Jenny

In my new class on personality, we have to pick a movie to watch and analyze the chosen character according to the personality theories we are learning about. From the list, I chose to watch Forrest Gump and analyze Jenny.

The first time I ever saw the movie, I tried to ignore the obvious about Jenny, but the scene where she throws her shoes and rocks at her house just tore me up. Thankfully, I've healed so much since then. Even so, I knew it would be a hard choice of a movie for me. And it was. I can see so much of myself in Jenny's character. So much of keeping the distance, not letting anyone in, engaging in self-destructive habits. Although those characteristics of mine are mostly gone, I still relate so deeply with the struggles that Jenny went through. From my perspective now, my heart cries out to her, "Just let yourself be loved, truly loved".

When someone has experienced the pain of sexual abuse, it is so hard to allow yourself to be loved, to let go and to trust. To me, the character of Forrest is Jesus with skin on. God sends people into our lives to show us the depth of His love for us. In his quiet faith, Forrest never gave up on Jenny. He loved her through all of the rejection and the running away. He loved her through the confusion of her reaching out and pushing back. He just loved her because she was worthy of his love. Just like God loves us because we are worthy of his love. His love was always there for Jenny, as God's love was always there for me. Through my rejection, running away, reaching out and pushing back, God was always there. He showed me that by the people he placed in my life, the people that for me, were Jesus with skin on. I thank God every day for saving me from the hell I was in and for showing me His love. I thank Him for the healing he has brought into my life and the ability to use what I know to help others. I am so overwhelmed by the fact that he pursued me and would not let me go, that he was always there, even when I did not want Him to be.

Jenny and I, we are kindred spirits. For the actual Jenny's in my life, know that there is hope and it is found in allowing yourself to be loved deeply by God. Take a step of faith and reach out to those He has placed in your life. He will pursue you and He won't let you go, because you are worthy of His unimaginable love.

Romans 8:38-39 (New International Version)
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.