Ladies, you are worthy! You are beautiful! You are His handiwork!
For sixteen years the women’s ministry at my church has gotten women excited for the holiday season through songs, a guest speaker, tea and treats, a silent Christmas tree auction for the proceeds to go to the Lottie Moon Christmas fund, and a festive fashion show. Yours truly has been honored to emcee the fashion show since the get-go. It is a blast!
While preparing for this event, I always get my mind prepared by reading scripture that reminds us who we are, Whose we are, and how beautiful we truly are.
Not to long ago, my precious friend, Cherity, posted a quote on her social media that read, “It amazes me that women look at the sky and think ‘Wow – God is so amazing’, but then look in the mirror and think ‘UGH’ as if He didn’t make both.” Hmmmm, HELLO, ladies (and men) this is so true!
Now, you know I’m all about the awesomeness of God’s artistry when He paints the sky for us each day. Just this past Sunday I was embracing his handiwork with my toes in the sand. The colors of the sky were ever-changing and becoming more brilliant each second. Observing how His artistry reflected on the water was breath-taking.
My friend, I can assure you that He thinks you are pretty breath-taking yourself.
I’ve chosen a few bible verses to support this statement. Please read these verses, allow His words to wash over you and saturate your mind, body, and soul in the confirmation that YOU are amazing. Read these aloud and speak God’s truth into yourself.
1 Samuel 16:7 let us know that God looks at our hearts. Man looks at our outward appearance; and there are a plethora of bible verses which verify this fact. Those glances, long gazes, and sometimes intense glares often get man (and I’m using this term in general for all) cause heartache, envy, and destruction to ourselves, others, and relationships. So, let your light shine before men for God (Matthew 5:16), allow your joyful heart to make a cheerful face (Proverbs 15:13), and let others see someone who has a heart for God.
1 Peter 3:4 we are told that in God’s sight a gentle and quiet spirit is imperishable beauty. Be enduring with your tender and peaceful character. Some of you may be thinking, “Stephanie, you don’t know me too well. Being tender and peaceful isn’t part of my nature.” Well, it is. If you have Christ in you, you’ve got it. We are to be like Him, and He was/is all about exemplifying a tender and peaceful attitude and demeanor. You’ve got this! He’s got you!
A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. There have been many times when I read Proverbs 31 and think, “Whoa, the perfect wife? I can barely make it through the third verse of that description and have already failed.” Yet, when I get down to verse 29-31, I’m all over it. I do respect the Lord. He is to be respected, and I honor Him with my whole heart. When we live with an inward and outward respect for the Lord, it shows. Wear it well.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God makes everything beautiful in its time. WE are included in His “everything”. Further down in verse 17, it says “God has planned a time for everything, and He has planned a time to judge everything people do. He will judge good people and bad people.” This is a whole other journal entry…Judging others is NOT our business…It’s God’s. Yet, when we see others, whether it is their actions or outward appearance, our minds may tend to have judgmental thoughts. Be careful, and remember that God will deal with others and yourself, and that you ARE beautiful, no matter what the world may think.
HELLO, Psalm 139:14 has a fabulous reminder for you…You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Amen. I like the way the ERV phrases it, “I praise You because You made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was!” Y’all, let that sink in. You are wonderful! You are amazing! Praise the Lord!
Previously I mentioned how I was admiring God’s handiwork in the sky, and like Cherity’s posting reads I was praising God for His amazing artistry. Ephesians 2:10 confirms that WE are His handiwork. In Genesis 1:31, we are told that God saw everything that He made, and behold, it was very good. The AMP version goes on to read He validated it completely. Take a look at yourself, and recognize that God gazed upon you and said that He did a VERY good job in creating you. He said it, so believe it. He sees you and is very pleased.
God created you in His own image. Allow Genesis 1:27 to marinate within you for a moment. He created us humans to reflect His nature. That mirror that you look into each day needs a word-frame around it stating how you are a reflection of God…and it is very good!
Okay, ladies, 1 Timothy 2:9-10 advises us how to dress. We are to adorn ourselves in respectable apparel, modesty, self-control, and good works. The ERV/Stephanie translation says, “Women, makes yourselves attractive in the right way. If you are devoted to God, then act and dress like it. Modest is hottest.”
Finally, I must resort back to the social media saying and the stunning vision of the sky mentioned earlier. In Psalm 19:1 it reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Dear Child of God, YOU are His glorious handiwork! When you gaze upon the glorious sky, just know that it is but a mere demonstration of His work in you.
YOU ARE GLORIOUS! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! YOU ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE! YOU ARE LOVED!
Have a wonderful day knowing that you are amazing!
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
