Indecision

Many young people today suffer from indecision. They don’t know if they should go to college or not. If they decide to go to college, they don’t know which one to attend. They don’t know what to major in. They don’t know when to start college. They don’t know what kind of job they want. They just don’t know what to with their lives. May I be honest with you and say that I’m in that group?

Before graduation, my life was all mapped out: School, school, school, summer break, school, school, school, and so on. Now that I have graduated, for the first time, my life has become unpredictable. I know that I want to attend Beauty College, but I don’t know when and where. I know that I want to start a part-time job this fall–hopefully in the areas that I’m most passionate about:music, writing, photography, or cosmetology–, but I don’t know where.

Indecision is a very common thing people–especially young people–”suffer” from. Yet, I believe that there is a remedy. That remedy is prayer and trust. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).

 

Sisterchicks go Brit

And last, but not least, here are my favorite quotes from the latest Sisterchicks book, Sisterchicks go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn:

“‘He’s the One who knows what dreams lie dormant in the cave of every human heart,’ Kellie added. ‘He’s the One who nudges us forward and invites us to trust Him.’”

~~~~

“Sometimes I think about how it felt, stepping off the cliff’s edge into that untamed air. I remember that sense of being embraced by the everlasting arms of the Maker of all dreams and wishes. He held both Kellie and me close in that free fall of faith, and it was there, in that closeness, that I could hear His heart more clearly than I had in years.”

~~~~

“No. The more I thought about it, the correct answer was ‘probably.’ Probably this was God’s idea all along. He was leading us. All that jumbled, unexpected events that had come to us since we arrived, were gifts from our Heavenly Father. Both of us had prayed last week during that planning stages that God would lead us. We just never expected Him to lead in such unexpected ways.

Even though none of this trip was going the way I had thought it would, it was way beyond my simple hopes. My expectations had been along the lines of viewing the Crown Jewels, visiting and art museum, and seeing a play. Yet this, too, was England. All of it. We were savoring a rare taste of so much more than the average visitor gets to experience. It struck me that God was ‘gracing’ us with more than we ever imagined. I had a wish to go to England so I could see Big Ben; my expectations were small. God’s gifts to us were so immense.”

~~~~

“‘…I’m convinced that none of what has happened to us has been an accident. God is directing us.’

‘I’ll say. I’ve thought about that too. These past few days seem like they have to be God’s idea because nothing, absolutely nothing, has gone the way we thought it would. And to be honest with you, I think it’s gone better than anything we could have planned.’”

~~~~

“‘I will give them hearts that will recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.’

The first part of the verse caught my attention. ‘Hearts that will recognize me as the Lord.’

Copying the verse into my travel journal, I wondered if my heart really recognized God as Lord. I had been saying that He was the One leading us on this trip. He was our true tour director. Was that another way of saying I recognized His hand in life’s events? That He really was Lord of this trip, of my whole life? From the moment I had blown out the candles on my fifteenth birthday to this moment in a luxurious hotel with a moss covered wall outside the window, did God know, and see and plan all of it?

If so, then I had to ask why. Why would God care about the wishes of a fifteen-year-old girl? Why would He be so kind as to fulfill such a wish?

My eyes traced the rest of the verse that I had just copied. ‘They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.’

The last word caused me to stop and press my lips together. Wholeheartedly. Did I love God wholeheartedly? Did I serve Him wholeheartedly?”

~~~~

“…We are extravagantly, incredibly blessed.”

~~~~

“‘I don’t think we should be embarrassed about the goodness in this season of life simply because it seems so extravagant. Our heavenly Father is extravagant with His children sometimes. He gave us this trip. He’s provided all of this. I think we can honor Him best by receiving these gifts and letting ourselves overflow with gratefulness.’

‘I’m beyond grateful at this point,’ I said. ‘I’m in awe. Amazed. It’s just so much grace. So much goodness.’

‘And don’t you think it delights our heavenly Father to pour out such an ‘amazing grace’ gift on two of His princess daughters?…I think God is best honor and pleased when we simply receive His abundant gifts.’”

~~~~

“And yet He’s also our Father. His heart seems to always be turned toward His childrenm forever longing that each of them will ‘come home’ at the end of the long battle.”

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“We were truly held close in everlasting arms. So close, I felt as if I were beginning to hear God’s hearbeat. Each measured beat was one of grace followed by an echo of love.”

~~~~

“The strangest peace rested on me. As confusing and disconcerting all this was, I felt as if every step I was taking was being protected. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing.  I didn’t know where I was going. But I wasn’t alone. More than I had ever experienced before, I was aware of the Lord’s presence…even in this situation, Jesus Christ was Lord. And He was with me. I wasn’t about to stand up and applaud like the man form Ireland had done in the theater, but inside, my heart was kneeling in humble adoration of the King of Kings. I knew He wouldn’t leave me.”

~~~~

“Well, I’m just thinking how incredible that day is going to be when we finally see Christ face to face. I mean, here we are, all choked up over the face of a clock and what this moment represents to you. But think what it’s going to be like when we stand be Almighty God, the Ruler of all powers and principalities, and look into His face at last.”

~~~~

“A great strength lies in letting go of what was past and entering what is now. We all are given only so many days on this earth.”

 

Sisterchicks in Gondolas

For you this morning are my favorite quotes from Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn:

“Praying by myself wasn’t uncommon. As a matter of fact, it was familiar…while I prayed, a thin curl of the new moon rose in the sky, bringing a faint, persistent comfort into the room.

God didn’t answer any of my prayers that night the way I wanted Him to. He didn’t give me any of the solutions I begged and bargined for. All God gave me was Himself. His presence. And even though I didn’t recognize it at the time, the grace of His presence was sufficent. His abiding spirit was like the moon. A sliver of comfort and light rising even on the darkest night.

This night, on the Venetian rooftop, His presence was more than sufficent. He filled heaven and earth. He was here. He had never left me. Over all the years, as my circumstances changed, the only constant and unchanging truth was that God was with me.”

~~~~

“It struck me as I pulled my night clothes out of my suitcase, that perhapes 90 percent of what a woman is supposed to do when she enters the next season of life is to simply ’show up’. If she can do that without packing a lot of shame, regret, or guilt into her baggage, it certainly makes for a lighter, more liberating, and enjoyable journey.”

~~~~

A springtime of beginnings.”

~~~~

“I’ve seen it this week in your life, Jenna. It doesn’t matter what goes wrong with the plan of life, does it? We can still start over. We can go back to God anytime.”

~~~~

“Four season? Spring? Beginnings? It’s like God knew that if I didn’t catch what He was trying to hell me in the verse, then He knew I’d hear it in the music. He’s inviting me to enter a new season. A season of refreshing…But first…I have to turn back to God. All the way.”

~~~~

“With awkward words I told Sue that I believed it could be well with our souls even when it might not be well with our circumstances.”

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“I admired the up close view of the birds as much as all the inlaid gold-, ruby-, and sapphire-adorned workds of art we had viewed in the man-made places of worship. God does a much better job of making  works of art that reflect His glory.”

~~~~

“I already know what a prision feels like. I’m sighing to see what it feels like to come out of prision and float away, a free woman.”

~~~~

“In some ways, my life went from being an ‘offering,’ like Malachi’s eggs, and turned into a committment. I was the chicken. In more ways than one. Sue and I now go to visit women who serve in full-time ministry. We go because sometimes they need an older sister to come along and help to brush the shame off them, for whatever reason.”

~~~~

“Sue likes to tell people that we’re couriers. We cross all kinds of borders to smuggle in goodness and mercy. And usually some form of chocolate.”

~~~~

“I am a free woman as well. My past didn’t disqualify me for this. If anything, after all the stories I’ve listened to, I would say my experiences prepared me for what I do.”

 

Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La

For today…my favorite quotes from Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La by Robin Jones Gunn:

“This altar in my heart was about to be disassembled, and I would soon be set free. I just knew it.”

~~~~

“I leaned back, stunned to realize how guarded I had been in all my relationships. I loved and gave and confided in the small circle of those closest to me. But I never entered in emotionally at the same level I so willingly had with Gerard.

This was staggering news. It meant that I had successfully guarded myself by taking only the smallest and most predictable steps in my relationships. The result was that I was rarely hurt. Rarely disappointed. And rarely as happy or alive as I d been that one week with Gerard. It seemed as if I’d only half-lived.”

~~~~

“I was trying to say that the only One who will never leave you and never disappoint you is the One who made you. God. He’s the only One who can fill the depths of our hearts. When I realized that my sophmore year of college, it…well, I’ve told you before. It changed everything. Lisa, there’s a big difference between knowing about God and opening yourself up to Him so you can really know Him.”

~~~~

“…you only have to answer to our heavenly Papa. If His Spirit is telling you that you missed the mark somewhere along the way, fine. Agree with Him. Confess what you did was out of line. Then thank Him for His generous forgiveness and move on. Don’t get stuck. Part of you got stuck here.”

~~~~

“‘Why did Eve sew fig leaves together and hide behind the bushes?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Adam and Eve. What did they say when God came looking for them, and they were hiding?…’

‘…I know the story very well. Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden because of their disobedience.’

‘Right. But even after they disobeyed, God came to them. He pursued them. My question to you is, what did Adam and Eve say when they were in the bushes, covered up with the little leaf-outfits they had made for themselves?’

‘Is this a fashion question?’ I said, trying to take attention off not knowing what Amy was getting at.

‘No, it’s not a fashion question. Adam and Eve said they were afraid so they hid.’

‘Afraid of what?’

Amy’s dark eyes glowed with a warmth that showed up whenever she was very happy and about to get something she had wanted for a long time. ‘When you know that answer to that, Lisa-girl, you’ll have to missing piece you’ve been looking for. That’s when the truth will set you free.’”

~~~~

“You said you thought of God as an artist, and we’re His maverick subjects. I’ve been thinking about that. Considering His willingness to not stop expressing Himself out in the open, in front of a world full of critics, I think God’s work in us is beautiful. More than that, His work in us expresses the depth of His pain.”

~~~~

“Beside us rose a huge pillar. A little girl suddenly dashed around the back side of the pillar. A dark-haired man called to the little girl, but she didn’t go back to him. Instead she stayed in hiding, covering her face with her hands, as if that would keep him from seeing her.

Eve hid and covered up with fig leaves. Why?

I watched the little girl as she tried to stay in the shadows and not be seen by her father.

I knew that feeling. From the time I had started to help out in the church nursery, I had been trying to stay off God’s reader so He wouldn’t come looking for me. I was afraid, and so I hid.

That’s it! I was afraid. Eve was afraid. That’s what it says in Genesis. Eve was afraid, and so she hid. I get that. I’m afraid. That’s why I hide. But what am I afraid of?

I looked into the face of the little girl’s father, who came toward the pillar with swift, deliberate steps. His expression was set on her alone and overflowing with love. He didn’t want to be separated from his little one.

Calling to her and opening his arms for her, the father waited. From where we sat, I could see what the child behind the pillar could not see. Her papa wanted her back. Now.

The timid child stepped out of hiding with her chin tucked and her eyes lowered. She took the first step. Her father came the rest of the way and scooped her up in his arms.

In that moment, I knew the answer to Amy’s question. I knew why Eve hid. I knew why I hid. Both Eve and I were afraid of God. Afraid to see His expression of disappointment and displeasure. For Eve it would have been the first time she saw that expression on her Creator’s face.

Is that what I’ve believe all these years? That God was disgusted by me or disappointed in me?

Viewing the earthly father in front of me who was pursuing his wayward daughter, I saw that his intense desire for reconciliation was greater than his intent to punish.

All these years I had believed a lie. God wasn’t mad at me. His anger was momentary, but His lovingkindness toward me was forever. God wanted me.

I always thought I had to prove to God what a good person I was so He wouldn’t be angry. That’s why I tried to work everything out on my own. I thought I was supposed to be an ‘A’ student and make God proud of me for doing everything as correctly as I could. Yet now I saw the truth. He didn’t want my stack of well done homework or a report on my commendable behavior. He just wanted me. Now.

I watched as the little girl looked up at her father. He held her close. Speaking to her in gentle tones, he stroked her hair and spoke to her softly in a language I didn’t understand. But the child understood. She looked her daddy face-to-face and nodded her head, as if in accompianment to a sincere apology.

He spoke to her again. She spontaneously kissed her papa on the cheek. He smiled, and she rested her head on his shoulder in the curve of his neck. As I watched, he held her close and walked away, carrying her in his arms.

Grace upon grace.

I felt my heart racing the way it had at Angelina’s when I felt as if God was coming close to me. This was it. All me senses were alive.

“I’m here,” I whispered, picturing myself as a frightened little girl who had been hiding far too long. In that moment, I stepped out of hiding. The deepest, most timid part of my spirit told God I was sorry. Sorry that I had held back from opening up my heart to Him. Sorry that I had spent so many years in hiding.

But my lengthy confession was cut short. All I could think of, and all my senses could feel was lightness. He was lifting me, drawing me closer and closer. I was in His arms, the very place I had longed to be and never felt I was good enough to go.

All these years I thought You would reject me, too, if I opened up to You like this. But, Father God, You have never left. Never rejected me. This is was You’ve wanted and waited for all along, isn’t it? Not my sterling behavior, but this. This closeness.

The truth began to fill all the hallowed out spaces of my soul where the lies had been swept out. LIght came in. Light was the missing piece. Lightness in my spirit. This closeness to my heavenly Papa was why I was on this earth. This lasting love would fill the depths of my emotions and set me free.”

 

Sisterchicks Down Under

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Sisterchicks Down Under by Robin Jones Gunn:

“I knew He[God] never wasted any life experience. He had dreams for me even here in New Zealand. I believed that. But since we arrived, I hadn’t asked Him what His dreams were for me–I’d only asked over and over what I was doing here. The answer to what I was ‘doing’ in New Zealand had been obvious–nothing. But that was about to change. My heart was tender now. I was ready.”

~~~~

“If you feel a deep hunger but don’t know what you want, just ask God to order for you. That way, you’ll always get whatever is the best on the menu.”

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“‘I’m having a hard time finding a place to put these feelings. I mean, I like Mad Dog, of course. I’m glad he’s still alive. But Ray sounds like he was an amazing man. If God was going to rescue one person from that fall, why did He choose Mad Dog?’

Tony looked stunned.

‘What are you thinking?’ I asked.

‘You used the word fall,’ he said.

‘Right. They fell through the floor.’

‘I know. I’ve heard the story a dozen times. I just never got it. It’s a perfect picture.’

Once again my husband had edited his thoughts so quickly I was lost. ‘A perfect picture of what?’

“Christ. Why did He rescue us after the fall? He gave up His life for us.’

I didn’t like Tony’s edited version of the traumatic events one bit. For hours I lay awake rearranging all the information my brain had been given that night. The only settling thought I could manage was that I, too, had been rescued after the fall. It wasn’t because of anything I had done, but God’s extravagant love had reached down and rescued me, taking me from death to life.

I wanted my life to count for something. I wanted to live out the rest of my days expressing that same extravagant love to others. I didn’t want to be cautious and live out on a string of unfulfilled days, pitifully folded up into myself. I wanted full days and a full life.”

~~~~

“Jill took two steps toward Mad Dog. ‘The last time you stood here at my door, I told you I had nothing to say to you. I do have something to say to you now.’

She lifted her ching and held out her open palms, as if offering the invisible treasure Mad Dog had once come seeking. Her voice was a whisper. ‘It’s okay, Marcus. Really. I don’t hold anything against you. Not anymore. I want you to have your life back. All of it.’

Apparently while Jill and I had been renovating her home, God had been doing some renovating inside the home of her heart. Tonight was open house.”

 

Sisterchicks in Sombreros

These are some of my favorite quotes from Sisterchicks in Sombreros by Robin Jones Gunn:

“Worry is like a rocking chair. It keeps you busy, but you never go anywhere.”

~~~~

“I tilted my head and studied my sister’s serene expression. ‘I’ m sure you know this, but you seem younger and more lighthearted than you used to be.’

Joanne grinned. ‘That’s because I’m in love…’

‘Who’s Mr. Wonderful?’

Joanne grinned. ‘It’s God…I’m serious, Mel. I started to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ, or maybe I should say He pursued me and I responded. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but if I seem more content it’s because I’m genuinely in love with God.’”

~~~~

“Don’t worry…God is going to work out everything in ways that will make out hearts swell and our mouths drop open.”

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“Surrender is a beautiful thing. I think the more we surrender of ourselves to God, the more He takes over and leads the way He wants us to go.”

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“Father, may all Your dreams come true. I don’t want to get in the way or hinder You from fulfilling any of the plans You had for me when You dreamed me into being.”

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“I think that with any great romance, timing is everything… Living life in this great romance with God had messed up my timing terribly, but I keep seeing how His timing is perfect. All kinds of amazing stuff keeps happening.”

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“I remembered the prayer I’d whispered out night on the cruise ship. Instead of a confession or an honest dialogue with God, I had told Him what I would do. I would improve. I would fix my anger problem. I would take control.

This morning I knew I didn’t possess the power within myself to initiate or complete lasting changes in my life. Only God could do that. I’d been too busy trying to do it myself. I hadn’t stopped and turned to Him.”

 

Sisterchicks do the Hula

I’m not sure how I discovered the Sisterchick Series by Robin Jones Gunn. It was probably through the CBD magazine, because I always flip through that, write down the title of any books that look good, and then see if the library has them. I love this series because not only are they funny, but they challenge you to look at ordinary things in a different light. All of the analogies made in all of the books are wonderful, and so I wanted to share some of my favorites from each book with you. First things first, let’s start with the second book in the series–because I don’t really care for the first one, SIsterchicks on the Loose–, Sisterchicks do the Hula:

“‘Hula is something that comes out of the deep place of your heart when you listen to the poetry–the mele. You listen to the mele, and then you move in a way that gracefully interprets that truth.’

I let Amy’s words sink in.

‘God has been writing a new mele for my life. The Artist is writing a poem and stringing it together, making something beautiful and fragrant. This is His gift to me.’”

~~~~

“Do you know the meaning of the word, ‘aloha?’…’Alo’ means ‘presence’ or literally ‘in the face.’ ‘Ha’ means ‘breath or spirit.’ So ‘aloha’ means ‘to breathe into the face or share spirit with another’…People who share aloha are those who draw close to another,” the artist said. “They come close enough to trust each other with the essence of who they are, close enough to breathe into your face…”

~~~~

“‘I think I know what it means to do the hula. You know how you said we needed to come to Hawaii so we could learn to do the hula? Well, I think you said back there in the water. We have to learn to just go with it, to live in that unforced rhythm of grace. We listen to the music…the mele, the poetry, the story of our lives, and then we just go with it and express that story as gracefully as we can…’”

~~~~

“Hope, are you doing the hula?”

“Yes”.

A gentle breeze stroked my cheek. “And you know what, Laurie? This is what I wished for on my birthday”.

Around me the music swirled, the water cascaded from my arms, as I lifted toward heaven. The stars were singing. I know they were.

With the smallest of splashes, Laurie paddled over to where I floated in the center of the pool. Giving way to complete abandon and a steady flutter of giggles, Laurie and I brought a gift of laughter, singing ourselves into His presence. Unforced. Flowing with the rhythm of grace.

I realized then that for our fortieth birthdays, Laurie and I had planned this little island theme party. We didn’t know that it would turn into a surprise party. The was on us when God showed up. We invited Him, of course, but didn’t know if He would be too busy to come.

But He came. Before the party started, He tied pink and orange streamers to the sun, and strung a million bright twinkle lights across the night sky. He passed out crazy fringed hats to all the palm trees and hired a band of dolphins to kick things off. When Laurie and I arrived, He threw garlands of hosannas around out necks. He brought hundreds of gifts and watched our delighted expressions each time the next gift was unwrapped.

And now here He was, dancing with us, drawing us forehead to forehead with Him so He could breathe on us and trust us with His essence, His Spirit, His aloha.

That was the night these two sisterchicks learned to do the hula.

 

Insights in Scripture: Exodus 3:2-14

Moses meets with God in this passage at the burning bush, and his destiny is changed. God revealed to Moses His plan. Moses was to be the one to lead the Isrealites out of bondage.

Now, don’t you think that Moses should have been jumping up and down for joy at that news? After all, he’s the one who killed that Egyptian for mistreating an Isrealite. Shouldn’t he have been rejoicing at this news!? Possibly, but instead he asks, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharoah, and that I should bring forth the children of Isreal out of Egypt?” While we may be looking down on Moses for he responce, I have to admit that if I was in his place, I would have done the same thing. In fact, I’ve done a similar thing.

Last week, the enemy was tempting me, trying to discourage me about me being qualified for the ministry God has called me to. There were times that I wondered if the Lord really wanted me to lead and begin that ministry. In the midst of all that, the Lord brought a quote to mind that I kept repeating. “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.”

Girls, you may not have a Moses encounter that reveals your destiny, ministry, or purpose in life. I didn’t. The revelation came on gradually; different events led to the revelation. Whether you do or not, when you begin questioning if God really called you to that tast, remember this: “God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

Written By: Allison Parker

September 30, 2007

 

Beautiful

I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it’s killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I’m dying for new life

[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won’t you help me back to glory

[Chorus]

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

By: Bethany Dillon

 

B-E-A-U-T-Y

First things first, let’s start with the letter B.

B is going to stand for the following truth: Beauty comes from a gentle and quiet spirit. In the first book of Peter, chapter 3, verses 3 and 4, we are told that “our beauty should not come from outward adornment…instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so great a worth in God’s sight.” Now, if you are anything like me, you might be discouraged by this verse. I have never been known to have a gentle and quiet spirit. I’m actually very loud. But I don’t think this verse is simply talking about being quiet. I think the Lord is trying to convey an overarching idea in this passage. He was to drill into our outward appearance-obsessed brains that true beauty is found within. This is not something that people say to make themselves feel better. This is actually the truth. True, lasting beauty can be found underneath the surface. And God tells us that a gentle spirit is beautiful. The Word also instructs us that we should let our gentleness be evident to all for the Lord is near. This is something I have to pray about daily. I want to be more gentle because I long to be beautiful inwardly. You may be like me and not think that you are naturally gentle or quiet. I have good news for you. The Bible says that one of the fruits of the Spirit is gentleness. Therefore, if you have the Spirit of Christ living in you, you already have gentleness! All you have to do is tap into it and figure out what is covering it up that the Lord needs to rid you of. Or maybe you are reading this and you are more of the quiet type. Praise the Lord for that! It is not a flaw at all. Scripture is filled with verses about the benefits of silence and quiet.

E will stand for this truth: Every single person on this earth has been made in the image of God. This mean that when the Lord created you, He formed you in His likeness. We have the fingerprints of God all over us and we have been crafted in His very image! Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female, He created them.” When I looked up that original Hebrew meaning of the word “image” it literally means “likeness, of resemblance.” God is beauty. He is the author of beauty. And since we are created in His image, having a resemblance of likeness to Him, we are beauty too! We take on His beauty.

A stands for one of my favorite verses: Song of Solomon 4:7 says, “All beautiful you are my darling. There is no flaw in you.” Or, I also love the NASB translation of this same verse: “You are altogether beautiful, my darling and there is no blemish in you.” I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to believe this verse when I wake up in the morning with a new pimple staring at me in the mirror. It’s hard for me to accept this truth when all I can see are my flaws and blemishes. But regardless of what we see in our mind’s eyes, the truth of Scripture is clear. When I looked up the definition in the original Hebrew language, I found that beautiful literally means fair, beautiful, and handsome. This is good news because this verse can be applied to guys too! Lots of times, when I start talking about all this girly beauty stuff, guys completely zone out. Well not anymore! Even the Word uses the term “handsome.” Share this truth with your guy friends who might be stuggling with their image, as well. I’ve realized that it’s not just us gals who have insecurities in this area. So brothers and sisters, the next time you look in the mirror and all you see are tons of flaws and blemishes, may you be reminded that there is no flaw in you! You are ALL beautiful! The words used in this verse are inclusive. All means all and no flaw means exactly that.

U represents this truth: Ultimate beauty is found in the heart. I know I touched on this in the first letter, but I want to explore it more in depth. 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that God looks at the heart, whereas man looks at the outward appearance. You can go to any grocery store and look at any magazine and you will see lots of words about beauty and you will see lots of pictures of “beautiful” women who have been airbrushed to perfection. It’s true that most of us are focused on the outward appearance. It’s easy to confuse true beauty for what we see in the media. Now, don’t get me wrong here. I’m not blasting the media. I’m simply stating the fact that beauty has a blurred connotation in this present age. Scripture is very clear, however, about what God sees and where true beauty can be found. The most beautiful people to me are the ones whose beauty shines out of them. You can literally sense their inner beauty just by looking into their eyes. If you have Jesus living in you, you have true beauty already inside you. Let it out! This is not just some motivational mumbo jumbo. It’s the truth! Maybe you are reading this and you have no idea what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. If that is you, please email me and I would love to talk with you more about. When the Lord comes into your heart, you will never be the same again!

I looked up the original Hebrew definition for the word “looks” that is used in 1 Samuel 16:7 and it literally means “to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider, look after, learn about, observe, watch, give attention to, gaze at.” My favorite is the last phrase: to gaze at. Can you imagine the God of all creation, the God who breathed life into your lifeless lungs, gazes at your heart? When He looks at you, He sees your heart. What He loves the most is to see your heart beating with love for Him! I also looked up the Hebrew definition for “heart” in this same Scripture and I found it to mean “inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding, knowledge, inclination, determination, conscience, one’s set of emotions and passions.” These are the things God sees! It says nothing about the external qualities of a person. Now does this mean you can just let yourself go and be unhealthy in how you take care of your physical body? Of course not. Let us never forget that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and we must honor it as such.

T will represent one of the most encouraging verses, Psalm 45:11, to women on the issue of beauty and image: “The King is enthralled by your beauty, honor Him for He is your Lord.” The NASB translation puts it this way: “The King will desire your beauty.” The King as described in this passage is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, our God Himself. Looking to the Hebrew, once again, I found that the literally meaning for “desire” is “incline, covet, wait longingly, wish, sigh, want, be greedy, prefer.” Wow! Isn’t this one of the most encouraging things you’ve heart today? Plug each of those words into the verse. My favorite: “The King waits longingly for your beauty! He is captivated by you!” The Message translation of the Bible paints a beautiful picture of this same verse: “The King is wild about you!” If we truly let this sink in, it would forever change our lives. It would forever change how we see ourselves.

Y stands for the last, but definitely not least, truth about your beauty: “You have been fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14). Your Heavenly Father took all the time in the world to create you. He didn’t rush the process by hurrying because He was so busy creating everyone else. No, He has all the time in the world because he is outside of time. He was intentional about how He made you. He formed you in your mother’s womb before your mother even knew she was pregnant! He chose you and specially crafted you with the utmost care. There is no one else like you in the world. And there will never be. God has mde you unique. The Hebrew meaning for the word “wonderfully” literally means “to be distinct, marked ou, be separated, be distinuished, to make separate, to set apart, to be wonderful.” Again, wow! Can I get a witness? This is the truth ladies and gentlemen(if gentlemen happen to be reading this, which I hope you are too!) God Almighty made you to be distinct. He marked you out. He distinguishes you among all others. You have been set apart for His glory! You are the apple of His eye. And that is one big apple!

So with all this truth and encouragement from the Bible, why do we still doubt? Why do we hold so tightly to our insecurities? Why do we believe the lies that we are not who God created us to be? Each of us will have to find the answer to that question for ourselves. I want to leave you with a mental picture. If you have ever been Colorado or any other area of the world where it is beautifully mountainous, you probably do what I do. You look up at the mountains and you are captivated with the beauty that you see. You get caught up in the moment of how amazing and how unbelievably huge and gorgeous everything is. Or maybe you see the bearuty of God’s creation in a sunset, a sunrise, a blooming flower, the sound of laughter, the leaves blowing in the wind, the indescribable color of a God-painted sky, or the breathtaking view of the boundless ocean. Whatever it is for you, we all have those moments where we find ourselves basking in the beauty of God’s creation. Let me ask you a question though. Do you know that none of those things I mentioned were created in the image of God? Do you know that the only thing described in Scripture as being formed in the image of God is you and me? Humans are the only creation of God that He made in His very image. We are unique in that. So how is it that we can be overwhelmed by the beauty of an ocean, but we refuse to notice the beauty in ourselves, that is, the likeness of Christ? I’m guilty of this. My favorite sport is snow skiing and I always go on and on to the Lord praising Him for the beauty I see in the mountains. Yet, when I look at myself in the mirror sporting that ridiculously unflattering ski garb, I immediately allow my mind to run with thoughts of discouragment and insecurity. May we always remember that we are beautiful, no matter what we see in our mind’s eye. It’s time to change our way of thinking. It’s time to battle the lies with the truth of Scripture.

To recap: Beauty comes from a gentle and quiet spirit. Every single person has been created in the image of God. All beautiful you are my darling, says the Lord, there is no flaw in you. Ultimate beauty is found in the heart. The King is enthralled by your beauty. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made. Take these truths, apply them to your life, and spread that word to every single girl you know that needs to hear this. His Word is truth and God’s desire for you is that you would realize your beauty in HIm; that is Christ, the hope of glory!

Rock on sisters and brothers. Rock on.

 

 

Written By: Lindsey Kane

Note: My friend, Jessica, sent this to me a couple years, and I thought that you all would be blessed and encouraged by it just as I was!