Sorry guys, today it's all about us ladies!My entire life changed because of a bible verse in a homemade picture frame. "Uh, yeah, okay, Kim!" you may think. Well, I'm telling the truth- and I'm also going to explain why I say that. About 3 years ago, my sister gave me a Christmas present that contained Psalm 45:11 "The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord." I opened up that frame and I couldn't stop crying for almost 10 minutes. It broke my heart, and the reason why is because I had been searching for years, through relationships, through circumstances, through events in my life- searching for who I was and how much I was worth. I've been a Christian since I was 6, so it wasn't about not having been saved. It was about not understanding what a walk, and relationship, with Jesus Christ means.
I have that framed bible verse in my room, still, 3 years later, and every day I look at it and re-read it. What my sister started was the breaking and revitalizing of a life lived slightly off-kilter for just about 19 years. I am a good kid, I was then- I've made a purity stand that I have kept for my entire life, so it isn't like I made terrible decisions. But after I got that picture frame, I realized something: I was absolutely sick of being satisfied with my life. I wanted more. And you know what? I went out and I got it.
I started by listening to the song "Beautiful" by Bethany Dillon, off of her self-titled "Bethany Dillon" cd. If you have iTunes, go buy it. It will be the best $0.99 you have ever spent. Second, please please go buy "Do You Think I'm Beautiful" by Angela Thomas. It was with this book, and the song written by Bethany Dillon after she read it, that helped to shake things up in my life. I think that the book will show you exactly what God sees when he looks at you. Those imperfections, those things we don't like- God loves. It's written in a real, "Wow I really get this" kind of way, so there won't be an issues about it being over your head. It is GREAT.
And last, I realized that a relationship with God is really easy, actually. All you have to do is talk to him. Some people call it praying, I think that's a formal word for it. Prayer's nothing more than a conversation with God, so call it whatever you want- but try it. When things are bad, most people will say they have said "if you're there, God, I just need"... and they'll fill in the blank. So we both know you've done that. But what about if you try praying when you don't need something? What about if you've had a great day and you just want to share it? "Hey God, I got that contract I was really counting on at the last minute. It's really great! Just wanted to share." It may sound crazy to you, but what's the difference between that and leaving a voicemail for a friend? Eventually they call back, and when you build a walk with God, you'll feel him answer... no difference.
Chat it up, and know one more thing: Most relationships between a man and a woman are built on the man pursuing the woman... so let God pursue you. You start the prayer, you indicate that you want to know Him- and he takes the rest out of your hands. It's that easy. Men love the wooing- whether or not they show that they do. At least, the *right* ones do. God's no difference (besides, who *created* that desire in men??) because he loves to do it too. He sends you golden sunrises streaked with red, even with its own soundtrack of chirping birds for you to wake up to. He sends you flowers every spring and summer- and even waters them for you! He sends you warm breezes on summer nights to pick up your spirits, and beautiful foliage in the autumn that paints the mountains with its vivid colors. He sends you sun to warm your skin and light your days, and the stars & moon to decorate the night. All of this: because he loves you.
If he's doing all of this and you haven't really gotten to know him- can you IMAGINE what he'll do once you start to question who he is??
Just a heads up: it will totally change your life for the better!
I'm going to close by posing a question: When you look in the mirror... what do you see? Other than the obvious (hair, two eyes, a nose, some small-ish ears...). Truthfully, what do you see? Some of us may see that scar from when we were kids that has blemished our chin for 20 + years. Others may see the wrinkles as our eyes have squinted, in the same way, for our entire lives. Some may see the nose bump, the chocolate freckles that dot our forehead... maybe the slightly crooked bottom teeth that twinkle when we smile. Chances are, when you look into that reflective glass, you pick out your faults.
Aren't you glad that's not what Jesus does?
When he looks at you, he doesn't see faults. He sees skin that has weathered many sunny days as we enjoyed beautiful parks, playing with children on a jungle gym. He loves the way you have laugh lines beside your eyes- a direct result of laughing out loud more times than you could ever count. His favorite is the way that nobody else has that little bump right under your eyes- and he knows how you got it because you were climbing a tree when you were younger and you accidentally slipped.
My point is that where you see bumps and scars, God sees beauty and possibility. And while it's pretty easy for us to pick out our faults with our physical body- God cares a lot more about your spiritual body. You know, the one that reacts when you have a bad day or an argument with someone... the one that responds to a broken heart or a hurtful glance. And as women, at least to men, it seems as though this body is the one that we react out of most of the time.
I always joke that "as women, being emotional is our prerogative." That's true, but not entirely. God created us to be different. And the best thing that we can do, knowing we were created as daughters of the King, Jesus Christ, is to embrace it and seek to know Him. After all- he is definitely wanting to get to know Y-o-u!
Parting thought:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others - Maryanne Williamson
Talk soon.
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