How Beautiful

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Typical for a teenage girl—I thought I was ugly. 

I giggled over Tiger Beat and 'Teen magazines and plastered posters of the Mod Squad, Brady Bunch, and the Monkees on my bedroom walls. Even though the celebrity rags were much more innocent in my time, they were covered with what Hollywood considered beautiful people.

As a tomboy, growing up in the country, I knew I'd never look like any of the beauties who graced the screen. I wasn't skinny (anyone remember a model called Twiggy,) my clothes were determined by our high school's strict dress code, girls in dresses and boys in business casual. We wore our hair long and straight and had some interesting eye wear.

All I wanted was to dress in my bell bottoms, sneakers, and t-shirts.

Even as I read about Bobby Sherman and Marcia Brady, I also learned about a man called Jesus. On Wednesday and Sunday evenings our youth leaders shared Bible verses about true beauty that blossoms from the inside out. They watered us like flowers with verses about joy, love, kindness, faith, and peace.

It took me years to truly accept the beauty the Holy Spirit planted in my heart and to understand that "pretty" blooms from within. There's nothing wrong with looking nice, neat, and clean. But the outward appearance is only a fraction of true beauty.

I'm thankful those adults brought the "good news" of Jesus to us.

Sharing about Jesus love and grace, and the eternal hope I have in him opens my soul. Living a life where Jesus shines through me wherever I'm planted reflects the wonder of daily life with him. My outward appearance may not be Hollywood standards, but my heart is filled with the beauty of Jesus' love and grace. I pray I mirror Him in all I do. 

"If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies. How very different our ideals of beauty would be." ~Unknown

Seek Jesus and share his beautiful story.

A Season for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

And a time to take a walk and see the beauty of spring.

As we wait out the COVID-19 virus, Tim and I and many people I know have made walking outside part of their daily activity.

We've trekked around the high school track. Hiked on a trail in the woods and ambled around the neighborhood. I'm happy to report we've witnessed spring's arrival. Regardless of our circumstances, the frustration that eats at us, missing our families, friends, and church, or not working—the tulips peek out with a flourish of color, the bright yellow daffodils wave in the breeze, trees show off their blossoms, robins twitter and tweet, and the sun bursts through the clouds.

This morning in my quiet time, I read a verse in Psalm 43, "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." As I read, sunlight spread across my Bible and highlighted the words. Goose bumps raised on my arms. I bowed my head and prayed God would lead me to that mountain where he rests.

His light gives hope in this time of despair. Ecclesiastes tells us there is a season for everything. Good and bad. Regardless of which moment we're in, God remains the same. His light and truth guide us. He offers hope for a hurting world. In him we find peace.

In this season of difficulty, have you prepared your heart? Jesus loves you. He offers peace and hope through forgiveness and grace. Let his light and truth guide your heart.