My name is Jennifer… well, Jenn to most people. For some strange reason my name is always shortened by the people I meet without my permission. I like it. In fact, when people use my full name, it lands foreign upon my ears and I fight the urge to look around for someone else. So while I introduce myself to you as Jennifer, please think of me as Jenn: I’m happy, very bubbly, and am deeply head-over-heels in love with my husband. But even more importantly, I am being changed day by day into the likeness of my first love, my Prince: Jesus Christ.
The title of this blog is, “Striving to be an Iron Butterfly.” It is, admittedly, almost an oxymoron of sorts; the blending of something strong and unbending to a creature so delicate and beautiful it can be crushed by too strong a wind. It is the marriage of these two things that I strive to be, not in my own strength, but resting whole-heartedly in the grace of the One who knew me before I was formed.
Let me explain: The church today is going through something huge. Things are changing around every corner and while some of these alterations are good, others are dangerous. Some of the most basic doctrines in the Christian faith are being thrown out or repackaged in ways that strip them of their life-changing truth and power, and as a result Christ’s beloved bride is stumbling. I love the church. I do. But anything that causes followers of our Savior to shy away from the truth spoken by the God of the universe must be reckoned with. We cannot gloss over the parts of Scripture that make us uncomfortable, or twist passages to say what we desire in and of ourselves. We must wrestle with the timeless truths conveyed in the Bible and ultimately submit all of our faculties unto Him. This is not to say we shouldn’t use our minds to grapple with God’s Word… quite the opposite! However when human reason and God’s infallible revelation come head-to-head, we are to humbly and rightly acknowledge that His ways are perfect. Contrary to our self-centric culture, it’s not all about us. It’s all about Him.
This is the “iron” part of my title. This passionate zeal for the truth of the cross and the word of God to be held in absolute honor and glory. My prayer is to have the steel of Luther infused within my blood so that in the face of insurmountable odds, I will not hesitate to proclaim, “Here I stand.” Upon the Rock, upon my Christ, my life is His and His alone. Honestly, I am not there yet. Not even close, hence my “striving.” But it is my deepest desire, my heart’s song to stand and be counted as Christ’s warrior. As John Calvin so aptly wrote, “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”
I am also a very sensitive girl. My heart rejoices with gladness when I hear of someone’s triumph over sin, and it breaks with pain when I listen to the disenchanted testimonies of friends in troubled marriages. Sometimes this part of me can feel so frail, so deeply pained that I feel as though it would be better if I didn’t feel at all. And yet, it’s imperative that I share the heart of my God; the One who weeps for the lost and the broken, the embittered and the abandoned. We must feel for them so that we might stand and be a voice for those who cannot stand on their own.
This is the “butterfly:” The beautiful, delicate touch of Christ’s heart to the world. He is my Prince and I want to be His princess, falling more and more in love with Him each day of my life until I can no longer distinguish my heart from His. We are called to be the hands and feet of God, serving those around us with gentleness and unconditional love. My prayer is that the things that cause my Jesus to weep, make me weep. The things that make Him smile, make me smile. I want Him to make me a lily among thorns, that His radiance and beauty consume everything I am so that it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
Without the delicate shape of a butterfly, iron is hard and cold. Without the strength of iron, a butterfly is tossed mercilessly by every western wind. This is why they must be fused together, strength and beauty, unyielding and gentle.
Truth and love.
I have a very long way to go, as anyone who knows me well can attest. I can be too “iron-like” when I should be gentle, and too “butterfly-like” when I should stand firm. Being formed into the likeness of Christ will be a lifelong process, but I strive to pick up my cross each day and follow Him. Day by day, this is my first priority: To die to my self so that He may be glorified more fully.
“Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.”
Master and Lord, may it be so!!
I saw this off of Rick’s blog and so appreciate how you have painted this picture. I’m very happy to now know you 🙂
Hey Jenn..I have heard about you for 5 years and finally got to see you at Michelle &Tanner’s wedding but you were having a ball with your hubby & family- so even then we didn’t meet “live” -but have enjoyed both of your posts. Very insightful and leading with a spirit of drawing near to Christ daily.
Very cool. The Witmer family is lucky to have you. I’m glad Kelly & Joel will get to spend Thanksgiving w/ you both.
Anyway….another book to check out is “Captivating:Unlockng the Mysteries of a Woman’s Soul” by John & Stasi Eldredge….addresses the issue of being a warrior princess and how God wants us to have the adventure of our life should we totally bask in His love…kinda like the ulitimate marriage! :>).