Twice yesterday I heard someone talk about the importance of sharing words of love or affirmation. That old saying about how sticks and stones can break bones but words can never hurt is nonsense. Words can be excruciating.

Conversely, they can be precious, healing, inspiring, blessed gifts when shared in the right way. So, I thought I’d start the week with some words that I hope bless you.

YOU, whoever you are, have been handmade by God. He designed you and is even now shaping you. Why? Because he loves you. No, he absolutely adores you. You’re the most amazing part of his creation and he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave you that hair, those eyes, and your own special way of laughing.

He did NOT make a mistake when he made that bit of you that you’ve never liked–your nose, your thighs, your toes that make you not want to wear sandals. He knew all about that thing that challenges you–that illness, that habit, that addiction, that tendency you try to control . . . And he STILL thinks you’re absolutely amazing.

And so, since I know God is never wrong, I thought I’d remind you today that you ARE amazing. And you are loved.

Romans 8:38-39 – For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The closest I’ve come to being a princess–Halloween 1980-ish.

When I called my dad on Sunday I jokingly asked him if he’d watched the royal wedding. He scoffed and asked why everyone seems to care about it so much.

Indeed. Why DO we care about it so much?

I think as pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps Americans the notion of being born into royalty is wildly exotic. Oh sure, we have well-know families and figures–American royalty–like the Vanderbilts, Kennedys, Oprah, movie stars, athletes, and so on but even then if you look far enough back you’ll find someone who worked his or her tail off to get where they are.

Which means, theoretically, I could work my tail off and launch a similar legacy. Conversely, I can never work or earn my way into royalty. But I COULD marry into it (well, not ME, I already have a prince of a husband). And now an American has done just that. And while she’s minor Hollywood royalty, she’s also mixed race and divorced. Her mother is a social worker, her father a television lighting director. She’s a lot like . . . regular folks.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, proves that even the wildest dreams sometimes come true. Rachel Hauck has written the Royal Wedding series starting with Once Upon a Prince which was recently made into a Hallmark movie. Each book follows a royal mismatch made in heaven. Fairy tales, really, except now . . . well, for Meghan Markle the fairy tale is real.

And isn’t that what we all long for?

I’m betting Meghan will have challenges and struggles she didn’t anticipate and we’ll never know about. Rain falls into everyone’s life, but seeing her standing at the altar with her prince gives all of us watching the kind of real-life happily-ever-after we long to see. The kind we need in a world with school shootings, spiteful politics, death, disease, and tragedy happening every day.

And my very favorite part? The way her hair began to come loose from it’s upsweep. Stray pieces crept down the left side of her forehead and wisps came loose under the veil. You know, just like mine does when I try and put it up.

My name means God’s Princess. And I love that. Because all of His children are royalty in His kingdom. But until I get my own crown (and let’s be honest, mine’s going to be a tiara!) it’s nice to see Meghan wearing hers.

Here’s hoping the Most Reverend Michael Curry’s wedding sermon about the power of love–holy, God-honoring love–not only ushered Meghan into her new role as Duchess but also ushered some of those listening into God’s own royal kingdom.

That’s my dream-come-true.