Portraits of Brave and Holy Sensuousness - John & Stasi

Stasi told this story at the Ransomed Femininity retreat. I'll paraphrase it from memory. I may not get the wording exactly right, but the fact that I can retell this story from memory shows what an impact it had on my heart. -SW

I was shopping for some lingerie for a wedding gift, and I saw this other gown that was a plus-size gown and it was gorgeous. I bought it for myself, and at the time I decided I said to myself, 'now I know I don't look exactly the size I would like to be, but I'm going to offer my beauty to John now, and not wait until some perfect day when I am the perfect size before I offer my beauty.' So I bought the gown, went back to the hotel room, took the gown into the bathroom. And I was nervous. It took some nerve to present myself in this gorgeous see-through nightie. So I was in the bathroom praying 'God give me courage' (retreat ladies laughed) In that moment, I chose to offer my beauty NOW so I put the gown on, and walked out of the bathroom into the hotel room. When I announced myself to John, my statement came out more like a question, 'here I am honnnneeeey.' And that's all I will say about my story except to say that it had a very happy ending." (retreat ladies gave thunderous applause and laughter).
—Stasi Eldredge, Ransomed Femininity Retreat, forerunner to the Captivating Live Retreat

When I first heard this story, hope and desire began to grow in my heart. And I thought, "By golly, I can do that too." So I did. I started offering myself generously and with wispy giftwrap to my husband, deciding that I wouldn't let stretch marks and other souveniers of pregnancy hold me back from being sexy and playful. And that's the story of how my husband became Delighted Husband and I became Sensuous Wife. The beginning of a gorgeous change of heart.

This story makes me say, "You go, girl!" and "God you are so generous but we'll take it anyway."