If it were possible to dedicate a blog to someone in the Heavens I would; I would dedicate it to my Savior...my first love. How patient, caring, kind, generous, good, life-giving, joy-restoring....He has been to me. Grateful would be such a mediocre word to describe how I feel towards Him, but unfortunately, I can not find a more sufficient word at the moment. So, grateful it shall be! I think ultimately HE knows my heart...HOW AMAZING!!
Not even 5 minutes ago, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a scripture: PSALM 61:2 - (NIV)
"From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Now let me show you the same verse(plus more) in the Message version:
God, listen to me shout, bend an ear to my prayer.
When I'm far from anywhere,
down to my last gasp,
I call out, "Guide me
up High Rock Mountain!"
You've always given me breathing room,
a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
an open invitation as your guest.
You've always taken me seriously, God,
made me welcome among those who know and love you.
I remember being taught that we should rejoice in the Lord even in our sorrow-filled season, just as much as we do in our mountaintop-filled season; I completely agree, because the Lord deserves our praise always. But one thing I noticed about myself, is that I have only learned how to praise God in sorrow-filled seasons BECAUSE I learned to praise Him when I felt like I was on top of the mountain. Perplexing as it may seem, it is possible to be on the mountaintop WHILE you are actually in the VALLEY....
I am not sure I can really explain that beyond the fact that I know what I mean. I believe God is a safe place to run to in battle, in distress, in fear, in overwhelming circumstances, in debt, in sickness, in failures...
God is that high mountain the scriptures speak of...it is the place where I have learnt how to trust, and lean upon Him. It is the place where I learned how to rejoice in EVERY season.
The mountains have taught me everything...
His love is a banner over you,
xx
Friday, October 22, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Just the Way You Are....BEAUTIFUL
Women are beautiful; each uniquely given characteristics that the another does not have; and each display the beauty of our Creator. Not one woman is a mistake.
Contrary to what the media is teaching our woman; and even worse, our young girls, we are ALL beautiful...and not just on the inside. Unfortunately, there has always been a "standard" set; it is the "standard" of what women should look like, and every other woman who doesn't look like that "standard," needs to change. WHO MADE THE STANDARD THE STANDARD? Really...I want to know; because I remember a time, when "hearty" looking women, were more attractive than skinny-weightless women. Not that there is anything wrong with being skinny...
Last week, I spent time sharing with a friend of mine some of the thoughts that I had been having recently...knowing they were silly, and undoubtedly, untrue...but I needed to say them, nonetheless.
I told her how much I had been struggling with how I saw myself; and how more often then not, as of recently, I had been viewing myself as unattractive, ugly, not thin enough, not fit enough...and the list continued. She stood there listening as I went on to explain how I knew that those things weren't true about me, but how the thoughts had been taking too much of my time...I knew I was wrong; but I didn't "feel" like it.
What is even more ridiculous, is the number of times in my life, that I have been consumed by thoughts like this; but I know I'm not alone. I know that there are thousands of women out there, who are so consumed by their "imperfections."
I have seen woman robbed of their belief in themselves, more than I can even tell you. I breaks my heart, because I have never seen a woman, that I didn't believe was beautiful; I truly mean that.
Here is the crazy part. My friend began to share with me how she had been feeling the same way. I remember standing there thinking, "Oh my goodness, you're perfect though," and thinking that having her figure, would be so much easier. Ha...how completely naive and silly! No matter how stunning I thought she was, she still dealt with the same thoughts I did.
We, as women, desire one major thing; to feel beautiful. Notice I didn't say LOOK beautiful. We are hilariously confusing to any male, who would most likely, never see a difference in our appearance from day to day. Whereas, you and I, would notice that our face looked "bigger" today than yesterday, or that our butt looked too big/flat/small, or our face looked to pale, etc, etc...blah blah.
It's completely ludicrous what we obsess over! But it still matters to us, because we want to feel beautiful; and even more, to be desired. The days that we feel beautiful, we tend to walk a little taller, speak louder, laugh more, smile more, and confidently approach our day. But the woman who KNOWS she is beautiful, will make a decision in spite of how she "feels;" and she'll decide everyday, that she IS beautiful. She will DECLARE it, if she needs to.
I've told the following story so many times, but I love it....
Back in Sydney, I attended a connect group with about 10 other girls my age. On this one particular night, the leader asked us when we felt the most beautiful. As all the girls took their turn around the circle to answer the question, most of the answers had to do with wearing a dress, or wearing makeup, or exercise, or spending time with their boyfriend.
When the question reached a friend of mine named Katie, she answered with this, "I feel the most beautiful, when I am in the presence of God; when I am spending time with Him."
We were speechless, mainly because we couldn't think of a better answer. There is nothing else on the planet that has ever made us feel more beautiful than spending time with our Creator God. We all agreed, and then just sat there pondering the thought of how much we feel both accepted and loved more than ever when we are spending time with Him. There is no one that will ever exist on the earth that will NEVER get tired of hearing our voice, never get tired of loving us, and NEVER get tired of spending time with us...except for God. He'd spend every moment of the day with us, if we would let Him.
It's so sad to me when I walk up into a conversation and the women are just bad-mouthing themselves and feeding off of each other's "self-fault-finding." It is so unhealthy, and you walk away from those conversations feeling worse about yourself. Come on GIRLS, we are better than this!
Anyhow, I thought it'd be real great if we held each other accountable; you know, being our sister's keeper. (Don't think about the movie, you'll just cry). We need to allow time for each other to vent out how we feel, but we also need to know when to quit, and to look upward and to what the word of God says about us. We are not a mistake, or one big flaw. We are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. =)
Psalm 139:13-16 (message) "Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
Last week, I spent time sharing with a friend of mine some of the thoughts that I had been having recently...knowing they were silly, and undoubtedly, untrue...but I needed to say them, nonetheless.
I told her how much I had been struggling with how I saw myself; and how more often then not, as of recently, I had been viewing myself as unattractive, ugly, not thin enough, not fit enough...and the list continued. She stood there listening as I went on to explain how I knew that those things weren't true about me, but how the thoughts had been taking too much of my time...I knew I was wrong; but I didn't "feel" like it.
What is even more ridiculous, is the number of times in my life, that I have been consumed by thoughts like this; but I know I'm not alone. I know that there are thousands of women out there, who are so consumed by their "imperfections."
I have seen woman robbed of their belief in themselves, more than I can even tell you. I breaks my heart, because I have never seen a woman, that I didn't believe was beautiful; I truly mean that.
Here is the crazy part. My friend began to share with me how she had been feeling the same way. I remember standing there thinking, "Oh my goodness, you're perfect though," and thinking that having her figure, would be so much easier. Ha...how completely naive and silly! No matter how stunning I thought she was, she still dealt with the same thoughts I did.
We, as women, desire one major thing; to feel beautiful. Notice I didn't say LOOK beautiful. We are hilariously confusing to any male, who would most likely, never see a difference in our appearance from day to day. Whereas, you and I, would notice that our face looked "bigger" today than yesterday, or that our butt looked too big/flat/small, or our face looked to pale, etc, etc...blah blah.
It's completely ludicrous what we obsess over! But it still matters to us, because we want to feel beautiful; and even more, to be desired. The days that we feel beautiful, we tend to walk a little taller, speak louder, laugh more, smile more, and confidently approach our day. But the woman who KNOWS she is beautiful, will make a decision in spite of how she "feels;" and she'll decide everyday, that she IS beautiful. She will DECLARE it, if she needs to.
I've told the following story so many times, but I love it....
Back in Sydney, I attended a connect group with about 10 other girls my age. On this one particular night, the leader asked us when we felt the most beautiful. As all the girls took their turn around the circle to answer the question, most of the answers had to do with wearing a dress, or wearing makeup, or exercise, or spending time with their boyfriend.
When the question reached a friend of mine named Katie, she answered with this, "I feel the most beautiful, when I am in the presence of God; when I am spending time with Him."
We were speechless, mainly because we couldn't think of a better answer. There is nothing else on the planet that has ever made us feel more beautiful than spending time with our Creator God. We all agreed, and then just sat there pondering the thought of how much we feel both accepted and loved more than ever when we are spending time with Him. There is no one that will ever exist on the earth that will NEVER get tired of hearing our voice, never get tired of loving us, and NEVER get tired of spending time with us...except for God. He'd spend every moment of the day with us, if we would let Him.
It's so sad to me when I walk up into a conversation and the women are just bad-mouthing themselves and feeding off of each other's "self-fault-finding." It is so unhealthy, and you walk away from those conversations feeling worse about yourself. Come on GIRLS, we are better than this!
Anyhow, I thought it'd be real great if we held each other accountable; you know, being our sister's keeper. (Don't think about the movie, you'll just cry). We need to allow time for each other to vent out how we feel, but we also need to know when to quit, and to look upward and to what the word of God says about us. We are not a mistake, or one big flaw. We are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. =)
Psalm 139:13-16 (message) "Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made! "
I have heard that a woman who is confident, is more attractive. I used to think it was the other way around; it's not. A woman who believes in herself will stand out and her smile will be radiant.
I'm not the biggest fan of my smile, for many reasons, but I love to laugh; I figure something's got to give in my dilemma. I figure, am more attractive when I am smiling and enjoying life than when I am obsessing over my "seemingly-obvious" flaws. Not to mention, it's a big FAT waste of my time.
I'm loving Bruno Mars' song "Just the Way you Are" so much right now! (Thought I'd share it with you) And the lyrics...nothing too profound...but they are just right. Girls, if you don't have guy right now who thinks this way about you, you will one day...don't settle for someone who thinks you should look differently than you do... You're beautiful just the way you are.
Oh her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She wont believe me
And its so, its so
Sad to think she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
Her nails, her nails
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think its so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Oh you know, you know, you know
Id never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She wont believe me
And its so, its so
Sad to think she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
Her nails, her nails
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think its so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Oh you know, you know, you know
Id never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Then just stay the same
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)