Yep...here we go!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
{Well Hey There, Finals!}
So this week starts all of my dance finals, and next week I have all of my academic finals. This semester has been a tough one, but eleven more days and I'll have defeated it! Here's how I'm feeling right about now though...
Friday, November 9, 2012
{Tis the Season of Thanksgiving}
Looking around, I see Christmas trees up in the Student Center, Christmas items for sale at retail stores all around, and even people already listening to Christmas music. However, I think people so often forget about the holiday that comes merely a month before Christmas-- Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for, and yet, people zoom ahead to Christmas where all the want is the stuff. So I'm going to take each day in November, until Thanksgiving, and reflect upon something I'm thankful for. Since it's already the 9th, I'll do 9 things today and catch up on the days I miss along the way.
Day #1: Thankful for life. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant life. Through the salvation of Christ I have life and I have joy.
Day #2: Thankful for my family. I'm at the point in the semester that i really miss them. I haven't seen any of my family since August. Next weekend, my parents and my sister are coming to Mississippi to come see my dance concert and then three-ish days later I get to go home for the week of Thanksgiving and spend time with them.
Day #3: Thankful for Andrew. He's such a sweet boyfriend. He's been such a blessing for these last 14 months we've been dating. God uses him every single day to teach me more about love, and myself, and Christ. I look forward to the months and years to come with him.
Day # 4: Thankful for strength. But not my own strength, my own strength is nothing, it's weakness. God's strength is the strength I'm so thankful for, because it's what gets me through the day, and it's what will get me through the week. I'm thankful that I don't have to rely on my own puny strength, because that would surely lead to failure.
Day #5: Thankful for coffee. These concert weeks are ridiculously hectic and my body is struggling from exhaustion. Coffee is what wakes me up in the morning and keeps me (barely) awake through the afternoon. It's also what provides for some good conversation between me and my roommate late at night :)
Day #6: Thankful for my friends. The people here at school that God has blessed me with are just simply incredible. I have a fantastic RA that is always there for me to talk to, or to llama face, or to fall asleep on her lap. My roommate is wonderful, and it's been such a blessing to have her this year. My other friends too, are just simply wonderful and so encouraging all the time...and they also have really cute clothes to steal :)
Day #7: Thankful for the dance department. The Belhaven dance department is wonderful. Not only in their dance training, although that is great too, but in the people and the way they operate. I'm also thankful for the two casts that I've been able to be a part of this semester. Mitchell's cast is so much like a family, and I've loved getting to know so many people on new levels. Getting to work so hard through that piece has been a challenge, but an exciting one and the people have been so encouraging and supportive to one another throughout the entire process, I wouldn't want to be out on stage with anyone else doing that piece. Also, the beautiful Serenade girls. This piece has had so many difficulties to get to this point, but they've helped each of us grow and find out that we are each individually beautiful, women of God, and that together we can create beauty.
Day #8: Thankful for sleep. I have really learned to appreciate sleeping this semester. I have 8am classes everyday, so Saturdays are literally the best thing ever. I'm thankful for rest and the times that I don't have enough are the times that make me appreciate it even more when I do get it.
Day #9: Today, I am thankful for the ability to dance. Tonight is the opening night of my school's fall dance concert, and I'm so thankful for the pieces I'm in this semester and the affects they have had on me and my growth as a dancer, as a person, and as a child of God.
Day #1: Thankful for life. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant life. Through the salvation of Christ I have life and I have joy.
Day #2: Thankful for my family. I'm at the point in the semester that i really miss them. I haven't seen any of my family since August. Next weekend, my parents and my sister are coming to Mississippi to come see my dance concert and then three-ish days later I get to go home for the week of Thanksgiving and spend time with them.
Day #3: Thankful for Andrew. He's such a sweet boyfriend. He's been such a blessing for these last 14 months we've been dating. God uses him every single day to teach me more about love, and myself, and Christ. I look forward to the months and years to come with him.
Day # 4: Thankful for strength. But not my own strength, my own strength is nothing, it's weakness. God's strength is the strength I'm so thankful for, because it's what gets me through the day, and it's what will get me through the week. I'm thankful that I don't have to rely on my own puny strength, because that would surely lead to failure.
Day #5: Thankful for coffee. These concert weeks are ridiculously hectic and my body is struggling from exhaustion. Coffee is what wakes me up in the morning and keeps me (barely) awake through the afternoon. It's also what provides for some good conversation between me and my roommate late at night :)
Day #6: Thankful for my friends. The people here at school that God has blessed me with are just simply incredible. I have a fantastic RA that is always there for me to talk to, or to llama face, or to fall asleep on her lap. My roommate is wonderful, and it's been such a blessing to have her this year. My other friends too, are just simply wonderful and so encouraging all the time...and they also have really cute clothes to steal :)
Day #7: Thankful for the dance department. The Belhaven dance department is wonderful. Not only in their dance training, although that is great too, but in the people and the way they operate. I'm also thankful for the two casts that I've been able to be a part of this semester. Mitchell's cast is so much like a family, and I've loved getting to know so many people on new levels. Getting to work so hard through that piece has been a challenge, but an exciting one and the people have been so encouraging and supportive to one another throughout the entire process, I wouldn't want to be out on stage with anyone else doing that piece. Also, the beautiful Serenade girls. This piece has had so many difficulties to get to this point, but they've helped each of us grow and find out that we are each individually beautiful, women of God, and that together we can create beauty.
Day #8: Thankful for sleep. I have really learned to appreciate sleeping this semester. I have 8am classes everyday, so Saturdays are literally the best thing ever. I'm thankful for rest and the times that I don't have enough are the times that make me appreciate it even more when I do get it.
Day #9: Today, I am thankful for the ability to dance. Tonight is the opening night of my school's fall dance concert, and I'm so thankful for the pieces I'm in this semester and the affects they have had on me and my growth as a dancer, as a person, and as a child of God.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
{The Mishap of Marriage}
Tonight I went with a friend to go see the new movie Hope Springs. It's about an older couple who has been married for thirty-one years and their marriage has slowly lost its spark. They go to a couples' therapist in Maine to try and regain the marriage they once had. Sounds like a good story, right? However, I am filled with disappointment and anger after wasting nearly $10 to see it (plus being the only people under the age of 65 in the movie theater was a little embarrassing as well, haha).
It made me so angry to see how some people simply put their marriage on the back burner and let the love that brought them together die away in a slow, painful death. It also angered me to realize what the world believes a good marriage to be.
The world always sees divorce as a backup option. Divorce should never be an option. 1 Corinthians 7:11 says, "...and the husband should not divorce his wife." Always seeing divorce as a means of escaping means that going into it, the couple isn't 100% fully committed from the very start. Now, I know that I'm not married, although I hope to be someday, so don't assume that I think I know it all by stating my opinions on these things, I know there are many things about marriage that I'll only learn once I'm immersed in my own. But, marriage is a HUGE commitment, and it should be viewed as such. The world today doesn't view marriage as the sacred covenant that it was created to be. God created marriage first between Adam and Eve when he first created them. He also gave them each special, specific roles to play within the relationship.
Let's talk about these roles for a moment. Going through the Scriptures, there are things God commands a husband to be for his wife, as well as a wife to be for her husband.
Husband:
Another thing that I realized from this movie was that of the topic of sex. The world today makes it seem as though sex is the most important thing in a relationship, and the problem is they take that same outlook into marriage. First off, sex shouldn't even be a part of the relationship UNTIL you get married, in that case, THEN once you're married, you approach the subject of sex together. However, with the world bringing sex into the relationship so prematurely, it brings more problems into the marriage. Yes, sex is a major part of being married, but there's so much more to marriage than just sex. There's love. There's support. There's encouragement. There's the fact that no matter what you encounter in life, no matter what God brings you to, that you're not alone in anything, not anymore. You have someone there by your side every step of the way, someone to talk and pray through major decisions with, someone to enjoy the simple little moments with, someone to have beautiful children who are all your own with, someone to raise those children to be the godly children of God that they can be, and someone to go through the ups and downs of life with. That's what being married is all about, and yes, of course there is sex. But more importantly, marriage is an earthly picture of the selfless love that Christ has for us. It's also about learning how to love another person like that, which is not easy, but consists of constant work. But it's work that's worth it, no matter what you have to deal with. This is what the world is missing out on because they're too busy trying to please themselves, trying to satisfy an insatiable desire to make yourself happy with whatever the heart desires. But that will never satisfy, and its why so many marriages end in divorce.
The last thing that so many marriages lack today is Christ. Now, you may think that by me saying that means that I believe the only marriages that work are the ones between two Christians. Well, forgive me if I step on any toes here, but yes. I believe that the only marriage that works as it was intended to is that between two Christians. That doesn't mean that every marriage that has a non-believer in it is destined to fail and end in divorce, but that does mean that those marriages aren't working as marriage was created to work. The marriage that works is that where the couple prays together, goes to church together, worships together, talks about God and spiritual matters together. The couple that raises their children in the ways of Christ. The couple that is going to strive to love one another as Christ loves each of them, and is also going to forgive each other frequently, knowing that they and their spouse are both sinners, saved only by the grace of God. The couple whose marriage is going to work as it was intended is the couple who realizes that nothing good is in them on their own, but that their only ability to love one another comes solely from Christ and what He did for each of them on the cross.
It made me so angry to see how some people simply put their marriage on the back burner and let the love that brought them together die away in a slow, painful death. It also angered me to realize what the world believes a good marriage to be.
The world always sees divorce as a backup option. Divorce should never be an option. 1 Corinthians 7:11 says, "...and the husband should not divorce his wife." Always seeing divorce as a means of escaping means that going into it, the couple isn't 100% fully committed from the very start. Now, I know that I'm not married, although I hope to be someday, so don't assume that I think I know it all by stating my opinions on these things, I know there are many things about marriage that I'll only learn once I'm immersed in my own. But, marriage is a HUGE commitment, and it should be viewed as such. The world today doesn't view marriage as the sacred covenant that it was created to be. God created marriage first between Adam and Eve when he first created them. He also gave them each special, specific roles to play within the relationship.
Let's talk about these roles for a moment. Going through the Scriptures, there are things God commands a husband to be for his wife, as well as a wife to be for her husband.
Husband:
- Understanding of his wife(1 Peter 3:7)
- Honoring to his wife (1 Peter 3:7)
- Loving, not harsh toward his wife(Colossians 3:19)
- Love his wife as he loves himself (Ephesians 5:33)
- Spiritual head of the wife and family (Ephesians 5:23)
- Held responsible to God, or God is the head of the husband (1 Corinthians 11:3)
- Praising of his wife (Proverbs 31:28)
- Trust his wife (Proverbs 31:11)
- Respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33)
- Should not separate from her husband (1 Corinthians 7:10)
- Does her husband good, not harm (Proverbs 31:12)
- Strong (Proverbs 31:17)
- Speaks with wisdom (Proverbs 31:26)
- Kind (Proverbs 31:26)
- Fears the Lord (Proverbs 31:30)
- Gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4)
- Submissive to her husband (Ephesians 5:22)
Another thing that I realized from this movie was that of the topic of sex. The world today makes it seem as though sex is the most important thing in a relationship, and the problem is they take that same outlook into marriage. First off, sex shouldn't even be a part of the relationship UNTIL you get married, in that case, THEN once you're married, you approach the subject of sex together. However, with the world bringing sex into the relationship so prematurely, it brings more problems into the marriage. Yes, sex is a major part of being married, but there's so much more to marriage than just sex. There's love. There's support. There's encouragement. There's the fact that no matter what you encounter in life, no matter what God brings you to, that you're not alone in anything, not anymore. You have someone there by your side every step of the way, someone to talk and pray through major decisions with, someone to enjoy the simple little moments with, someone to have beautiful children who are all your own with, someone to raise those children to be the godly children of God that they can be, and someone to go through the ups and downs of life with. That's what being married is all about, and yes, of course there is sex. But more importantly, marriage is an earthly picture of the selfless love that Christ has for us. It's also about learning how to love another person like that, which is not easy, but consists of constant work. But it's work that's worth it, no matter what you have to deal with. This is what the world is missing out on because they're too busy trying to please themselves, trying to satisfy an insatiable desire to make yourself happy with whatever the heart desires. But that will never satisfy, and its why so many marriages end in divorce.
The last thing that so many marriages lack today is Christ. Now, you may think that by me saying that means that I believe the only marriages that work are the ones between two Christians. Well, forgive me if I step on any toes here, but yes. I believe that the only marriage that works as it was intended to is that between two Christians. That doesn't mean that every marriage that has a non-believer in it is destined to fail and end in divorce, but that does mean that those marriages aren't working as marriage was created to work. The marriage that works is that where the couple prays together, goes to church together, worships together, talks about God and spiritual matters together. The couple that raises their children in the ways of Christ. The couple that is going to strive to love one another as Christ loves each of them, and is also going to forgive each other frequently, knowing that they and their spouse are both sinners, saved only by the grace of God. The couple whose marriage is going to work as it was intended is the couple who realizes that nothing good is in them on their own, but that their only ability to love one another comes solely from Christ and what He did for each of them on the cross.
Friday, August 10, 2012
{The Body}
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
[Hebrews 10:24-25]
I love my friends. A lot of times I think to myself secretly, that I have THE best friends in the whole wide world. Today, I got to spend time with two of my closest friends that I've known basically since I was born. Sitting at Starbucks for three and a half hours hearing about their summers and the ways the God has been working in them really filled me up where I had been lacking all summer.
This made me realize again just how important it is to have fellowship within the body of Christ. There is something so comforting in hearing about each others' struggles, talking about the things of life, discussing topics you may be confused about, or simply praying for one another.
1. Talking about your struggles. We have deal with our own struggles at our own time. Whether it be struggling with a particular sin or just chaos going on in your life, talking about it with fellow believers gives us comfort in knowing they're there for us. They may not be going through the same things you are, but perhaps they have before, or they might in the future. It helps you know you're not dealing with things alone...ever.
2. Talking about the things of life. Simply taking part in active friendship. Friendship is one of the most beautiful relationships that God created for us as human beings. The ability to know things about other people and accepting them as they come, it gives us opportunities to love others like Christ has loved us.
3. Discussing topics you may be confused or concerned about. The gospel is simple, but the spiritual details located in the Bible are hard. They can sometimes be difficult to understand or comprehend on a full level of being able to apply them to your life. Having discussions or talking about what you're reading or things that are found in God's Word is a good way to find answers. To see how others take it, but don't forget to still compare that to what God says to beware of "false prophets."
4. This, I feel like, is one of the most important things about fellowship within the Body. Praying for one another- WITH one another. I can't tell you how encouraging it is when someone prays with me. One things I love about the people at my school is that if you're having a bad day and it's clear you're having a bad day, there's usually someone who will pray with you simply because they love you with the love of Christ. Bringing God into your friendship, it increases the strength and also the vulnerability within that relationship. It's how a friendship was meant to be.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
[Galatians 6:2]
"There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
[1 Corinthians 12:25-27]
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
[James 5:16]
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
[1 Thessalonians 5:11]
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
[Hebrews 3:13]
[Hebrews 10:24-25]
I love my friends. A lot of times I think to myself secretly, that I have THE best friends in the whole wide world. Today, I got to spend time with two of my closest friends that I've known basically since I was born. Sitting at Starbucks for three and a half hours hearing about their summers and the ways the God has been working in them really filled me up where I had been lacking all summer.
This made me realize again just how important it is to have fellowship within the body of Christ. There is something so comforting in hearing about each others' struggles, talking about the things of life, discussing topics you may be confused about, or simply praying for one another.
1. Talking about your struggles. We have deal with our own struggles at our own time. Whether it be struggling with a particular sin or just chaos going on in your life, talking about it with fellow believers gives us comfort in knowing they're there for us. They may not be going through the same things you are, but perhaps they have before, or they might in the future. It helps you know you're not dealing with things alone...ever.
2. Talking about the things of life. Simply taking part in active friendship. Friendship is one of the most beautiful relationships that God created for us as human beings. The ability to know things about other people and accepting them as they come, it gives us opportunities to love others like Christ has loved us.
3. Discussing topics you may be confused or concerned about. The gospel is simple, but the spiritual details located in the Bible are hard. They can sometimes be difficult to understand or comprehend on a full level of being able to apply them to your life. Having discussions or talking about what you're reading or things that are found in God's Word is a good way to find answers. To see how others take it, but don't forget to still compare that to what God says to beware of "false prophets."
4. This, I feel like, is one of the most important things about fellowship within the Body. Praying for one another- WITH one another. I can't tell you how encouraging it is when someone prays with me. One things I love about the people at my school is that if you're having a bad day and it's clear you're having a bad day, there's usually someone who will pray with you simply because they love you with the love of Christ. Bringing God into your friendship, it increases the strength and also the vulnerability within that relationship. It's how a friendship was meant to be.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
[Galatians 6:2]
"There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
[1 Corinthians 12:25-27]
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
[James 5:16]
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
[1 Thessalonians 5:11]
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
[Hebrews 3:13]
Saturday, August 4, 2012
{Yes's and No's}
"As Christians, we are not here for our own purpose at all-- we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God's compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him." {Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest}
This is my first post of the summer, and yet, summer is almost at an end. Two weeks from today I'll be back in Mississippi getting ready to start my SOPHOMORE year of college. My, how time flies. But that's not what I'm here to talk about tonight. Tonight I want to talk about the number one thing I have learned this summer.
The number one thing I have taken away spiritually from this summer is the importance of God's will. No, importance isn't quite the word I'm looking for, perhaps the sovereignty or inevitability of God's will. Ultimately, His will is going to happen, whether we say yes or no, whatever we do, it happens. It's nearly impossible to wrap my tiny little mind around it if I think about it too long. This summer has faced me with decisions. Well really just one major decision. My answer would either change my life completely, or keep it remotely the same. The thing about being a Christian though, is that when faced with life-changing decisions, you must consider two things: what do I want? And what is God's will? Ultimately, the whole God's will thing is going to win out, sometimes it's in agreement with what you want and sometimes it's not. I chose to say no in my decision, keeping my life remotely the same. Though people, and even myself, may wonder why I would choose to say no to such an opportunity, the answer was quite clear for me when making it. I didn't say no out of fear of change, nor due to difficulties that would surely arise if I had said yes, nor out of intimidation by my life-long dream right in front of my face. My answer was clear because I knew what God's will was for me in this moment. It was like a soft, resounding "wait." That was all, but it was enough to be confident as I turned down my dream...for now. Sometimes saying yes to God's will means saying no to what you want. But it doesn't always mean saying never to your dreams. Sometimes it just means not right now--not yet. Saying yes to God's will means having faith enough to trust Him completely with your whole life, including your hopes, dreams and desires.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
{Psalm 37:4}
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him..."
{Psalm 37:7}
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."
{Psalm 139:16}
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
{Proverbs 19:21}
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
{Jeremiah 29:11}
God's will is ALWAYS the plan that is going to be best for you, it may not always be the easiest, but it is always backed up with the Lord's faithfulness and security.
This is my first post of the summer, and yet, summer is almost at an end. Two weeks from today I'll be back in Mississippi getting ready to start my SOPHOMORE year of college. My, how time flies. But that's not what I'm here to talk about tonight. Tonight I want to talk about the number one thing I have learned this summer.
The number one thing I have taken away spiritually from this summer is the importance of God's will. No, importance isn't quite the word I'm looking for, perhaps the sovereignty or inevitability of God's will. Ultimately, His will is going to happen, whether we say yes or no, whatever we do, it happens. It's nearly impossible to wrap my tiny little mind around it if I think about it too long. This summer has faced me with decisions. Well really just one major decision. My answer would either change my life completely, or keep it remotely the same. The thing about being a Christian though, is that when faced with life-changing decisions, you must consider two things: what do I want? And what is God's will? Ultimately, the whole God's will thing is going to win out, sometimes it's in agreement with what you want and sometimes it's not. I chose to say no in my decision, keeping my life remotely the same. Though people, and even myself, may wonder why I would choose to say no to such an opportunity, the answer was quite clear for me when making it. I didn't say no out of fear of change, nor due to difficulties that would surely arise if I had said yes, nor out of intimidation by my life-long dream right in front of my face. My answer was clear because I knew what God's will was for me in this moment. It was like a soft, resounding "wait." That was all, but it was enough to be confident as I turned down my dream...for now. Sometimes saying yes to God's will means saying no to what you want. But it doesn't always mean saying never to your dreams. Sometimes it just means not right now--not yet. Saying yes to God's will means having faith enough to trust Him completely with your whole life, including your hopes, dreams and desires.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
{Psalm 37:4}
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him..."
{Psalm 37:7}
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."
{Psalm 139:16}
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
{Proverbs 19:21}
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
{Jeremiah 29:11}
God's will is ALWAYS the plan that is going to be best for you, it may not always be the easiest, but it is always backed up with the Lord's faithfulness and security.
Monday, June 11, 2012
{Let Me Be A Woman}
There is so much I can say on this subject, I hardly even know where to begin. For the past year or so, on and off, I have been making my way through a book by the amazing Elisabeth Elliot called Let Me Be A Woman. In it, Elisabeth Elliot writes letters to her engaged daughter giving her bits of advice and encouragement about what it means to be a godly wife, and more importantly a godly woman, as she approaches marriage. The thought of being a woman makes me think about divine design. Clearly God created men and women differently, and in a different order. Man came first that he might lead and initiate; woman came second that she might help and submit. But what does being a woman really mean?
1. Tenderness.
There is something so tender, soft, and fragile about femininity that is a large part of what makes a woman such a beautiful creature. There is a quote by Zooey Deschanel:
An excellent wife who can find?
1. Tenderness.
There is something so tender, soft, and fragile about femininity that is a large part of what makes a woman such a beautiful creature. There is a quote by Zooey Deschanel:
Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually "shhhh-ed".
Too sensitive; too mushy; too wishy-washy. Blah, blah. Don't let someone steal
your tenderness. Don't allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly
vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to be
truly affected by things. Whether it's a song, a stranger, a mountain, a raindrop, a tea
kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all-- look around you. All of this is for you.
Take it and have gratitude, feel it and give love.
I believe the softness and tenderness can be wrapped up in a word I used a moment ago: femininity.
What does that mean, exactly? Femininity is being feminine; it is the essence of what a woman is: her spirit, her personality, her fire, her mystique, the beauty which only a woman can possess. This femininity, I believe, is what Peter is talking about in 1 Peter when he refers to a "gentle and quiet spirit..."
"Do not let your adorning be external-- the braiding of hair and putting on
of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-- but let your adorning be the hidden
person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which
in God's sight is very precious."
[1 Peter 3:3-4, ESV]
I used to have an issue with this passage before I really understood what it meant. I can sometimes have a loud personality and be very opinionated, but in moderation, those qualities are what make me me. But what I really see that it means is to simply be a woman. Not the kind of woman that society says is feminine, but the kind of woman that is precious in God's sight. Speak when you need to speak, hold your tongue when necessary, be tender, be delighted in little things like tea kettles and flowers, for that is what you were created to do. There's a quote I've seen floating around pinterest lately, yet I have no idea who originally said it:
If more females would sit down and be ladies, then maybe more males would
stand up and be gentlemen.
Women today are viewed as a commodity (something that is used as much as possible, tossed out, and replaced). Yet, in Ephesians 5, God commands husbands to cherish their wives as their own bodies. The night before I left school to come home for the summer, I went to the movies on a Friday night, which I don't ever suggest because the theater is packed with middle-schoolers on "dates" their parents drop them off for. I saw so many girls- probably in their early teenage years, dressed like they thought they were twenty-one years old in a bar or something. Men treat women like they're something to be used and discarded, because women have bought into the lie that they are.
Lastly, some verses that have really encouraged me lately have been those that my boyfriend has sent me from Proverbs 31...we all know it, the "Proverbs 31 Woman" that we as godly women should be striving to duplicate in our personal lives:
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
[Proverbs 31:10-31, ESV]
I really want to emphasize verse 12. "All the days of her life" means before she knew him, while they are dating, when they're engaged, and when they get married. No matter which stage of that you're currently in, make sure that you're living like a lady of God, and that you are doing your husband good, and not harm, whether you know who he is or not. Go forth in your femininity and act with a gentle and quiet spirit.
Friday, June 8, 2012
{Blessings}
Today is one of those days that has its own simple beauty to it. The sun is shining, I'm already on my second cup of coffee, and there is so much to simply be thankful for. Today has gotten me thinking of how blessed I truly am. It also has made me think of the blessings I am most thankful for, so I thought I'd make a list:
{Sunshine}
I think about the day that God created the sun. What a beautiful, magnificent burst of light and joy it must have been to have the very first sunshine ever created. I think of the mornings when the sunrise was all I needed to see to be happy, the mornings that the sunrise added to my pre-existing joy. I also think of the sunsets that have painted the sky as a reminder of God's beauty.
{Coffee}
Whoever discovered the coffee bean, I love you. I'm so thankful that God decided to create a bean full of so much potential and deliciousness.
{Family}
I don't know what I would do without my family. I love them so much. I know that they are always there for me if I do ever decide to talk about anything (which is rare, I'm more of a listener). I know they will always support me in the good times and encourage me in the difficult ones. My dad has worked so hard for years to provide financially for my family, and I know that he loves me more than anything, and that I can always ask him for help no matter the situation. My mom loves me more than I will ever know, although, I seem to forget that so often. She provides so much for that I don't even realize. My sister is always up for a good time. She makes me laugh and she's always good for a sleepover, or a back massage (which means me giving her a back massage). My brother has taught me so much, not always in the most convenient way, but I have learned a lot of what to do and what not to do through him. But mostly I know that despite everything, he loves me, and he really cares for me a lot. I'm so thankful for the crazy memories they've given, especially at holidays, but more than anything I'll love them forever.
{Friends}
I'm so thankful for my best friends. I'm thankful for the old and new memories with my three best friends from birth, but also for my two closest girl friends at school. For the ridiculous sleepovers, late night deep discussions about boys, and coffee dates complete with strange coffee shop music. I know that I can trust these girls with my whole heart if I need to, and they are always good for a laugh, of course. But most of all they've been an encouragement to me in my struggles, and supports for me in my joys. "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17)
{My Best-est Friend}
Perhaps what I'm most thankful for at the moment is the boy who has been such a huge blessing since I met him 10 months ago on that first day at college. God has used him in so many ways, it's really hard to think about all the things I've learned through my relationship with him. The main thing perhaps, is learning what it really means to love another person, to put yourself aside, and think about someone else's happiness before your own. To have someone you always need to be there for and to encourage, but also to always have that other person to be there for you and to encourage you. To have someone to spend your free time with and who will always be praying for you, even when you don't ask them to. But I've also learned just how hard it is to do all of those things. But I've been so blessed by the huge amount of joy it gives in the times when you both succeed at being there for the other.
{Sunshine}
I think about the day that God created the sun. What a beautiful, magnificent burst of light and joy it must have been to have the very first sunshine ever created. I think of the mornings when the sunrise was all I needed to see to be happy, the mornings that the sunrise added to my pre-existing joy. I also think of the sunsets that have painted the sky as a reminder of God's beauty.
{Coffee}
Whoever discovered the coffee bean, I love you. I'm so thankful that God decided to create a bean full of so much potential and deliciousness.
{Family}
I don't know what I would do without my family. I love them so much. I know that they are always there for me if I do ever decide to talk about anything (which is rare, I'm more of a listener). I know they will always support me in the good times and encourage me in the difficult ones. My dad has worked so hard for years to provide financially for my family, and I know that he loves me more than anything, and that I can always ask him for help no matter the situation. My mom loves me more than I will ever know, although, I seem to forget that so often. She provides so much for that I don't even realize. My sister is always up for a good time. She makes me laugh and she's always good for a sleepover, or a back massage (which means me giving her a back massage). My brother has taught me so much, not always in the most convenient way, but I have learned a lot of what to do and what not to do through him. But mostly I know that despite everything, he loves me, and he really cares for me a lot. I'm so thankful for the crazy memories they've given, especially at holidays, but more than anything I'll love them forever.
I'm so thankful for my best friends. I'm thankful for the old and new memories with my three best friends from birth, but also for my two closest girl friends at school. For the ridiculous sleepovers, late night deep discussions about boys, and coffee dates complete with strange coffee shop music. I know that I can trust these girls with my whole heart if I need to, and they are always good for a laugh, of course. But most of all they've been an encouragement to me in my struggles, and supports for me in my joys. "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17)
Haley, Grace, and Ashlee, whom I've known since I was born, basically.
Julianna and Sarah, my two closest girl friends at school.
Perhaps what I'm most thankful for at the moment is the boy who has been such a huge blessing since I met him 10 months ago on that first day at college. God has used him in so many ways, it's really hard to think about all the things I've learned through my relationship with him. The main thing perhaps, is learning what it really means to love another person, to put yourself aside, and think about someone else's happiness before your own. To have someone you always need to be there for and to encourage, but also to always have that other person to be there for you and to encourage you. To have someone to spend your free time with and who will always be praying for you, even when you don't ask them to. But I've also learned just how hard it is to do all of those things. But I've been so blessed by the huge amount of joy it gives in the times when you both succeed at being there for the other.
"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."
[John 1:16, NIV]
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