For my daughter...

An article made it's way across my screen the other morning, and I read it because the topic of feminine beauty is of interest to me. After reading, I forwarded it on to Olivia's email account.

My heart is passionate about eternity, and I strive daily to instill within my children that our lives were made by God for eternity. The temporal is a mere vapor, here today and gone tomorrow, but scriptures reminds, persuades, and calls us to live in light of eternity.

Our culture does not see life this way. Rather, the temptation is set before us to live merely for the present, and to live in such a way as to amass the most glory and riches for ourselves. It can be subtle at times, but no matter how it is presented, it is always a wicked lie that doesn't deliver. In fact, it cannot deliver-- not in light of eternity, and not even in light of temporal personal satisfaction. We were made for so much more than this, lovingly created with a unique purpose by Almightly God.

There are many implications to this, but one of them has to do with biblical femininity. I want my daughter to grasp more fully that womanly strength and beauty delights the Lord when we understand our purpose and role. I want her to understand the grandeur of it's potential, even unto eternity. Not only is it a way to please our God, and to lay up treasures in heaven, but it has a trickle affect on those we influence. There is power in our created purpose that the world cannot comprehend, and therefore it cannot emulate.

We live in a contaminate world, and as a consequence we breathe in contaminants. I pray we are in the business of building up our immune system against our culture's disease-causing lies. I pray that our hearts and minds are solidly equipped with life-giving truth which will attack the deception we face all around.

I don't know what the Lord has planned for this girl of mine, but I am sure she is on the cusp of something exquisite if her life is lived for the glory of God! Like one who is blind folded or with hands over the eyes being lead to a surprise, I pray she follows with expectant hope and trust that he will lead her to wonderful and glorious things.

Olivia, 

Trust the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Your worth is in him alone;

He alone can satisfy you with good for all of your days.

Follow Him with your whole being:

 You will shine bright in a dark world as 

God's face shines bright on you!

xo

"Bless the Lord, O my soul...

...who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 

who satisfies you with good."

Ps. 103

If you are interested in the article that unclenched these thoughts for my daughter today, you can find it here:  http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-beauty-of-womanhood.


~Katherine