What's important to you?

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16, The Message

Look at your life. Can people tell what's important to you? Have you posted about God in your Facebook status? Do you "keep open house" about your faith?

I'm going to talk about bookshelves in this post (because I love books), but this applies to everything--your social network profiles, your blogs, your journals, everything.

Owning romance novels, "get-rich-quick" books, or other non-Bible books isn't bad by itself. My bookshelf reads like this: Girl to Grrrl Manga: How to Draw the Hottest Shoujo Manga, Country Gourmet, The One-Year Chronological Bible, In Search of Excellence, The Starbucks Experience, Succeed with Math, Learn French the BBC way, Pride and Prejudice. God wants us to explore and celebrate the world around us, and we can do that through secular books.

However, when you look at your bookshelf, you will see a reflection of yourself. Take a look at my above list. You can probably tell that I like to draw and cook, enjoy reading the Bible, study business techniques, work on math, learn French, and read Jane Austen books.

Now, let me give you a different list. Say you came to my house and saw that my bookshelf read like this: The Starbucks Experience, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Starting a Successful Business, How to Be a Teenage Millionare, Dave's Way--but there were no Bibles or devotionals that were easy to get to (pretend I had them all packed up in a box somewhere). Well, that says something else about my life, doesn't it? If that scenario were true, you could probably honestly say that my goal in life is financial success--it's what I worship.

You see, it's okay if you reflects your interests, but your life should always be centered around Jesus and reflect Him. I have an entire shelf-level of books dedicated to foreign language dictionaries, because I love to study foreign languages. That's an interest God gave me. Because it's important to me, I keep those books handy--right in my bedroom in a place where I can quickly get to them. However, my life goal isn't to learn the languages perfectly or fluently. That's a good goal, but it's not my #1 life goal.
Right next to my shelf of foreign language books I have a bookshelf I've dedicated to Bibles, devotionals, and Christian books. God is also important to me--much more important than foreign languages--so I make sure that those books that help me grow in my knowledge of Him are also readily available for consultation.

Like I said above, this concept doesn't just apply to bookshelves. The girls I know who shine brightly for Jesus are obvious Christians in every area of their lives. Those who are on Facebook just can't keep Him inside--they're so excited that they have to share Him in their statuses and posts! Those who blog, even just as personal blogs, write about His work in their lives. I know a girl who runs her own business. Almost every time I ask how her business is doing, she replies "It's going really well--God has really been blessing it!" Sometimes she tells me about what God is telling her about the business: things to change, areas to expand to, etc. Every time, though, it's about God.

Let me make one more comment: all of this should come naturally. When I think about how much God loves us, I can't help but want to share it with everyone I know. The girls I mentioned above would say the same thing.

I'm going to close by re-stating the Bible passage I started with. As you read it, ask God if there's any area of your life in which He'd like you to shine brighter or more obviously.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16, The Message

Don't judge a girl by what she wears

I'd like to follow up yesterday's post on clothing with another (short) clothing post, this time on judgment.

Because girls dress to communicate, it's easy to assume that we know what a person is like just because we've seen the way they dress. That's not true, and it's a dangerous trap to fall into.

Even if someone is dressing in a way that we might not consider godly, God is working in that person. He is still teaching them, and they may be a Christian who's more on-fire for Jesus than the girls you know who dress conservatively. It's true! I've learned things about God from people who wear things I wouldn't wear. I'm okay with that. And there's girls I've met whose closets might as well be my closet, but they didn't really know Jesus.

That doesn't mean that clothing doesn't communicate, of course. Clothing still does communicate, but God's the One responsible for dealing with any underlying "problems" communicated by clothing.

We all have weak areas. God is teaching me how to honor Him in one way. He'll teach others how to honor Him in other areas of their life.

Okay, that's all! :) Thanks for reading!
God bless!
Ruth

Dress to Communicate

The way we dress communicates a lot about what we think. Different people dress different ways for different reasons. Sometimes, we dress a certain way to fit in. Sometimes, we dress a certain way to stand out. Sometimes we dress a certain way because we don't know how else to handle something in our life. But we usually dress to communicate. "Accept me." "Love me." "Look at me." "Admire me." "Envy me." Help me."

Maybe you're one of those people who are looking for help, but you're confused. You try to communicate "help me" through the way you dress. Or maybe you're trying to tell people about something that's going on inside of you, like "I'm depressed" or "I'm upset." If you are one of those people, it's okay--everyone needs help sometimes.

I've put the following in prayer-format for you, but you don't have to pray it if you don't want to. Maybe not everything below applies to you; that's okay. Like I said above, different people dress differently for different reasons. I'm posting the prayer below for those who need it.

And please know that you're not judged. I know that life is tough. Maybe you're not ready for the prayer below, and that's okay too. As long as you're following God, He'll lead you to His heart in His timing--and that's where you want to be.

"Dear God,
I've been wanting help. I've been crying for help, wanting to tell people that something is wrong. Wanting to tell people that I don't have all the answers, and that I'm looking for someone to help me learn them. Wanting to let people know that I don't always make the right choices, and that I need someone to rescue me.

Thank You so much for loving me, for knowing me intimately, and for dying on the cross for me. I love You and I want to follow Your ways.

If anything, I can communicate that I don't have all the answers, but that I have some--and that I'm willing to follow what I've learned right now, not at some future date when I have life all figured out. After all, I won't have all the answers until I die and go to heaven. So, since I'm following You, even though I don't have all the answers in my life, I'll follow what You've told me for now and learn more every day. You know that I sometimes head down the wrong path in life. You know that everyone sometimes chooses the wrong things. That's why You died for everyone. In fact, everyone already knows I'm not perfect. But what You want me to tell people is not that I make some wrong choices every day, but that You have rescued me from my sin. Help me communicate that.

Thank You so much for loving me and caring about me, and please help me to follow You every moment of my life. I love you.
In Jesus' name, Amen."

Oscars 2010- My take on the dresses

Promised myself I would make my fashion blog and not write about fashion on here, but alas, I cannot help writing about one of my loves. Thought I would explain some of these dresses ;p.



Our first, of course, is Sandra Bullock, who accepted the award of "Best Female Actress" for her role in "The Blind Side". I personally enjoy Bullock. She has a real sense of elegance and professionalism, and is, indeed, a talented actress. I saw part of the Blind Side (haven't had time yet), and I also saw her in the Proposal. My review on her Oscar dress, though, is mixed. The upper part of the dress was like an embellished shirt and was pretty, but a little see through (but not as see through as some of the dresses ;p). The length of the dress was fine, since it trailed behind her a bit on the floor, although it was an pencil style and pretty fitting around the bum/legs. The plain hairstyle was a step down from the dress, and surprising, but gave her a together and sweet appearance that fit her personality. Overall, the dress was okay, although I don't think it was very flattering and in my opinion, not the best choice.



I loved Cameron Diaz's dress (I'm not giving my personal opinion on each attendee). Although her dress was strapless, it was gorgeous and beautiful. Gold and the nude, plain colors were popular this year. Since she is petite, the strapless dress wasn't a problem, if you know what I mean (it can be really disgusting on curvy girls), and was one of my favorites. Her wavy, loose hair was very pretty with the dress, and since she is a blonde, her hair and her dress flattered each other wonderfully. And yes, I liked this dress better than Bullock's ;p.



Other than the color, I did not like Kate Winslet's dress (nothing against her personally). It looks... partially finished and kindov like armor (uncomfortable). I don't know what was wrong with the bottom part of the dress. The skirt part was too thin, and then had a slit down the middle that almost made it seem like it was dress pants. She herself, was of course lovely, and her hair was beautiful, but the dress could use some help.



I really liked Jennifer Lopez' dress. Yes, this one was also strapless, but, as the other strapless dresses, wasn't very "revealing". Some might call it crazy but I thought the dress was creative and very impowering. The dip under the arm was clever and the huge, what do you call it, on her hip that had many folds and gave the dress volume was brilliant. I really liked the dress, and Lopez' glow and elegant hair gave this dress a sophisticated edge without being overly sexy.

NOTE: I am not doing all of the dresses (like Miley Cyrus', Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Richie, Charlie Therzon, Kristin Stewart, and Hillary Swank). Hillary Swank's dress was hugely innapropriate, as well as some of the others, and some were just not worth talking about and I did not want to bash them. Also, I don't really have time ;D. By the way, although I didn't like Nicole Richie's dress, I do have to give her credit for wearing something so modest ;p.



Zoe Saldana's Oscar dress was very interesting and I loved it. Strapless, yet, but with a petite woman it is not very immodest and looks nice. It looked like two or three different dresses, and that is what I loved about the Givenchy dress. The lavender band and empire waist line was, as my mother would say, very complimentary. The unexpected boom beginning at the knees of the dress was a pleasant surprise and it turned out to be a very pretty, yet spunky dress. If the colors had been different or yellow/orange or something else, it would not have looked half as great ;p. The lavender themed dress went well with her skin color, and a sophisticated updo was a wise choice (large curls or something major would not have gone well with the bold dress). Loved the dress!



Catherine Bigelow is a hard working director and isn't someone you'd expect to see glamming up regularly, but she really did hit it when she went to the 2010 Oscars. Her dress was modest and elegant; a sleeveless crew neck heart decorated top with an empire waist and a shiny, silk skirt that reached the floor. With loose waves and an optimistic smile, Bigelow looked statuesque before and after she accepted the award for Best Director.



Penelope Cruz looked stunning at the Oscars. Clever, she choose a bold and elegant red dress that matched the red carpet at the Oscars. Strapless (very popular this year, can you tell?!) with two level neckline and thick satin pleats. Long and formal, Cruz' gown was ravishing and her soft updo completed the gorgeous look of the Best Supporting Actress nominee.



Best Actress Nominee looked elegant at this year's Oscars. Although pretty modest, I didn't really like the sparkles and the long sleeves. I did, however, like the color and the texture, and think it made an excellent Oscar dress.

Tadah!

Cloche Hat

This is one of my favorite hats. I remember the first time I saw one: I was in Claire's with a friend, and she pointed it out to me as "One of those hats that looks like a bowl on your head." Yeah, well, if that's what it looks like, it's super-cute.

The nice thing about the cloche hat is that it's a hat that's always feminine. Guys wear fedoras, guys wear baseball caps, some guys even wear beanie hats, but no guy wears cloche hats. They're a girls-only fashion. And as hats become more trendy, the cloche hat will provide a feminine alternative to the fedoras and baseball caps that are cute but not quite as feminine as we could hope.

Cloche hats have been in several fairly recent movies. A 1920s style, they come in many variations, sizes, and colors. So whether you prefer big and bold or small and simple, you'll find one you like.

Amanda Seyfried's 2009 Oscar dress

Now, I'm not a huge Amanda Seyfried fan, but as I looked through old Oscar pics from 2009 I stumbled across her dress for the 2009 Oscars. And though I'd probably never wear a bow that large (on anything), I applaud her simple sense of elegance, the modest length of her dress and her dress's relatively conservative neckline. Her make-up is natural, as is her hair. Her jewelry adds just enough to the outfit without being overly glitzy. Amanda, unlike many of the other nominees, looked stunning while staying modest.

Chocolate JCP dress

This is another of my favorite outfits. JCPenney's Ruby Rox Square Neck Framed Dress shows femininity in a simple but trendy way, and it's a dress I'd wear just about anywhere. From Sunday church services to graduations to summer parties and maybe even weddings, this dress is modest, feminine, and sweet--like chocolate.

Cute summer outfit

I saw this look on Forever 21's website and just had to post it. The cute summer dress (which I would wear with something underneath for more coverage) has cheerful stripes in my favorite color, and her hairstyle is feminine and casual. The outfit would work without the hat, in my opinion, but the hat does add a cute, different twist to her outfit. Very cute!

READY taking a break

Hey all!
This is a little blurb to letcha know that READY is taking a few weeks off. :)

Obeying Parents: What is respect?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mistermundo/ / CC BY 2.0

Obeying parents is a tough topic with several areas to cover. Today's post is about respect.

It's a term we hear all the time: respect. Respect me. Respect them. Respect your elders. Respect your teachers. Respect your sister. Respect their wishes. Respect their time. Respect your brother. Respect your friend. Respect your classmate. Respect your parents.

It's a word that we learn when we're young, but what does it really mean? We know that when someone says "respect," they basically want us to be nicer. But respect is so much more than that.

According to Dictionary.com, respect is "esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability...deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment....to hold in esteem or honor."

Think of the most amazing, honorable person you know of. Maybe it's a movie star, a top designer, an American Idol winner, the Queen of England, or the President. Now, answer a few questions about that person:

How much would you pay to see that person? To have lunch with them? To get their advice on your life problems?

Could anyone do their job as well as they do? How would you feel if they were suddenly gone?

How would you describe them? Amazing? Excellent? Skilled? Wise?

Would you say that they hold a high, privileged position?

Do you hold them in esteem and honor?

Would you treat them the way you treat your parents? Would you treat them better than you treat your parents?

Look at the answers to your questions. No doubt you've established that, even if you wouldn't always agree with this person, you would recognize the value of their life experience, the honor of their position. Think over the way you would treat that person. You wouldn't be rude. You wouldn't dis them in front of your friends. You wouldn't be unkind to them or talk back.

Now, think about your parents for a second. Maybe in your eyes they're already amazing. Maybe all you can see is flaws. I don't know what you see; every situation is different. But I want you to put aside all of your opinions for a moment and consider what I'm about to tell you.

The God of the Universe, the Creator of galaxies, the One who runs the world, the One who holds the power of life and death, the One whom angels worship and demons fear, the only One who knows everything, the only One who is all-powerful, and the One who died a horrible death to save you from hell because He loves you deeply and infinitely, this One who wants you to be your best--your best, as an individual with potential to impact the world and shape it for Him--He is God. God knows everything about every adult in the history of the world. He knew that you would have parents, and it was His goal to give you parents who would shape your character and help you become the amazing person you can be. And when it came time to pick out these people who would shape your life, your parents, He--God--could have chosen any adults in the entire history of the world to raise you. He picked out the ones that you now call your parents (and stepparents, and adopted parents too).

Some of you may be like, "Whoa, God made a mistake." Nope. God doesn't make mistakes. He knew you. He knows that you could change the world you live in. And to prepare you, out of all the parents in the history of the world, He picked yours.

That's pretty special.

Your parents were chosen by God to raise you. To teach you. To help you learn how to interact with others. To help you learn right from wrong. To help you follow God.

You know how you respect that famous person? You should think of your parents as 100 times more amazing than them. Because God could've given you that famous person as a parent. Maybe you think that'd be pretty sweet, but God knows that your parents would do a better job of preparing you for life than that famous person. Wow. Pretty cool, huh?

God could've picked anyone, and He picked those people you call "parents." They deserve respect.

God's presence

When God led the Israelites through the desert, He led them to build a tabernacle. We are now each tabernacles of God. He led them to appoint priests and high priests. We are now priests, and Jesus is our high priest. God would put His presence on/in the tabernacle when He didn't want the Israelites to go anywhere, and He would move it when He wanted them to move. Now, we follow the Holy Spirit's leading.

In the past, when I've read the story of the Israelites' following God's presence, what stood out to me was that the Israelites followed God's leading. And that's correct. But there's another picture there that I didn't see until today.

The NCV translates the last few verses of Exodus, Exodus 40:34-38, like this:

"Then the cloud covered the Meeting Tent, and the glory of the LORD filled the Holy Tent. [35] Moses could not enter the Meeting Tent, because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Holy Tent.
[36] When the cloud rose from the Holy Tent, the Israelites would begin to travel, [37] but as long as the cloud stayed on the Holy Tent, they did not travel. They stayed in that place until the cloud rose. [38] So the cloud of the LORD was over the Holy Tent during the day, and there was a fire in the cloud at night. So all the Israelites could see the cloud while they traveled."

Putting up the "Holy Tent" was very involved (lots of poles, loops, and fabric, not to mention furniture). Only priests could enter the tent, because of God's presence in the tent. And only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies part of the tent once a year, and the High Priest had to bring with him the year's sacrifice.

You see, yes, the Israelites did follow God's presence. But sometimes, when God's cloud was over the tent, they couldn't have moved even if they wanted to--any Israelite trying to take down the tent for travel would have been killed.

Sometimes, God limits us. We sometimes want to do things that we simply are not able to do. Sometimes it's because of health. Sometimes it's because of money (or lack thereof). Sometimes it's because of family or plans or trips or rules or whatever. But it's all a part of God's plan. It's God keeping us where He wants us--which is the best place for us to be. :)

Someday my prince will come....SOMEDAY...

View the original image here

It's really hard to wait. We all know it. And when it comes to finding that "perfect someone," we're especially eager.

But God doesn't always plan for us to know right away. Some people don't meet their "perfect someone" until after high school. Or until after college.

And to make it worse, while we're waiting, our friends are dating. Some of them are getting engaged, and some are getting married. Talk about singles' awareness.

I'd like to share something with you. A leader at my youth group recently gave the girls in our youth group a very useful suggestion: start a husband diary. Write letters to your future husband. Pray for him. Pray about him. Write down what you're looking for in a future husband (no matter how trivial each characteristic seems). Write down song lyrics that inspire you. It'll help you remember that there is a specific guy out there who God is saving you for...and if you happen to meet a charmer who doesn't match your qualifications for a husband, you'll know it's not your future prince and you'll know to stay away, keeping your future guy in mind. :)

READY: May 13, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 25, NIV

What ladies can learn: A lot happens in this passage. Abraham takes a new wife, and they have lots of kids. We see Hagar mentioned again, and hear about Ishmael's kids. Issac prays for Rebekah and she has kids.

I want you to notice two things in this chapter. First, notice that God sees childbearing as a blessing. God rules the world. God wants us to take care of the world. And He still sees childbearing as a blessing! Our culture gives us so many reasons to limit the number of kids in every family, but that's not something that's really our decision--it's God's. So, if/when you get married, don't see having kids as a burden--see it as a blessing.

The other thing I want you to notice is that Issac prayed for Rebekah to have children. No doubt they were both discouraged while Rebekah was barren, but I would guess that Rebekah was the more discouraged. Nevertheless, Issac didn't say "Women are the ones who get pregnant, so it's your job to pray and un-barren yourself." No! Issac prayed for Rebekah. They shared the trial, and they shared the blessings.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God knows everyone's name. That may seem trivial, but think about it: the Creator of the universe, who created galaxies and worlds with little effort, and who has billions of people in His care, takes the time to know your name and care about you. Wow! That makes me think of Psalms 8:3-4, NCV: "I look at your heavens, which you made with your fingers. I see the moon and stars, which you created. But why are people even important to you? Why do you take care of human beings?"
In two words: God cares.

Highlighted characteristic for us: Have faith! God answers prayer. Issac and Rebekah prayed for God to give them a child, and He gave them two. What has God placed on your heart to pray for?
In three words: Pray and believe.

Lyrics: "Wasted" by Carrie Underwood

I heard this song on Pandora the other day and immediately decided to feature it in the blog. The characters in the verses aside, this song carries a good message: each day is a gift, so don't waste it.

From Carrie Underwood's CD "Some Hearts," here are the lyrics to "Wasted" (buy it here):

Standing at the back door
She tried to make it fast
One tear hit the hard wood
It fell like broken glass
She said sometimes love slips away
And you just can't get it back
Let's face it

For one split second
She almost turned around
But that would be like pouring rain drops
Back into a cloud
So she took another step and said
I see the way out and I'm gonna' take it

I don't wanna' spend my life jaded
Waiting to wake up one day and find
That I've let all these years go by
Wasted

Another glass of whisky but it still don't kill the pain
So he stumbles to the sink and pours it down the drain
He says it's time to be a man and stop living for yesterday
Gotta face it.

Cause' I don't wanna' spend my life jaded
Waiting to wake up one day and find
That I've let all these years go by
Wasted

Oh I don't wanna' keep on wishing, missing
The still of the morning, the color of the night
I ain't spending no more time
Wasted

She kept drivin' along
Till the moon and the sun were floating side-by-side
He looked in the mirror and his eyes were clear
For the first time in a while

Hey, yeah,
Oh, I don't wanna' spend my life jaded
Waiting to wake up one day and find
That I've let all these years go by
Wasted

Oh I don't wanna' keep on wishing, missing
The still of the morning, the color of the night
I ain't spending no more time
Wasted

Oh, I don't wanna' spend my life jaded
Waiting to wake up one day and find
That I've let all these years go by
Wasted

Yeah, yeah
Oh I don't wanna' keep on wishing, missing
The still of the morning, the color of the night
I ain't spending no more time
Wasted

READY: May 12, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 24, NIV

What ladies can learn: What a love story! God clearly destined Rebekah and Issac for each other. We can see from Rebekah's actions that she was kind and generous, and that she trusted God. Let's try to do the same.

Highlighted characteristic of God: Maybe Rebekah sometimes felt at a loss. After all, she was getting older, and she still hadn't found a husband! She probably watched her friends get married, and maybe she even had sisters who were happily married. Nevertheless, God knew that He had the perfect husband waiting for Rebekah, and He brought the couple together in His timing.
In two words: God plans.

Highlighted characteristic for us: God's got it all together--so let's trust His plan for the future and focus on serving Him in this moment.
In three words: Trust God's plan.

Lyrics: "Mess of Me" by Switchfoot

This is a fantastic song that I first heard in the trailer for the (also fantastic) movie To Save a Life. It's a song by Switchfoot, from their CD "Hello Hurricane." Buy the song and CD here.

I love this song because it emphasizes personal responsibility for your problems (from the start--the first line is "I am my own affliction."). In our culture, we too often see the blame for our problems placed on others. Statements like "They forced me to," "I had no choice," and "You made me this way" are all too common. Switchfoot reminds us that we make our own choices and are responsible for finding solutions to our own problems and dealing with the consequences of our behavior.

In addition, the singer takes responsibility for his problems. He's brave enough to face his problems and say "I did this."

The other reason I love this song is because the speaker resolves to recover their life. They don't take a victim mentality of "I can't help it" or "I can't control myself," and they don't decide to accept their altered state in words like "This is who I am" or "I can't change who I've become." Instead, the singer decides to push to solve the problems he created and to live a better life for himself.

LYRICS:

I am my own affliction
I am my own disease
There ain't no drug that they could sell
Ah there ain't no drugs to make me well

There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
It's not enough
The sickness is myself-

I made a mess of me
I wanna get back the rest of me
I made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I made a mess of me
I wanna the get back rest of me
I made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive

We lock our souls in cages
We hide inside our shells
It's hard to free the ones you love
Oh when you can't forgive yourself
Yeah forgive yourself

There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
The sickness is myself-

I made a mess of me
I wanna get back the rest of me
I've made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I've made a mess of me
I wanna reverse this tragedy
I've made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive

There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
There ain't no drug
No drug to make me well
There ain't no drug
It's not enough
I'm breaking up
The sickness is myself
The sickness is myself-

I made a mess of me
I wanna get back the rest of me
I've made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I've made a mess of me
I wanna reverse this tragedy
I've made a mess of me
I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive

READY: May 10, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 23, NIV

What ladies can learn: Abraham took care to find a place of respect and value to bury Sarah. Women in the Bible weren't discounted! I don't know if Sarah ever felt underappreciated, but I'm going to guess that she did at some point in her life. What can we learn? Often, people care more about us than we realize.

Highlighted characteristic of God: You might not see God in this passage at first glance. Look again. James 1:17 (NIV) says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." I would call Sarah's tomb a good and perfect gift, wouldn't you? Not only that, God worked it out that Abraham received the tomb for free. How awesome is that? Just because we can't see God or hear an audible voice doesn't mean He isn't there.
In two words: God provides.

Highlighted characteristic for us: The Bible tells us that Abraham's witnesses were the Hittites. Now, if you believe that the Bible is the whole truth, then you'd believe that Hittites existed whether or not archeology proved their existence (since the Bible is true, accurate science can be trusted to support the Bible).
There was a time that no one believed Hittites existed. People thought that there was no evidence for the existence of the Hittites. Well, of course, I'm sure you know now that the Hittites have been proven to exist--we even study them in our history books! The Bible is always right, even if people haven't found "proof" for everything in it.
In three words: Trust God's word.

Modesty and femininity on American Idol

Can you tell that I'm in a fashion mood today? :)

Here are a couple of the modest, fashionable outfits worn by female contenders in American Idol season 9:


Janelle Wheeler's outfit is distinctly feminine. The lace on her top makes it pretty and professional. She also avoids the mistake of having too much lace or embellishment on top, which would distract from her face. Very pretty!




I honestly love Haeley Vaughn's style. She dresses simply but stunningly: her top is a feminine style, effortlessly being flattering without being revealing, and her top is long enough to cover the waistline of her casual blue jeans. The two places of the outfit that really "shout" are the belt (which gives it a western flair) and the flower in her hair (which finishes off the feminine touch of her top). Because the outfit isn't super-boring, we see Haeley's personality; but because the outfit isn't super-busy, either, we can more easily notice Haeley's smile and her inner beauty (the source of her personality). I would highly recommend this look; it comunnicates both a humble spirit and a hip sense of fashion, both a sense of beauty and a realization that true beauty isn't showing off curves but in showing off your smile and the inner beauty God's given you. Great job, Haeley. :)

The Heart Truth Fashion

Hey,
I just found out about The Heart Truth's red dress collection. Google it if you want to find out more...but just for fun, I thought I'd feature two of the beautiful-yet-modest dresses here. Click on the picture to see the original (I got these pics off Flickr).

First up, Kelly Ripa. I love the sparkle on her dress, but that's not the only thing I love about it; This dress makes short sleeves look classy in an age of strapless and spaghetti-strap dresses. Also, the style reaches her knees, which is an important modesty standard.

Next is Natasha Bedingfield. Her long, elegant dress is gathered at the hips in style, and the hight of the artistic neckline makes this dress one of the most modest dresses in the group.

Is God racist?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/ / CC BY 2.0

I'm going to answer this one right now: no, God is not racist. God loves, cherishes, accepts, and saves people from any nationality, with any skin tone, speaking any language.

The emphases in the following verses is mine:

Acts 10:34-36, NIV, says, "³⁴Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. ³⁶You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all."

Revelation 14:6, NIV, says, "⁶Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people."

Revelation 5:9, NIV, says, "⁹And they [the people in heaven] sang a new song:
'You [Jesus]...were slain,
and with your blood you [Jesus] purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. '"

Revelation 7:9-10, NIV, says, "I looked and there before me [in heaven] was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰And they cried out in a loud voice:
'Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.'"


Galatians 3:28, the Message version, says, "In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal."


Even in the Old Testament, we see examples of God's faithfulness to people regardless of their nationality:

Noah lived in a nation of wicked men. When God flooded the earth, however, He saved Noah because Noah followed Him.

Lot lived in a city with people who acted like criminals. When God destroyed the city, however, He saved Lot because Lot followed Him.

Abraham tried to start the Jewish nation through Hagar, but was unsuccessful. Though Hagar was the mother of a nation that would later cause problems for the Israelites, God watched over Hagar and her son.

Rahab was a Moabite living in the Moabite city of Jericho, which God destroyed. When God destroyed Jericho (and other Moabite towns), however, He saved Rahab because Rahab followed Him.

Ruth was a Moabite who married into an Israelite family. When her mother-in-law Naomi went back to Israel, Ruth wasn't rejected because of her race; instead, she was accepted as a follower of God.


Jesus' life, too, was intercultural:

When God planned Jesus' lineage, He didn't work to create a "pure" Jewish lineage. Instead, God included people from a variety of nationalities in Jesus' heritage, including both Jews and Moabites. You might say Jesus was "mixed."

Jesus was born in Bethlehem (an Israelite town), then grew up in Egypt (a "gentile" or non-Jewish town).

Jesus ministered to the Samaritan woman at the well, even though the Samaritans and Jews experienced racial dislike toward each other.

Jesus healed the demon-possessed Samaritan girl, despite the racial tension between the Jews Jesus lived around and the Samaritans.

Jesus healed the servant of the Roman official. Once again, there was racial tension between Jews and Romans (mainly because the Romans took the Jews captive); however, because the Roman official believed in Jesus, Jesus healed his servant.

Jesus told a parable about a Jewish man who was helped by a Samaritan (this is where we get the term "good Samaritan"). In the parable, Jesus explained that the Samaritan was better than the two Jewish people in the story, because the Samaritan stopped to help the Jewish man by the road without paying attention to race. Throughout Jesus' life, we see these examples of Jesus' stepping across racial boundaries as if He didn't even notice them. Jesus realized that a person's skin tone or race has no impact on their character.

In addition, as you can see from the verses I quoted above, in heaven we'll get to meet people from all different races.


I'll repeat my above point: God is not racist. And you know what? We shouldn't be racist, either.

READY: May 8, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 21, NIV
What ladies can learn: Hagar is a Biblical example of a single mom. Though her situation differs from that of today's single moms, we can still learn from her example. You see, God understands that guys can be irresponsible leaders. Abraham not only fathered Hagar's child, sent her away, let her come back, and then sent her away again, but also sent Hagar away with too little water to journey to another town. Even though Abraham was irresponsible, God's plan for Hagar wasn't messed up in the slightest! God realizes that some things can come into a life or a relationship that interfere with marriage. Nevertheless, God is still a loving God who watches over each and every one of us: He's leading us, protecting us, giving us what we need to live (and then some), and giving us a future, no matter what our marital status. Yes, let's try to live by God's original plans (unless God speaks to you otherwise)--but if things happen to disrupt our hopes or dreams, let's trust that God has something better in store.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God watches over every person, and He can provide for us.
In two words: God sees.

Highlighted characteristic for us: Take a look at Hagar's life. She lives as a slave, toiling away in the ancient world as a nobody. She has a baby by Abraham at Sarah's request (she must feel pretty used). Sarah gets jealous and sends Hagar away. When Hagar returns, she lives as Sarah's slave for a few more years...and gets sent away again, this time by her son's father Abraham. Enslaved. Used. Rejected...twice. Ouch.

Sometimes, we may feel that we're used the same way by our peers. Maybe we aren't enslaved, and maybe we don't go through the extremes Hagar experienced, but we can be used and rejected all the same. When that happens, we can know that God is still watching over us and that He still has a perfect plan for us.
In three words: God's our friend.

Should we give money to homeless people?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/abphoto/ / CC BY 2.0

Note: this post is in no way associated with the person pictured above other than the man
pictured says he is homeless and carries a cardboard sign asking for help.

We all have seen them. They're people God created. They're people God loves deeply. They're people who are spiritually lost and searching for purpose, and they're people who have hopes, dreams, family, friends, and purposes of their own. And we sympathize with them because we wouldn't like living the way they do, and we're sure they're looking for a little help out of their situation.

They're homeless people--the ones on streetcorners holding cardboard signs asking for money.

Now, I've been taught--more than once--that we should never pass up the opportunity to give money to these people. The lessons have come in a variety of forms: "God loves them too." "God commands us to give to the needy." "God doesn't want us to judge what they do with the money" etc.

However, I don't believe we should give money to these people. And what I'm about to say may shock you: I think giving money to them could be unloving.

Here's why. There's no way for us to know whether the person we see is addicted to alcohol, drugs, or smoking, or whether they are honest, clean people looking for help. If they're an addict, giving them money will simply fuel their addiction. Yes, the Bible calls us to be generous, but it also calls us to be wise. Fueling someone's addiction isn't loving them. It isn't helping them get into a better situation. All it does is burn up your money.

Also, if they were an honest, clean person, they might be out looking for a job instead of begging on the street (I once saw a homeless guy selling beaded keychains on a streetcorner, even).

And though God doesn't want us to judge people, God does call us to be responsible with what He's given us. He is the one who gives us the money. He commands us to give it to the needy, but He doesn't want us to fuel others' addictions or waste it. Think about it this way: for every donated $20 a homeless person spends on drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes, 6 third-world children go without shoes, one person who doesn't have a Bible has to go without a Bible for another day, and ten American families of four who are trying to feed their kids go hungry. Wow. You could really help a lot of people with the money that just bought that person more drugs.

How can we help the people on streetcorners, then? Well, if you're dead-set on giving, you can buy some food, winter gloves and hats and scarves, or other items you could give to these people (along with gospel tracts). Giving these things is still helping, but it's helping in a way that won't potentially hurt them (remember, not all homeless people are addicts...some are just unfortunate people looking for help. There's not much of a way to tell the difference.). You could also find out about rescue missions in your area, pick up some cards or brochures, and hand out the directions to the rescue mission. Those who are trying to get their life back to normal may go to the mission, where they'll get a free meal, a sermon, and sometimes even a shower and a place to sleep. Rescue missions help people get back to normal lives.

Giving someone money that they'll use to buy addiction-fueling substances isn't "helping" anybody. Giving someone a chance to get a better start on life is.

READY: May 7, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 20, NIV

What ladies can learn: Abraham and Sarah do it again! This time, though, when they lie, Sarah has to be sure of the consequences. There can be no doubt in her mind that God, her ultimate authority, is more important than her husband; there can be no doubt in her mind that God does not approve lying. She lies anyway, and what happens? This time, the Bible pins the offense on Sarah more so than the other times she's lied.
When we know that we have a choice to either obey God or to obey authority--but not both--we should always obey God first.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God is forgiving. Even when we make the same mistake twice (or thrice), He's willing to forgive.
In two words: God forgives.

Highlighted characteristic for us: First, a half-truth is a whole lie...second, if authorities tell you to disobey God's clear words, obey God.
In three words: Obey only God.

National Day of Prayer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_q/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Today is the National Day of Prayer. Let me ask you something: Have you prayed yet today?

Have you told God how much you love Him? Have you told Jesus how thankful you are to Him? Have you praised God for the things He's done in your life--and the things He's doing in your life?

Have you thanked God for your family? And have you thanked Him for your friends? Have you thanked Him for His love?

Prayer is important. It links us to our Creator, Savior, the King of Kings, our best Friend, the God of the Universe.

Have you prayed yet today?

1 Thess. 5:17, NIV: "¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Phil. 4:6, NIV: "⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Psalm 122:6-7, NIV:
"⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

'May those who love you be secure.

⁷ May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.'"

Matthew 5:43-45, NIV: " ⁴³'You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor^a]">[a] and hate your enemy." ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies^b]">[b] and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

Luke 6:12, NIV: " ¹²One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."

Luke 6:27-28, NIV: " ²⁷'But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

Matthew 6:5-13, NIV: "⁵'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹'This, then, is how you should pray:
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."'"

I'm thankful to live in a nation that openly proclaims a National Day of Prayer.

READY: May 6, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 18, NIV

What ladies can learn: Notice in this passage the role of Sarah in welcoming the guests. Abraham was able to simply tell her "Make some bread," and she did it. Because she made the bread, Abraham was freed up to cook some meat for the visitors. They worked as a team. Sarah was just as important as Abraham, but Abraham was willing to lead and Sarah was willing to follow. As a result of their acceptance of their Biblical roles, their teamwork was smooth and effortless.

Please don't misunderstand this to mean that men are slavemasters of women--that is most definitely not God's will. 1 Peter 3:1-8 uses Abraham and Sarah as an example of Biblical marriage, but at the same time emphasizes the necessity of gentleness and respect on the part of the husband (those are two qualities of a good leader anyway):

¹Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ²when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ⁴Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. ⁵For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, ⁶like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God shows many of His characteristics in this chapter, so we'll examine a few of them. First of all, God is all-powerful: He was able to promise Abraham and Sarah a child, even though they were too old to have children. Second, God is the giver of everything we have. From chairs and tables to shelter, children, and even life--God gives it all. Third, God knows everything! We may see this as obvious; after all, He's God, right? Nevertheless, like Sarah, we sometimes try to trick God into thinking we aren't laughing in unbelief (or we aren't angry with Him, or we aren't disappointed, or we aren't glad about something we shouldn't be glad about). God knows it all. He sees right through our disguise. God's all-knowing nature leads us to another point: God is holy and just, and He punishes bad people. God said that He had heard an outcry about Sodom and Gomorrah; though we can't be positive where this cry had come from, I like to think that it was peoples' prayers for help. As we read more about the character of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, you'll see that these two cities were filled with creeps and criminals--and that the cities' governments weren't protecting the citizens. As a result, God decided to visit the city and to step in on behalf of the people in need.
In two words? Wow, what a tough summary. I'll put it this way: God gives. Why? God gives miracles, God gives us everything we have, God gives knowledge, and God gives justice.

Highlighted characteristic for us: God hears a humble prayer. Notice Abraham's words: "I am nothing but dust and ashes" (verse 27). Abraham knew his place. Abraham knew that God was infinitely higher than him. But Abraham prayed--humbly--and God granted his requests.

Also, sometimes we treat God like a genie who only grants three wishes. We pray, and God answers us. We pray again, and God answers again. We pray again, and God answers again. And then we think, "Wow, God just answered three requests! I've gotta be pushing my limits here. I'll stop asking for awhile." That's exactly what the enemy wants us to think--that we should stop praying. Prayer is powerful. God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray continually" (and that's the entire verse). God wants us to keep praying to Him. Abraham asked God to change His mind six times! We, too, can approach God with requests (and praises).

In three words: Pray without limit.

READY: May 5, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 17, NIV
What ladies can learn: Just because God puts men as leaders doesn't mean God forgets women. God gave Sari, Abram's wife, a new name and many blessings--just like he gave Abram. Women are important, too.
Highlighted characteristic of God: God can do anything.
In two words: God does.
Highlighted characteristic for us: We need to believe that God will do what He says--because He does.
In three words: We can believe.

READY is back! May 3, 2010

Hello, girls! Sorry about the unexpected break from READY posts last week. I'll do my best not to just stop posting suddenly again =)

Hmmmm....where did we leave off? Oh, wait a moment. That's not important. That's because God revealed something to me this week about Biblical womanhood from a passage we've already read. Let's go all the way back (do it with me...go WAAAAYY back....)..........to Genesis 2.

That's right. Back to the beginning.


Today's Passage: Genesis 2, NIV
What ladies can learn: In Genesis 2, God details the perfect creation of woman. Ladies get a glimpse--their only glimpse--of what life would be like if it were still perfect.

Notice the second to last verse in the passage. The passage does NOT say that "a man will leave his single life and get married," "a man will leave his father and mother to live on his own," or "a man will leave college to be united to his wife."

Here is what the passage really says (with my emphasis):

Genesis 2:24:

(NIV) For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

(NCV) So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body.

(NKJV) Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

(The Message) Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh.

From the original text (I use The Complete WordStudy Old Testament by Zodhiates--it's an excellent book), the word "man" literally means "man" in the masculine sense (not mankind), and "leaves" means to abandon.

You see, God created the family as a unit that works together to serve Him. When we marry, we create our own "unit," leaving our original "unit." We are still to listen to, respect, and heed the advice of our parents, but we have our own "unit" to run (or be a part of).

With this in mind, there are two more questions that come up. First, is the man leaving his parents' home--is he physically leaving his parents--or is he simply leaving their purpose? Second, do women go through the same sort of "leaving"?

I can't think of any Bible verses that specifically deal with these two topics (I'm welcome to input). However, I believe that God speaks to each family individually about how they can serve Him through their locations. Pray about it and talk about it with your parents. I know several families that have their kids at home until they marry, but I also know several families that send their kids to college and let their kids live on their own a little before they marry. It's not our place to judge--just to do what God's will is for us.

Too many times, we simply "go with the flow" with regards to going to college and moving out. There are other alternatives; if you never ask God what His plans are for you in that area, how will you know?