Made in His Image

I read recently that ninety-seven percent of women have a negative body image; meaning that ninety-seven percent of women look in the mirror each day and view themselves negatively. Those numbers are disturbing. I believe this also applies to Christian ladies as well. I can't count how many times over the years I've heard godly, beautiful, vibrant ladies point out how over or under weight they were, their hair type, their lack of style, and some actually said they felt ugly. I can relate. Perhaps there have been times that you could too.

We ladies have a tendency to compare ourselves. Perhaps we don’t compare ourselves to the women of Hollywood or the models splashed across magazines in the grocery checkout lines (at least I hope not!), but I have to honestly admit to seeing some ladies in various churches and thinking to myself, “I wish I looked more like her.” In fact, one of those young women, with her beautiful and thick hair that I had so admired approached me one day and said she wished she could trade hair with me. I was shocked. She wanted my thinning hair? She had no idea the embarrassment I sometimes felt about my hair! My take-away from that exchange was this: the Bible is very true when it says, “but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (II Corinthians 10:12b)

I have listened to Christian ladies all across the age spectrum from sweet teen girls to Godly older women express frustration and displeasure with their outward appearance for whatever reason. These are ladies who are truly beautiful inside and out. My heart hurts a little each time I overhear them share their insecurities. What can we ladies do to help ourselves and each other? Do we have to continue to feel defeated and discouraged in our daily lives when we step on the scale or get dressed each morning? Perhaps it doesn’t seem very spiritual to even bring up the insecurities a Christian woman faces about her outward appearance. Yet if it truly affects ninety-seven percent of ladies, I think it merits being addressed, especially since the Bible contains verses that tell us godliness with contentment is great gain (I Tim. 6:6), beauty is vain (Prov. 31:30), and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). How we view ourselves must matter to the Lord, or He wouldn’t have included verses in the Bible that address or apply to the issue. So what can we do?

I think the first thing we can do is stop comparing and criticizing ourselves so harshly. Verses referenced above mention that it is unwise to compare ourselves with each other (spiritually, physically, or otherwise) and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are created in the image of a holy God.He didn’t make a mistake, He didn’t mess up, and He didn’t fail. Therefore we can walk confidently, knowing that He made us just as He wanted us to be. Along those lines, we need to cast out thoughts from the enemy. If the devil can sow seeds of discouragement in our hearts, for whatever reason, we can not serve God as effectively. We can ask the Lord to cast down imaginations, tear down strongholds, and give us victory concerning our thoughts.

We can also concentrate on the areas we do like. We all have things about our features that we honestly wish were different, but don’t focus on the negative. Each person has strengths and weaknesses, and that is also true of physical appearance. Camouflage the areas that aren’t your favorite, and concentrate on the things about yourself that you do like. Change what you can, and embrace what you can not. If Esther spent months preparing herself to meet the king, Ruth prepared herself for Boaz, and the woman of Proverbs 31 clothed herself in silk and purple, then we know we can work on ourselves in moderation. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and it’s perfectly acceptable to do so.

We should most importantly, consider Scripture. We are in Christ. We are the bride of Christ. We are daughters of the King of kings He loved us so much that He died for us. Those facts from Scripture should fill us with confidence and joy. Remember your standing in Christ! In Him we have our being, in Him we are complete, and in Him is all sufficiency. He came that we might have abundant life. We do not have to live in defeat for any reason, because in Christ we are more than conquerors.

In closing, I’d like to say that I'm glad God made a world of beauty, and in that world He allowed people to be made in His image (what an honor!) and yet have unique appearances. Only God can do something as special as that!

What Woundrous Love is This?

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

~What Wondrous Love is This?, American Hymn~

As a little girl no older than three or four, sometimes I would sing to myself as I fell asleep. Most of the songs I knew at that age I'd learned in church. "Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong." I knew the words by heart, but I could not comprehend their meaning.

As an adult now, may I admit that I still have trouble comprehending their meaning? I made a false profession at a young age and several years later I came to truly know the Lord as my Saviour. Until that moment I can honestly say I'd never felt love. Of course I was loved. My family loved me very much and I believe some precious Christians in my church loved me too, but often people would say that they loved me and I never felt anything. I had a head knowledge that I was loved, but it didn't sink much further than that. It was an awful feeling, always wondering what love really was and what it really felt like or looked like. I blame no one for that, I just openly admit that this was how I felt for the majority of my life, until I came to Christ. And I don't believe we really can love or feel true love until we know personally the God who IS love itself.

The night I was saved, my grandfather read to me the verses we're all so familiar with. Verses that I'd put to memory myself just like those song lyrics. When he read John 3:16 to me, it all finally came together clearly in my mind for the very first time. You see, first he read, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosover believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," but then he reread it like this: "For God so loved Abby, that he gave his only begotten Son, that if Abby believeth in him she should not perish, but have everlasting life." 

Let me be clear, I love my Bible. I'll stand for it till the day I die, and I don't agree with rewording verses or rewriting God's Word. However, until that moment, it never clicked in my mind that God personally loved ME. He loved ME so much that He left Heaven to live on this wicked earth and allowed sinful men to nail his precious body to cross. He allowed His precious blood to be shed because He didn't want me to die and go to hell. It overwhelmed me to realize the God of Heaven loved me like that! Because of that, I knew for the first time that He would save me when I asked, because if He loved me that much, that meant He wanted me. 

I went to sleep that night feeling wrapped in arms of love, overwhelmed with so much joy to realize, "He wants me! He loves me! He saved me! He really did!" I know we are not saved based on feelings, but that is how I felt. As women we are emotional (sometimes more so than at other times!) and feelings are important to us. I believe that's why salvation made sense to me for the first time that night, because for the first time I realized what love felt like, what it looked like, and what it was like directed at me.

However, it wasn't long after that night that I failed the Lord. I sinned. I messed up. I knew I John 1:9. I knew if I asked Him, He'd forgive me, but the trouble was, I didn't feel forgiven. I struggled for years with that. Every time I sinned I felt unworthy to ask Him to forgive me, unworthy to receive His forgiveness. Unworthy of His wondrous love. So I had to take God at His Word. The words to children song I learned were literal to me. "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." I had to believe that when He said in the Bible that if I asked, He'd forgive me. He would be faithful to cleanse me. That He still loved me And He has done that so many times for me in the fifteen years I've known Him as my Saviour, Father, and Friend. He has always forgiven me whenever I asked. I had to put into practice the truth that we can't base our standing with God on our feelings. Yet still I prayed that the Lord would help me in that area, that He would let those truths of unconditional love, forgiveness, and mercy become more than just a head knowledge to me. I wanted to see it, to know it, to feel it. I wanted it to be as real to me as the night He saved me.

Many years passed, and I wondered sometimes if I would ever truly understand it the way I was sure He wanted me to understand it. Then one day God started something precious in my life. He allowed me to meet a wonderful gentleman. I came to love that man very much, but I wondered if he would love me. Months passed. A year passed. Then two. I knew I wanted to marry this man. I knew the Lord had led us together in an unusual and wonderful way. But...did he love me? Would I struggle with knowing his love as I struggled with my Heavenly Father's love? I prayed not.

I didn't realize it, but the wonderful man God had sent to me, was actively showing me his love. For months he had been doing things to demonstrate his love to me, but I couldn't see it. It never registered with me. Then one afternoon as we dropped some things off at a thrift store, seemingly out of no where, he told me, "I love you." I cried. I cried tears of joy to realize this wonderful man loved...ME! When I heard the words it all made sense. Very much like the night God saved me, when I heard the words, "for God so loved Abby..." I knew for the first time God truly loved me.

However, I often find myself failing this wonderful man. Sometimes I get it wrong. Sometimes I misunderstand him. Sometimes I am irritable, anxious, upset, downright angry, and I fail him. He deserves my utmost respect, but there are times when my sinful self bares it's head. There's one thing I've noticed however: the moment I ask his forgiveness, he immediately gives it. He doesn't just say the words, but he truly forgives me. So many times he's extended to me grace that I knew I did not deserve. So many times he's answered softly to my words of frustration. So many times he's reminded me in my worst moments that he loves me and always will. 

His love for me amazes me. It overwhelms me sometimes. I can't quite understand it. I don't feel that I deserve it. But one day after one of those moments, something finally registered with me: "That's how my Heavenly Father loves me! That's how He forgives me! That's the way He sees me, only in a more perfect way!"

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

 ~Ephesians 5:25

I realized if a human man could be so forgiving, so loving, so gracious toward me, how much more so did Christ feel that way toward me? It overwhelmed me with joy! It still does each time I think of it! For so long I'd asked the Lord to make His love known to me in a way that I could understand. He had taught it to me in such a beautiful way. I realized if a man wanted to restore me to fellowship that much, if a man could so quickly and freely forgive me, then God wanted to do so even more! When I look at Chris, I can honestly say that I see Christ in him. I treasure that. And as he loves me, I find I love him even more. That makes sense given that we love God because He first loved us.

Though I now understand more fully that God does love me and truly forgives me and extends mercy to me when I ask, I'll never understand WHY God loves sinful, fallen man. People can try to explain it, or give reasons. However, if we could figure God out, He would not be God. We can't fully comprehend His love. What would make Him leave Heaven for me or for you? I don't know. But I know that He did. He loves me, and He loves you, with a powerful, unconditional, passionate love. It's a wondrous love. It is wonderful and it does cause us to wonder. As another song says, even if the sky were parchment and the ocean ink, we could never contain it. It is boundless. It is perfect. It is wondrous!  

If you don't know His love, come to Him. No matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done, He wants to extend His love and forgiveness to you. He wants you to know His wondrous love!

 

A Plea for...Modesty! Yes, I said it!

It's been on my mind for some time, but today I read a blog post that reminded me again of the importance of modesty among ladies. (I'll link the article below for any who are interested.) I'm aware that I'm writing about a very touchy subject in our churches. I understand that as a lady, it may feel awkward at times to hear the subject expounded from a pulpit by a man and in mixed company. We ladies can have a tendency to respond in a knee-jerk reaction to the subject. 

So I want to address the subject of modesty as fellow sister in Christ, and it's my prayer that I can communicate my perspective with a heart of love for my sisters in Christ, as well as my brothers in Christ who I believe truly have a desire to walk before the Lord with pure minds. I'll share four reasons that I believe being modest is important and Biblical.  However, I don't intend to use the verses traditionally used to present the subject.

I'll also say upfront, I was not raised in a dresses/skirts only home. I was a lost church member and when I became a Christian it took two years of the Lord gently dealing with my heart to bring me to the place that I was willing to dress differently than the world around me. I also don't do it to please a preacher, or a church, or a camp of people in our Independent Baptist movement. I don't believe I'm any godlier or better than anyone else. I know my frame: that I am wicked sinner saved by God's grace. I still sin, I'm not perfect, and I have plenty of space to grow in this area as well as many others. I'm not a legalist: by that I mean, I don't believe you have to dress modestly to go to Heaven. Women who wear skirts to their ankles go to the same hell that the vilest sinners go to if they die without Christ. I also don't harp on this subject and I address it knowing it is a sensitive topic for ladies and men alike. That is why I want to handle it carefully and respectfully. I hope you'll read this with an open mind. I hope you'll read this knowing that as a lady, as a fellow sister in Christ, I "get it." And if you're a gentleman reading here, please know that though I write for ladies, that I'm on your side too. That's part of why I'm writing this in the first place.

1. Modesty is important because we should desire to honor the Lord.
The Bible says in I John 2:3, "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." The Bible also says in I Timothy 2:9, " In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel..." If we love the Lord we will desire to please HIM above all others. What we think, feel, like, or prefer is not important or relevant if it is contrary to what God wants for us. If our hearts are right (by the way, it IS a heart issue) we will seek to honor, respect, and love the Lord by obedience in ALL areas of our lives, including how we dress. As daughters of the King of Kings, we should seek to honor our Father and represent Him in a way that brings glory to Him. We do after all, represent him. 

Concerning modesty, He commands we do it. He doesn't request it or suggest it, He gives a clear Scriptural command to be modest in our apparel (what we wear). I also have three more reasons to share, but in reality, the first one is all the reason we need. If our hearts are sensitive to the Lord we will be receptive to His commands even if they are not what we'd like to hear. 

I remember when God was dealing with me about how I was dressing outside of church. I cried out in prayer, "People will think I've lost my mind! They won't understand. They'll talk about me, laugh at me, mock me. It will be really hard." Yet over and over the words from Acts, "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29) would come to mind. I had to choose what was more important: pleasing people and fitting in with what was accepted, or pleasing God. I say that in order to share that I really do know it can be a hard choice to make for a lady who was not raised to dress different than the world. But honoring God is far better than fitting in and going along with what is accepted.

2. Modesty is important because we should desire to honor ourselves as ladies.
Yes, I really just said that! Ladies, we should respect ourselves! You're not cheap! You were bought and paid for with the blood of CHRIST! You are priceless! Doesn't that bless your heart to know? So don't advertise your body as if you are cheap. You're not! You are precious in God's sight and worth so much more! You are a daughter of the KING! you are royalty in God's eyes, so there's no need to dress like pauper when you are a princess. 

You may not feel like a princess. I understand that feeling. We live in a world where "sex sells" and there is pressure even in church to look a certain way. Sometimes it can seem that dressing modestly means we're overlooked when compared to those who push the envelope in what they wear and how they present themselves. But guess what? God views you differently. The Bible says in Psalm 139:14, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." This means God made you exactly as He wanted you to be. His Word says that what He did was "marvellous." And you're soul needs to know that "right well." In other words, we need to be secure in that knowledge. 

So because you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, because you are so priceless that He bought you with His very blood, respect yourself enough to present yourself with dignity and respect. Some people confuse modesty with frumpiness. Far from it, sister! You don't have to dress like you're auditioning for a part on "Little House on the Prairie." You don't have to wear the colors and styles of the Old Order Amish or Quakers. Modesty is not about being out of date or making yourself look ugly. You can buy new clothes that are modest. You can look fashionable, nice, appropriate, beautiful, colorful, and feminine. you can present yourself in such a way that says, "I didn't crawl out of a time-warp from 1860. I am a beautiful, priceless daughter of God and confident in my standing in Christ." 

By the way, respect the fact that as a lady God did in fact make you to be feminine. He made you as a woman, not a man. He did not make a mistake. Embrace that. Feminism has tried to take away who we are as ladies. They've told us to work like men, dress like men, demand the rights of men. But it hurts us because we were never created to be men. God made us as He saw fit and there is peace in accepting what God wills.

3. Modesty is important because we should desire to honor our husbands.
We should desire to honor and respect our husbands in how we dress because God intended our bodies to be for his eyes only and in the context of marriage. However; in public we need to keep ourselves modest to respect him. Prove to him that his attention is enough, and that you don't need to seek out the attention of other men. Keep yourself for your husband. Protect what is his. The Bible teaches in Ephesians 5:33, "and the wife see that she reverence her husband." If you have to "see" to something that usually implies you have to put some effort into it. Part of reverencing him includes making him secure in the knowledge that he and his attention alone is enough for you. You can do this in one way by dressing modestly. 

What if you aren't married? This still applies. The Bible says in Proverbs 31:10-12, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

Did you notice one tiny word at the end? "ALL." She will do him good ALL the days of her life. Not when she meets him. Not after she marries him, but ALL the days of her life. You may not be married yet, but chances are you will be. Purpose in your heart now to honor him in how you live your life, even in your manner of dress. That way, when he meets you, he can be secure in the knowledge that you intend to do him good. Show your future husband even now that his reputation is so important to you and honoring God's Word means so much to you that you are willing to honor him even before you ever meet him. 

What if you will not be married? It's true that some people never marry, but this point still applies, because regardless of whether or not you marry in this life, if you are a Christian you are part of the bride of Christ. Honor your Heavenly bridegroom. Do Him good all the days of your life. 

By the way, remember where I mentioned above sometimes a woman can feel overlooked when compared to immodestly dressed women? A truly godly man is not looking for an immodestly dressed woman. He's looking for someone who values herself, her Saviour, and her future husband enough to cover up. Seriously! You'll attract the right kind of man with the right kind of dress (and attitude, and actions, and testimony...).

4. Modesty is important because we should desire to honor our brothers in Christ.

Have you ever wondered why some men really hammer modest dress from the pulpit? I'm sure there are many reasons, but I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt here and assume these men are motivated for right reasons. As men, they understand in a very literal way what a battle it is to keep themselves pure in the world we live in. I believe they wished we better understood this, and perhaps this is why some mention it so often.

God made men to be visual. Don't get mad and blame the men. It's how GOD made them, and as I shared above, Scripture says that how God makes us is fearful and wonderful and it's a marvellous thing. Because women for the majority are not visual in this way, it's sometimes hard for us to understand. Some women say, "They ought to control themselves better and then how we dress wouldn't be a problem." 

It's not that simple. Yes, men are responsible to God to keep their minds pure. However, they also live in a world that is a visual mind-field. As a lady, even I am aware of the way women in the world dress in less clothing than their underwear just to go out in public. I see the magazine racks in nearly every store. I see the billboards as I drive on the interstate. I'm not even visual or wired like they are, and I can see there are snares of the devil around every single corner. Literally. My heart breaks for our brothers in Christ. This world is not an easy place for them. It's becoming harder and harder for them to keep their minds pure as this world's fashion industry pushes more risque clothing each year, though they desire to do so. They really do. Why? To honor the Lord...and to honor YOU. They desire to view you as sisters in Christ and in purity. How you present yourself to them can help that process or make it harder.

We can help. We can at least do our part to make sure church is a safe place for them visually. We can make the effort to dress and interact with them in such a way that they feel safe around us and better able to honor us in how they view us. 

Why should we? Because the Bible says in Romans 12:10, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;" 

You see, they're our brothers. And in a family, you look out for each other. You love one another. You seek to honor one another. You fight for one another if need be. And there is a fight being waged against them by the devil and his demons. They'll use anything they can to hinder good and godly men. As their sisters, let's do our part to help them in this fight. 

May we seek to honor first and foremost the Lord in all things, even in modest dress. May we glorify Him! And in the process we can also honor ourselves and others. What could be better than that?

The link I mentioned earlier: http://phyliciadelta.com/to-the-girls-in-the-pew-ahead-of-me/ 

  

Evil Communications

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. --I Corinthians 15:33

I have the privilege of teaching eight year olds in Sunday School. They do amaze me sometimes with the questions they ask and the insight they have. For awhile now we've been covering people from the Bible who either obeyed or disobeyed the Lord. A few weeks ago one of my boys shared some particularly wise words that I'm still thinking on.

As I spoke to them about King Saul's disobedience, and how he repeatedly blamed the people for his sin, even though he was responsible, one of the boys raised his hand and said, "When I spend time with kids who disobey their parents, I have a hard time obeying mine. So I try to play with kids who don't."

WOW! He understands the instruction given in I Corinthians 15:33. He's not deceived. He gets it. We are responsible for our actions, but the Bible clearly teaches that good behavior can be corrupted by the company we keep. This is why it's important that we guard ourselves from bad influences.

Society coined the term "peer pressure" to label what that young man described to me. We use that term to warn children against choosing bad friends and making good choices. However, peer pressure doesn't stop when a child transitions to an adult.

Perhaps it's easier to spot when children are eight; the teasing a child may endure for not going along with the crowd. However, the adult world is not free of such temptation. The church is not free of such temptation. We ladies are not free of such temptation. Whether overt or subtle, it's still a battle we face for a lifetime.

Think about it. Do you find it easier to gossip if you keep company with a gossip? Do you find it easier to be overly critical if you spend time with someone who is extremely critical? Do you find it harder to respect your husband if you keep company with ladies who are consistently negative about theirs? Do you find it easier to let your standards of modesty slip if your best friend is constantly pushing the envelope in that area? Perhaps you can think of other practical areas to apply this.

It's not often a person can be close friends with a negative influence and pull the negative influence to their level. Usually it's the other way around. That's why the Bible says what it does in I Corinthians 15:33. God knows the fleshly nature of man (women). That's why He warns us.

Does that mean we should avoid those people who possess qualities that could fall into the category of "evil communications?" If their behavior creates a stumbling block in your life, YES we should limit our time in their presence. However, we are also called to a ministry of reconciliation. The Bible instructs those who are spiritual to help those overtaken in a fault. The key word there is spiritual. 

I'll be honest, I face struggles in some areas where it's simply best that I avoid those who struggle in that same area, because then I find myself fighting even harder against that sin when I spend time in their company. At the same time, in areas where we have attained victory, we should humbly, prayerfully seek to help others who find themselves fighting those battles.

God calls us as ladies to be teachers of good things (Titus 2) and to be examples of righteousness and holiness. That means we need to cultivate good manners with good communications, so that we can be spiritual enough to help those overtaken in faults.

I pray I don't lose sight of the simple but profound words spoken by that young man. I know I'd like for my influence to be one of godliness, not the evil communications God's Word warns against.

This Generation's Daughters

Earlier this week I read an article about a Canadian teenage girl who was in trouble for her dress code violation. In response to that, she had posted signs all over the school telling teachers to teach boys that girls are not sexual objects instead of shaming girls. People are declaring her a hero and praising her message.

That response to this young lady's misguided thinking greatly disturbs me, but it doesn't shock me. We now live in a society where women and young girls think it's perfectly acceptable to leave home barely dressed, and expect men to treat them with respect. I'll stop and say here, that it's true, boys and men should be taught that females are not sexual objects. However, when a young lady or woman dresses as if she is one, why is she surprised if men respond to that? My answer may surprise you...

I don't entirely blame the young girls or women of our generation. And here's why. We have failed this generation (and the one before that, and the one before that...).

There's a lot of things that factor into what has caused this tragedy in our society, but one of the main problems is that parents have failed their children. Women have failed to model for their daughters what it is to have respect for one's self as a lady. Men have failed to model for their daughters how a man should treat a real lady.

As Father's Day nears, I would especially point out that a father's influence in the life of his daughter is crucial. A daughter needs a father to be the standard against which she will judge all men. Yet we have a generation of fatherless girls (and boys). A child's father doesn't have to be dead in order for her to be fatherless. He simply has to be absent. He either abandoned his daughter by leaving her physically, or he may be in her life but emotionally not present.

This creates a dilemma for a girl entering womanhood. Daddy isn't giving her the love and attention that she needs, deserves, and craves. As a result she seeks male attention in improper ways. She wants attention, and though she may not fully understand, she does know that she can get male attention by dressing in certain ways. What she fails to understand is that a real man admires a lady; he does not use her as the object she is presenting herself as.

She has no father in her life to tell her she's worth more than that. She has no father to treat her with love and respect so that she saves herself for a man who will treat her in similar fashion.

She also has no mother to model for her how a lady should dress, speak, carry herself, and interact with men; because her own mother is acting the very same way, and setting the example for her daughter.

By the way, this isn't just a problem in the secular world, but it's a problem in our churches. I know, because I've visited many churches over the years and in some good, solid, Bible preaching churches I've seen young ladies who come in "half dressed." I don't mean visitors who are unchurched; I mean girls raised in Christian School, in Christian homes, who know better. Or do they?

You see, I believe the same concept of fatherless girls and mothers who give poor examples is more prevalent in our churches than we care to admit. I know there are some examples of parents who did everything the could to raise their children right, and still the kids rebelled, BUT there is also an element of broken families in churches that is disturbing as well.

Whether affected by divorce, or simply that the family unit is dysfunctional for some reason, (by that I mean there is a family where parents are together but their homelife is unstable) we are seeing some of the same problems from our church-going teen girls and young women. She has a Daddy in the home, but dad is too busy for whatever reason to meet his little girl's needs for love and to show her by example how men should treat her. She has a Mama in the home, but mama herself seems to be in competition with her teen daughter in how she dresses, and insists on being her daughter's "friend."

Our girls have no one to teach them that there is a difference between virginity and purity. She can act/dress/talk/carry herself in a way that is impure without actually losing her virginity, but both are gifts from God that young women should treasure and protect.

Our girls have no one to teach them that they are beautiful, so they desperately act out for attention from anyone who will fill that void for them.

Our girls have no one to teach them that they have value, so they give themselves away to any and everyone who pays them attention. They give their bodies away whether by dressing immodestly or by actually committing fornication.

Yes, hold the girls accountable. Yes, they know deep down what they're doing is wrong, especially the girls brought up in church. Yes, teach them that what they are doing is sin (because it is).

But also realize a good portion of the blame for the society we live in and the culture of indecency that is being shoved down our throats needs to be placed at the feet of the people who have failed these girls (and boys, but that's a another subject entirely).

Hollywood and pop culture pushes the limits and sets a  false standard for this generation's girls. The feminist movement, that is still going strong all these years later, is setting a false standard for this generation's girls. Magazines put forth a false standard of beauty for this generation's girls. And their own parents are setting for them a false standard of what they're worth and how they should carry themselves.

The difference in boy and girl is determined at conception. The difference in girl and woman is determined by age. But the difference between woman and lady is determined by choice. The difference between woman and lady is also determined by the role model (her mother and father) in the young woman's life. 

It is my hope that this generation of young ladies will rebel. I hope they rebel against Hollywood. I hope they rebel against the feminist movement that is trying to sell them false goods. And I hope they rebel against the example their parents have modeled for them. I hope they rebel against the devil's plans for their lives and turn to Christ, who will give them the love and attention they are so desperately crying out for by their actions. 

As I close this, I want to say, I'm so thankful for the Godly parents out there who ARE teaching their sons and daughters correctly; who ARE setting the right example, who ARE meeting the needs of their daughters for love and attention so that they don't want to seek it in improper ways. Praise God for those who realize the importance of raising their daughters to be different and to value themselves in the face of a culture that tells them otherwise. 

On a personal note, I am so glad I had a Granddaddy and a Daddy who set an example for me of what I should expect from a man, of how I should carry myself as a lady. I know because of their love and leadership that I was blessed growing up, but my heart breaks for the girls coming up now. 

May we ladies step in for some of these girls, as Titus two instructs, and teach these girls by words and actions what it truly means to be a lady.

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. ~Titus 2:3-5

A Lesson in Love

She paid no attention to the children playing around her, but wandered instead to a quiet corner of the playroom where a box of dolls was kept. She knelt down on her knees and one by one, pulled doll after doll from the pile. They were dolls with cheerful smiles, bright colored dresses, the prettiest any little girl could hope to play with. Still she dug further into the pile until she reached the bottom.

The only thing left in the box was a pitiful looking baby doll. She was worn with age (1956 to be exact!) and her painted hair and face were fading. Her glass eyes a bit dusty, and her rubber fingers, toes, and nose looked as though they had long ago been chewed off by a dog. She had no clothing to speak of. She was very obviously the least desirable of the dolls, most likely an unwanted old toy given to the Church School by a member years before. The little girl picked up that worn out, faded, chewed up doll and held her close in her arms, the other toys forgotten.

"I will love you." She whispered. The little girl dug through a box of doll clothes until she found a dress that would fit, and slipped it over her. She found a blanket and wrapped the doll snugly in it, and sat down in a child sized rocking chair and began to softly hum the hymns she had learned in church. 

From that day forward, whenever she entered the playroom she ignored everything else and went to the box of dolls and found that same worn out baby. One day she realized her "baby" needed a name. She gave much consideration to this matter. Names were important. Finally, she decided on just the perfect name, and whispered to the tiny baby, "I'll call you Elisabeth."

As the days and months passed the little girl's world became more and more uncertain. Yet one thing remained constant to her in the midst of all her circumstances: Elisabeth. She didn't fully understand what love was at the age of four, but she thought it might have something to do with what she heard at church; about a Man named Jesus who would forgive and save anyone who came to Him. He was a God who loved children too, just like the song she learned in Sunday School, "Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the children of the world." If that was love, didn't that mean she should love like that? Even the unlovely? Even the unlovable? The broken, cast aside ones? The less than perfect ones? Didn't that mean as broken and unwanted as Elisabeth had been, that she should love her? And so she tried, in the very best way a four year old could, to love Elisabeth.

One day she received news that caused silent tears to pour down her face. Her parents were separating. She was going to live with her grandparents. On top of it all, she had to leave behind Elisabeth because the school year was coming to a close. Having just passed her fifth birthday there was much about life she didn't understand, but of one thing she was certain. It often wasn't fair.

On the last day of school, just like all the days before, she found her quiet place in the playroom, wrapped Elisabeth in a blanket and hummed the hymns from church; the quiet, calming words, "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. Jesus is merciful. Jesus will save." It was one of her very favorites. As the close of the school day neared she whispered in Elisabeth's ear, "I have to leave you. I can't come back anymore. But I'll always love you."

She placed Elisabeth in the box with the other dolls and went with the other children to wait for her grandmother to pick her up. She tried hard not to cry. She wasn't succeeding very well! She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see her teacher smiling at her.

"I have something for you." she told the little girl with excitement. She pulled her hands from behind her back to reveal...Elisabeth!

"We decided that she needed to go with you." the teacher explained upon seeing the confused little girl's expression.

 The little girl eagerly reached out for her baby and held her close. "I never have to leave you! I'll love you forever!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Years passed and that little girl became a Christian at the age of eleven. It had taken her a long time to realize that the same love Jesus had for everyone truly did include her. After becoming a Christian she understood what true love was for the first time; to be truly forgiven, accepted, and to belong. The years continued to pass and that little girl became a woman.

She learned what it was to love and be loved by her Saviour, and she remembered the lesson taught to her so long ago by a pitiful, chewed up, faded baby doll: to love the unlovable and unlovely. Sometimes she heard people joke that love was blind. Yet, wasn't that how love was supposed to be? The Bible did say, "...but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12b)

After all, isn't that how Jesus had loved her? She had been unlovely, scarred by sin, at the bottom of a miry pit. Yet Jesus had picked her up, cleaned her up, changed her life, and He had loved her. Unconditionally. He had done more than cover her sins; He had washed them all away, never to remember them again.

In fact, when she really stopped to think about it, she'd been a lot like Elisabeth. At the very bottom, faded and chewed up by sin. Yet Jesus had reached all the way down for her, picked her up, clothed her in righteousness, wrapped her in His arms promising to love her. 

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. ~Psalm 40:2,3

God loves this world and He's willing to reach down for anyone who will come to Him in repentance and faith. He loves and He calls on His children to love others as well. He calls us to a work of reconciliation by bringing the lost of this world to Him. He calls us to love our enemies. He calls us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when that is difficult.

Sometimes a person finds themselves called to show love to an unloving spouse, or perhaps a parent is called to love a wayward child living in rebellion. Sometimes a person is called to love a hurtful, bitter parent. Sometimes we are called to love brothers and sisters in Christ even when they may not show kindness to us. Often we may find ourselves called to love those lost in sin, those who oppose Christianity, who may even oppose us on a personal level. But always, we are called to love.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ~I John 4:7,8

God calls us to "rescue the perishing, care for the dying." Why? Because He is merciful and He will save. He loved sinful man so much that He died for each and every person that has ever or will ever live. 

By the way, in case you were wondering whatever happened to Elisabeth...she sits in a prominent place on my dresser to this day, still wearing that little blue dress. She's still chewed up with faded paint, but I happen to think she's beautiful. And though many of us have been scarred by sin and shame and have brokenness in our pasts, when God sees us, He sees the righteousness of Christ. He sees us as trophies of grace. 

 

 

All the Days of Her Life

All the Days of Her Life

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. –Proverbs 31:10-12

During the month of February, one can hardly go out in public without the constant reminders of Valentine’s Day. There are sales on candy and flowers, and pink and red hearts nearly everywhere. It’s enough to give some young men hives and cause some young ladies to wear black in honor of “Single People Awareness Day.”

I say all of that jokingly, but some young people do seem to have a more difficult time as that day nears. I wanted to write this for the single young ladies who find themselves praying for “the one” and still find themselves waiting, perhaps all through college and beyond.

I am very thankful for my King James Bible. Every word in it is important. When I read those verses in Proverbs 31, I notice a word in verse twelve. “She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” That little three letter word stands out to me like a neon sign. I’ve heard it said that a good definition for that word is, “all is all, and that’s all that all means.”

That verse doesn’t say she’ll do him good and not evil when she meets him. It doesn’t say she’ll do him good and not evil during their courtship. It doesn’t say she’ll do him good and not evil after they are married. It plainly says she will do him good and not evil ALL the days of her life. Ladies, that means while you are waiting for him, and you wonder if he even exists, you will live your life in such a way that you can do him good and not evil ALL of your days. It means that you will wait for him and not settle for less than God’s best for you. It means that you will have a Godly testimony that honors the Lord as well as him. It means that you will keep yourself in purity for him, and you will live in such a way that he will have “no need of spoil” and that his heart can safely trust in you. If that sounds like a lot of work that is because it can be, but I do believe if a young lady will spend her single years as a time of preparation and service to the Lord, that God will honor that, whether she ever marries or not.

One specific way you can “do him good” all your days is to pray for him. “But I don’t know who he is yet,” you may be thinking. That’s perfectly alright. You don’t have to know him specifically in order to pray for him in specific ways.

Pray for his perspective. By that I mean, pray that he has a right relationship with the Lord. Pray for his salvation and pray that he will follow after righteousness rather than worldliness. Pray that he will be established in God’s Word and willing to stand for the truths it contains. Remember, he will one day be the spiritual head of your home.

Pray for his purity. We live in a world that is no friend to purity. Pray for the Lord to keep him strong in this area of his life. Pray a wall of protection around his eyes, mind, and heart. Pray God would give him victory to stand against the fiery darts of the devil. Pray that he is a man of integrity and character, as well as a man who is led by the Holy Spirit. Pray the armor of God found in Ephesians chapter six, as well as the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in his life. A man walking in the Spirit will be pure.

Pray for his protection. He needs protection physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally; just as you do. The devil is walking about seeking whom he may devour. The man you are praying for and waiting for is no exception, and he needs your prayers for protection in every aspect of his life.

Pray for his prosperity. Pray that the Lord will bless his work, whether it be his daily job, a ministry he is involved in, or his spiritual walk. Again, the devil will seek to discourage him and tell him that it’s all in vain. Pray the Lord would prosper whatever he puts his hands to. Pray that when discouragement comes that he will remain strong in the Lord.

These are just a few examples of how you can pray specifically for him, even if you don’t know specifically who he is. There are so many ways a young lady can seek to “do him good” all the days of her life. This time of waiting can be a special time of prayer and preparation that you spend with the Lord. Your Heavenly Father is working on you and that unknown man, so have patience, pray, and prepare. Never lose sight of doing him good all your days.

Tears in a Bottle

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? --Psalms 56:8

Have you ever realized nothing removes makeup quite so effectively as tears? Even mascara, as hard as it is to remove, our tears break down even the waterproof kind! It's kind of funny to me in a way. If I could think of a way to bottle tears and market them as makeup remover, I'd be one rich lady! But you know something? Our tears are precious to the Lord. So much so that He saves our tears in bottles (Psalm 56:8) (My grandfather used to say I had enough tears for 3 women, so if there's a water tower in Heaven, it has my name on it, because mine overflowed the bottle a long time ago!). One day He will wipe away our tears. Can you imagine the King of Glory, our Saviour, literally wiping away our tears? What compassion and what comfort that will be! I wrote a book of poems some years ago and one of them is about tears. I thought I'd share it here,

Tears Speak When Words Can Not

Lord, sometimes I come to You
burdened in prayer.
Yet I can't find the words,
only tears are there.

I can not articulate,
formulate or think.
But tears keep on flowing;
the right words I can't speak.

I know I shouldn't worry.
The Holy Spirit has it covered.
After all, He makes intercession
with groanings which can not be uttered.

When I feel foolish for crying
and I'm tempted to stop
I remember that my tears speak
when my words can not.

That book was published five years ago, but I wrote those words years before. I still feel that way. Sometimes we come before the Lord, not really sure what to say. Sometimes all we can get out might be "Oh Father!" or "Please help!" (and by "help" we really aren't sure what we mean, just that we know we need Him to do something!) I say "we" because I'm sure I'm not the only one who's found myself in such a state. Isn't it wonderful to know, no matter the circumstance, no matter if you can find the words to pray or not, we have a Mediator? One hymn says, "before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea; a Great High Priest whose name is love, Who ever lives and pleads for me!" We have a Comforter in the Holy Spirit, a Mediator in Christ, and a loving Father Who always hears the cries of His child. Just some things on my heart this morning that I thought I'd share. And now...I better go reapply what my "make up remover" took off! :v ;) :D

Fear's Snare

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

I read that this morning in my Bible reading. It's one of my favorite verses and has often been an encouragement to me.

The first part, "The fear of man," makes me think of two different things. First there is the fear literally, of man. We fear what others think, say, or might do to us. So we hold back doing things we know to do, like witness, or take a stand for what is right. We fear the opinions of others, the criticism of people, and the ridicule of scoffers.

This is what nearly sent me to hell. I was a lost church member and I was afraid to admit it. I was afraid people would be angry I had lied or think badly of me for living that lie for several years. What finally got my attention the night I got saved was the Holy Spirit's conviction of, "What do you fear more? What others think, or dying and going to hell?" In that perspective the answer was obvious. My fear of hell was greater.

The second thing I think of when I think of "the fear of man," is just that: all the fears that man has; whether it be people, or circumstances, or events. It's anything a person has a fear of.

People fear a lot of things; some of them we view as serious and others we view as humorous. For those who fear financial ruin, they may laugh at a child afraid of the dark--but both of those fears are very real (in the mind) of the person who is afraid.

George Mueller said the opposite of faith is fear. If anyone had a right to make that statement, it was he, for he actively lived a life of faith, when many in his position would have felt fear. He was responsible for so many lives; to feed and clothe them, and yet we read he thanked God at breakfast for food that was not in the kitchen, and before the morning was out, somehow, there was always enough food for everyone.

I have heard it said regarding the Baptists of colonial New England, that the reason they were so heavily persecuted is that the congregationalists feared what they did not understand (Baptist doctrine).

Whatever the fear, whether it is a fear of man and his opinion or whether it's the collective fears of man, any fear, being the opposite of faith, is sin. If it's not of faith it can not please God. Sin does NOT please God.

It brings a snare. When I think of a snare I think of fishing or hunting. That hook is meant to catch or snare the fish, and usually, the harder the fish pulls, the more entangled it becomes. The trap is meant to snare the hunted animal, and the harder the animal fights, the weaker he gets, the more pain he is in, and the deeper the wound inflicted from the trap.

So it is with fear. When caught by it's snare, it drains us physically and emotionally and makes us spiritually weak. It causes pain that is needless, had we just avoided the snare to begin with. The longer we stay there, the deeper the wound we gain.

Fear steals faith and robs joy. Fear brings a snare that stops us in our tracks.

I remember two years after I was saved, I attended a revival meeting in a church that was local to me at the time. The evangelist talked about giving everything to God. There could be no hidden room of our heart for which God did not hold the key. We could not hand God the keys to everything and hold on to one saying, "Here Lord, I give you everything, except this one tiny area. That's mine. But you can have everything else!"

He mentioned it could be a sin we refused to give up or it could be an area of service we refused to do, it could be any area of our life where, maybe not verbally, but certainly by our actions we told the Lord to keep His hands off.

Oh how conviction broke me that night! I was saved, I had given up a lot of old things in my life and allowed God to replace them. God had been gracious to give me victory over a lot of things at that point. Yet there was this one area of my life, where I actually would say out loud and to anyone who asked, "I'll do anything BUT ______." (What it was is not important.)

I can literally remember having told the Lord, "I'll do anything you want, go anywhere you want, be whatever you want, just please don't ask of me this one thing, because I can not and will not do it."

That night the Lord put His finger right there. I tried to resist, but I realized something: until I was fully surrendered and willing to do ANYTHING God required of me, I could never go forward in my Christian life. He could not use an unwilling vessel.

What held me back? Fear. I was afraid that if I gave God that area of my life He'd make me do it. And I was afraid if I had to do it I would be faced with the failure I'd seen in the lives of others regarding that particular thing. And so I held on for dear life, thinking I knew better than God.

I still remember His dealing with me. I could trust God for eternal salvation, but not something dealing with this present, mortal life? I knew better than an omnipotent, omniscient God? Most importantly, what if that WAS God's will for my life, and until I surrendered it I could never be all God intended for me to be?

When I finally went to the altar and brokenly (and oh, I was broken alright! Fighting God makes you tired!) gave Him that part I was holding back, it was with His sweet peace that He gave in return, and a promise that He could give me better than my fear.

That was many years ago, and only one example of the times God has had to conquer my fears. Sometimes He deals with me in tender mercy and is so compassionate when I feel that I probably deserve His whopping. And sometimes, because I insist in holding on to whatever the given fear may be, He has to break me, and pry my fingers off one by one until I am once again resting in His peace.

You'd think by now I would have learned...fear brings a snare. Any fear does. It stops you in your tracks and until it's dealt with you can't go forward to what God has for you.

You ask, then how can you say that verse encourages you? What's encouraging about being caught in a snare?

It's the last part of the verse that encourages me. "...but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe." When I'm caught in that snare and my physical and emotional strength has been extinguished and when I'm stuck, unable to go forward, if I will but put my trust in the Lord, I'm safe. He releases me from the snare. He sets me free from the bondage I had put myself under.

When I think of the word "safe," I think of a small child fearing a thunderstorm who runs to their mother or father. That parent lovingly takes the child in his or her arms and holds the child. They may speak soft words of comfort, or they may silently rock the child to sleep, but that child knows whether words are spoken or not, no matter how bad the storm rages outside, they are safe in the arms of someone who loves them, and that's good enough.

How much more so it is with us running from a storm to our Heavenly Father? He never turns us away! He lovingly takes us up in His arms, and He may speak words of comfort or He may simply hold us securely until it passes, but in His arms is peace, and the faith that no matter how loud the storm rages, there is safety in His embrace.

I may often struggle with fears, but it's when I run to my Father that He assures me, all is well. I can trust Him. He is still in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He holds all my tomorrows. He is God, and He is good. In those moments, I am at peace. I am safe. And when you cast yourself on His mercies, so are you. Put your trust in Him...it's there you will truly be safe.

Proper Perspective?

Today I read a quote that I liked, so I shared it on my facebook page. "Beauty has a lot to do with character." A friend commented that it was a truth many young girls needed to know. I say amen to that! It's something everyone should know. It caused me to think, and as I thought more on it, I decided to share my scattered thoughts here.

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

For many, many years this has been one of my "life verses." I love the truth contained in that verse. As God lists the qualities of a virtuous, Godly woman, He closes the chapter with that truth. I believe we can see God's mind on the issue! He made it clear here that outward beauty was not nearly so important as the inward (her fear of the Lord). 

I once listened to a man use part of I Samuel 16:7, (for man looketh on the outward appearance) to justify placing strong emphasis on choosing a mate based on how she looked. For once in my life, I did not open my mouth, I smiled, kept walking and laughed to myself. He'd forgotten the entire verse which says, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." 

God was instructing Samuel NOT to use the world's ideas in choosing the man who would be Israel's king. He was telling him to see them as God saw them. We all could benefit from the instruction given to Samuel, in viewing ourselves and others. The world emphasizes the outter-man. God emphasizes the inner-man. We can not use the excuse, "Well I'm human and it's just natural to judge the outward appearance." The Bible tells us to die to the natural man and have the mind of Christ. We are to strive to value what He values, reject what He rejects, love as He loves. I believe that principle applies here.

Yes, this world says a person's worth is based heavily in the "packaging." Young children are sometimes more impressed with the box a gift comes in rather than the gift the box contains. Why? Their maturity has not allowed them to yet understand that the packaging might be nice, but it really doesn't mean much; it's the gift inside that's important. Some people carry this into adulthood. 

We need to view ourselves and others properly. I have listened to beautiful Christian teen girls, nearly in tears tell me, "I'm just not pretty enough." I have listened to women well aged sigh sadly and tell me, "I used to be so beautiful but that's gone now." I have listened to women in their middle-aged years fret that they are losing their beauty. They all list various reasons for why they feel this way. And my heart hurts a little every time. 

I don't judge them, because I have struggled, and still do in some areas concerning this. It is a battle, sometimes a daily one, that I have to fight. I have stood in front of my bathroom mirror crying in one hand while holding handfulls of my hair in the other. You see, my entire life I never thought I was very pretty but the one thing I did like about my outward appearance was my hair. To loose that as well was, and sometimes still is a challenge at times. That's just plain honest. But it is what it is, so you just wipe your tears, reapply your makeup, smile, and go on with your day. My point is, I understand those feelings of insecurity and not measuring up to a standard. 

But who set those standards women feel they must hold themselves to? Society? And did they set it based on Hollywood, popular trends, or culture? If so, those standards are wrong. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being "beautiful" on the outside. My point is, the women I've listened to list their inadequacies were in fact beautiful on the outside (and the inside!) and that is part of the problem. 

We all have things we don't like about ourselves. We forget godliness with contentment really is great gain. Yes, we, as in myself included. God made us, not we ourselves. We want to be smaller, we want to be bigger (well, not me!), we want curly hair instead of straight, blue eyes instead of brown; you name it, we're never really satisfied, and there could be many reasons why, but the fact remains, God made us. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. I've jokingly said, "I was made and it's fearful and I sure wonder!" However, really and truly, God made me (and everyone else) as He saw fit. There are some things we can, and sometimes should change (when my weight impeded my ability to serve God and even my life, that needed changing. But I don't need colored contacts or plastic surgery to alter who God made me to be, for example).

I heard a preacher once say as he stood looking at a cage of baboons in a zoo, that he laughed and wondered to himself why God had made something so funny looking. Then God reminded him that as Creator, He had looked upon ALL of His creation and called it good. He made the baboon as He wanted it to look and He was pleased. 

We need to view ourselves properly, and we certainly ought to view others properly as well. Who on earth do we think we are to look at another one of God's creations (especially one of God's children, if they are a brother or sister in Christ) and deem them somehow "less" or unworthy, or lacking based on their appearance? God has not resigned His throne to anyone, so no one has the right to view someone the King of the Universe created and critique a physical appearance.

As with most things, our ideas and God's sometimes contradict. His thoughts are higher than ours. When that happens, we must yield to Him. I love a good joke, even if it is on me, and I'm sometimes the first to tell one on myself. I like laughing and I don't mind laughing at myself. However we must not lose sight of the fact that our worth is not in how this world views us, how our brothers and sisters in Christ view us, or even in how we view ourselves. Our worth is in Christ. The fact of the matter is, we were worthless, rotten, no good sinners; every last one of us. YET, He loved us so much that He was willing to lay aside the glory of Heaven, and take on flesh, live and suffer and die (without sin!) for every last one of us. Our true worth is not in ourselves, but in Him. In Him is all sufficiency. 

I have laughingly said, "I'm more than just a number." By that I mean, I am more than the number on my scale. I am more than the number of hairs on my head (or in my hand!). I am more than the number that is my age. I am more than my outward appearance. And so is everyone else. We have a character, convictions, principles, thoughts, personalities, and most importantly, eternal souls. Making sure those things are properly kept in order is far more important. Yes, take care of the outward, it IS the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we ought to be good stewards of what we are given. Make it look as good as you can (within reason and with moderation) and keep it as healthy as you can, but know that your inner-man, that part of you that makes you YOU, that is more important to work on than anything else. Not even that can be done without the power of the Holy Spirit, by the way!

Letting Him shape our character, mold our lives, change our actions, work in our hearts, and work through us, THAT and that alone, is true beauty. We were created in His image, and yes, I do realize that because of the Fall, that image was marred when sin entered, but the Second Adam came, died, and rose again. He is all-together lovely, and we as His children are IN HIM.

I've heard it often said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." True. When we ask God to help us "behold" ourselves and others as He sees, that will make a world of difference. I'm glad when I was lost He saw what I could be. I'm glad when He views me now, He sees the Righteousness of Christ. It's how He views you as well.

I'm glad God made a world of beauty...and in that world he allowed people to be made in His image (what an honor!) and yet have unique appearances. He's just good like that!