I am a P.R.I.N.C.E.S.S.!

Most little girls dream of being a princess. They are enamored with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, castles, tiaras, fluffy dresses, etc. - you get the picture. Even grown women want to be princesses, but as we get older our idea of what a princess is changes. In the eyes of a woman, being a princess means beauty, fashion, financial security, luxury, and (drawing a breath) royalty! We picture being the most beautiful being in the most fashionable dress. No worrying about money, because we have all we could ever need or even want. We have the finest of all things possible, jewelry, dishes, you name it- we have it made out of some precious stone or metal. Oh, don't forget about our Prince Charming - so handsome! But to top it all off, we are royalty. Admit it, you still dream about being a princess.

Our society makes this dream of being a princess so enticing. From the time we are little girls watching those Disney movies to the constant pressures the media puts on us to want to be like the celebrities (which is not that far from our more "mature" view of being a princess). I'll admit, I dream of being a princess, even now as an adult. However, recently I have been studying the book of Esther, through a study by Beth Moore, and one thing she mentioned really caught my attention. We, as Christians, are princesses. We are daughters of a Divine Ruler. That got me to thinking, you know what, I am a princess. But my view of what it means to be a princess needs to change. So, I looked at it from a biblical perspective and here is what I believe God wants me to know about being a princess.

I am...

Precious in God's sight - 1 Peter 3:4; 1 Peter 1:7

Redeemed by the blood of Christ - Gal. 4:5; Gal. 3:13; Titus 2:14; Luke 1:68, and many others

Indwelled by the Holy Spirit - 2 Tim. 1:14; 1 Cor. 6:19

Nominated for righteousness - John 15:16; Acts 13:48; 1 Tim. 1:12

Chosen for His glory - Eph. 1:4; John 15:16, 19

Embraced by His love - Psalm 32:10

Saved by grace - Eph. 2:8, 9

Surrounded by the mighty hand of God! - Psalm 59:17; Psalm 144:2; Isa. 40:29

That's better than any amount of beauty, money and riches if you ask me! But knowing that I am a Princess, a daughter of the Divine King, is not just about giving myself a boost of self-esteem or confidence. It is a reminder about how I should live as a child of God. To know and remember all of these things means I can't just go through life full of pride and self-righteousness, because I am nothing without God. Nor does it mean I can put myself down and wallow in self-pity, this is just as selfish because it puts the focus on me. Rather it means that because of all He has done for me, all He has given me, I need to give Him back all that I have and show His love and grace and mercy to others. This is a high standard to have to live up to. It doesn't mean I have to be perfect, but God does expect me to respond to what He has given me with my life, and He never said it would be easy. It's not easy, but that is exactly why I need to be reminded what it means to be a P.R.I.N.C.E.S.S.