That Looks Beautiful on You
In our culture today, we are constantly inundated with beauty tips. Through many forms of media we are promised that anti-wrinkle creams, the latest fashions or even cosmetic augmentation will somehow improve our lives and fill the emptiness we feel inside. But, from God’s perspective, our physical qualities are of least importance. God sees our inner self, our heart, and our soul. We cannot fill the void in our lives by “fixing” our external appearance. Physical beauty is lovely, but it does not last nor does it bring us true joy. “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
Some of the most wonderful words I once heard a husband say to his wife were, “That looks beautiful on you.” This Christian sister tells that those words were the greatest compliment she had ever received. Was she wearing a particularly nice looking outfit when her husband spoke them? No. Was her jewelry something out of the ordinary? No. But what she was doing at the time he said those endearing words is what makes the statement so special to her. You see, she was reading her Bible.
Her husband had been watching her and observed her actively spending time with the Lord. He saw the beauty God was producing in her and through her and he praised her for it. What a blessing! This husband could see that God’s Spirit was with his lovely wife and he admired the qualities that God was developing in her. “But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Can we all develop this kind of beauty? Certainly! As we turn our lives over to Christ and seek to deepen our relationship with Him, He will transform us into new, beautiful creatures. This true beauty will be seen in our lives through the fruit we bear. As we turn our focus to the Lord, our hearts are changed and our true beauty, the beauty of Christ, will shine for all to see.
Living for Him, Joan
If you would like to read more of Joan’s devotionals you may visit her blog by clicking on the logo to the left. May the Lord bless you today in all you do.
Read MoreWhat mask are YOU wearing?
I wrote this post last October and was thinking again recently about how we wear masks, so I decided to repost it. I also enjoyed reading your comments again…
Some Christian families choose to participate in Halloween while others do not. This post is not meant to strike any controversy about Halloween, but to help us think about the masks we sometimes wear. 
As Halloween is fast approaching, costumes are everywhere…..from the newspaper fliers to the posters on the ceiling at Target. I love to watch kids dress up. They’re so excited to pretend to be someone else. Some choose dragons. Others princesses. Some want to be dressed as something courageous and others prefer silly disguises.
Do you ever feel like you are wearing a mask? Do you ever find yourself pretending to be someone you’re not? Pretending to “have it all together,” but in reality, your “all togethers” are falling apart? You would never want people to see the “real you”, the person behind the mask. You would be embarrassed if you were ever “found out.”
So….we put on our masks, go about our business, and when friends ask how we are, we smile and declare, “Great! How are you?”
Because so many of us are wearing these perfection masks, we look around and think that we are the only Christian mom or wife or daughter who is “messing up.” We feel like failures. We would never admit to needing help, let alone actually asking for it! Instead of building one another up and encouraging each other in our faith, we pretend that we are just fine and hide behind our masks.
But, God sees through the mask right down to the “real you”. He sees all the flaws and mistakes and failures and yet loves us completely and unconditionally. Isn’t it comforting to know how much He loves us? Psalm 139 tells us that God searches us and knows us. He knows us completely, from the inside out. He knows a word before it even reaches our tongue. He is familiar with our ways. He isn’t surprised by us. He knows every thought, every worry, every joy, every hurt. There is no where we can run from His Spirit, no where to escape His love, no mask to hide our person from Him. With God, we can stop pretending, take off our mask, and allow Him to love us.
And, I believe that we can also take off our masks with our sisters in Christ, allow them to love us, and share authentic relationships with them. We might find that we all make mistakes, not one of us is perfect, and we are not the only one in the carpool with a dirty minivan!
Father God, thank You for loving me unconditionally. Thank You, Lord that I don’t have to hide anything from You, that I CAN’T hide anything from You because You know me completely. Thank You that I can take off my mask. Help me Lord to be honest, authentic and real with those around me. Help me to encourage others so that they, too feel comfortable taking off their masks. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
Thirsty for Him,
Tracy
Please come visit me at my personal blog, Thirsty for Him!
Read MorePurpose
Maybe it’s because my 40th is looming around the corner. That might explain why I’m still questioning my purpose in this world. I think we all understand why young adults in their 20′s are still searching for purpose, looking for their personal meaning, their reason for living. And even as Christians, we can flounder looking for our “calling,” wondering how we can serve God and fulfill His purposes for our lives. For as long as I can remember I’ve been trying to find my niche-my ministry, my place. But, here I am, a grown-up, with a grown-up job, family and responsibilities, still wondering what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.
I know I’m a mom and a wife and I know I’m supposed to be teaching - those are all callings, but is there something more? Maybe you don’t struggle with this, but I often think I need to be doing something in God’s kingdom, making a difference in the world, but what would that look like?
Some of the things I wish I could do just aren’t practical for me. I can’t just drop everything in my life and move to Africa to minister to the children there, although, I honestly wish I could sometimes. I know my limitations as a human being and I realize that I can’t do everything or say yes to every possibility out there.
So, can I make a difference for God’s kingdom while staying here and being a wife, mother and teacher? Maybe God isn’t calling me to pick up and move overseas and maybe His plans for me don’t include a national ministry, but He does have a purpose for me and for all of us.
No matter where we are in life, there is always one thing God calls us to, one ministry we can all participate in. It’s the most important ministry of all: prayer.
I have a tendency to push off prayer as the item on the checklist BEFORE ministry occurs or maybe even the place I go to find strength for ministry. But, I can’t say that I ever really thought of prayer as THE main ministry, my main calling. More work is done on our knees than anywhere else.
And even though I might not be heading off for Africa anytime soon or starting up that national ministry, I can be a part of God’s kingdom in a much more amazing way. I can pray- I can pray for those around me who need Jesus and for those far away who are desperate for His touch. I can call on the Lord of the Universe to work in people’s lives and I can be assured that He will.
That’s the best kind of purpose I’ve ever had. My purpose is to partner with the Almighty God in caring for His people and bringing their needs before His throne.
Praying with you today,
Heather Cox
Read MoreGod Encourages The Discouraged
“When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us. Outside there was conflict from every direction, and inside there was fear. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.” 2 Corinthians 7:5-6
Have you ever been so discouraged that no matter what direction you seem to turn there is some sort of conflict or trial ahead of you and all you want to do is drop to the floor and cry out, “I’m done! No more - I quite!”? I know - I have been there more times than I would like to admit. There are times the pain and fatigue from my chronic illness will seem more than I can bear; the furnace breaks down; a child needs something and there is no money to spare; a loved one is dying or has just passed away - yet in all this turmoil we can take great comfort knowing that God is our Encourager! Our Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and how or who He will use to provide the encouragement we need just at the right moment.
I cannot tell you how many times I have been so discouraged, ready to give up and then I receive a note from someone either in the postal mail, email or blog, saying that they are praying for me. Sometimes I may be perusing someone’s blog and something they wrote touches my heart or even amuses me so as to know God used this person’s words to encourage my soul. Similar too, God brought Titus to encourage and uplift Paul; God can bring others into our lives to encourage us as well.
I recognize that Facebook and Twitter are becoming more popular and fewer people are blogging these days, but as one who desperately needs the daily encouragement that is provided from such blogs, do not become discouraged my friend when you notice that your readership is down. Be encouraged within knowing that your words are still an encouragement to at least one person today.
As one who is an empty nester as well as home-bound much of the time due to my chronic illnesses, I can become lonely, depressed, and discouraged quite easily. But our God in His awesome love and tender mercies uses beautiful people like my “blogging friends” to uplift and encourage my heart and soul.
So do not become discouraged, our Heavenly Father, the great Encourager will either provide you with an encourager today or use you to encourage someone in need.
Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
Read MoreSo encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Marijuana in Church
What do a Granny, a troubled teen, a little girl and a 20-something stoner have in common? Well they, in fact, were an eclectic group that attended church every Sunday with my mother.
I giggled over the phone a few weeks back as my mother told me this story. Let me set the stage. My mother is your everyday, ordinary hard working middle class American woman. She lived alone for many years in Las Vegas where she ran the day-to-day operations at an intensely busy Radiation Oncology Center. I think my mom is amazing. Mom moved away from Las Vegas several years ago. However, it wasn’t until recently she shared this fascinating story.
So, how does she end up attending church with these strange seat mates?
She asked them.
First, the troubled teen came from a home where there was little stability. His mother married my brother. From their marriage came the little girl, Kay. This little tike has a heart as big as Montana and at the time she would spend every spare minute she could with Grandma. Finally, Robert was the lawn guy.
Robert would show up from time-to-time to mow my mom’s lawn. He wasn’t too reliable nor on top of the details but he was friendly and always kind to my mother. Mom, would stop what she was doing on a hot Saturday morning, remember it’s Las Vegas – scorching by 10 a.m. and take a pitcher of Lemonade out to Robert. They would sit on the patio and talk. Robert in his Marijuana T-shirt and mom in her capris. The young generation and the old.
They talked about all manner of topics including his guitar playing, proper pruning of her rosebushes, weather, friends and religion. My mother told me it was always an adventure to visit with this young man. Knowing he led a life on the “edge” she often turned the conversation toward relationships and faith. One day she said, “Robert, why don’t you come to church with me on Sunday?”
“Okay, I will. What time?”
Surprised he said yes she told him what time to meet her at her home.
Sunday came and in reality she expected him to be a No Show. But right on time, Robert knocked on the door. He was wearing his marijuana T-shirt but looked as though he had showered for the event. They got in the car and she headed toward my brother’s place to pick up the kids. (My brother was a bit prodigal these days).
Arriving at the house, Kay bounded from the door, hugged Grandma on the neck and jumped immediately into Robert’s lap. He sat her down, buckled her in then shuffling from the door came the teenager. He actually appeared to really want to go to church as the attitude was absent and he greeted my mom with a, “Hiay, Grandma.”
With the car loaded up. Off they went.
Now I often wonder what it looked like to some of the other church attenders as this group pulled up front and unloaded?
The Granny.
The troubled-teen.
The little girl.
And the guy with the marijuana T-shirt.
The most unlikely, mismatched, and broken bunch of people to all walk into church together. I’m sure there were a few looks of shock or impropriety. But I’ll tell you what Jesus saw.
He saw an old woman who knew the truth. The truth that Jesus saves. Somehow, these other three saw that truth in her life and wanted some of it for themselves. My completely proper mother didn’t care what people would think.
She cared enough to take people to where they talked about Jesus in the hope they would find Him there.
Jesus saw four people whom He died in order to set them free.
Who do you know that is wearing the marijuana T-shirt? What troubled teen with shaggy hair and black clothes is struggling and needs life-changing truth in his life. What little girl just wants to feel loved? Who is it that you have judged improper?
I’m not asking these questions of you. No. I’m asking them of me. Because it’s time for me to grow up and I want to be just like Granny. Won’t you be just like her too?
Be blessed, Lynn
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