By: Guest blogger ~ Hilary Osborne Hey y'all! I'm so excited to have a guest blog by Hilary Osborne today! Last Sunday, I heard her give this testimony at the church I go to, and the truths God shared through this testimony got me thinking about my own doubts about my salvation and the truth He has showed me in His Word. (If you're struggling with this, check out Romans 5!) Below are the notes from Mrs. Osborne's testimony, and at the bottom of the post, you can listen to/watch her share it during the service! Thanks so much! - Chris V P.S.- For legal reasons, the lyrics to "Magnificent Obsession" by Steven Curtis Chapman couldn't be posted, however, the post has a link to a site that has the lyrics on it. Check out the first, second, fifth, and sixth paragraph in the song to read some of the words! This is not a testimony about my salvation, but you could term it as a renewal of sorts. Here’s why:
If you want the easy route, don’t pray this.
I. Was. Terrified. that God would cut me off at any time.
I felt so betrayed by my heavenly Father and thought I was losing my mind.
For the next 15 years, I questioned my salvation. I wondered if I would make it to Glory. And I couldn’t stop wondering if God even loved me.
What did I learn from all this?
One final note:
I want to finish with Psalm 34:1-10: I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Check out the video below to hear/watch Hilary Osborne's testimony! [Start time: 27:52; End time: 38:56]. (Also, feel free to watch the whole service, which was about the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4!) I'd love to hear from you! What aresome questions that you have struggled with about your faith and salvation? What has God taught you about it? (If you are still struggling with those questions, ask a saved parent, grandparent, pastor, or youth leader about it!) Tell me in the comments below!
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By: Chris V Sometimes, we girls don't feel beautiful. We take one look at the mirror and think "Wow. My nose is so big. I wish it looked like that model's on the front cover of Teen Vogue." or "I can't believe my eyebrows look like that!". (I'm definintley guilty of thinking one or two- no, make that more than I can count- of thoughts like that.) Not only does this way of thinking and comparision hurt God (you're basically telling Him (the Creator) He made you (His creation) wrong! Check out Isaiah 64:8.), this way of thinking also opens up door after door of lies about your beauty and worth that Satan so desperately wants you to believe. Thankfully, God put verses in the Bible about our beauty and worth in His eyes. (I highly encourage you to memorize some of these verses!) And you know what? These verses about your beauty and worth are true because God declared it! Are you ready to see some of these verses? Check out five of them below! 1. Psalm 139:14 "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well". 2. Song of Solomon 4:7"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you". 3. Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them". 4. Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end". 5. 1 Peter 3:4 "...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". Girl, You're BEAUTIFUL! You are God's beautiful creation He designed you to be. He already made you beautiful; us girls got this outward beauty part already nailed! I think the Apostle Peter already knew that when he wrote 1 Peter 3:3-4: "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". Instead of fretting about our outward beauty (e.g. our hair, nails, makeup), we should be focused on our inward beauty (becoming Christlike), which is immensely beautiful (more beautiful than our outward looks!) and very precious in God's eyes. First Samuel 16:7 tells us "...For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Inward beauty is something that will last for eternity, while external beauty will just fade away. Working on our inward beauty instead of our outer beauty stores up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Now, I'm not saying you can't take the time to have/wear nice, modest clothes, do our makeup, and brush our hair. However, we shouldn't let these things take over our time, mind, and hearts- we shouldn't make an idol out of beauty (Exodus 20:3-4)! Instead, we should keep these things to a minimum, and use that extra time that we will have to work on becoming more Christlike. So, what are some ways we can work on our inward beauty instead of our outward beauty? A few ideas are:
"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is worth to be praised" - Proverbs 31:30 I'd love to hear from you! What are your favorite verses about beauty and your worth in Christ? Tell me in the comments below! By: Julianna You see it everywhere. The quiet ‘tween girl who always slides in the back row, carefully noting if her outfit fits the day’s style. The feverishly working student, always desperate to get the professor’s attention by having the right answer, getting the best grade in the class. From the inner city kid who joins a gang to “just belong” to the top-level businessman haunted by emptiness, the problem is a strange one to plague our society—considering we have the best educational systems, comforts, medical care, and family structure perhaps the world has ever known. But still, we as Westerners lack purpose and value, instead turning to a thousand ways of “coping with self-hatred”: entertainment, careerism, religiousity, fashion, food and food disorders, alcohol, and self-harm.
Psychologists diagnosis it as low self-esteem. One study claimed that up to 85% of the population struggles from low self-esteem. To fix it, one must think enough positive thoughts to counteract the poison of self-hatred. Self-help books, like this sample from the top bestsellers in 2020, continue to sell in the millions:
Behind the pretty cover designs, the message doesn’t work. In fact, positivity and self-esteem are some of the most ingenuous, subtle, but fatal lies—even demonic. “Now wait,” you might say. “I agree these books might not be coming from a Christian perspective. But how can you call positive thoughts, peace, and thankfulness demonic?” Let’s take a step back. As humans made in the image of God, we have inherent value placed upon us by our Creator. The devil, however, is a mastermind at taking truth and slightly twisting it, utilizing what looks harmless for his own sinister purposes. If he can’t use outright paganism and possession (which can be taboo in a secular society), he’ll suggest more subtle ideas: “You’re created for happiness,” “You’re made in God’s image—so love yourself,” or “God loves you just the way you are.” Why are such statements so tragically false? They undermine the very basis for which we were created, for which the entire universe exists: God’s glory. God created us, not because he needed companionship, but solely as a means by which to display his infinite array of attributes. He created us as men and women to find our fulfillment, satisfaction, meaning, life itself, within a relationship with him. Our dependence on him displays his strength. Our joy in him displays his affection and care as our Father. And even our sin displays the glory of his grace through Christ’s redemption at the cross. In other words, nothing in this universe is about us. It’s all about him. In other words, nothing in this universe is about us. It’s all about him. Pride, the base sin of all sin in our heart, produces the double, Gollum-like personality of self-hatred and self-love that eats away at our being. Whether we’re thinking negative or positive thoughts about ourselves, we stand guilty of that same sin that kicked Satan from heaven and Adam and Eve from the garden. For all along, we were never made to look inward, either in groveling despair or attention-craving confidence. If the Spirit is at work, that news should be devastating. That means my greatest attempts at self-humiliation, “I am a worm” attitude is as great as a sin as boasting and self-righteousness. No amount of my own effort to humble myself (believe me, I tried it for years) will produce anything but more self-focus, more pride. The only answer is the gospel, which has a Copernican-Revolution effect on the human heart. But like in Copernicus’ day, we can’t bear to think that the universe doesn’t revolve around us on planet earth but the sun. The simple, but painfully offensive, message of the gospel is look away from self to Christ. Renounce all self-righteousness, religion, morals, and goodness and accept his righteousness as the one who died in our place. That simple act of faith is the death of self-esteem. Practically, what does this look like? After all, the issues of mental health, self-harm, depression, and identity issues are so widespread we are bound to know someone struggling if not in the battle ourselves. How can I encourage others to stop thinking about self and look to Christ?
We were made to be small, and God large. Any other arrangement not only robs God of the glory he deserves, it also brings ruin to our lives. The gospel gives God such glory through stripping us of any credit and rewriting the story to be all about him. Of course, the devil hates a gospel about God’s glory, so instead, he has manufactured a subterfuge gospel: the gospel of self-esteem and positive thinking. Tragically, his lies have wrecked the church, wrecked “Christian counseling” (much less secular counseling), and wrecked the victims of this false gospel. After the millions of self-help books sold, it was one lonesome man in the desert, wearing camel skin and eating locust, who said the only words that will fix man’s problems: “he must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30). The original blog post appears on Julianna's blog Whole Hearted. You can check it out by clicking the link here. Used with permission. By: Chris V Do you ever look in the mirror and feel like you're ugly, fat, or both because you don't look like the model on the front cover of Vogue? How about on the cover of Seventeen? Can I let you in on a little secret? You're not the only one who feels that way. Our world has a very narrow minded way of thinking about beauty: if you don't look a certain way, are a certain height, and/or aren't a certain weight, you aren't considered beautiful. Believing this lie can lead to a dangerous way of thinking. To try to fit these standards, women often turn to harmful methods like starvation (which can result in eating disorders). Let me ask you another question: Is this what God, our Creator, intended beauty to be? Was beauty supposed to be a living nightmare for women, or was it meant to glorify God? Check out four truths about your beauty and worth below: 1. God Created You In His image Genesis 1:27 says "So God created them in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them". God created you in His own image; He created you after Himself. Men and women were made to reflect different aspects of God's character; women were made to reflect God's grace and beauty. We are beautiful because we were created by a perfect Creator (Matthew 5:8, Psalm 18:30, Romans 3:23). This brings us to our next point: 2. God Called You Good In Genesis 1:31, the Bible tells us "...God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good...". That includes you too! God made you, His beautiful child, and called you good. The way you look is good to the King of Kings, your Creator, even when the world tells you otherwise. 3. You were Wonderfully Made Psalm 139:14 tells us "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well". What does this mean? You were remarkably and beautifully made by an amazing God. ------------------------------ Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "He has made everything beautiful in its time...". ------------------------------ 4. To God, internal beauty is more important than external beauty We see in Proverbs 31:30 that "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised". We are also told in 1 Peter 3:3-4 to "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". Physical (external) beauty doesn't last- ask any older Christian woman and they'll tell you the same. However, cultivating a beautiful spirit (internal) grows over time and lasts for eternity. Also, as shown in 1 Samuel 16:7, God looks at the heart (internal) instead of outward appearances (external). You Are Beautiful God made you just the way you were supposed to be- freckles, green eyes, black hair, and all! You may not fit the world's impossible standard of beauty, and that's okay! (Because in reality, who can meet the world's impossible beauty standards? Even models are photoshopped to look like those flawless people in ads. To see this in action, check out the Dove model evolution video here.) You are God's beautiful daughter, and are immensely beautiful in His eyes.
We'd love to hear from you! What are some lies you've believed about beauty? How did you combat those lies? Tell us in the comments below! Image found at: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/915271 By: Chris V My mom and I pulled up in front of Goodwill, ready to go clothes shopping. I had yet again had another growth spurt and needed bigger clothes. (Yep, my parents told me I grew like a weed too!) I had walked in planning on maybe getting a few nice shirts and jeans, and walked out with almost nothing. Why? Almost everything I had tried on was low-cut, overly tight, and revealing when I had been searching for something cute yet still modest. You may be wondering, "What's so important about modesty, especially in a culture that screams "Flaunt what you got!"? Why should I even care about it?" Check out the three points below: 1. Modesty GLORIFIES God First Corinthians 6:19 tells us "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body". The Bible also commands women to "...adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness..." (1 Timothy 2:9-10). As Christians, we want to glorify and honor God in every area of our lives. When we dress modestly, we honor God with our bodies by following His commands and covering essential areas. 2. Modesty honors your Parents Do your parents have any rules on what you can and can't wear? Do your parents sometimes tell you you can't wear certain outfits because the outfit isn't modest? You may be tempted to wear the outfit anyways, especially if it's popular. (Side note: Even if something's popular, it doesn't mean it's okay.) The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:1 says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right". When you dress modestly and follow your parents clothing rules, you honor them, and ultimately, honor God. 3. Modesty Blesses your brothers in Christ Our Christian brothers try hard to keep their minds pure in order to keep commands in the Bible. We don't make it easy on them when we wear that low-cut tank top and shorts that barely count as pants! When we chose modesty over today's popular but revealing clothing, we help our brother in Christ to keep their minds pure and clear of lust. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Psalm 51:10- "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is Modesty Worth It? Dressing modestly doesn't mean you can't wear cute and fashionable clothes! There's tons of ways to still look cute and feminine while still being modest in your clothing choices. (Check out Rebekah Baird at @hellomodesty on Instagram for modest clothing ideas!) However, there are also some clothing choices that are thin, clingy, and revealing. As Christians, we should want every aspect of our lives to point to Christ, even our clothing choices. Is modesty worth it? I would say yes! We are models of Christ to the world (Matthew 5:16) who want to strive to reflect an accurate picture of Christ. How can we do that when we dress in immodest and seductive clothes?
To check out Rebekah Baird's Instagram page, click the Instagram icon below: By: Chris V Makeup is one of the "key" things in this world's beauty standards. The first time I noticed this was when I was walking down the makeup aisle in the grocery store with my mom, going to get some mascara. Oh, wait, the aisle should really be aisles, because there was about three whole aisles dedicated to makeup. No, I'm not exaggerating. Makeup has become one of the bigger things in our culture in order to be considered beautiful, and while I'm not against wearing makeup, there are a few things us girls need to think about next time we grab that blush case. #1: Looks Don't Define Your Worth Many of us buy into the lie that looks define your worth. To be honest, it's hard not to with picture-perfect models on billboards, ads, and everywhere else on the media! So we'll reach for that makeup case and put on A LOT of makeup, to make ourselves feel like we're worth something. Girls, this is a deep, dark lie that the devil has created. Makeup doesn't define your worth. Your body doesn't define your worth. Your looks don't define your worth. So, who does define your worth? God! One of my favorite quotes from the Girl Defined ministries is "The One who designs you gets to define you". In Genesis 1:26, it says "Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God made you in His own image. And do you know what He said about His creation? "And God saw everything that he has made, and behold, it was very good..."(Genesis 1:31). God said His creation was good. Also, Psalm 139:14 says "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well". Girl, God made made your perfect in His eyes! You are a child of God. #2: Moderation, Dear Sometimes, we cake makeup on our faces. There are several layers of cremes, foundation, and blush. Don't forget all the mascara on the eyelashes! Once you think about it, is it really necessary to put on all that makeup? The Bible doesn't think so! In 1 Peter 3:3-4, it 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". Adorning doesn't just mean hair and clothes, it also means makeup! The verse is saying that instead of wasting all your time trying to make yourself look beautiful on the outside (although there's not a problem with that), you should be spending more time making your spirit and relationship with God look beautiful. One of the ways you can do that is instead of using a large amount of makeup to make yourself look beautiful, use a small amount. You may be shocked at how much extra time you have to dive into God's Word! #3: Are you Glorifying God? Makeup is used to enhance our God-given features. But do you ever think about how you can bring glory to God with your makeup? Instead of trying to "dress to impress" and wear your makeup in a way to impress other girls and romantic interests, is your makeup style used to bring glory to God through those enhanced features? There could be a potential heart issue here, and I strongly encourage your to take some time to think over these questions. It's Okay To Wear Makeup The Bible doesn't say we can't wear makeup. Instead, we should glorify God with it! We can enhance our God-given features with the right amount of makeup to bring glory to God through His perfect creation! You can also glorify God by obeying your parent's rules about makeup (Ephesians 6:1-3). Every waking moment, we should be trying to glorify God with our lives, in what we do, watch, and wear.
What are some ways you can glorify God today? Do you have any questions about wearing makeup as a Christian girl? Share in the comments below! |
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