Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

How He See’s Me

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:7-8

While sitting at her vanity, she stops and glances at herself in the mirror.
She looks closely, then looks away quickly.

Her face is too fat.
The bags under her eyes look horrid.
Her skin is terrible.
Her nose too bumpy.
Her stomach too scared.
She wonders how others can even look at her.

In the midst of listing her faults, she hears a familiar small whisper.

You were created in my image, beautiful girl (Genesis 1:27)
She slowly brings her face up, to look at herself in the mirror again.  This time without looking away.
I saw your beauty when I made you (Genesis 1:31)

You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I will never leave you (Joshua 1:9)

Your husband see’s your beauty (Song of Songs 4:7)

I can see your beautiful heart (1 Samuel 16:7)

I’m captivated by your beauty (Psalm 45:11)

She looks again at herself.

She see’s hands that types blogs to encourage others.
She see’s a heart that overflows with love for her husband, children and so many more.
She see’s eyes that are so quick to weep with those who weep.
She see’s scars that she praised Him through.
And she smiles.

She can see the beauty He created her to be.


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Follow Your Arrow

This week my daughter was super excited to watch the Grammy’s.  I wasn’t really but as all Mama’s understand, I did it for her.  Turns out I wasn’t super excited to listen to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.  I actually thought they were dead.  Anyways I have to admit, most of the time I was ignoring the TV and browsing Pinterest, until one song came on.  This song left my mind reeling and my mouth hanging open.  I just could NOT believe what I had just heard.

If you’ve ever wondered, for even a second, what is wrong with the world…why our young people are being led astray…what teens are buying into the lies…why God’s voice is being drowned out…just read the lyrics to this song.

It’s basically about whatever you do, do it because it makes you happy. Don’t follow after others, but go your own path. Basically telling you to follow your heart, which the Bible specifically says is deceitful and lies (Jeremiah 17:9).

I believe in pointing my arrow in the direction of Jesus.  There are aimless, longing souls out there looking for a place to land. Each of us should paint a big red target on our character so that we attract those wandering arrows.

If you save yourself for marriage
You’re a bore
If you don’t save yourself for marriage
You’re a horrible person
If you won’t have a drink
Then you’re a prude
But they’ll call you a drunk
As soon as you down the first one

If you can’t lose the weight
Then you’re just fat
But if you lose too much
Then you’re on crack
You’re damned if you do
And you’re damned if you don’t
So you might as well just do
Whatever you want
So

Make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s something you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint, or don’t
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points

If you don’t go to church
You’ll go to hell
If you’re the first one
On the front row
You’re self-righteous
Son of a-
Can’t win for losing
You’ll just disappoint ’em
Just ’cause you can’t beat ’em
Don’t mean you should join ’em

So make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s something you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint, or don’t
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points

Say what you think
Love who you love
‘Cause you just get
So many trips ’round the sun
Yeah, you only
Only live once

So make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s what you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint, I would
And follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points

PS…I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this song!  Tell me what you think in the comments section below.
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Getting Over It

I have spent the last few months walking around in sadness.  I’m sure you’ve read my posts about losing joy and finding my Christmas.  I’m sure y’all could have guessed I was walking through a valley.  It’s true, I was.  I had lost a friend, someone I had left into my inner circle of circles.  Someone I trusted, wholeheartedly.  Someone I thought was the sister I never had, sent directly to me by God.  Our families were woven together.  Losing that broke me more than anyone, even myself, could imagine.

I love having lots of friends. After growing up an only child, my friends are my siblings. I especially cherish close friends. You know what I mean, the ones who know you in-and-out and the friendship just feels comfortable and familiar. Asking me to get rid of a friend is like asking for a vital organ. And that’s exactly what this has felt like…like a part of me was taken. I’m sure a few of you have just rolled your eyes and thought “oh she is sooooo over-exaggerating”. I wish you could see my heart.

The loss of a valued friend is a harsh reality…it hurts! When the ties of a super close friendship are severed the results can be devastating, as I’ve found out. Emotional anguish is often complicated and confusing.  The feelings of rejection, bitterness and resentment threaten to take over.  
This girl has licked her wounds long enough.  I am tired of the sadness, the lingering questions I ask myself over and over, the bitterness and the overwhelming void I feel.  I’m done.  My heart is ready to have some happy times!!
It’s time for closure y’all.  Wow, does it ever feel good to say that!  
So once that was decided, I had to figure out HOW to move on. How to get closure.  I surely didn’t know how, if I did I would have done it long ago.  So I turned to the person who created friendship, God 🙂  If He created it surely He knew how to move on from a broken one.

I needed to realize their brokenness. I had been playing the victim when really they were the ones hurting. God softened my heart and helped me to see the ways in which this former friend suffers and struggles in life. In fact, it was those very insecurities or wounds that often caused them to treat me the way that they did. By leveling the playing field and remembering that we’re all broken humans clumsily trying to follow Christ, God helped me to see these ex-friends the way He does: Sinners desperately in need of grace. It didn’t happen over night, but it happened.  Thank goodness because this girl right here is tired of being sad!

As Christians, we are called to live a life that sticks out and looks different from the rest of the world.  Being angry, throwing my hands in the air, walking around in sadness and shutting them out was the obvious answer.  But did that answer make me look different?  I have decided to let Jesus’ words be true of my life and love in a way that is shocking, radical and irrational to the world around me.  I am choosing to forgive, pray for and keep the option of reconciliation there (if it’s Gods will).  No more anger, sadness and pity parties here!  Woo!
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 
Colossians 3:13


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