As You Wish

Claire Black: This is True Girl a podcast for girls and their moms. Welcome to the second season. We’re even inviting dads to listen in as we talk about girls and guys. Together, we’ll explore God’s truth for us one drive at a time. 

Buckle up, you’re about to grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus. Now that we’ve spent a few episodes learning about being a girl, it’s time to talk about the boys. Have you ever noticed that some girls can’t do that without giggling? I’m afraid they might just be on what we call “the boy-crazy train.” Is it okay to be boy crazy? Why and why not? We’ll find that out today as we ask the question, “Just what is true love?”

True Girl is hosted by Dannah Gresh. She and her husband Bob wrote a book together titled, 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters. At the end of today’s episode, Bob will invite you and your dad to go on one of these dates. To get all the details on how to make the most of that time, get a copy of the book 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters.

Let’s get moving for season 2, episode 3, titled “As You Wish.” Here’s the cohost of True Girl, Staci Rudolph.

Staci Rudolph: Hey, true girl, pop your corn, treat yourself to a cold refreshing fountain soda, and kick up your feet because it’s movie night. 

Dannah Gresh: Staci, have you ever seen The Princess Bride? 

Staci: Does the fire swamp contain ROUS? 

Dannah: You mean rodents of unusual size? Yes, it does. The Princess Bride may just be the greatest movie on true love. Don’t you think?

Staci: Now, that’s a bold statement right there. I don’t think most movies teach us about true love. Dannah, you were here during the last podcast when we talked about the fact that we cannot trust all the messages we get from movies and the Internet and stuff. 

Dannah: Yeah, but if you’re careful, ask your mom and dad to help. You can compare what you’re hearing to God’s Word. Sometimes you can learn some good things from some movies and some messages. And I think The Princess Bride teaches us something good about true love.

Staci: Okay, let me think. I’m trying to remember The Princess Bride. Well, Miracle Max does declare that true love is the greatest thing in the world. 

Dannah: “I don’t know about the mutton, lettuce, and tomato, but I know love matters.” Miracle Max is right about that. 

Staci: Okay, let me think . . . true love . . . Ah, The Princess Bride is that movie with the marriage scene. You know, where the impressive clergyman says this . . .

Dannah: I’m impressed that you knew he was called the impressive clergyman. I didn’t even know that. Okay, let me see if I can help you understand why I think this movie is about true love. What is the best quote from The Princess Bride?

Staci: That’s easy, hands down, it’s this: “As you wish.”

Dannah: You are correct. But hold on, true girl, have you ever seen The Princess Bride? Well, just in case you haven’t, I mean since you have your popcorn and your fountain drink and everything, let’s roll the first minute or so of The Princess Bride so we understand what it means to say, “As you wish.”

When Wesley the farm boy did something to serve Buttercup, he would always say, "As you wish." What he was really saying was, "I love you." 

Ah, isn’t that sweet? Staci, think about it. He was serving her when he said it. That’s not the kind of love you usually see in most movies. Generally, when we watch something on Netflix, it’s full of attraction and flirting and all that kind of stuff . . . not serving someone. 

Staci: You’ve got a point. 

Dannah: Let me continue to build my case, okay? Staci, can you do the honors of reading today’s power verse? 1 Corinthians 13 verses 4–8.

Staci: Of course. It says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (NLT)

That is quite the description of love. 

Dannah: Yes.

Staci: Love is patient and kind and doesn’t demand its own way. It never gives up. How often do you see others loving like this? Or how often do you love like this?

Dannah: Well, honestly, not enough my friend. And you sure don’t see it in movies very often . . . except . . .

Staci: Okay. I see. Yes, you could be right about The Princess Bride, Dannah, okay? Wesley is patient, and he’s kind, and doesn’t demand his own way. He does what Buttercup wants and needs, and he seems to forgive her for being rude. So, he doesn’t keep a record of her wrongs against him. He never gives up on her. 

Dannah: So, let’s make it official, I hereby present The Princess Bride with the “Dannah award.”

Staci: I do not think that’s a real thing. 

Dannah: Yeah, “The Dannah award” for the best true love story. 

Okay, true girl, here’s where we begin our journey to unravel all of the world’s lies about girls and guys and how we interact. Listen closely, most modern movies, books, and stories don’t accurately portray love . . . not the kind of love God wants us to experience in our lives. 

Staci: That’s right. So many times, movies and books and Netflix shows focus on attraction between guys and girls. Watching those kinds of things is like buying a ticket into the boy-crazy train. Do not board that train, sister, okay?

Those movies are not good teachers. You won’t learn God’s way to interact with boys from movies.

Dannah: Exactly. Here’s what we want you to learn from today’s power verse, true girl. I should also tell you, you won’t find this truth in The Princess Bride, because some things you can only learn from the Bible. 

In fact, going back to our power verse, 1 Corinthians 13, which we sometimes call “the love chapter.” Well, the love described in that chapter is a kind of love that we can only learn from loving God and learning to love like He does. 

Staci: Yeah, I’ve got to be honest, I am not very patient or kind without help from God. Can you identify with that?

Dannah: Oh, I can. I have a hard time not demanding my own way. Say my family is on vacation and I want snorkel and they want to sit by the pool, I have to ask God for help. I have to ask Him to make me love the way He does. Have you ever experienced that?

Staci: Absolutely. And true girl, I remember the way people have hurt me or sinned against me, and you probably do too. When this verse says love keeps no record of wrongs, it’s surely talking about a God quality, not a Staci quality. 

The Bible says that God has a sea of forgetfulness where He throws the memories of our sins. Isn’t that cool?

Dannah: It is. And I’ve got to tell you, I do not have such a sea of forgetfulness. I remember when people hurt me. I remember when people sin against me. But I think the point of 1 Corinthians is this: God is the only source of true love.

Staci: Yeah, and He can teach us to love like He does. Listen to this from 1 John chapter 4, 

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. (v. 7)

Dannah: Did you hear that? Love comes from God.

Staci: Not a boy. 

Dannah: Yes. In fact, if you keep reading 1 John 4, you’ll come to verse 16 and it says, “God is love” not just the source of it. Love is a person you can have a relationship with, Jesus Christ. As you grow in your relationship with Him, you’ll be more and more able to love the way 1 Corinthians tells you to: patiently, sacrificially, and with big kindness. 

Jesus in you makes it possible for love to flow out of you. So while movies and Netflix and even friends might be inviting you onto the boy-crazy train, we have a different invitation for you. Get God crazy. 

Staci: Yes, and maybe you’re like, “How do I do that? What does it look like to be God crazy?” Let me just give you a few tips. Something I love to do is I like to have my own little prayer space where I talk to God. I journal with Him. I love doing Bible studies. Maybe you’ve done some of our True Girl Bible studies with us. Maybe you get your worship on in your room, I don’t know. But those are some things that really get you connected to God, and just crazy about Him.

So, we want you to make a decision that you won’t spend too much time learning how to be boy crazy by filling your mind with messages that encourage that. Instead, we want you to choose your movies and entertainment carefully. And we want you to spend time in God’s Word, learning from the only One who understands and can teach you about true love, Jesus. 

Dannah: Yup. One day, way in the future, God may want you to enjoy “Mwarriage” with someone. But until He does, focus on loving God. 

Hey speaking of “mwarriage,” here’s my husband and one of the world’s best dads, Bob. 

Bob Gresh: Hey, good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, depending on when you’re hearing this. Hey, I have a favorite line from The Princess Bride. 

Dannah: Okay.

Bob: It’s when Vizzini says “You fell victim to one of the classic wonders, never get involved in a land war in Asia.” You know, the dads will understand that. But here’s another line from The Princess Bride that actually relates to our conversation. I really like it when I have a lot of stuff to say, which is pretty often. 

Hey true girl, I have a whole lot as a dad that I’d like to say to you, too. But let me sum up. Here we go: you are growing up in a very complicated time—much more complicated than when we grew up. There are so many messages that are telling you different things. The one thing that you have to focus on is to love Jesus, to follow the Scripture, and that standard of truth.

Dannah: That’s a good sum up, Bob. Okay, tell us today’s dad/daughter challenge. 

Bob: As you wish. 

Staci: Aw, no he didn’t. That’s so sweet. 

Bob: Your dad/daughter challenge today is to explore true love. Yup. You can do that any way you want. I’ve always enjoyed using good movies as conversation starters with our kids. After we watch one, I always call it: “let’s break it down.” I don’t like to watch a movie and not talk about it afterwards. 

If I go to a movie theater and come out and there’s nobody to talk to, forget it.

Dannah: You’ve got to break it down. First thing when we get in the car, Bob says “Okay, where are we going to go to break it down?”

Bob: And the kids love it, “Let’s break it down.” So, pop some popcorn, grab your favorite snack. What’s your favorite snack, Staci?

Staci: Uh, got to be Heath bars. 

Bob: Heath bars?

Staci: You know it, toffee. 

Dannah: That’s kind of a grandma candy, I think.

Staci: Don’t do that to me. It’s delicious.

Bob: Wow. 

Dannah: Peachy rings. 

Bob: Peachy rings. 

Dannah: You didn’t even have to finish the sentence. 

Bob: Nope, nope. Mine are peanut M&Ms—that big yellow bag. 

Dannah: Okay, once we get the snacks what do we do? Is it a snack challenge?

Bob: It’s not a snack date. It’s sit down and watch The Princess Bride together. 

Dannah: Ah

Bob: And then break it down. 

Dannah: Break it down.

Bob: And be sure to talk about 1 Corinthians 13 while you’re breaking it down. And remember, it’s the Bible, not the movie, where you learn the truth about God’s love. 

And hey dads, just a note to you: it’s really important that we are seen digging into God’s Word; that we are the leaders of the house, and that we do things that leaders do. So, dig into God’s Word, make it intentional each day. And that’s hard for me, I admit, but it’s something I have to do as a father and a leader. 

Staci: So, true girl, dad, it’s time to sign off. But hey, can I play one more clip from The Princess Bride? 

Dannah: Well, why not?

Staci: I think this one is a good one to end on today. 

Claire: Well, I sure hope true love follows you forever, because as we learned today, true love is a person—it’s Jesus. Bob and Dannah just invited dads and daughters to hold a movie night. That idea comes from their book 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters. When you read the book, it will give you ideas on how to make movie night and other dates a special and meaningful time. 

You can get a copy of the book, 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters by visiting MyTrueGirl.com. You’ll also find lots of tools to help you grow closer to your mom and most importantly, Jesus. 

The True Girl podcast is produced in partnership with Revive Our Hearts, calling women to look to Jesus as a source of true love. 

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