Happily Ever After

Hi, I'm Charlyn and I blog at charlynsheart.blogspot.com. This is what I have discovered about happily ever afters...

I just love a fairy tale…sweet romance and happily ever afters. What girl doesn't dream of meeting her very own Prince Charming? It's the reason we girls love a chick flick!  A charming fella and a beautiful girl who are looking for love. They go through the whole movie falling for one another and overcoming their struggles. There is usually a betrayal of some sort but, at the very end, love conquers and you leave the movie feeling happy and wishing that were your very own fairy tale story.

I want to put a spin on one of my favorite love stories of all time - the classic fairytale of Cinderella. I think we all have something in common with her. She was given a life she did not ask for. I’m sure that being a maid for her stepmother and stepsisters was not on her bucket list of life goals.  The family she was left with were just downright cruel. They belittled her, took advantage of her, and made her feel used and unloved. Isn't that how we all feel sometimes? I'm sure these feelings caused her to have low self-esteem as well as a long list of other insecurities. She was hopeless because she would never be anything more than a servant. Until one day, when an invitation to the Princes’ Ball arrived for all the eligible women of the household. Of course, her stepmother and stepsisters excluded her; she was just Cinderella, a no one.  

While they demanded Cinderella's help in finding them something to wear, Cinderella probably heard the little voices in her head telling her she isn't good enough to attend this Ball, and even if she did go, there's no way the Prince would choose her. Let's be real, she cleans toilets for goodness sake! Thankfully, the little mice and birds knew more than she did, so they convinced her to go to the ball. They helped her make a dress and, of course, she looked like a princess. For once in her life Cinderella felt and believed she was beautiful. All of Cinderella's dreams came true when the Prince found her to be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Dancing all night, Cinderella doesn’t even realize that it is almost midnight, and with each tick of the clock, her dream slowly begins to fade. She panics when the clock strikes twelve and tells the Prince that she has to leave, though he begs her to stay. She runs away leaving behind her glass slipper, but when she looks back and sees it on the stairs, she's too afraid to return. She knows her time is short.  So, she runs from the room and leaves the slipper there for the Prince to find, and with the twelfth strike of the clock, her life of servitude returns.

One day, there’s a knock at the door.  The Prince had ordered his men to find the woman whose foot fit the glass slipper. The stepmother cannot stand the possibility that it might fit Cinderella, so she locks her in the attic. Once again, the mice intervene and save Cinderella. She escapes down the stairs just as the glass slipper falls to the floor and shatters. Everyone is distraught because now the beautiful girl who won the heart of the Prince will never be found. It was then when Cinderella pulled the matching slipper out of her pocket and put it on to show that it fit perfectly. In the end, Cinderella marries her Prince and they live happily ever after.

Just as the Prince chose Cinderella, God has chosen us. We too, have a glass slipper which is our destiny, our calling. And it will only fit us. As long as you dance with your God, no one can take your destiny from you.  Just as the wicked stepmother tried to prevent Cinderella from going to the Ball, so too will Satan try to prevent you from experiencing God’s blessings. Satan knows that once you meet your Savior, you will have your glass slipper. Satan will do whatever he can to keep you locked in the attic so that you never get to try on your glass slipper. Thank God, the Holy Spirit intervenes on our behalf and unlocks the door that holds us captive.  Do not believe that your life cannot be fulfilling, that life without hopes and dreams are all there is and that this is all you will ever be.  That's the enemy working against you! There is so much more to this life than the stress of our mundane routine. Unfortunately, we still give into the lies and live a life of unnecessary defeat. You are God’s princess! You were made for so much more. You will live happily ever after with your God. Don't leave your glass slipper behind because you're afraid of what will happen when you follow the path God has laid out for you…live it with confidence. 

God desires to be you’re happily-ever-after...will you dance with the One who thinks you are the most beautiful thing He has ever seen?  I pray so.

- Charlyn 

Digging a Little Deeper

Everyone knows the story of the Princess and the Frog: a princess takes a stroll into the woods and decides to enjoy a spring of water. She has a golden ball in her hand that she tosses repeatedly. She drops the ball, and it rolls to the bottom of the spring. She begins to cry, and a frog greets her. “Why do you weep?” He asks. She explains that she just wants her ball back, and that a nasty frog like him could do nothing to help her. The frog then gives her an ultimatum – if she loves him, gives him a home and a bed, then he will give her ball back to her. She agrees and he retrieves the ball. The princess does not keep her promise. The frog visits the princess’ house later on and explains his curse. Just like that, the two are in love and off to the prince’s kingdom to live happily ever after. (Keep in mind that she is never asked to kiss him, and never actually does in the fairytale.)

I think many of us would prefer Disney’s modern spin on “The Princess and the Frog”. Tiana is far from a traditional princess. Tiana is a waitress saving up every last penny to build her dream – her own restaurant. Instead of a magical land, she lives in the Creole-speaking bayou of New Orleans. She is also African-American, making her a revolutionary princess. She adds a new element to the list of princesses – she is special and unique. Interestingly enough, Tiana literally translates to the word “princess”. It’s so interesting how just the simple meaning of her name reveals her near future.

Tiana is a representation of achieving dreams through a transformation of the heart. This transformation can be described in two words: selfishness and selflessness. In the beginning of the story Tiana is independent and completely dream-driven. When given the opportunity to go to a dance that Prince Naveen will be attending, she is hesitant because she feels like she should work in order to gain more money (out of selfishness for her dream). Dr. Facilier, the movies’ antagonist and representation of evil, has put a curse on Naveen, turning him into a frog. We all know what happens next: Naveen (now a frog) asks Tiana to kiss him, then she even turns into a frog! The journey she makes with Naveen is what leads to her transformation. She becomes concerned with the well-being of others before her own, and even defeats evil to defend those she has just met and to lift the grips of evil.

Every girl can take something away from Tiana’s story. We are born living selfish lives and longing for selfish dreams. When we have a dream, we will do anything to achieve it. In the beginning of the film Dr. Facilier offers to make all of Tiana’s wildest dreams come true. Along the road of dreams temptation lingers. But as Tiana works through her transformation, she has a change of heart and desire. Her heart has become concerned for others, and her desire is to destroy any temptation in her and Naveen’s path. 

This is what happens when we come to Christ for the first time as His princess – our hearts and desires change. Instead of seeing only our dreams, we are able to rub the mud from our eyes and see that who our transformation has brought us to is far more rewarding. We start finding significance in putting the ones we love before ourselves. We also defeat the evil standing in our way. This lesson brings to mind Luke 6:35: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” Tiana started doing things for others expecting nothing in return besides the benefit of helping others. And in the end she was rewarded with her dream restaurant and a prince as a husband! But those are not the important rewards- our true reward is a place in heaven with our Father! This is an example of what it is like for us as young ladies to come to Christ – we transform so that our desire is not our dream but instead our seat in Heaven as Christ’s daughter. 

Like Tiana, we should invite others into our lives. By doing this we go from being selfish to selfless. Then our earthly and Heavenly rewards will be far greater than we could ever dream of. Coming to Christ is what transforms us, and we desire nothing but the needs of others and gaining our home in Heaven. We should be striving for this as God’s daughters.

In the end, Tiana becomes a real princess – just as we do when we come to Christ! As Momma Odie sings in the film, you’ve gotta “dig a little deeper” into God, the Word, and prayer to find that new transformation. 

-Emily Nicole Cromis

                                          

Dreams are fairytales. Life is not.

Hi, I'm Hayley and this is my story. 


When I was little girl I daydreamed a lot.  I played dress up with my friends and we rode bikes pretending they were horses riding off in the wind. What an innocent time. The whole happily-ever-after daydream seemed to be within reach because I thought it was the reality in my own family. 
Until my freshman year of high school, my family had the fairy tale thing down pat. We lived in a nice house and we had it all together. We were also deeply engaged in the church and community. I didn’t see it coming. My parents split right before I left on a missions trip. I figured it would be okay; God won’t let anything bad happen to us. I was right he doesn’t “let” things happen. God already warned us that we would have trouble (John 16:33). I just didn’t know that it would hurt so deeply.

As the months went on, the pain grew deeper and the depression got worse. I remember reaching for my phone in one of my classes, searching for someone to text. Someone I could just ask to pray for me. I needed and wanted someone besides my mom and sisters. I needed a friend. As I searched, I noticed I had no one.   The loneliness was one of the things that hurt the most.  I had friends leave me. One friend even told me I had too many problems and she did not know how to handle it.  I found myself very angry at times, mostly at God for letting this happen. I didn’t understand why that girl in Spanish class had a complete family and still got straight As. I hated the fact that my family was no more. No more family 5.  When we were kids and a stranger wanted us to go somewhere with them, we would have to ask them the password before we would agree. The password we had all decided on was “family 5”.  But that was no more.  My shattered dreams were the hardest thing to overcome.   
When I was little, I promised myself I would live for God.  My times of trial made that a difficult promise to keep. I was determined to continue living for Him even though some days I just wanted to hide under a rock.  Almost every day I would say to God: You are going to need to meet me right here because I can’t do this.    

A year and a half after my parents' divorce, I realized that the pain and the suffering I struggled with was not the end of the story. Instead, my story was about God comforting me in the middle of that pain.  I prayed everyday for God to soften my heart and take away the anger  as I struggled with the fact that my dreams were gone. I kept asking God to give me his Grace.  But honestly, the main thing I had to do was admit that I needed Him, and then allow Him to work in my life. I learned that I could not have Him do half the work in my heart and me do the other half.  I had to let Him do it ALL. My story isn’t about me; it’s about allowing God to do what He wants to in me and through me. It’s about choosing to stand strong in Him even though I had been smacked down by the enemy more times more than you can count.   


Of course life is not a fairy tale, but God can and does give us the desires of our hearts. We, ladies, are still the Creator’s princesses even though sometimes we feel alone and we feel pain.  All princesses have times of trial, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). His grace is ever lasting and ever comforting.

A Big Lesson from The Little Mermaid

My name is Destiny, a twenty-something newlywed who's figuring out and living out life one post at a time over at my blog: Date with Destiny. I'm so honored to be a guest writer for His Ladyship's series, A Return to Fairytales! Get ready to dive in and get some inspiration from Ariel and all her adventures!

~

“Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat?
Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?
Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl-
The girl who has everything?”

These lyrics almost certainly provoke nostalgic memories of your childhood. That sweet, wild, faraway childhood where adolescent dreams brewed in a bright, innocent heart – much like 16-year-old Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. What is your dream? What defines you to be you? What makes your heart ache, soar, leap, and sink? Or have you given up on dreaming? Given up on a happily ever after? Decided to stop trying, stop daring, stop seeking, stop asking?

“Ready to know what the people know
Ask them my questions and get some answers
What’s a fire and why does it - what’s the word? Burn?
When’s it my turn?
Wouldn’t I love, love to explore that shore up above?
Out of the sea, wish I could be, part of that world.”

This wide-eyed, fiery-haired mermaid craved adventure. She sought out exploration. She defied the limitations of her surroundings, refusing to be confined to her world beneath the waters. But her whole story starts with a near impossible dream: to become a human. Her whole story starts with the words in that beloved song: “when’s it my turn?” As she sings with her gaze toward the water’s surface, as she stretches out her hand toward the light cutting through the thick abyss of the ocean, her longing and yearning is undeniably transparent. But the point is…it seems so out of reach.

Your song may echo Ariel’s. Maybe you are looking for light to break through your own darkness. Maybe you are desperate to escape the depths of an ocean, willing yourself to breathe again. Maybe you are tired of opening your hands only to continually find them empty. Maybe you neglected dreams that seemed beyond your grasp. Maybe your life is not necessarily damaged, but it’s not all you hoped it would be. Maybe you are all too familiar with that question: “when’s it my turn?”

Let’s go back before Ariel was part of your world, before she was part of anyone’s world.

Most do not know that The Little Mermaid was an idea that took decades to develop. In the 1930s, production was halted in favor of other projects. In the 80s, Disney finally pulled the fairy tale off the shelf, dusted it off, dreamt up their heroine, and created a masterpiece. Before the tale under the sea, it had been 30 years since Disney created a true animated classic, which was coincidentally another fairy tale film: Sleeping Beauty in 1959. You could say that The Little Mermaid was Disney’s own return to fairy tales. Their chance to get things right again.

But. Can you imagine The Little Mermaid without the song, “Part of Your World”? Impossible, right? After all, it’s the driving song, the crux of Ariel’s character. But during production, the ballad was nearly cut by Disney’s CEO who felt that it slowed down the pace of the film. Yes, it’s true. This song that we’ve all hummed as little girls, this song about “who’s-its and what’s-its galore,” this song that gave audiences a glimpse into the huge heart of the spunky sea princess, almost did not exist. How in the world would we understand Ariel without “Part of Your World”? How would we identify with her secret motives without peering into that secret cavern where she revealed her secret dreams and desires

Although there were bumps along the way, The Little Mermaid was finally released in 1989 to a world waiting for inspiration. This story of an adventurous Ariel, who made mere syllables of “ah” sound stunning in a sweet and piercing melody, became a worldwide smash hit – so much so that it is recognized as a turning point in the history of Disney animation, winning two Academy Awards, and marking the start of an era known as the “Disney Renaissance.” No one remembers the precarious beginnings – everyone praises the final product.

In the Bible, there’s a similar story about a young royal who hid in caves, harboring his secret dreams. Like Ariel, he used music as an avenue to express himself, to find solace despite disaster. This young man, named David, was anointed to be King of Israel, but the reigning king refused to relinquish his kingdom. So he hunted David. Chased him. Tried to kill him. The fleeing teenager, who is described to have a heart that looked like God’s heart – who killed a giant with simple stones and a single slingshot, was destined for greatness. But he was forced into exile rather than rule a nation. While in hiding, he composed much of the book of Psalms, which is famously known as a collection of songs he sang to the Lord in his desperate hours of loneliness and emptiness, where doubt crept in and fear crippled him. Instead of losing hope, he wrote again and again about the source of his hope – the Lord. He used his moments, hours, days, months, years of physically running to spiritually run to his heavenly Father. The Psalms are threaded together with the word “wait” which is found over 25 times. David recognized his waiting, but knew his turn was coming. He went on to be the greatest King in the Bible and part of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Savior to human race.

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

Take a deep breath and look at your life through the lens of these two royal highnesses who reached their highest potential: one a true story from the Bible and one a fairy tale from Disney. When you feel like screaming, “when’s it my turn?” remember that there are brilliant and beautiful things brewing. Allow the Lord to equip you and prepare you to see the masterpiece unfold. Pray for songs of hope; don’t sever your hope. Hold fast to your strengths; don’t fear your weaknesses. Don’t be ashamed of waiting, for these moments define your story. Sing the song that describes your dreams, for that melody is an essential part of your world. Don’t delete or change or tamper with what seems irrelevant, for you never know what will spark a movement, a change… an era. Seek God’s will in all you do and He will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:6). Surrender your own ideals and surround yourself with the identity that He has given you: “you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” What wonderful work will you allow God to create while you wait? What kind of heroine will you allow God to elevate through the wait?



In The Little Mermaid, Sebastian (that ever-worrying and paranoid Jamaican crab) suspiciously asks, “what is that girl up to?”…I’m asking the same thing of you: “what is that girl up to?” Decide. And Dream. Return to the fairy tale that reigned in your heart, and never let doubt, fear, or insecurity conquer your sureness or steal the throne where your confidence and capabilities should rightfully dwell. Because YOU are God's workmanship: a royal, a princess, HIS LADYSHIP.

Snow White and the Seventy-Times-Seven

Hi, y'all!  I'm Taylor and I blog over at Sufficient Grace.  Brianna and Whitney are my little sisters and I love the vision they have for this website and this community of women.  I am honored that they asked me to be a guest writer for the Return to Fairy Tales series!  I'm excited to be sharing about one of my favorite fairy tale princesses and I hope y'all enjoy getting to know her as much as I did!

Snow White’s story begins much like Cinderella’s: a beautiful girl who has been forced into servitude by a jealous stepmother but has somehow avoided becoming embittered and entitled, eventually rising above her dismal situation when somebody sees the value of who she really is. In fact, at first glance, this fairy tale isn’t much different from that of Cinderella, which is why I think this story and princess often get overlooked.

I have to be honest here. I was one of those who overlooked her! Until a little over a year ago, Snow White was probably my least favorite princess. I never much cared for the story of Snow White when I was a little girl. I didn’t find her beautiful like Cinderella, spunky like Belle, or mysterious like Jasmine; and I certainly didn’t think she had a voice like Ariel’s! I just really didn’t see what was so special about Snow White.

But in the fall of 2012, I started watching ABC's Once Upon A Time, and that's when I began to see the Snow White that Walt Disney must have seen when he decided to make this princess' story his first full-length film.  Since getting hooked on this series, Snow White has become one of my favorite princesses.

Walt Disney told a simple story in his 1937 movie (which, by the way, is the highest grossing animated film of all time when adjusted for inflation).  A princess by birth, Snow White has been stripped of nearly everything -- her mother, her father, and her rightful place in the kingdom.  Instead of enjoying the privileges of royalty, she is forced to be a scullery maid, alone and isolated, while her evil stepmother rules her father's kingdom.  Yet the girl remains unaffected and joyful.

Disney highlighted Snow White's inclination to see the good in people, her naiveté, and her hopeful spirit.  But Once Upon A Time took these integral and admirable traits and gave her strength and compassion, resilience and delicacy -- all of which added such a depth to her character.  But you know what else they gave her?

Forgiveness.

Once Upon A Time's Snow White knows how to forgive well and often.  The best (but not only) example of this princess' forgiving heart is demonstrated in the climactic scene when she is faced with a man who has been sent to murder her on the Queen's orders.  After temporarily escaping his custody, Snow White sits down to tearfully compose a farewell letter to her stepmother, ending it with "I forgive you."

Can you fathom it?  Believing it to be one of her final acts, Snow White extends forgiveness to the woman who is trying to have her killed.

Ladies, what a picture of Jesus!


He forgave the Jewish leaders who plotted to kill Him as well as the Roman soldiers who carried out His execution (Luke 23:34).

He forgave you -- and me -- for being a huge part of the reason He went to the cross.

And He has called us to walk in the same forgiveness.  In His first recorded sermon, Jesus instructed his listeners, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you" (Luke 6:27-28).  When Peter asked how many times he was supposed to forgive, Jesus answered, "Seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22).

Paul further exhorts us, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31-32).  I feel like this could have been Snow White's life verse!

So sisters, let's take a note from Snow White's book.  Let us remember that God's forgiveness has cleansed us white as snow.  Let us walk in that same forgiveness.  Let us choose to let go of our hurts and failures.  Let us rather cling to love, which keeps no record of wrongs.

Let us walk in the freedom that forgiveness brings.

-TL

"…though your sins are like scarlet, 

they shall be as white as snow…"

Isaiah 1:18

"…as the Lord has forgiven you, 

so you also must forgive…"

Colossians 3:13

Sweet Cinderella

Cinderella is undoubtedly the classic Disney Princess. Her story is the epitome of a fairy tale and contains all of the classic story-book elements: the evil step-mother and step-sisters, the delightfully cheery Fairy Godmother, the wonderfully handsome Prince Charming, and the grand, magnificent ball scene. Before Cinderella was claimed by Disney, her story only was told by word of mouth. It was passed down from generation to generation, culture to culture, for hundreds of years. She reaches past cultural boundaries and something about her triumph resonates deep within the souls of people everywhere. The myriad of retellings have been molded and fashioned in such a way that allows for a person of any race, background, or age to relate to Cinderella in some way. Can’t you imagine her story being whispered by mothers around a tiny glowing fire, little girls listening with wide eyes and eager ears? Oh, what seeds of hope Cinderella has sown in our hearts! 

For a long time, Cinderella’s story was not written down until it was composed by the Brothers Grimm and published in their folk tale collection, Grimm’s Fairy Tales. However, the story we all know and love comes from the Cinderella movie, which was released in 1950 by Disney. In the movie we meet Cinderella as a sweet young woman living under the dictatorial rule of her evil-stepmother, Lady Tremaine, as well as her dreadfully vain and selfish step-sisters, Drizella and Anastasia. The first scene opens with Cinderella waking up in the morning, singing of her hopes and dreams. She sings whimsically, 

“A dream is a wish your heart makes,

When you’re fast asleep.

In dreams you will lose your heartaches,

Whatever you wish for, you keep.

Have faith in your dreams and someday,

A rainbow will come shining through. 

No matter how your heart is grieving, 

fF you keep on believing, 

The dream that you wished will come true.”

There is much to be gleaned from the heart of Cinderella. She was a self-proclaimed dreamer. She was a woman who grasped hope tightly in her tired and delicate hands, perhaps because it was all she had to hold. Not only did she see the future as bright and filled with beauty beyond imagination, but she was also consistently kind and authentically gentle in every situation in which she found herself.

Consider the moment in the movie when Cinderella, radiant in her handmade gown, comes running down the staircase eager to leave for the ball.  She twirled around in excitement, and the eyes of her step-sisters narrowed in on her. They saw her beauty and elegance, and they would do anything to keep Cinderella from showing them up at the ball.  They ripped off her pearls, tore off her sleeves, and made her dress completely unwearable. After clawing at Cinderella like wild animals, they lifted their gowns, stuck their up noses, and walked out with pride in what they had just done. In a fleeting moment Cinderella’s dreams were shredded to pieces. Wouldn’t she have been justified to fight back? To tell her step-sisters what she really thought of them? To fire-back at them with evil glares and cutting words? Maybe so. But what’s so absolutely wonderful about Cinderella is that she never does. She truly lives out the phrase “turn the other cheek,” in the most difficult moments. 

Yes, the gentleness that Cinderella exudes is a rare treasure in today’s world. But to be gentle is also an instruction we have received from the Lord. Philippians 4:5 says,

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”

To be gentle is to be mild in temperament, to be kind and tender, to be sympathetic, to be considerate and compassionate, and to be God-fearing. It is to be all of these things even when we would be justified to seek vengeance. 

Let’s take a lesson away from Cinderella’s story that’s deeper than finding our Prince Charmings and making it to the ball. Let’s be gentle, God-fearing women. Let’s look into heated gazes with soft eyes and sweet smiles. Let’s live out Proverbs 15:2 in a harsh world:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

To become a bunch of gentle, loving, God-fearing women. Oh, imagine the sweeping change we could make!

All for His royal kingdom,

Sammie Marie

Bewitched by Belle

“Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, 

for beauty is found within. 

And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast.  Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle.  If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, 

for who could ever learn to love a beast?”

 Belle had no grounds for becoming a princess. Although she was considered to be the most fetching girl in her french little town, she was written to be purposefully peculiar; perhaps that’s what makes her all the more personable. What some people may not know about Belle is that she was inspired by the book character, Jo March, from Louisa May Alcott’s, Little Women. Like Jo, Belle also dreams of adventure and wistfully longs for an escape from her provincial life, more so than finding a suitable man. Did you know that Belle was the only princess that had aspirations beyond falling in true love? Instead, her romantic fantasies consisted of long rows of storybooks that lined shelves from floor to ceiling. She lived through the turning pages of books in the wonderful world of stories better told. So what deems this homely bookworm a princess, you ask? It was the moment she danced with a Beast.

When Belle’s bravery gets her entangled with a ferocious beast, she sacrificially chooses to be his captive in exchange for her father’s freedom. But even this noble act does not win her a crown. Her ballroom moment happened when she crossed the threshold of the dance floor, hand in paw, and saw the beauty under the beast. She not only radiated with beauty from within, but she also sought to find beauty within others - even in the face of a monster. 

What characterized her as a princess was the love within her heart. It was love that drew her to the palace, love that compelled her to stay, and love that led her back. She brought life to a palace of decay and awakened its dungeon with her heart’s willing exposure. Belle extended love to the unlovely, and so they lived happily ever after.

You see, the spell was broken when she loved the beast the way he was - a vile varmint. Isn’t that just the way Christ loves us? “Yet, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This truth begs the question: what other curses might be broken by a love much stronger than any fairytale, the loving power of Jesus Christ. 

Belle, although her name in French means “beauty,” she bewitches all of us with her gracious humility, gentle bravery, and a love so sincere that sees past the fangs and the fur. Love, in this expression, is nothing short of breath-taking. Ladies, let’s take a lesson from Belle and remember that beauty is found within.

Sincerely His,

Brianna Jenelle