An Open Letter To My Future Wife

Dear Future Love,

I'm writing this letter to tell you that I cherish you with my whole heart, even though we have never met.  I think about you more than I'm willing to admit,  and pray for you every single day.  It was almost 10 years ago when an evangelist spoke in my middle school chapel about relationships.   While many of the things he said went over my head at the time,  I began to apply all I possibly could.  I made a list of the qualities I was looking for, and began to pray over them as often as I thought of it.  Though that list has changed....drastically....since middle school, there are a few things that remain the same.

First, I admire your relationship with Jesus Christ.  The passion with which you pursue Him in every aspect of your life makes you the most incredible girl on the planet.  Thank you for seeking His face, and being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Your relationship with the Lord has enhanced my walk with Him, and our relationship has been strengthened as a result.

Thank you for not only supporting me in the ministry, but loving it yourself. Ministry was never something I had to excuse or explain, because you were already doing it even before we met.  The way you interact with  people, encourage, counsel, and motivate others is reflective of your selflessly driven heart, and for that you are my hero.

If my past has taught me anything, it is that trust is so much more than a word.  Honesty, forgiveness, and true love are all rooted in trust.  You have entrusted me with your heart, and all that comes with it.  I do not take that lightly.  As the spiritual leader of our home,  my responsibility to lead you and steward what God and you have entrusted to me is approached with great caution.  Thank you for willingly giving me your heart, and for holding mine even with its great imperfections.  The trust we share has made us indivisible.

I could go on for ages and never truly describe your beauty.  From the inside out you are the most beautiful person I have ever been privileged to know.  My heart skips a beat every time your eyes make contact with mine, as I can see exactly what they are saying.  I love your voice, and I'll never know just how God sent a match so perfect.  The class you communicate in every facet of your life is matched only by the humility by which it is magnified.  You are truly everything I could ever want, and more.

You are more than just a perfect match,  you are the ONLY match, and I hope to always communicate that.  I will love you, appreciate you, and cherish you for as long as I have breath.  Never stop seeking the Lord, for truly that is the most beautiful thing about you.  As one, let us pursue a relationship and identity rooted in Christ and who he has called us to be.  We may never be rich or famous, but so long as we can spend the rest of forever serving Christ together, I know I'll be satisfied.

With My Whole Heart,

Jon Leighton Groves

Reel-Time Review: Frozen

There have been numerous blog posts, and countless updates regarding Disney's latest success, Frozen.  Christians from both sides of the fence have been at war throwing darts at the movie or selling it as a  gospel derivative.  Some have laid claim that the relationship between a man and his pet companion was pro-homosexual, and that this is Disney's attempt to directly promote the catholic church and universal values of "acceptance."  Then there are those who have said Anna is a picture of Jesus Christ, and the storyline majorly follows a Christian theme.

Dear both sides,  CAN WE PLEASE JUST ENJOY A MOVIE?!  I get it, some people are paid to be critics.  But when it comes to Frozen, I don't believe there was an agenda overtly righteous or evil.  I believe the Disney machine was doing what it should,  generating family-friendly entertainment.  I'm a sucker for a good musical, and this definitely was.  And for the Christian,  there were a few valuable tips we can take from this storyline.  Here are a few:

-Sometimes the most effective acts of love come from the person who has been wronged.
In a flood of rage, resulting from a sisterly squabble,  Queen Elsa's suppressed powers break loose and bury the entire kingdom under snow and ice.  In a self-righteous manner, Queen Elsa "lets it go," abandons her post, and sets out to live free from life's pressures.  Though wronged and placed in great danger, Princess Anna sets out to restore her sister to their once tightly-knit relationship.  Those who have sinned cannot restore themselves.  Galatians 6:1 tells us that if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one...  The reason most people will never see restoration, is because most Christians aren't spiritual.

-There is a major difference between attractional love and true, sacrificial love.
You have to hand it to Queen Elsa.  I mean, she was right!  How can you marry a man you just met?  I find this to be a painfully accurate picture of today's society.  People desperate for love are willing to jump at the first sign of acceptance.  When those who should be loving shut people out, they will unwittingly cast themselves into the arms of evil.  Anna finds out that real love is putting someone else's needs before your own.  When she discovers the TRUE meaning of love,  she is able to identify he who truly loves.

-"A frozen head can be persuaded, but a frozen heart only melts with an act of true love."
Princess Anna is initially placed in grave danger when she takes a blast of magical ice to the head.  The elder troll is able to remove memories from the mind, but warns that a cold heart is not so easy.  He foreshadows to when Anna will take a icy blast to the heart, which only an act of true love can restore.  Unlike the typical Disney flick, we find that true love isn't defined by a kiss, but when the "cold heart" loves another with reckless abandon.  The same is true for us!  Memories can be suppressed,  but a hardened heart can only be unfrozen when we choose to love Jesus and even our offenders more than we love ourselves. As Olaf said, "some people are worth melting for."

- Your greatest fear can be your greatest asset. 
Elsa, the possessor of "the gift accursed"  lives in fear of others discovering her secret.  Wise counsel advises that this ability can bring both great joy or great destruction.  Fear will be her enemy.  Once Elsa realizes she does not have to live in fear,  but rather own her gift, it becomes just that.  A beautiful blessing to those around.  The insecurity you hide will continue to haunt you and plague you until you identify with it.  When you accept your "thorn in the flesh"  God can use it to produce great beauty.  But only when you turn it over to him.  The haunting from hiding will hinder your healing.

- Even cold people need warm hugs.
OK,  who didn't love Olaf the snowman?  Should I ever come across a stuffed version of him, I will not resist the urge to purchase several.  This snowman was peculiar, because cold as he was, he liked warm hugs. Never have I seen a snowman that yearned for the warmth of summer. Let this serve as a reminder that even the "coldest" of people will melt with a little warmth. In fact, like Olaf they yearn for the warmth of summer that would forever change the structure of their being.  When the fire of God's love is kindled in our heart, our desire will always be to spread it.

* This article was originally posted to Venn Magazine as seen here.