The Great Romance

Last night my almost twenty year old was curled up with a younger brother watching Swan Princess, a favorite from her childhood. I slipped in next to them, bummed that they'd already finished off the popcorn, and delighted in the romance.

As I watched my thoughts turned to the basic story-line of all the great fairy tales--wonderful prince fights evil, rescues beautiful and good-hearted princess, throws a royal wedding, and they live happily ever after.

And then I thought about Jesus.

Wonderful Prince leaves His royal dwelling and descends to those more lowly than Himself. By sacrificial giving He wins the battle against evil, qualifies us to be His bride, and invites us to the wedding feast, promising us a happily ever after.

And those thoughts led me to think about the grand theme in any good romance, which takes the over-arching picture a little deeper. As Kathy talked about below, in the really good romances the hero or heroine sees the true essence of the other person and calls it forth.

Which brings me full circle to Jesus.

Jesus, my Creator, sees the real me. He loves sacrificially and unconditionally. His care causes me to long for Him, and to long to be the person He sees. He calls forth more goodness and beauty than I knew I had, causing me to blossom in His love.

I love how the themes of love and redemption run true in good romance. I love it that our Creator inspires writers who, knowingly or not, tenderize our hearts for the Greatest Romance of the Ages, the romance between Jesus and us.

Our Creator has a romantic heart. How could He not? He's the one who designed red roses, vines full of purple grapes, sunsets, ocean views, and turtle doves. He gave us music, poetry, dancing, and stories themselves.

As I've begun to discover Jesus as my Lover, and not only as my Lord, my relationship with Him has taken new wings. He is the Great Romancer of my heart, whispering love like I've never known, surprising me with beauty, and calling forth the true essence of Who I am.

As writers we have the unique opportunity to write God's heart of romance, tenderizing the world for the Greatest Romance of all.


A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.