"I Belong to Jesus."
I was recently cleaning/purging my bedroom when I came across a jewelry box from my "little"days. Quite sure of the contents and the smiles that would happen on account of the memories inside, I dumped it open. Sure enough, bracelets made for much smaller wrists spelling my name and necklaces that I'd lovingly made for "Marmee" spilled out across the desk. "Jesus Loves Me" was on one such bracelet, and as I picked it up, smiling at the childish beads of multi-colored madness, my eye caught something else.
"My ring!" I gasped. The chain on which it had been transferred to as I outgrew it had been broken.. but it was the same. A heart, a cross, and another heart were engraved into the little circle that had laid on my ring finger for two years straight, until I found it had become too small.
People would gasp as I proudly pointed out to them that it was a gift to my mom. Aunts would teasingly ask, "Are you getting married?" And I, with the most innocent of smiles, wondered exactly what that strange question had to do with the treasure my mama had presented to me on a just-because-i-love-you outing.
"This ring is to remind you that you belong to Jesus, and that I love you."
"I belong to Jesus." My mind took it in, and that was my proud response. If anyone noticed it... "Oh, this is my ring that helps me to remember that I belong to Jesus." To my curious married aunts... "I belong to Jesus... oh wow, you belong to Jesus, too!" I'm almost positive that this could have become a "laughing matter" in the family at the time. But it wasn't. And while the ring still sat there, there were no more questions from anyone about anything. There was no longer anything strange about it.
"I belong to Jesus."
One day, I finally figured out what exactly people wore on their ring fingers- wedding rings. Suddenly, the whole, "are you getting married, Sierra?" question clicked. I almost took my ring off. It "suddenly" almost became too tight for me. But then my mama reminded me.
" You belong to Jesus."
I don't remember my reaction at that point. I just didn't want people to see my ring and think, "Oh, that (nine-year-old child) girl is married." It didn't cross my mind that people wouldn't think that, though. I left it on. And again forgot about it, because apparently people don't question nine-year-olds about being married as much as I thought they did at the time.
When I turned ten, my ring no longer fit me. Sadly, I removed it, and slipped it on a chain, which I wore around my neck. My ring-less finger didn't bother me. But a few years later... my parents introduced me to a promise ring.
I've been asked countless times if I've been promised, have a boyfriend, or am married, ever since I turned fourteen and slipped on the ring that encircles my finger now. I smile and simply say regarding the former, "Yes, I'm promised." They ask to know details. I respond, "I belong to Jesus." My heart belongs to Jesus. This is my promise ring, this is my emblem, this is my seal... that I was and always will be His.. because He loved me first. (1 John 4:19).
I, as much as any other girl I'm sure, have desired a best friend outside of my family to "belong" to... and I still pray for "him" (my future husband), whomever he may be, every day. My wise parents taught me so much more about purity of heart long before physical purity was even introduced to me. Oh, Dearest Friend.. we are unworthy; He is worthy. In our weakness... He is strong. And yet He loves us. Jesus is your definition. Jesus is your worth. You are more than your past, because Jesus has redeemed you. My heart breaks for those who don't know.. this is a reason why I desire to help young women see their worth and value before G-d's eyes... because they ... yes, you, belong to Jesus.
"i belong to Jesus."
"My ring!" I gasped. The chain on which it had been transferred to as I outgrew it had been broken.. but it was the same. A heart, a cross, and another heart were engraved into the little circle that had laid on my ring finger for two years straight, until I found it had become too small.
People would gasp as I proudly pointed out to them that it was a gift to my mom. Aunts would teasingly ask, "Are you getting married?" And I, with the most innocent of smiles, wondered exactly what that strange question had to do with the treasure my mama had presented to me on a just-because-i-love-you outing.
"This ring is to remind you that you belong to Jesus, and that I love you."
"I belong to Jesus." My mind took it in, and that was my proud response. If anyone noticed it... "Oh, this is my ring that helps me to remember that I belong to Jesus." To my curious married aunts... "I belong to Jesus... oh wow, you belong to Jesus, too!" I'm almost positive that this could have become a "laughing matter" in the family at the time. But it wasn't. And while the ring still sat there, there were no more questions from anyone about anything. There was no longer anything strange about it.
"I belong to Jesus."
One day, I finally figured out what exactly people wore on their ring fingers- wedding rings. Suddenly, the whole, "are you getting married, Sierra?" question clicked. I almost took my ring off. It "suddenly" almost became too tight for me. But then my mama reminded me.
" You belong to Jesus."
I don't remember my reaction at that point. I just didn't want people to see my ring and think, "Oh, that (nine-year-old child) girl is married." It didn't cross my mind that people wouldn't think that, though. I left it on. And again forgot about it, because apparently people don't question nine-year-olds about being married as much as I thought they did at the time.
When I turned ten, my ring no longer fit me. Sadly, I removed it, and slipped it on a chain, which I wore around my neck. My ring-less finger didn't bother me. But a few years later... my parents introduced me to a promise ring.
I've been asked countless times if I've been promised, have a boyfriend, or am married, ever since I turned fourteen and slipped on the ring that encircles my finger now. I smile and simply say regarding the former, "Yes, I'm promised." They ask to know details. I respond, "I belong to Jesus." My heart belongs to Jesus. This is my promise ring, this is my emblem, this is my seal... that I was and always will be His.. because He loved me first. (1 John 4:19).
I, as much as any other girl I'm sure, have desired a best friend outside of my family to "belong" to... and I still pray for "him" (my future husband), whomever he may be, every day. My wise parents taught me so much more about purity of heart long before physical purity was even introduced to me. Oh, Dearest Friend.. we are unworthy; He is worthy. In our weakness... He is strong. And yet He loves us. Jesus is your definition. Jesus is your worth. You are more than your past, because Jesus has redeemed you. My heart breaks for those who don't know.. this is a reason why I desire to help young women see their worth and value before G-d's eyes... because they ... yes, you, belong to Jesus.
"i belong to Jesus."
