Dream girl

First of all, no I haven't forgotten about part 3 of the Ruth study. It's coming. But first, let's skip ahead to what we did this past week. As you may have already read, Mike got the girls to list the qualities they were looking for in a guy (and if you haven't read it, click here:
http://disciplemakersnc.blogspot.com/2007/11/mr-right-giggle.html especially if you're a single guy; shout out to Ronda for copying it all down and passing it on so it could be posted). I don't know about the rest of the guys but I've been convicted by what was up there and I think it should serve as a great challenge to all of us (and while I certainly think we've got several girls who fit with most of the qualities the guys listed, I'm not sure any of us measure up to the girls' list so we've got a lot of work to do).

Speaking of the guys' list, here it is. I tried to boil it down a little to things Christian guys were looking for on the whole so it doesn't include specific preferences like an Irish lilt or that she's tall (both of which were mentioned in the group; personally, I would add "highly intellegent" as one of mine). Mike said the girls' list was better so maybe I shouldn't have done that but anyway, let's take a look at what we got from the guys:

Physically attractive*/comparable (with regard to things like height, especially)
Common sense of humor
Modest/demure (in appearance and behavior)
Submissive (seeking to follow God; willing to follow husband; flexible)
Supportive/exhortative of her guy (affirming; his "cheerleader")
Unconditional love (because guys can be kind of hard to love sometimes)
Not high maintenance (unselfish and uncomplicated; "quiet heart")
Similar interests* (either developed together or recognized in each individually)
Honest/having integrity
Wise/mature
Trust**
Focused primarily on God and the things of God
Domestic skills (particularly cooking)
Good potential mother

*These we said could change as a guy gets to know a girl. With the physical attraction, while that may not be very strong at first, a girl with an impressive character can become a whole lot prettier as a guy gets to know her heart and a physically beautiful girl can get ugly quickly if the character's not there. As for interests, the interests developed between two people within a relationship can be as important as those they bring to the table going in (although those give them a common ground to start from also).

**I included this one because it was offered up in the discussion but I think this is really a quality of a good relationship rather than a characteristic of a woman that a man would look for.

You know, looking over this list again, I have to agree with Mike. The women's list was better thought out. Basically (near as I can tell), a Christian man is looking for a woman who excites him, encourages him, enjoys his company and submits to God and to him. He wants a girl who's vulnerable enough to look to her man for support but strong enough to stand by his side wherever God calls him. She's his biggest fan and she always makes him look good (and wouldn't dare make him look bad). She laughs at his jokes and really believes that he could do anything he sets his mind to (so she encourages him to dream big). She's modest and doesn't have to draw attention to her body or be flirtatious or boisterous to get noticed. She's always honest with him but she's understanding of him too and resists the temptation to nag. Motherhood and the home are important to her and she's skilled in both realms. Most of all she's possessed with a passion for God and that is the only thing in her life that overwhelms her passion for her man. And she knows how to pray and to praise Him.

And how to cook. :-)