Hi there! Ever have those days when every emotion seems to be just under the surface? Those days when laughing can embarrassingly turn to crying without any warning? My daughter just came in from work and was talking about this very thing. Little did she know that all day I’ve been like an emotional time bomb. Thoughts of precious women I have met and millions I have not have been swirling around in my head before I sit down to type this week’s blog. A thousand little things join together to form this particular post and I am unprepared to merely type in this state. I am highly relational and yearn to make eye contact with you, see the tears well up, and watch the head nods as I push down the lump in my throat and we talk through this subject. As I admitted in my first blog on For All the King’s Daughters, I do not (I repeat), I do NOT have God figured out! There are more things that perplex me most days than things I understand but here we are and I cannot shake the feeling that this is a needed conversation in relation to the subject of “whole” living and “whole” loving.

The theme of this blog and the driving factor behind it is the idea of “All the King’s Daughters” and the phrase came to me in early 2015 as I studied through Psalm 45. This psalm is a beautiful description of the heroic royal groom and the exquisitely adorned princess bride coming to the wedding ceremony. The detailed account of the event offers up some amazing imagery that leads us to our topic today. Psalm 45:13-14 tells us that the princess’ robes are multi-colored and yet each has a gold thread interwoven in them. Earlier in the Psalm, we catch a glimpse of the former princess now queen, by way of marriage, being dressed in only gold. Not just any gold, but the “gold of Ophir” which was the purest of its day and world-renowned for being the premium symbol of wealth.

Bear with me for just a minute and let’s talk this out. The bride in the Bible most often refers to God’s people, the Church. This is the universal church made up of all true believers. This Church is not confined to any one denomination or ethnicity or language or people or even one generation. No, this is the Bride of Christ and it is glorious (Psalm 45:13). This psalm gives a glimpse of the princess before the ceremony and she is dressed in “multi-colored” robes, yet each with a golden thread running through.

During our time in Asia, we attended and served in an International Bible church and week after week, we gathered with believers from all over the globe to worship Jesus. The more women I met from that fellowship, the more this image became clear to me. Our good Father has daughters all over this globe! Although we have different skin, eye shape, food preferences, languages, worship styles, fashion tastes and hair color…we are all His daughters if we have been rescued by the blood of Jesus. We may wear “multi-colored robes” but He has placed His pure gold thread in us and He declares us beautiful.

Let me push this point a little further, even within our own cultures, there are those women who have been rescued by Jesus, but they may not look on the outside like the image that modern-day Pharisees would prefer (Note: a Pharisee was a very religious person in Jesus’ day but was more concerned with the outward pretense of things and people than the truth of someone’s heart). Confession: I spent many years being this kind of church girl and made terrible judgment calls about so many people while turning a complete blind eye to my own sinfulness. By the Lord’s grace, He has taught me that type of critical attitude is full of pride, hurtful to His people and wickedly contrary to the nature of Jesus.

Many precious women within our own culture and certainly in the global body of Christ, wear robes of shame, brokenness, and oppression. Their robes have been stained by abuse of all kinds and these dear ones need to hear that if they have been redeemed and experienced the forgiveness of Jesus, there is a gorgeous gold thread running through their robe as well. There is no place for shame within the King’s Daughters! Those of us who have been spared these dreadful wounds, should walk with, love on and cheer for our sisters who fight each day to believe that they are worthy of the steadfast, lavish love of Jesus simply because He says they are!

Psalm 45:9 brings me to utter tears:

“daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;

at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir”

My sweet friend, you need to know that the King of the Universe calls you a “lady of honor” and when you stand next to Jesus, He only sees the gold in you! He sees you “whole”! I am praying right now that this causes you to lift your chin, put your shoulders back and take that next step toward the Throne of God. I am praying that the Father brings other women in your life to walk with you, pour truth into you, and encourage you to press on with Jesus. Pick up your crown! No matter how dull, dented or worn it is, it may even be stapled or taped together made from construction paper but, put it on your beautiful head and walk. Place one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward until you see the One who loves you most looking at you with all the affection you could ever dream of, and hear His voice declare that you are His Beloved.

Do not back down and never give up for His love is powerful and His grace is your covering. He smiles when He thinks of you and He is not embarrassed by the scars you bear, for He has scars too. He was abused and tortured. He was beaten and mistreated. He bore a crown of thorns and thereby He is most sympathetic to your hurts. Every tear you’ve cried and every prayer you’ve prayed has been noticed. For He sees, He cares and He hears and He is near to the brokenhearted. No matter what the voices in your head may say, you are beautiful, you are loved and you are the King’s daughter through Jesus.

The pictures and Feral Crowns have been provided by Tiffany Wilkinson. All of the proceeds from the crowns are going to the End It Movement and the story behind them is on her Instagram. Please check it out!