My SAO sisters and I went on our annual sisterhood retreat this weekend, and as I looked out on the sea of beautiful young women of Christ, I was filled with love for them. As we broke into small groups and talked about our struggles, I realized how much we tend to doubt God and the beautiful beings He's created us to be. It's hard to be a girl in this world. Women are often devalued and held to high expectations. Society teaches us and constantly tells us we are unworthy of what we're given. The enemy takes these ideas and runs with them. He tells us we are unworthy of a man of God; unworthy of a beautiful life; unworthy of our jobs; and so much more. We had a wonderful guest speaker at the retreat this weekend, and she said one thing that really hit me. She said that being a woman of God means allowing His beauty to shine from the inside out. She said that there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a young woman walk around campus and knowing that she isn't comparing herself to the girls she passes on her walk. Then I thought, "when is the last time I didn't compare myself to another girl?" And honestly, I couldn't give you an answer about that.
Walking to my classes, my thoughts often go a little like this: "Ugh, I wish my legs were as skinny as her's. I wish my hair could look that way. How does she look so nice this early in the morning? She looks happy; I wonder if I could be that happy. Her bags are so cute; there's no way I could afford them," and the list goes on and on. Girls reading this, don't deny that you often think these same thoughts or some very similar.
What's keeping us from walking around knowing that we are beautiful daughters of the King? That we're loved, cherished, pure, worthy? Satan, that's what. And I loathe him. Every doubt he places in our minds and hearts is a lie. We know this, yet we continue to believe him anyway. Why? Because it's often easier to believe the lies of the enemy than believe the truths that our God loves us. And it's because this dark world we live in tells us that what the enemy says is true. Society tells us that that the "bad boy" can be changed, and you can change him, that it's ok to go out and get drunk and sleep with random men, that having sex with that guy will make him stick around, that men of Christ don't exist so it's better to settle for what you have, that only being youthful is beautiful, that you have to look a certain way and dress a certain way to be loved, and this list continues.
When these thoughts occur in my head I often have to tell myself that it's a lie. I tell myself that Satan is a liar and all he has to say is a lie. But then I find myself focusing on the lies, and God isn't glorified in that, Satan is. So I have to switch and tell myself the truths, but satan then tells me that those truths are lies. That's some serious social warfare there people. It's annoying, honestly. I figure the majority of people who read this are young women around my age, so I ask you to join me in rebuking the enemy's lies. I ask you to start a journey with me of believing that we are daughters of the King. I ask you to join me in repeatedly telling ourselves the truths: that we are wanted, chosen, beautiful, pure, worthy, wanted, cherished, desired, and loved by the Creator of the universe. If He took the time out of His busy schedule to form us in our mother's womb and know the number of hairs on our head, then He must love us a whole lot. So join me on this journey.
On this weekend with my sisters I realized how many people read this silly blog. I think sometimes it's easier for me to hide behind this computer screen because I don't have to watch the reactions of others as they "hear" what I have to say because quite honestly, I'm terrified of what they're reactions may be. Yet another lie, because I get some really positive feedback about how God is using me with this blog.
Which leads me to another thing. We all know I want to be a teacher, and that desire still burns bright within me, but through writing this blog and my leadership position in SAO, a new desire has been born. I've been thinking about it for quite some time now, but again that little voice in my head has told me that it will never happen and that I'm not worthy of it, but a desire has arisen in my heart to minister to young women. I sometimes dream of one day being able to write a book about being a young woman of Christ and of being able to go across the country speaking and joining in fellowship of young women. I'd like to open a young women's ministry. Maybe this is something silly, but a seed has been planted and I really want to see what God does with it.
But really, as young women, let's remember the truths that our Father tells us, and rebuke the lies the enemy puts in our heads. He is bigger. He is greater. He is truth.
Smile, God loves you!
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