymore.
God is that safe place we can run to, but He won't just let us hide either. Instead He gives us the courage to face our problems head on. Because through Him we can do all things. Remember that verse? And I realized it's time for me to stop being a runaway bride.

But even Paul one of the most courageous men in all of history struggled with courage. "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20.

But no matter what situation he was in, whether it be prison or paradise, Paul knew one thing. That he wasn't alone. Everything was going to work out just fine because God has his back. Even if it wasn't the way Paul wanted, it was going to be okay. Because God's glory would still shine through. Psalm 118:6 "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

So my fellow runaway brides, stop trying to run in heels. Go back to your bridegroom. He will help you. Face your problems head on. Because you won't be facing them alone. John 10:28 "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." I know in context Jesus is talking about salvation. But still I picture a battlefield when I read this. And we are getting our butts kicked. Satan has thrown everything he can at us and then asks "Do you still wish to fight? You're alone Rachel. You and I both know that you'll never win. You have no army. You don't even know who you are anymore." And then Christ stands up, pounds Satan's face, dusts me off, and says, "She's MINE. And you will never take her from my hand. I will never leave her nor forsake her."

"And if our God is for us, than who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, that what could stand against?"

So suck it Satan!