10 Day Beauty Quest, Day 6...meet me at the new site

I have great news. My new website is up and ready for you to explore: www.FaviasFaith.com. Please come to the new website for Day 6!

www.FaviasFaith.com

Come on, let's go right now.

10 Day Beauty Quest: Day 5

I've been reading a lot about beauty lately and I am ready to get right in to our quest for today. This one is really simple too by the way.

Read:
Today's Scriptures:

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 12:35

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

Reflection

We previously examined our dependence on one another as being members of the body of Christ. We must look beyond the physical and press on so we can work together in spreading the gospel. We can not allow our physical appearances work against us and create distractions. But, we cannot work together and truly shine a light in this dark world if we do not love one another. Yet, we cannot love anyone, including ourselves if we do not love God, because God IS love. 

I think many get confused when it comes to understanding love and what it really means to love someone. If we want the true and real meaning of love, then we must go to our word and read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. And after reading this beautiful illustration of love, we will immediately discover that love is not simple, easy or an emotion. Love is a commitment and is not self-seeking, and because God is Love,  therefore we must begin to know God and experience Him for ourselves before we can ever truly love anyone. 

How do get to know God? 

How do we experience Him for ourselves? 

We make must be intentional and we must make it personal. 

We must make God a priority by committing to spend time with Him in prayer, meditation, studying the word, worship, praise and simply being open to hear and obey Him. We cannot make our relationship with God based on what others have told us about their relationship with God, though it is encouraging, yet we still have to make our relationship personal. We have to experience God’s hand and see His work in our lives to truly have a genuine connection with Him. The more we grow and the closer we grow to God the better we will be able to understand love. The more we understand love the more capable we become to give love to ourselves and to others. But, it all begins with God.

Reinforce:

Take a moment and spend some extra quality time with God. Talk to Him. Be silent and listen. Sing, write, dance, simply enjoy His presence.

10 Day Beauty Quest-Day 4

We're almost are the half-way mark and I hope you a finding this quest to be helpful. I know I am being blessed by it, so for that I am thankful. Let's get to it!

Read:
Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Reflection:
Many of us know that we can usually get much more accomplished when we work together. The natural body is the same way. In order to work properly each feature of the body must perform it's unique function and work collectively with the other members. The same is also true for the body of Christ, in order for us to work effectively in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be Christian's working to shine a light in this dark world we must work together. We know that God is a God of order and peace, thus there must be that same order and peace in the body of Christ in order to bring glory to God. Therefore, we must be willing to be focused on our spiritual tasks and our purpose of serving God much more than our physical body.  We can not allow our physical appearance be a distraction from serving and honoring God. And we can not allow the physical appearance of others work as a distraction for us either. It doesn't matter if we judge too harshly or admire too intensely the physical appearance of another, each can be an distraction because our focus can be misdirected. Yes, we must take care of our physical and yes it is healthy to feel good about the skin we're in, but we must not place too much significance on those feelings.  We can not take too much time measuring ourselves up to cultural standards and doing the same for others. It is very easy to slide down a   very slippery slop of comparison and insecurities. We can also get lost in misjudging others before we have an opportunity to learn what role they play in the body of Christ. Sometimes it is easy to disregard someone if they do not appear to fit a particular image. Thus, it is crucial that we look much beyond the outward, because our purpose is designed within us.  We all have a unique, yet a collective function and it is our responsibility as Christians to work together. But, we can't do that if we continue to allow physical appearances distract us, divide us or discourage us. We are all members of the body of Christ, each of us has a purpose. 

Reinforce:
I believe we each have a purpose that is complex, dynamic, evolving and meaningful. We have multiple purposes through out life, but they all reside under the same category of glorifying God. Describe a specific purpose in your life and how you need others in order to achieve it. Have you encountered any disorder or strife while trying to live-out your purpose, if so what was the source? How did you overcome? Are you working to maintain order and peace in the body of Christ or have you allowed yourself to be a distraction? If so, what is your plan to work towards edifying the body of Christ? 


Come back Monday for day 5 and remember to share this with someone today. 

10 Day Beauty Quest-Day 3

Let's get right to it today. If you are new, please catch up on the series by reading the previous post.

Read:
Today's Scripture: Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

Reflection:

This scripture can be applied to so many areas of our culture that are drenched in sin and darkness. Today, I would encourage you to reject the cultural standards of physical beauty and the emphasis that is placed on obtaining such beauty, but instead embrace the true beauty of knowing our identity in Christ. By knowing that we are created in God's image and that we are made new when we accept Jesus into our lives allows us to go beyond the outward expressions of beauty.  It allows us to let go of our old-sinful nature, our guilt, our pain and to begin living a new life, one with purpose and direction. It allows us to begin the healing process from the hurt from the past and to day-by-day embrace the new self.  It allows us to be confident and to have a sense of belonging, thus the search to be accepted by others seems futile. It is so important that we focus on the inward-spiritual self, as that is how we grow in our relationship with God. As this scripture boldly proclaims, we must be transformed by the renewing of the mind, thus we must remove from our mindset the many lies we've believed for so long about ourselves and our worth.  A true transformation does not involve hair, makeup and a new outfit, but instead a new mind--one that is focused on serving God. 

But, how do we do this?  This is where the power of prayer and the Holy spirit have a very significant role in our loves. Through prayer we are able to communicate with God and with the Holy spirit we are able to communicate what our minds can't find the words to say. The Holy spirit will begin to minister to us to help us take on a new way of thinking. We may be guided to scriptures, sermons, a spiritual adviser, books or we may hear the direction in our spirit, or a combination of things.  The key is we must have a mind that is clear and focused on God so we may be able to obtain focus in our lives, therefore we will be able to understand His will and ultimately please God by living in His purposeful will. 

Reinforce:

The renewing of the mind is not a one-day, one-step process but a daily commitment to seeking God and asking Him to guide your mind, your thoughts and even your desires. What have you been thinking about lately? Have you entertained thoughts lately that are contrary to the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect? Have you thought ill of someone? Have you judged yourself too harshly? Have you called yourself names, ugly, fat, unworthy of love, stupid, etc? Maybe you haven't done any of this out loud, but maybe you've thought it. Or maybe, you have accepted the world's standards of beauty and found that you don't measure up exactly, now what? Consider today a fresh start to begin rejecting those beauty standards and instead begin building a stronger relationship with God, as true beauty is in the spirit not the physique. 

10 Day Beauty Quest, Day 2

If you are new or missed day one of this 10-day beauty quest, please read the previous day to catch up. It won't take up much of your time.

Read:
Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" 2 Corinthians 5:17.

You see, when sin entered into the world we became tainted; sin separated us from God. But, we were reconciled through the blood of Christ Jesus, thus when we have accepted him into our lives and declared him as our Lord and Savior we have been made new. We are no longer separated from God, we are no long slaves to sin, but we are made free. We are a new creation. There's nothing ordinary about us, in fact because of Christ and his power that is in us we are extraordinary. And maybe you are still hanging on to the old self, the one that has passed away-the dead rotting corpse that needs to be tossed aside, the one that constantly accuses you and weighs you down with guilt, defeat and shame. The one that listens to the lies of the enemy and begs you to confirm to the ways of the world. Or, just maybe, you are holding on to old habits, faulty mindsets and destructive behaviors. If you are in Christ, you must declare today to let it all go, it's dead and you are a new creation. You are free, walk in your freedom today. But remember, because we are a new creation we still have to deal with the hurt and the pain of the past. We can seek God for guidance on how to move pass the pain and heal. He wants us to experience peace in our lives and He can guide us every step of the way. 

Reflection:
(If you have not accepted Jesus into your life, but wish to be saved, please see the prayer list below and then come back to this question).
What things in your life passed away when you became a new creation in Christ? Are you still holding on to any of those things? Are you allowing them to dictate any area in your life? Why or why not?

Reinforce: 
Step 1. We all have areas in our lives that can be strengthened by the word of God and His mighty power. Take a moment to examine yourself and identify a specific area in your life--a behavior, way of thinking/mindset, habit, personality trait, etc that is in need of strengthening. Be honest with yourself, this is between you and God--unless you want to share it with someone else. Maybe you struggle with being honest, or selfishness, lust, or maybe you struggle with being faithful in tithing. You know the area in your life, so take a moment to write it down and reflect on it. List a few details as to how this area in your life is affects you, your family, friends, church and/or community, how long you have struggles with this area in your life, past (if any) attempts to grow or change in this area and why you believe you struggle in this area. What is the Lord trying to reveal to you through this area in your life?

Step 2. Now, take the word of God and explore what it says about that specific area in your life. You  can use the internet and find scriptures from the Bible that are applicable just by typing, "what does the bible say about (you fill in the blank). This is your opportunity to grow and become stronger in Christ, thus more beautiful.

Want to accept Christ into your life?
Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. If not, but you would like to then please take a moment and say this prayer with me: Dear Lord, I declare today that I need you in my life. My life is nothing without you. I confess that I have sinned and I ask for your grace to forgive me. I need your grace and your mercy today. I believe that you sent your your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me and to save my soul. I believe that you raised him from the day to reconcile me to you.  I accept him into my heart today and ask that you take over my life. I surrender it all to you today. Lord, this is new to me and I know I will make mistakes, but I ask that you will guide me and help me to stay on track with you. I thank you for loving me and I thank you for who you are. I praise your name today and forever in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

10 Day Beauty Quest-Day 1

This beauty quest is not about committing to do a cinnamon and honey facial mask (I do love this mask though) every night while you give your hair a luscious deep conditioning treatment and your feet a well-deserved soothing soak. This beauty quest is about debunking the cultural superficial standards of beauty by embracing true beauty. If you are new here, please take a moment to read part 1 and part 2 of the "I want to be beautiful" series, as it sets the tone for this beauty quest.  You don't need any fancy products, tools or a wealth of time. You simply need an open heart and mind with a willingness and desire to have a better self-image and greater confidence of who you in Christ. Each day will be broken up into three R's: Read, Reflect and Reinforce. So, let's get started.

Read:

Today's scriptures: Ephesians 4:24 & Genesis 1:27

"And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" Ephesians 4:24. 

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" Genesis 1:27.

Think about this for a moment, we-you and I are created in the likeness, the image of the one true God. We are created in the image of the creator, the Alpha and the Omega--this is not to be taken lightly. Yet, I believe many of us forget just how wonderful of a creation God designed us to be. And the best part, we were designed to glorify Him. We were designed to worship, praise and honor God with all that we have. What a marvelous, glorious design that we are--a child of God. 

Now, think for moment, children of celebrities may often feel incredibly special to be the offspring of such greatness. They have access to unbelievable resources and have the potential to have great influence. Prince and princesses may feel honored to have royalty streaming through their blood. But, yet this feeling of uniqueness and prestige weigh nothing compared to the reality that we are created in the image of God. It doesn't get any better than that. 

And even more so, we must remember that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are now a peculiar-chosen people, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (Peter 2:9). 

Reflection:

Take the remainder of the day to meditate on the truth that we are created in the image of God. Examine the word of God to identify 3 or more characteristic of God and begin to ponder what it means to be created in the image of a God who possess such traits. For example: in 1 Corinthians 14:33 the Bible illustrates that God is a God of order and peace. How affirming it is to know that we too can have order and peace in our lives because the God who created us in His image can guide us to experiencing it our lives. 

Reinforce: 

This is your call to action. Identify a characteristic or a trait that you do not like about yourself and write in your journal why. Then find a scripture that speaks life and encouragement for you. For example, I struggle with accepting my body, I never seem to be satisfied because in my mind I want to look more like someone else. I used to believe that my confidence would stem from my physical image, but I've learned that is a lie and that my confidence comes in knowing who I am in Christ. And because the word says my body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, then that means my body is powerful, purposeful and beautiful because of what God placed within me. Regardless of my appearance, I can be confident in knowing that God saw fit to use my body as the temple for His holy spirit, and He does the same for all us. And I can have confidence in knowing that anything I do to honor and glorify God is all because of Him. Now that is a body to be proud of and a body to treat with respect. 

If this has blessed you in anyway, please share it with someone. I would love to hear your feedback, so please feel free to open up and share. If you can't comment on blogger for technical issues, please send me an e-mail at theprayingsister@gmail.com. I want to hear from you. 

See you tomorrow for Day 2. 

I want to be beautiful, Part 2

I believe beauty starts on the inside. It starts with our spirit. The word says, "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the 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".  I want a beautiful spirit. I want to define my beauty by the nature of my heart and the connection my spirit has with God. 

I want to see myself through the eyes of God.

I want to measure myself up to God's standards and not the grossly superficial standards of my culture. I can do this if I bury deep within myself and profess the truth of what the word of God says about me. And even though my flesh cries out, "that's not enough, you must transcribe to the cultural standards of beauty": the standards that are illustrated through the images plastered through out our society that claim to define a universal beauty. The standards that attempt to cloud my perspective and shift my thinking into believing that my physical appearance is what matters most.  The standards that demonize us if we have a physical appearance that does not reflect what our culture defines as beautiful and tempts us to feel less than beautiful because of it.  The standards that leave many of us feeling, if only I changed this or that about myself, then and only then will I be beautiful, confident and have a great self-esteem. The standards that give us a false and cheap imitation of true beauty.

I want to reject these standards as they do not glorify God, instead that promote a faulty way of thinking that is destructive and damaging. This faulty way of thinking does not produce a healthy self-esteem, because it is placed upon a unstable-shaky foundation that will crumble in time, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised" Proverbs 31:30.  Thus, we must base our self-esteem and our confidence on who we are in Christ, not upon what others say we are or are not.

I want my self-esteem to shine bright because of who I am in Christ, not what I look like. I want to define my beauty by what I do to honor God with my life, not by what size pants I can squeeze into after having two children. I want to define my beauty by how I treat people and how I care for others. I don't ever want to look at myself with the harsh-critical eyes that immediately gravitate to features that others define as less than, instead I want to find the beauty in every ounce of me and I want to do the same for others. But, how do I get there? How do I get to a place of loving the skin I'm in while feeding my soul? Can I be aware of my physical appearance and not consumed by it? Can I define beauty without describing anything in the physical, but yet only focusing on the spiritual? I believe yes, but I have to do some digging within myself to recognize  just how I got to this awful place of low-self image.

How and what people think of me is at the root of it all. There were so many things I didn't like about myself because someone told me I shouldn't, and I believed them. We may not have the childish bullies poking fun of our so-called flaws as we did when we were younger, but we have an even bigger bully now, one that is bold and relentless.

Just take a stroll down the check-out line, flick through the channels of TV, scroll through social media, listen to the radio, all of them tell us the same thing:  your worth is defined by the skin you're in, so be sure to make sure it looks good. How do I know? From the night creams that promise youthful skin to the diet pills that ensure fast and long-lasting results, all designed to help us achieve a desired physical appearance. Beauty is  . awarded, admired and desired. So much so that beautiful people are generally more successful than unattractive people. No wonder so many of us spend a life time trying to perfect our physical. I believe as a woman, there are many of us that share in this desire to to be beautiful. In a lifetime, many of us spend thousands of dollars on our hair, skin and makeup. We stay up-to-date with current fashion trends and we spend hours working on our fitness, because we want to look good. We want to be beautiful. But, I believe we have been lied to for so long that we don't even notice that beauty, real beauty has nothing to do with our physical appearance.

Yes, the human body is a wonderful piece of art designed by God and yes we are created in His marvelous image. We must never forget that. But, to be created in His marvelous image is much deeper than our physical. We must also never forget that in the word God tells us that it does us no good to gain the world and lose our soul. We can have all of what our culture tells us is beautiful, but if we do not have a beautiful soul, one that is in a passionate relationship with the Father, then we have nothing. The most beautiful physical designs of the human body are underneath our skin.Our genes, veins, vital organs and our brain are all buried within us, yet when one is not working as it should we often see it on the outside and without them we would be nothing. I believe this is a strong parallel to the beauty of our soul. Our soul lives within our body, our temple, and without a healthy-thriving soul we are nothing.  When our spirit is not right with God we see it in our physical, such as how we treat others and  how we treat ourselves. So, shouldn't we be focused on the beauty of our soul and not our flesh? Our flesh will one day pass away and yet our soul will carry-on

So, come with me on a 10 day beauty quest of reclaiming for yourself what God says about you and regain the confidence you deserve by understanding and celebrating the identity you have in Christ.  Come back tomorrow for day one of the 10 day beauty quest.