Re-thinking Beauty

To my mind, beauty is a misrepresented concept. If you listen to the media, beauty is perfect hair, flawless skin, & a stick-thin body. However, when I think of people I consider beautiful, beauty has so little to do with these characteristics.
"It's what's on the inside that counts." We've all heard it a million times, & we all think "yeah, whatever" every time we hear it. Been there, done that.
But it is so, so true.
1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Whoso adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God a great price."
God said it, so why can't we, as girls and women of God, believe it?
When I think of true beauty, I think of the Godly women I am so blessed to be surrounded by. Yes, they're all outwardly beautiful, but inwardly they are so much more. Every time I look at them, I see true beauty.
Beauty is a love for the Lord that exceeds a love for anyone or anything else. Beauty is a heart dedicated to serving others, & God most  of all. Beauty is a kind and compassionate spirit. Beauty is the sound of laughter. Beauty has nothing to do with the outside, and everything to do with the inside.
Today I am here to tell you that you are beautiful.
If you think, I can't be beautiful; I'm not skinny enough, I'm here to tell you otherwise. Who said being beautiful requires being skinny as a rail?
I don't have long, straight, blonde hair & pretty blue eyes like all the women I see in magazines.
You were made by a loving Creator who made you in His image & made you unique. You are unlike any other person who has ever lived or will ever live, and you are beautiful.
I've struggled with this for years. I know firsthand how hard it is to think of yourself as beautiful. There isn't a gap between my thighs. My hair isn't long & straight & blonde...in fact, it's the exact opposite. But I have come to realize that I was created by my God who made me in His very own image. Why should I want myself to be any other way?
Don't look in the mirror to see just how beautiful you are; you need only to look at you heart.  You are beautiful.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Mother's Day

I haven't posted  on this blog NEAR as much as I thought I would…only once, to be exact. But with Mother's Day quickly approaching, I figured it was a good time to write something.
In this day & age, the true meaning of Mother's Day is overlooked. It's just a day to buy your mom flowers & tell her you love her. But it's so much more than that. Mother's Day is a time to tell your mom how thankful you are for her, how much she means to you, & how much you love her, something that, I admit, I fail to do frequently.
I have been blessed with a Proverbs 31 woman as my mother. I love her & am so thankful for her, & I don't tell her that anywhere near as often as I should. My mom is a woman who not only cares for her family, but has devoted her entire career to caring for others. She works so hard, & does everything in her power to meet our every want & need.
I have also been blessed with several Godly, motherly influences in my life. Whether they have children of their own or not, they act like I am one of their own. No matter where I am, I know someone is there to be a guide when I don't know where to turn, a shoulder to cry on, & a wooden spoon to knock me into shape if they need to. 😉 I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful mom & so many Godly influences, none of which I deserve. I pray that, one day, I can be a mom like mine. I pray that I can influence my little girl as my mom has done me.
To all the mothers out there, including my own, thank you for all that you do. Thank you for the sleepless nights we've caused you; the tears you've cried for us; the meltdowns you've suffered through; the love you never stop giving. I love you Mom. ❤️

Leaving a Legacy

For my first post on my blog, I wanted to talk about the main reason I even considered having my own blog...Mrs Janet Pate. No, I never got to sit down & have a conversation with her. In fact, I never even had the opportunity to meet her. But she lived & left a legacy that was so amazing, I didn't have to meet her to know that she was a virtuous, Proverbs 31 woman. Janet ended her battle with ovarian cancer today...victoriously. She is now resting in the arms of her Savior, completely pain free. Though she is no longer living on this earth, her legacy lives on. From the moment she found out she had cancer, she was at peace. Even in her dying days, she was at peace. Through this entire storm, she put her utmost doth in God, & praised Him continually. She was an absolute picture of a Proverbs 31 woman. I wish with everything in me that could've had the chance to meet her while she was on this earth, but I treasure the promise that one day I'll meet Janet face to face in our Heavenly home. I cannot wait until the day I get to thank her for encouraging me to aspire to be a Proverbs 31 woman,& to have a faith in God greater than life itself.
Thank you, Mrs Janet.
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven & earth." Psalm 121:1-2