Godly Body Image

Body image is never a very comfortable thing to talk about. Everyone, including the so-called most beautiful woman in the world, deals with insecurities from time to time. We think we are too short or too tall, our eyes are too far apart or too close together, or that our bodies aren’t nearly as beautiful as the ones of those standing around us.

As Christians, though, we have something to hold onto when we feel insecure. And that’s found in Genesis 1:27:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (NIV)

It was true at the dawn of time, and it is still true today. God created you and me in His own image. Talk about amazing! The Maker of the universe didn’t just make the sun, the moon, and the stars- He made us! And God does not make ugly. The media has us convinced that if we don’t look a certain way, we should do everything in our power to become “perfect.”. But that isn’t healthy or true. If we consider our bodies ugly, that is like considering God’s handiwork ugly. And that is so wrong.

You are beautiful because God MADE you. He created every little part of you, and he doesn’t make mistakes. Ever. Bottom line, we need to be kinder to ourselves. Worrying and focusing on our imperfections will not make them go away; it won’t have any effect on our outer beauty whatsoever. On the other hand, beating ourselves up DOES affect our inner beauty- a negative attitude cannot be masked with all the makeup in the world.

So be nice to yourself. Look in the mirror and tell that girl she is beautiful.  Ask God to help you accept who He made you to be; acknowledge the fact that you need His help in changing your attitude and your perspective. You may not feel a difference right away, but I promise you will over time. And that is so beautiful.

♥

Written by Ireland

A Challenge and Something to Think About

 "Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

I recently read this passage in Mark. The story at-a-glance is that of a widow who gave a very sacrificial offering. This in itself is an amazing act of love to God. Jesus pointed her out to his disciples and not the rich who were giving large amounts.  Why did Jesus point her out instead of those giving large amounts? I believe that he did because of her very sacrificial offering. The passage says that many rich people were giving, but Jesus saw that she, in particular, was giving out of her poverty.

The thought then struck me, Jesus was pleased with her because she gave out of her poverty.

In the 21st century, when we think of poverty, we usually first think of economical poverty. Sometimes as I read passages in scripture regarding money, I can be tempted to think that I can not give out of poverty because I am not “poor.”

   

      Another thought then struck me, “What am I poor in?” Maybe not in finances, but maybe I am lacking in time and energy or maybe I do not want to get out of my comfort zone.

I believe that when we give out of our poverty, God is pleased as we saw in the story of the widow. Let me challenge you to think and pray about how you can give out of your poverty. It may not be comfortable or easy, but pleasing God can yield in great rewards.     

True Beauty

" Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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." 1 Peter 3:3-4

“I have to be stick-thin, I have to be drop dead gorgeous, I have to have perfect hair, I have to have perfect skin, I have to have perfect curves. To get guys to like me, I  must wear tight, revealing clothing, and I must buy for the brand. “  All these are thoughts that threaten to pass through our minds.
    There are many emotions wrapped up in the “perfect” mentality. For example, “That model is perfect because she is modeling for Chanel,  she is  5’9, and only weighs ninety eight pounds – obviously she’s perfect.” “Perfection” should not be what we as girls are striving for! How we dress and how we look truly does not matter in the long run.
        Going to the mall (or any store that sells clothing) does nothing for my self esteem. The clothes and images scream that since I weigh more than the average teenage girl, I should not be shopping in the same sections as my sisters and friends. After strolling through a store or mall, it can be so easy to start comparing yourself to what is "acceptable" in the world’s standards. This can leave you feeling dejected and unhappy with yourself.
    The modern world is full of things trying to grab our attention: magazines, TV shows, and advertisements, just to mention a few.  The world has tried to paint a picture of what "perfection" should be.
    The truth is that we will never ever reach perfection without Christ, it is not attainable without Him. In all the history of the universe, there has only been one perfect person, Jesus. Jesus should be our model of perfection.  God loves us JUST THE WAY THAT WE ARE.  Until we accept that, we will continue to work for  perfection,  when we think we have attained it, we will still not be satisfied. When you know the truth that Jesus loves and accepts you, then and only then is when we can stop working towards shallow goals.
    Although the models in stores and magazines may appear to "have it all", if they are without Jesus, they have nothing.  True beauty is that which radiates from the heart. A girl who may not be in the most fashionable clothing, but who has Jesus, will be much more appealing because of the happiness which is in her.
We are worth SO much more than the media says!!! Nobody should be able to make us feel bad because we don't look like the world’s version of perfection. WE are ALL wonderfully made by God, and because of him, we can be beautiful on the inside and the outside! written by Kathryn and Emily


“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

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Thoughts on Books

Books are things that are used in typical every-day-life; we use them for both school and enjoyment. They are a source that we use all the time, therefore, it is crucial that we make sure that the ones that we read are clean and pure. “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” (Psalm 25:21)  Many books published today are filled with lies, language, sexual immorality, and perversions of everything that is good and Godly. It isn’t always easy to not read garbage. Temptations to sneak-a-peek into stories like that is hard, especially when someone you know reads and talks about them. But something we all need to know is that we have the strongest ally there is…Jesus. If you feel pulled by your friends or thoughts to fall into temptation, remember, me plus Jesus is always the majority. I believe that when you pray and ask for help to resist tempting thoughts, He’s on your side. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)  And when your mind is clean and you endure yet resist temptations, it makes your light shine that much brighter.
  Written by Ashley

Movie Review

                                        October Baby
 October Baby is a great newer movie.  Here is the story overview from Netflix.
“Stunned and angered by the truth of her birth, college freshman Hannah sets out on a spring break road trip with her best friend Jason and a band of misfits to discover who she is, where she came from and where she will go from here.”
 The movie is rated PG-13 mainly for the reference to abortion.  The movie is very clean for this day and age. The acting was very well done. The boy/girl interaction is pure and wholesome. The only negative elements are disobedience, abortion, and immature college behavior (which is relatively mild).
  I would recommend for mature 10 years old and up. My parents and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It is a great movie for family entertainment. See trailer below.
 
* It is currently available to Stream through Netflix.
Written by Kathryn

Book Review

The book, The Bronze Bow, is a great read. I was assigned to read it last year and loved it! I was not too excited to read it at first glance, but sticking with it proved to be a great decision. The summary from Amazon.com describes the book very well:
“He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. –from the Song of David (2 Samuel 22:35)
The Bronze Bow, written by Elizabeth George Speare (author of The Witch of Blackbird Pond) won the Newbery Medal in 1962. This gripping, action-packed novel tells the story of eighteen-year-old Daniel bar Jamin—a fierce, hotheaded young man bent on revenging his father’s death by forcing the Romans from his land of Israel. Daniel’s palpable hatred for Romans wanes only when he starts to hear the gentle lessons of the traveling carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth. A fast-paced, suspenseful, vividly wrought tale of friendship, loyalty, the idea of home, community . . . and ultimately, as Jesus says to Daniel on page 224: “Can’t you see, Daniel, it is hate that is the enemy? Not men. Hate does not die with killing. It only springs up a hundredfold. The only thing stronger than hate is love.” A powerful, relevant read in turbulent times.”

For those who love an easy-to-read historical-fiction story this book is for you. It combines the life of Jesus and the history of that era with an interesting storyline that has you invested in the lives of the characters the entire book. I would highly recommend  that The Bronze Bow be added to your “fun book” reading list!
 Written by Kathryn

School

Do you feel the pressure to make good grades?  Do you struggle to pace yourself and stay organized?

 We sure do!  We find ourselves juggling a social life, family time, sports, and other activities.

We are both home schooled, which means that our moms and dads are our primary teachers. We know that every home-school schedule is different, and that of a public or private schooled student is extremely different.  I think all would agree that time management is very important!


Here are some tips on how to make your school week less stressful:

* Find your most productive time of the day and work steadily during that time. For me, my most productive time is in the morning, so I try to capitalize on that time. Usually waiting until the end of the day to do your hardest subjects is not a good idea.

*Talk with your parents about the week. If you know that one day in particular is going to be busy, plan ahead. You may need to double up the days before so that you do not fall behind. (From experience, it is best to do extra on days when you don't have a lot to do. This way, on days when you are extremely busy you won't fall far behind.)

* Write out your schedule on a calendar or in a planner. This can be beneficial to you and your family. When I started High School, my parents invested in a large dry erase wall calendar. This has helped with logging workouts, volunteer work, and extra curricular things. If you do not have the wall space or cash, think about a small planner (Target is a good place to look) or smaller dry erase board so that you can have things laid out a week or two in advance.  written by Kathryn and Emily



“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord...” Colossians 3:23