Self - Image

Self-image is something most women, if not all women, at one point deal with. Why is it that we can not feel secure in our looks? We look in the mirror to look for any indication that there is something wrong with us so that we can cover it up with some short of product to make us feel better about ourselves. That is not the way to measure anyone or yourself. We are still going by what the world tells us is beauty then. When you think about God and God’s love for you how can you not help but feel gorgeous inside? To your Father in heaven you are more beautiful and precious then the stars in the sky. Matthew 13:45-46 says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” God found us like a merchant and gave everything for us. Romans 5:8 tells true testimony to God’s love for us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” How amazing is it that God loved us so much that while we were STILL sinners he sent his son for us. We are of more value and beauty to God then anything else, anything he created. Trust in the Lord who holds you with more value then all the riches in the world.

What can we, as women, do to help change this in us and the future generations? We can start by not judging one another on things of this world. Honestly how many of us judge another woman on appearance? If you are honest with yourself you will own up to it. If you own up to it there is the beginning to recognize it and change it. I do, I feel awful about it. I do not want to judge another woman, it is not righteous judgment. If it is not righteous we do not have the ability to judge on that, we are not God. If we are making judgment we are trying to play God which is simple ridiculous. We can not look into the heart of someone and truly see them as God. How to go about being able to sit in your sit involves many things. First realizing every woman is beautiful by something. There is one thing about every woman that makes them beautiful and unique like a star in the sky. See it out as to what it is. Secondly figure out how you judge, if there are people that bring the gossip and judgment out of you more. Once you figure out how you judge turn it to positive, instead of looking for what is wrong look for what is good. Are they reading? See what they are reading. If you gossip with someone there are number options: 1) set up an agreement to look only for positive and not to look for faults in others. Now this is hard with best friends, it is hard not to vent/rant which could really just be gossip/judgment of someone. 2) You may simple stay indoors where as there is no one about to judge, thought I don’t recommend being a loner forever. 3) If it really comes down to it having to separate so much that when you see each other the only thing you can do is play catch up. On an individual level there is much you can do. Like I said earlier was realizing why you judge or how you judge. Most of the time we are trying to degrade someone so we feel that we stand to there level, such as thinking someone is prettier then us we’ll try to point out faults.

What else as women can we do bring down self-esteem issues? We need to compliment each other. I know it sounds weird but seriously have you told a girl in your group today that they look cute/pretty/beautiful today? We as women know other women are judging us based on simply things. As an example by the way you dress. What we wear in the end shouldn’t really matter. 1 Peter 3:3-4, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.”

Ok now don’t start thinking, “is she seriously talking about dressing like a bum?” No I’m not talking about going to shack clothes and ashes here ladies. There is a point of dressing nicely and becoming so involved with your outward appearance that you have no inward beauty. There is a point where make-up is for special occasions and then there is a time where you think you are ugly if you don’t have make-up on.

Psalms 31:30 would tell us, “Charm is deceiving, beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” When we go out into the world and judge other women, rather you will own up to the fact that you judge, why are we not going if she fears the Lord she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen? We should look at ourselves and instead of trying to find something wrong with us we should be asking ourselves do I fear the Lord? Do I really with all my heart fear the Lord and love Him? If you answered yes to both then you are a beautiful woman in Christ. When you think about this it makes everything so much easier to deal with, it makes you realize you are beautiful.

God loves us so much that He sent Christ to die for us, so we can what gain life in him and worry about how we look? No Christ died so that we might have life, a life to live for God. I think Paul said it best in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” So that question is to you today, are you trying to win approval of the people around you or God?

Testimony

This is my testimony,

Despite having been lovingly raised by an agnostic mother and an atheist father, the choice of what to believe in was always left up to me. As a result of such liberty, I remember growing up understanding that there was a God who loves me. Though I believed in God, I never went to church. While I was in the fourth grade, however, a classmate invited me to visit a local church. Unfortunately, for some reason or another, I never made it. Later that same year the same classmate would tell me I was going to hell. Not only did this spark a fight between our mothers, but it also began what was to be much tension between myself and Christianity in general.

From that point on I contented myself with an apathetic attitude and lukewarm understanding regarding any sort if “higher being.” Any sort of passion I had I reserved for pursuing “true love.” School was un-important; relationships and social-status was the only really important thing. However, something happened my sophomore year in high school which proved to be a reality check: the death of my great grandma. All my friends from cheerleading seemed to have abandoned me right when I needed them most. I soon began leading a double life between school and home; between superficial appearances and lies and fights. I also began searching for some sort of belief system to speak coherence into my desperate situation. It wasn’t long before I submerged myself into the shifting sands of Wicca. According to Wicca, there really is no set doctrine. Once again, I was free to make my own morals and beliefs. But even Wicca couldn’t shake my apathy towards life, which, due to a debate with someone who is now a good friend, I begrudgingly realized. Things just didn’t make sense. I asked myself, “Where are the morals? How could everyone be right? Where is the justice to the rapist if it right for them?” to which Wicca provided no answers. Christianity, on the other hand, appeared to be able to answer these kinds of questions head-on. Finally, one day I remember driving with two of my friends admitting starting to think there is something to the Christian faith.

Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction, but there was only one problem: no one wanted to take me to church! Here I was, desiring to seek God without a truly passionate Christian in sight! Thankfully, I eventually found a friend to take me to church, which happened to be the very same church I was invited to in the fourth grade! Though my first visit was nerve racking, I came back a second time, asking God to meet me if He was there. During worship I felt in my heart God crying out with joy that His child had come home. Like the prodigal son, I felt his presence overwhelm me. A few months later I gave my life to Christ and was baptized in March of 2006. Since then I have regained a passion for life, having my heart filled with a longing for Him. Of course I’ve encountered struggles along the way, but I gladly consider them worth being called His child. I look forward to being able to serve Him, and bring glory to His name in my new life.

Study of John

I’m really excited about this new study that my college Bible study is doing on the book of John. I feel that unlike the synoptic Gospels John tells more about Jesus. To me the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) tell of just Jesus life and teaching but John tells about Jesus. Not to down play the other Gospels at all I just have a very high appreciation for John; the imagery inside of it, and the relation between the beginning of time and Christ. John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Both were in the beginning! John so much takes Jesus back really giving that incarnation of God, giving it the Christology. I am very excited for this study and am sure to write more about it.

blog

first blog to come soon :)