September 3, 2012

A Loved Woman of God

Girls,

This is mainly a message to you (although it would be good for guys to read it too). It's something that just kind of fell on my heart today, and I need to share. College is such a different atmosphere. There are girls in sororities, cute guys walking around, and we all have the desire to feel wanted. I see it every day. I feel it every day. We compare, we judge, and we fall short. I see girls just walking around campus with their hair and makeup picture perfect. I see girls hiding who they really are. We compensate for our supposed failures with less modesty, less respect for ourselves, and feelings of inadequacy. Sometimes we hide behind baggy clothes. Why do we torture ourselves like that? I know, I know...the beauty industry has a way of getting under our skin (literally). But why do we feel the need to wear less clothing, look the part, and dress ourselves up in the image of the world around us? Often, we don't feel loved.


I am very grounded on my view on this subject, and I would like to share it. I struggle as much as any other girl with their appearance. I have those things I wish I could change, I have those things that I compare myself to. It is never a fulfilling experience. It only makes me feel worse, as I assume it would make you feel. I can't express how much we think about these things, especially to the guys reading this post right now. What I do when I deal with this particular struggle is I turn to the Lord in prayer and renew my self worth by remembering that I was created in His image; He knows me inside and out no matter what I put on the outside. I can't hide from Him, and neither can you. And He truly loves you, with everything. Girls, I encourage you to walk in the image of God. See yourself as a precious daughter of God. He doesn't care if your mascara is perfect, he doesn't care if your hair is perfectly curled or straight, he doesn't care if you don't have that french manicure. He also doesn't care if you don't have the perfect calves, or the perfect legs, or the perfect body weight. He made you in His image. He would rather see you completely natural. Completely natural. I read something once that somebody wrote from God's perspective, and it goes something like this...

"I made you in My perfect image, and yet, you paint over my masterpiece..."
 
Girls, when are we going to realize that we are all already perfect in God's eyes? He loves us under our surface, and sees right through the act. We wear makeup, immodest dresses, transparent shirts, and we crave love. For us Christ followers out there, my fellow sisters in Christ, we already have the love we so desperately crave. No human can satisfy that sort of desire. Maybe for a little while, but when that fades, as it does inevitably, where do we go? We are lucky in the fact that we are loved unconditionally, and it is the sort of love and attention we all crave. And...we will always have it. What does it mean to you to be a woman of God? We need to set the example. I'm not saying don't look cute, and don't have fun with fashion, but we all know that line between trying to get attention and just trying to look nice. We all know. Just walk in the image that Christ meant for you to walk in. Walk with Him. He will love you more than anybody else on this earth. Most of all, help the girls who we know struggle with this.We all know how it feels to fall in that trap. Be there for each other and remind ourselves every day how we are loved and worth being respected, no matter what we feel towards ourselves. We have something that can cure this struggle, which is the best part. :)
 
 
Want to share something with me or ask my advice? Let me know!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge --that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
-Ephesians 3:16-19



5 comments:

  1. What a beautiful message! Thanks for reminding us that we are all beautiful, because God made us!

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  2. This is great. As a Christian guy, you have no idea how unnecessary makeup or lack of clothing is. Makeup isn't a bad thing, if you enjoy doing it and aren't doing it as an image-fixer, but when a guy sees a girl caked in makeup, it's almost like he's seeing something not authentic. As for clothing, a Christian guy can't understand a Christian woman's desire to dress immodestly. Guys trying to avoid lust are not blaming girls for their lust, but we sure appreciate a modestly dressed woman. A girl who wears low-cut tops or bikinis often appear to be 1) giving their body away for free and 2) trying to get the wrong kind of attention. Showing skin doesn't make a guy think you are pretty; the only thing it does is make a guy want to get you in bed. Thinking a girl is 'sexy' (unless you're married, of course) is actually the opposite of love. A guy who calls girls sexy is just in it for the physical, but a guy who truly loves you...well, he loves you, but not for your body. Even among friends, guys have every capability of lusting after girls. Don't think because you are good friends with a guy you can wear a bikini and he won't be tempted to lust.

    A Christian guy will notice a girl who stands above our culture's degrading mentality regarding clothing. In our society, women are treated like items because they dress like an item, only to please some guy's basic carnal desire. But no one ever says that because, "women are free now and can wear what they want". I would say women are more controlled today than they were years ago, just in a different way.

    I don't want anyone to read this and feel bad if they have dressed immodestly; in the end, it is ultimately our (guys') responsibility to avoid lust; however, we sure do appreciate a modest girl! Plus, in the end, you'll probably get the attention of godly guys instead of worldly ones.

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  3. Thank you, Paige! :) You are awesome!

    And to the Anonymous person...
    Thank you so much for posting. I agree wholeheartedly. It's easy to hear things like that from another girl, but from a Christian guy, it's even better. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I love that you have a heart for God like that. Keep setting that example, this world needs more men like you! :)

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  4. Morgan,
    This was a wonderful blog! I cannot begin to say: girls listen to GOD and when you have doubts, know that respecting yourself and live the life that GOD wants you to, your happiness will go alot farther than the other way around. GOD wants you to feel good about your self and be proud for who you are. Each and everyone of you are so special, but when it starts to go the other way then you need to re-focus. Dont submiss yourself to put a mask on for guys. You look beautiful no matter what. It comes from the heart. I cannot begin to tell you how much I pray that girls today will be like the blog that you wrote. So many girls feel that older women or mothers have not seen things, not gone through things and know nothing at all. You would be amazed if you would understand that mothers want you to keep focused on going the right way. If you go astray you need to refocus and put yourself back together. In the long run you will be truly amazed at what you will receive in life.
    I just want to say, listen and think to what Morgan has written. It was beautiful Morgan. Keep that belief no matter how much comes your way.
    And to the Anonymous--- I agree. There needs to have more men in this world like you.

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  5. Mrs. Hoyer,
    Thank you!! I couldn't have said that better myself. And we certainly can learn from our mothers and older women! They've been there, done that. Thank you so much for your thoughts! :) I appreciate it.

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