In love with Edward Cullen? This is for you.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12, New Living Translation).

I dug through my purse for my little notebook, squinting in the dim theater light. Attempting to eat popcorn, sip Coke and frantically write in the dark is not something I suggest. But I had to jot down all the thoughts flying through my head about this film that had captured so many hearts.

What could possibly be so appealing about a vampire story? I needed to find out what so many teens were raving about. As I watched Twilight, I waited tensely for a devious, dark villain to appear. But he never showed up—at least, not in the way I expected.

Instead I watched Edward, an intriguingly handsome character, sweep the heroine, Bella, off her feet. Edward was Bella’s dashing prince, a prince with a bit of modern dark knight. A noble character. Desperate to love and be loved. Charming, and yet . . . he was still a vampire.

Does Bella understand that he could kill her at any moment? Or does she even care? In scene after scene, Bella’s devotion to Edward deepened. By the movie’s end, I found myself intrigued. As the credits rolled, I gathered my things and dusted popcorn crumbs off my scribbled notes. That’s when I noticed dozens of girls still seated, staring at the screen. They wanted more.

A Closer Look
In 2008, the four Twilight books were the top four novels on USA TODAY’s best-selling books list. I recently received an email from a teen girl named Trina, an avid fan of the Twilight series. Her analysis of the characters and story was so honest and eye-opening to me that I asked to share her words with you. I think you’ll see, as I did, how her examination of the books reveals the longing heart that beats inside each of us for a hero and a protector.

Hi Kimberly,
I’ve read the entire series and the first book, Twilight, twice. I was spellbound with this series. The feelings that I have for these characters are unexplainable.

The draw. There’s the average girl, Bella: popular, beautiful and talented. There’s a beautiful and perfect boy, Edward: extremely handsome, infamous, talented, but intimidating, smart, not friendly.

The story. Boy and girl see each other. Girl is drawn to him by his looks. Boy is drawn to her by his instinct (her blood/his thirst). Boy is also drawn because of curiosity. She’s “different”—he can’t read her thoughts. Boy struggles against his natural instincts with such intensity he has to flee.

Edward is a noble character. He resists his nature because of the love he has for his family. It would cause them problems, and he knew he would be a disappointment to them. And as he gets to know Bella, he starts to value her life more than his own selfish desires.

Edward falls in love with this average girl, but to him, Bella is extraordinary. He sees her soul and loves it. He sees her physical beauty when she can’t. Edward sees her as the most beautiful girl in the world. He has never been so enthralled by someone. He’s amazed at his own feelings for her. He finds the feelings confusing, dangerous and exciting.

Through hours of talking, he starts to trust her and reveals his secret. He opens up completely, and it’s a big risk to his whole family. Trust becomes a huge issue for both of them. He protects her at all costs, even at the price of revealing his secret.

He becomes vulnerable. Sex doesn’t seem to be an issue because his natural instincts aren’t the same as other boys’. Edward’s lust is for blood—Bella’s in particular. But as he discovers more of who she is, he learns to control that lust and puts her best interests before his own.

He becomes selfless. He feels that her very existence is more vital than his desires. Edward knows that allowing Bella near him is extremely dangerous—life threatening. So he lets her in on all the details of what a vampire is. He’s hoping all the while that it will be too frightening and bizarre for her.

He lets her make the choice. If she leaves, it will break his heart, but he knows it will be for the best, and he won’t pursue her. He loves her that much. This is a sacrificial type of love.

Bella makes her choice to stay. She loves him so much that she wants to spend eternity with him—meaning she would have to become what he is, a vampire.

Edward refuses. He’ll settle for a short time with her until her natural death, just to be able to be with her. There is the sacrifice again.

Look again at these qualities: Trust. Protection. Selflessness. Choice. Vulnerability. Sacrifice. Love.

Who doesn’t want this in a boyfriend? The perfect guy with incredible looks and talent to boot! Perfection (except for the vampire part). He’s still flawed because he battles with right versus wrong and temptation and guilt and lust.

Can You Relate?
I loved Trina’s honesty. Through her email, I saw the books and film from her perspective and started to think about a few things myself. So why do we devour these books whole and memorize quotes from the films? Perhaps it comes down to two main reasons:

1. The love story between Bella and Edward is captivating.

2. We desire our own epic love story in real time.

Peek Inside
Let’s take a close look at Edward. I have to admit, he seems like the full package: charming, attentive, noble and mysterious. His devotion is evident in the way he talks to Bella and how carefully he protects her. He even watches over her as she sleeps! And his desire to really know her is flattering. He wants to figure her out.

An article in Vanity Fair characterizes Edward this way: “Everything a girl could want in one dreamy envelope, Edward is the answer to a princess’s prayers—doting, fiercely protective, carrying his beloved great distances in his arms like a groom forever crossing the honeymoon threshold.”

We’re enthralled by the idea of our very own Edward. Is this fascination because he’s a vampire? No. We’re drawn to him because of the many awesome qualities he possesses. Let’s look at those qualities again: Trust. Protection. Selflessness. Choice. Vulnerability. Sacrifice. Love. With Edward, Bella is desired. Protected. Loved and fought for.

His desire to understand her is obvious in his continual attentiveness to her every thought. To receive this kind of attention from a mystifying, handsome, talented, intelligent guy—and to have that guy so interested in every detail of what she considers an otherwise boring life—would be enough to enrapture any vulnerable heart. If we’re being honest, it’s the connection we all long for.

Edward’s untouchable, “forbidden territory” vampire self is attractive. But Edward calls himself a killer and a monster. He knows his tendencies and attraction to Bella are dangerous. But lots of girls have told me that they admire many qualities of Edward’s character. He is from a family of “good” vampires who control their thirst for human blood. He is chaste and self-controlled.

He continually holds himself back from getting too physically close to Bella. It’s not the vampire’s passion that’s captivating; it’s his self-control!

In other words, maybe Edward can’t help who he is, but he can control what he does and doesn’t allow himself to do. It’s an admirable example of self-restraint. We girls love that, don’t we? And then there’s Bella, the girl next door. She’s clumsy and self-mocking. Not totally insecure, but not wildly popular either. I think we can all relate to her in one way or another.

Something More
So what do we do with all of this? We so desperately want to experience such a story ourselves. But then the credits roll or the last page is turned, and we’re back in our own reality. Our lives are just the same as they’ve always been. There are no good vampires—or even vampires of any kind—and Edward remains that character in our head.

Have you felt this way? Like you wished you could really live in Bella and Edward’s world and leave your own behind? It makes me start to wonder if there’s actually something more going on here, a deeper reason that we’re all so attracted to and drawn into this story.

Do You Have a Hero?
Recently, I was talking with a group of girls after a conference. Their faces lit up when I mentioned Twilight. One of them told me that she couldn’t stop thinking about the movie. Twilight was her obsession. She began sharing quote after quote. Soon the whole group joined in—how many lines could they remember? I could see that they were reliving the adventure together. You could hear it in their voices and see it in the excitement on their faces.

Then I asked them about their lives. Who was their true hero? Who offered them the love, protection, and unending relationship filled with the they were desperate for? That totally stumped them; they didn’t have an answer.

So we talked about how no mortal can unconditionally fulfill these things. A few may come close, but no one offers perfection. No one offers love without a price. So why do our hearts keep longing so hard after something we can never find—something that simply doesn’t exist?

Unless it does.

Unless this longing is a hunger for what our souls were created for.

God thinks that your reality is way more interesting than Edward and Bella’s. Think of at least three things about your own life that you’re proud of. Maybe it’s people in your life or the way you can make someone smile . . . or maybe something unique that makes you uniquely you.

Think About It
What if our hearts were created to long for this love because it’s actually out there longing for us? What if our souls were shaped for Someone? Someone amazing, who is incredibly attentive to our every need and will treat us better than we could ever imagine. Someone always present in our lives who experiences life with us.

You can see the charm of Edward and all he is for Bella. Imagine having that type of relationship connection in your life.

For some, this may be a radical thought to wrap your mind around—but imagine that this iconic, hunky, bad-boy hero Edward could be outdone so easily by an eternally loving, fiercely protective Savior. Pretty cool thought.

This fascination with Edward and the draw he has with so many is just a shadow of the true epic love story offered by our true Immortal Hero, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ!

Jesus offered His life to provide life forever with Him.

“He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me” (Psalm 18:16 New Living Translation).

To be respected and intensely loved is to have someone who’s forever loyal and unselfishly true to your heart. Think about that one. When you experience this type of undying love . . . nothing else compares.
 
Relationship with a guy like Edward:
• Offers excitement for the moment
• Seems intriguing/ mysterious
• Offers protection / a sense of security for the moment
• Offers a love that sweeps you off your feet

Relationship with Christ, your true Immortal Hero:
• Christ provides never-ending adventure and life-giving purpose (Lamentations 3:22–23)
• Christ is a mystery—eternal treasures are hidden in Him (Colossians 2:2–3)
• Provides unending security, certainty and strength  (2 Corinthians 12:10)
• Provides unconditional, unfailing love that endures forever (Psalm 136)

Nothing else compares.

Kimberly Powers is cofounder of Walk the Talk Youth Ministries and has been challenging teen girls as a conference speaker, writer and mentor. She and her husband live in Virginia. This article was excerpted from her book Escaping the Vampire, published by David C. Cook, copyright 2009. Used with permission.
 
You Can Experience an Unending Love!
Will you let Jesus Christ be your Hero? He loves you so much, He actually died for you! He willingly gave His very life to pay the penalty for your sins. Then He conquered death and lives today. He is passionately chasing you, wooing you and calling you into His arms. Will you accept Him as your Savior? You can start by praying this prayer:

If you prayed that prayer, we want to know! Send us an e-mail at: susie@susiemag.com and label it: “I PRAYED” so we can be praying for your new relationship with Jesus Christ. This is only the beginning! You’ll want to get involved in a church, a youth group and a Bible study. Also, talk with your pastor about getting baptized. The prayer you prayed isn’t magic—it’s the beginning of a brand-new lifestyle. Continue to pray daily, and Christ will help you live a life that’s pleasing to Him. Your goal is to get to know Him better and to become like Him.