This Is My Beloved

“Scripture supplies an array of images to nourish our imaginations regarding the nature of our relationship with Jesus. Lisa Smith, through her own reflections and the writings of historical saints captivated by the bridegroom’s love, beautifully draws out Scripture’s image of marital union to feed and form our hearts. Wedding Jesus’ lavish affection for us with the mature mission of an intimately interwoven life, Smith offers a vision of compelling beauty and overflowing fruitfulness.”


—Matthew Clark, author of Only the Lover Sings: Meditations on the Woman at the Well in Story and Song





“From a scholar of the Great Awakening comes an intimate invitation to be awakened to the bridal love of Jesus. Lisa Smith sets her own experience of awakening alongside careful exegesis of Song of Songs and the wisdom of a trove of early American writings on the allegory of Jesus as bridegroom. The result is a highly accessible and richly textured book that carries forth Christ’s love as it encourages and exhorts us to embrace him.”


—Jonathan Koch, assistant professor of English, Pepperdine University