Get Your Glow On! - How To Get That Radiant Glow

Although my Grandmother is well into her 80's, I (along with many others) would describe her as “radiant.” She glows with an internal joy and pureness that is undeniable. But it's not because of good skin care. It is because of good Spirit care. I have countless memories of walking into her room and seeing her reading her Bible by the light of her floor lamp. If she wasn't reading her Bible, she was listening to a sermon on tape or watching a Christian film or show. There's nothing she enjoys more than her relationship with God. And it's evident when you look at her that she has walked and talked with her Saviour.  

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. - Exodus 34:33-35

 

The Bible tells us that Moses went up Mt. Sinai to speak to God on several occasions. He was the only one allowed to speak directly to God. He was in the presence of The Almighty God many times. And each time, the Bible says, he came down with the glory of God literally glowing from his face! He was so bright, that he had to put a covering over his face so he would not frighten the people. 

 

Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

 

Do you know what that means? Being in God’s presence makes us more attractive! If you want to radiate, if you want to shine like the stars, then get in the presence of God. Unlike the Israelites, you and I have total access to The Father, thanks to Jesus and His saving grace that created a bridge between us. So, get your glow on! All it takes is a little time in The Father’s presence. Devote as much time (if not more) to reading God's Word and praying as you would to your daily primping and skincare routine and I guarantee others will start to see a permeating glow that no beauty product could ever compare to.

Heart To Heart: Live 31

"I would rather have a Proverbs 31 Woman than a Victoria's Secret Model."

This is a movement started by one young man declaring that he would rather be with a woman who lives for God and loves the Lord than a woman who lives for society's approval and who loves the superficial. He's not the only one. There are other Godly men out there who are also seeking to love and encourage women of faith and virtue. Because they know the truth, which is that there is nothing more beautiful than a woman with a righteous heart who puts Christ first.



For those women who wish to be a Proverbs 31 model - one who models the character of faithfulness and virtue - here are seven principles that will help guide you on your walk.

Ladies, don't let society and the things of this world influence you or trigger insecurities that will lead to you lowering your standards to less than God's best. Instead, strive to be a Proverbs 31 woman, a woman who is loved, admired and praised for her HEART. A woman who is truly beautiful in God's sight and in the sight of good, God-seeking men. Physical beauty fades over time, but true beauty - which is virtue - is timeless.

Guys, be someone a Proverbs 31 woman would want to serve, love and respect so that she can be set free to live it out! You have more power to inspire us than you realize. Don't just look for us, help us to get there! In living by God's standards you will empower us to do the same.

Heart to Heart: Unfading Beauty

Does your beauty come from your outward appearance, 
or from Christ in you?

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

1 Peter 3:3-4

The Bible tells us that true beauty comes not from our outward physical beauty, but from our inner beauty; the beauty of Christ living in our hearts and shining out through us. I want to ask you two questions today:

Question 1: How much time do you spend on your outward appearance? This could be time spent doing your hair, dieting, putting on makeup, choosing what clothes to wear today, accessorizing, even shopping for new clothes or jewelry or getting a new hair cut. Statistics show that the average woman spends 2 ½ years of her life washing, styling, cutting, coloring, crimping, and straitening her hair at home or in a salon. That's just time spent on hair!

Question 2: How much time do you spend on your inner beauty? This could be time spent in prayer, reading or studying your Bible, time in church or youth group, or time spent in devotions.

Where we spend the most time tells us what we care the most about. Today's verse tells us that our inner self should be more important to us. After all, 1 Corinthians 4:18 tells us that what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. So while the world is telling us that beauty is on the outside, the Bible tells us that true beauty is on the inside. True beauty comes from Christ in us.

Reflection:

Do I spend more time on my outward appearance, or on my inner beauty?

Application:

Every time you look in a mirror today, say a prayer asking God to help you work on your inner beauty.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for all you do for me. Thank you for teaching me what is important in your sight. Help me to put the value of my inner beauty above that of my outward appearance. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

*source

True Beauty Challenge

Part of being beautiful is making other people feel beautiful and also helping them to see the beauty in others.  Make the world a more beautiful place by taking the true beauty challenge.

My challenge to you this week......

• Tell a friend that she is beautiful.

• Tell a stranger that she is beautiful.

• Tell yourself that you are beautiful. (and believe it!)

• Smile more!

• Go an entire day without complaining. Be thankful instead.

• Volunteer at a local women's shelter or donate your time and/or treasures to another Christian non-for-profit group.

• Do something nice for someone and don't let them know it was you.

• Share the Good News of Christ with someone.

If you do at least one of these things each day this week the world will certainly be more beautiful. Committed to the challenge? Make this a weekly goal for yourself and receive the reward of countless lives touched by your efforts.

Heart to Heart: True Beauty

Did you know that only 2 percent of women would describe themselves as beautiful? Are you in that small sampling? Society has given us a very narrow definition of beauty.

What exactly is beauty? The Dove Campaign asked women and found that:

• Seventy-seven percent strongly agree that beauty can be achieved through attitude, spirit, and other attributes that have nothing to do with physical appearance.
• Eighty-nine percent strongly agree that a woman can be beautiful at any age.
• Eighty-five percent state that every woman has something about her that is beautiful.

 Interestingly, the study found that two-thirds of women strongly agree that physical attractiveness is about how one looks, whereas beauty includes much more of who a person is. Women rate happiness, confidence, dignity, and humor as powerful components of beauty, along with the more traditional attributes of physical appearance, body weight and shape, and even a sense of style.

We must remind ourselves that beauty is not defined by a number on the scale, an hourglass shape, washboard abs, slender thighs, a big chest, a pair of designer low-rise jeans, a cleavage-baring top, a new sassy haircut, a clear complexion, or a surgical procedure. While these things may grab some attention from men, it doesn't impress God in the least. It is dangerous and unhealthy to define our value based on our physical attractiveness to men or the world. Physical beauty will fade over time, true beauty (virtue) is timeless.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look nice or dress nice but so many of us have been brainwashed by society's definition of beauty. Watch this behind-the-lies video for an eye-opening view of the world's perception of beauty.



This kind of false advertising, and quite frankly false beauty, portrays unachievable standards for women. Too often girls go to extreme measures to be "perfect" and sometimes those extreme measures end in suicide or death from unhealthy habits like drugs and eating disorders all because they feel ugly compared to these so-called, "perfect" girls. This unrealistic view of beauty can also lead to women entering into bad relationships simply for validation.

The battlefield is within our minds but peace can be achieved within our hearts. We have taken these images of magazine model women as reality but we must remind ourselves that these images are NOT real. We need to stop "chasing perfect" because it's not a place any of us can really get to and we must work to not get caught up in the lies and distortion that will only lead to immense dissatisfaction in our lives.

You are beautiful and loved exactly as you are. Don't let another human being be in charge of your security. Say goodbye to insecurity and begin to embrace YOU because after all, there is only one you - no one else in this world can ever be you so enjoy that uniqueness because you are the only one who can.

Start focusing on being virtuous and helping others to discover their true beauty of virtue and I guarantee you will feel more beautiful than you ever have in your life!