1. You are Beautiful (1Samuel 16:7; 1Peter 3:4) - This is a hard one because to believe this we have to redefine what beauty means to us. The world tells us that beauty is all about our appearance. Do we have the right hair color, theright hair cut, the right clothes, and the right shoes...and it seems we never measure up. The world looks no further than what's on the outside. God, however, teaches us something different. God does not look at the things that the world looks at...the world looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. God teaches us that true and unfading beauty comes from a gentle and quiet spirit. Our true beauty is found in Christ and the changes he makes in our lives when we begin to live for Him.
2. Speak Kind Words (Ephesians 4:32; Proverbs 16:24; Philippians 4:5)- Your words matter! Your words define your beauty more so than your appearance ever will. Your words will either build others up or they will tear them down. Kinds words can show love, soothe, rejuvenate, bring joy, and encourage..the benefits of kinds words are endless! So take the time to think before you speak - for the good of others and yourself.
3. Be Bold (Psalms 139:14; Deuteronomy 31:6)- Don't hide who you are! You are fearfully and wonderfully made and God made you to be unlike anyone else. God's works are wonderful and guess what - YOU are one of His works! Be bold and praise God for what he made you to be. Learn to communicate with others face to face. Don't hide behind social media and text messaging. Share with others your confidence and they will listen. Be bold in your faith and be bold in sharing your faith with others. God goes before you and with you so be strong and courageous...BE BOLD!
4. Be Unstoppable (Proverbs 31:25; Philippians 4:13; 2Timothy 1:7) - Do not let fear, uncertainly, or anxiety ever stop you. Those things may seem to be insurmountable but God promises that you can do all things through Him. Ladies, clothe ourselves in the strength that can come only from our Heavenly Father. He tells us that we do not have a spirit of fear but of strength! Be strong and unstoppable - over come the fears and uncertainty that can hold you back.
5. Laugh (Psalms 126:2; Psalms 16:11) -Laugh right out loud. Laugh until your stomach hurts. Laugh until you cry! Nothing will ever make you feel as good as laughter. Laugh with your family and with friends. Laughter is good for the soul. Most of all learn to laugh at yourself. We will never be perfect, we will trip over the lines in the floor, fall off the chair, and we will say the wrong things, but the truth is that it's all okay! If we can learn to lighten up then our mistakes won't be so hard to overcome. When it comes right down to it, we are the only ones who care about our mistakes so if we learn to let go then it only lightens our load. Findjoy in your journey because there are going to be hard moments during this life.
6. Don't Forget to Pray (James 5:16; Philippians 4:6) - Ladies it is hard to think of yourself as beautiful, kind, bold, or unstoppable; nor will you ever learn to laugh with true joy without a close relationship with God. Prayer gives you time to meet and spend time with Him, to hear His voice, and to focus on His plans for us.
7. Know the Word (2Timothy 3:16) - All scripture is God breathed and good for instruction. Yes, it's true, you have a set of instructions...but you have to read up on them. You can't always believe what people tell you, what you read on the internet or in magazines, you can only believe what the word of God teaches. You may not be able to believe what the world says about you, but you can believe what the Lord says! When you know the word it takes the guess work out of life and hopefully relieves the anxiety of wondering what the next day will bring.
8. Life is a Journey (Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 46:4) - You are learning as you are living. The best thing about this journey is that you are not traveling alone. Thankfully we are not the author of this journey we are on, God is! What a relief that the Creator of the Universe loves us so much that He refuses to leave us alone in this journey of life. God knows the beginning, middle, and end of your journey. Nothing surprises Him and His timing is perfect. It is not always going to be easy, there will be valleys, there will be sadness and despair, and there will be confusions but there will also be JOY! God promises to never leave you. He has a plan for you - a plan for your own good. This is the life you have - live it! This life is a journey that will not end until we meet Jesus face to face. It is a joy filled ride...or at least it can be!
