Are You Looking for Prince Charming?

Not long ago I heard a young lady jokingly say she was looking for prince charming. Another more mature person of the female gender said, "He's only in fairy tales." I let the subject drop, but smiled inside. What would they do if they discovered Prince Charming is out there? How many other women are looking for their prince and feeling as though they've kissed only frogs?

By now you're wondering, "If Prince Charming does indeed exist, then where can I find him?" That's what this page is for, to help you find your very own Prince Charming and how to recognize him when you see him. So keep reading, feel free to ask questions and be sure to let us know if you've found your prince!

I've seen a few in my time

Ladies, the princes are out there. The problem is we have to do a little digging to find them. First, you need to understand that even a Prince is not Perfect. Just like you and I make mistakes and don't get it right every time, there are no guys out there who will either.
But your Prince will have these qualities:

1. He Likes to Listen to What You Think as Much, if not more, Than He Likes to Tell You What He Thinks - Yes, there are guys out there who will listen!! They really do care what you think. Don't settle for less!
2. He Likes to Make you Smile - Prince Charming cares about your happiness! He's not so wrapped up in it that he won't make himself happy too, but he really likes to see you happy.
3. He Likes to Take Care of You - This doesn't mean you won't have to work. It doesn't mean he won't support your career, but a Prince likes to treat you like a Princess. If a guy doesn't want to take care of you some, RUN!!
4. He Supports Your Choices - Even if he doesn't agree with you, a Prince will support your right to have your own opinion. (if your choices are truly unhealthy, like drinking too much or drugs or even allowing other people to walk all over you, he won't support you, but you don't need a prince, you need a recovery group)
5. He Will Probably be a Follower of Jesus Christ - For those of you who are reading this, but aren't Christians, I'd recommend looking into finding a good Christ centered church to find a Prince. There are princes outside of the body of Christ; however, the percentages are higher within. In my church right now, I'd say that 90% of the men are princes! Yep, they have all those qualities I mentioned above! And 25% of them are single!

I don't want to kiss anymore frogs!

I don't blame you, I wouldn't want to kiss a frog either! Part of the problem is, we kiss BEFORE we find out if the frog is a prince! How might your relationships change if you didn't even hold hands until you were SURE the guy was a prince? I know, everyone kisses on the first date anymore, but why? What's so special about a kiss if you give them away to every guy you drink a cup of coffee with?

Here are some things I recommend:

1. Date in Groups - Don't go out on one on one dates until you're relatively sure the guy is a prince. Don't take someone else's word for it he's a prince. If a guy asks you out (or you want to ask a guy out), go bowling with a group of your friends (or his friends). Take several friends to get pizza, invite another couple to play cards. Watch how he treats others. Does he expect someone else to wait on him hand and foot, does he offer to get others drinks or throw away other people's trash?
2. Listen to his Language - A Prince has a broad vocabulary, he doesn't need to use profanity or obscenities to get his point across. If he can't keep his mouth out of the gutter during your first few dates, it will only get worse. This includes off color jokes and the way he talks about others (even past girlfriends). And while you're at it, watch how much alcohol he consumes. If he drinks more than one or two beers in an entire evening, you don't need him, he needs the booze more than he needs you (and if you consume more than that, you need to find a group too!)
3. Go to Church or volunteer for a Mission Project - I know, you think I'm crazy, but I've seen the crowds inside churches and the crowds outside, and your odds are better of finding a Prince from within a Christ centered group. Don't get me wrong, not all churches are created equal. There are some really stuffy ones who only produce prideful, arrogant, abusive men; however, if you find one that seems to talk a lot about Jesus instead of the rules, the church or the politics, you'll be very likely to find yourself a prince somewhere in there.
4. Read this page about knights - I call this page "My Knight In Shining Armor" - Every Prince has learned how to fight and defend his kingdom. He's grown up learning how to be respected and how to be a gentleman, so check out that page and discover what it takes to be a knight.
5. Remember that some Princes Might Look Like Frogs - Don't get too hung up on looks. Watch for the qualities of a Prince in every guy you meet, no matter what the outward appearance is like (unless he always needs a shower - Princes respect themselves enough to keep clean). Don't overlook your prince because he does look more like a frog! (check out Shrek 3 - you'll discover that Shrek was much more worthy of a crown than the guy who called himself prince charming)

So, Be all You were Created to be

Princes are always on the lookout for Princesses. It's imperative that they find a woman who can stand beside them in that role.You are a princess. You were born a princess, and you are an heiress to the throne. The problem is, much like Rapunzel, many of us were stolen at birth and have been trapped in a tower, convinced it's for our own good. We believe we are exactly where we're meant to be, but unless you realize you are a princess and are living like you are a princess, you are missing out on the best of life. And if you aren't a princess, if you aren't acting and living like a princess, why in the world do you think you deserve a prince?

God created you, He formed you, handcrafted you. You are His. He is your Father, the King. If your Father is a King, then you, my child, are a Princess. You are a Princess in the only realm that can never be conquered, and you deserve a Prince. But do you believe that? Do you really believe that you are a Princess? Not an arrogant, mean step-sister, like those in Cinderella who just THOUGHT they were destined to royalty, but a beautiful, humble servant leader whose big Brother is also called the Prince of Peace, the Lord of lords, and the King of kings.

If you don't believe you are that Princess, it's because you've been convinced, through years of mistreatment by the world, that you are a nobody. We have an enemy, just like every royal family. This enemy has stolen so many of our siblings, and many have never discovered their true heritage. But you're here today, reading this. You have a chance to discover your real parentage.

You are a daughter of the Living God, a sister to the Lord, Jesus Christ and because of that, you are royalty. Your Father truly loves you, so much, in fact, that when He rescues you, He gives you the opportunity to choose to live in His Kingdom or go back to the dominion of His enemy. He will LET YOU serve the enemy if you want to! Of course, in that kingdom, in the world where the enemy reigns, you're a slave. The enemy makes you think you are in control. He allows you to believe you have total freedom, but the longer you're there, the more you'll realize that there's no freedom, no peace, no joy, no goodness, no light. Those things only exist in the land of your Father, and oddly enough, our Father allows us to return home at any time. It doesn't matter how long we've chosen to live in the enemy camp. He doesn't care how many years we've given to fighting in the enemy army. When we return home, those years are never mentioned. It's like we never left. He uses the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ to erase those years from His memory . . . we just have to choose to allow Him to do it.

Do you believe that you are a princess? Your life can't change, and you'll never find that prince until you do. Are you ready to be all that Christ created you to be? Or do you still want to live in that dark tower? I know it's more comfortable there. It's the place you're used to. But just because we feel comfortable, doesn't mean it's the best place for us. And what if by staying in that comfort zone, you're missing the beauty, the laughter, the LIFE that you were created for?

Perhaps you're wondering, what does a princess look like? They're really difficult to detect. They have no airs, no privileges. Princesses in my Father's kingdom are humble, always serving others. They don't dress better than the paupers and the servants, they don't even think they're better than those who haven't returned to the Father yet. Their self-esteem grows everyday as they realize that their Father is the King of the Universe and Creator of the Galaxies. Their self-worth increases as they begin to comprehend that they are loved and treasured, and their ego is held in check as they appreciate the gift of life they've been given by their Brother, Jesus Christ.

More than anything else, I want you to realize you are a princess (or, if there's a gentlemen whose read this far, a prince). You deserve all the abundance of life that the scriptures promise (John 10:10), all that's required of you is to admit you've been living in the enemy's camp, confess the wrongs you've committed against the Kingdom and accept the blood of Jesus Christ as the cleaner to wipe out all of those atrocities you've done. Then just start living like the princess you were created to be. It's not always easy being a princess, but don't worry, your Father, the King doesn't expect you to learn overnight. You've got eternity to figure it out.