Changes

About a month ago, I took my car in for a much-needed oil change and check up. I expected bad news, since my car's been making weird noises when I turn, rattles and shakes at red lights, and spills some kind of liquid on the driveway. I geared up and prepared myself to hear a long list of necessary repairs. Never did I expect it to be so bad. The technician called me over and showed me a long page covered in red circles and notes. Pretty much everything that could possible go wrong had indeed gone wrong. I was advised not to drive it. If you don't remember, I quit my job in April so I could focus on being a full-time student, youth leader, and wife. It had been going great! Richie and I were a little tight on money, but we were surviving and still making all our payments on time. But the bad news meant I'd have to go back to working. Our only good option was to buy a new car. And so, about a month ago, I returned to work. Thankfully, I didn't really have to search much before my boss from my first job contacted me and invited me to work at his photo studio again. That's what I've been doing and that's why I haven't posted anything in a while. Unfortunately, having a job means I no longer have enough free time to keep up with blogging. I go to school and work and get home around 9pm. On my days off I work on youth group stuff and spend time with my family. Blogging just doesn't fit into my schedule right now. I hope to someday be able to blog again, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I hope you have enjoyed reading and that these posts have encouraged you and maybe even helped you learn and grow in God. If you'd like to keep in touch, please look me up on Facebook and add me as a friend. I promise to accept your request! Soli Deo Gloria, Lilly

Style Idea 24: Dreaming of Fall

I’m hoping that if I mention fall in enough style idea posts, fall will see how welcome he’d be in Las Vegas and stop by for a long visit. The temperatures have been dropping, but it’s nowhere near cool enough to bust out my tights and cardigans. Sometimes I wish I lived in New York or Maryland or Canada – anywhere that has real seasons!

Chunky Blue Cardigan: $48.00 Tulle

Twinkle Twinkle Dress: $168.00 Anthro

Navy Tights: $12.50 We Love Colors

Lace-Up Booties: $67.99 Ruche

Ivory Bag: $54.99 Spotted Moth

Hebrews 11 Challenge: Heroes

For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Hebrews 11:2

Abraham, Moses, David are people whose lives we admire. No matter how many times you’ve read their stories, they never get old. Defeating Goliath and parting the Red Sea just never fail to impress.

Many preachers have tried to pinpoint what made these people great. Was it their God-given courage? Zeal for the Lord? Dedication to holiness? What characteristic can we mimic to be as great as them?

The answer is right here in Hebrews 11:2. What made these people great was faith. It tells us that it was by faith that they received God’s approval and that anything we can admire in them originated from that faith.

It’s a good thing I don’t have to live 175 years to be a little like Abraham, lead a mass pilgrimage to be a bit like Moses, or wrestle a bear to kind of resemble David. Actually, Christians are already a lot more like their Biblical heroes than they think. We already share in their faith and receive God’s approval by it alone.

The people of old, those heroes of the faith we so admire, didn’t work their way into hero-status. It wasn’t for the great things they did that God declared them righteous. Galatians 3:11 tells us that one can please God by doing good things (because we all eventually fail) but that by faith men are declared righteous.

Faith is what matters. Faith is what we should learn from the stories of people like Abraham, Moses, and David. Their faith is what we should admire and mimic. Forget the great works they did because works won’t ever get us anywhere. Faith is what will make us commendable before God first. He desires faith before heroic action.

New Puppy!

World, meet Pumba, the Garcia household’s new puppy! We picked him up yesterday and are already in love with him. Look at those adorable eyes! How could we not love a face like that?

Check it Out!

I seem to be in the mood for inspirational stories this morning. Here’s one about a boy who survived after his dad tried to murder him and found strength in Christ.

Then there’s the story of how a style blogger’s brother has miraculously lived 21 years when doctors said he wouldn’t make it to a month.

On a somehow related note, Kevin deYoung reminds us that there are worse things to fear than death.

Somehow also related, RC Sproul explains why we should pray even though God is completely in control of everything.

Defense for gay marriage is actually not as popular as we think it is.

Speaking of marriage, if I could re-do my wedding it would look something, but not completely like, this.

Isn’t their pinwheel photo area lovely? Here’s a tutorial on how to make paper pinwheels!

What comes after marriage? A baby carriage, of course! And even though I’m not yet expecting, I’m saving these photos for future kids’ room inspiration.

Given my current obsession with Gothic architecture and stained glass, I couldn’t help but fall in love with these lovely drawings.

Enjoy your long weekend! Go out somewhere and enjoy life!

Added: The was a pony at the Apple store!

Photo(s) of the Week

Even though Art History hasn't been at all what I expected or looked forward to, I am thankful that I've been introduced to some amazing art. Out of everything we've looked at this quarter, Gothic Architecture is by far my favorite. Look at how beautiful all these building are! It amazes me that God created us in such a way that we're able to make such inspiring works of art.
(You can click each photo for its source)

Even in black and white, the stained glass is stunning! Hope you're as inspired as I am!

Remembered

I’m a nostalgic kind of person. Quiet drives, time alone at home, and even daily chores give me a lot of time to reminisce and call memories up. It’s part of who I am and I can’t seem to help it. I’m good at long-term memory and bit and pieces of my life so far come and keep me company often.

The only real bad thing about it is that I sometimes wonder if I’m the only one. Would the 7th grade friends I remember and fondly miss even recognize my name? Did the nerd camp friend who promised to never forget me keep his end of the deal? (Yes, I went to something I like to call “nerd camp” when I was a kid!) Does that song remind my 9th grade friends of the good times we had too? Or is it just me? Am I the only one who remembers?

I may be inexplicably afraid of large bodies of water, big animals, and those tall electricity towers that line up like giants along highways. But my biggest fear by far is forgetting and being forgotten. That’s why I’d sometimes rather not contact old friends, try to add them on Facebook, or in any way let them back into my life. As horrible as that may sound, I’d just rather not know if they don’t remember the great times I remember.

It may a silly fear, since all the people I’ve gotten back in touch with do remember me and some have even sought me out. But I’m glad that even my unreasonable fear isn’t too unreasonable for God; he assures me and gives me comfort through his word.

In Deuteronomy 31, when Israel is about to finally enter the land God had promised them, when Moses their leader was stepping down after 40 years, when they could no longer ignore the reality of war and conquest God assured them he would not leave them.

In Joshua 5 when Joshua is stepping into Moses’ shoes and getting ready to try to fill them and lead the people into the battles that awaited them in the Promise Land God told him he’d never leave him.

In 1 Chronicles 28 when Solomon is made king of Israel and receives from his father the overwhelming instructions and specifications on how to build the temple, God, through David, promises to not leave him.

Through these challenges, God promised his chosen people he’d never leave them. Because I was chosen by God (Ephesians 1:3-6) I know he’ll never leave me. If that weren’t enough, in John 14:16 Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, God, will be with believers forever.

I know my Father in heaven will never forget me. He’ll always be with me. And even if everyone else I’ve ever encountered does, as long as he remembers me I know I’ll be just fine.

Style Idea 23: Hoping for Fall

I went out for my morning jog yesterday and realized I should have brought a jacket! It was enough to get me daydreaming about fall. Leggings, boots, blazers, coats! I even planned the perfect beginning of fall outfit to wear that day, The weather forecast shattered my dreams, though. Temperatures are indeed falling, but in Vegas that means we drop from the 110’s to the low 100’s. Still not nearly cool enough for a fall outfit. I can still dream, right?

Doctor Bag: $49.00 Urban Outfitters

Colorful Tunic: $44.00 Francesca's

Maroon Leggings: $26.00 We Love Colors

Black Booties: $49.95 DSW

Navy Blazer: $98.00 Gap

Hebrews 11 Challenge: Intro

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

How many times have you heard the word faith in sermons? How many times has it come up in conversations with other Christians? How many times in your witnessing and evangelism? How many times in your personal prayer and Bible study?

Faith is a word we use really often, but have you ever stopped to really think about what it means? As a youth group teacher, I can say it’s one of the most difficult concepts to figure out and explain. It may seem simple at first, but explaining everything that belief really means quickly gets overwhelming.

This week’s verse clears things up a bit. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” It is confidence in God’s ability to keep those promises which haven’t yet been fulfilled. It is trust in his will to accomplish all those things Christians should be hoping for: salvation, heaven, everything finally being set right.

Faith is “…the conviction of things not seen.” It is knowing that God is real even though he’s presently invisible to us. It is knowing that Christ lived perfectly keeping everything the Law commanded, gave up his life to save those who trust in him and repent of their sins, rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand.

For the rest of the year and probably into the next, we’ll be looking at all the examples of faith Hebrews 11 offers and learning the details of what faith really is. Until next week, meditate on what you know of faith. Study Scripture on faith and compare what you already know to that. Do the two line up? What changes might you have to make in order to be more closely aligned to God’s word?

Coveting

Reading through the Ten Commandments is always at least a bit difficult for me. No matter how well I think I’ve been doing, some sin always comes to light when I really sit down and measure myself against God’s perfect standard. It never fails. I feel conviction.

One commandment in particular never had that effect on me, though. I could stroll right past it, lightheartedly checking it off my list of things I had taken care of. Reading “You shall not covet…” actually made me feel a little better about myself. I was happy with the car and house God had given me, couldn’t complain about clothes or shoes, enjoyed the company of great people in my life, and was content to wait for the think I needed but didn’t yet have. I sincerely thought coveting just wasn’t my struggle.

What I thought changed as I checked blogs off my daily reading list last week. First, I read an amazing description of the beginning of a round-the-world trip: white water rafting in an African river, petting tame lions, riding on elephants’ backs, watching the sun set behind majestic giraffes. Why couldn’t I be the one embarking on such a majestic adventure?

Then came another blog that talked about a couple’s love of traveling. Ever since their wedding day they’ve been packing up and going whenever they may feel like going. Long weekend drives are common and they have a long list of favorite places in several states. Why couldn’t Richie and I have that kind of freedom?

Last, I stopped at a blog written by a guy designing his way through the book of Psalms. His work is amazing. It is inspiring both spiritually and artistically. Why didn’t I have that creativity and skill?

By the end of my blog reading, I was feeling pretty horrible about myself. It wasn’t any of the bloggers’ fault – they’re all great and share awesome things with their readers. I admire all of them. I just felt unsatisfied with my own life when I compared it to theirs.

It’s hard to admit, but I wasn’t glad for the blessings they get to enjoy and I wasn’t thankful for how wonderful my life really is. All I could feel was envy and anger at not having the same exact blessings exactly now. 

I don’t think it could be any clearer. Even though I don’t covet the “usual” material things, that doesn’t mean I don’t covet at all. It took a horrible mood and the ugliness of real envy to make me understand that coveting isn’t just about stuff. We can covet whole lifestyles, beauty, success, relationships. In that case, I covet. A lot.

Do you have a commandment you tend to skip over? One you feel you don’t really struggle with? I thought I didn’t need to work on not coveting, but that was only because I hadn’t fully understood what coveting really covers. Maybe the commandments we think we can handle should get a closer look.

PS. When I’m thinking clearly, I really wouldn’t trade my life for anyone else’s. I may wish I could do a lot more things, but if I had to give up what I have now I’d rather not.

Style Idea 22: College

Two of my youth group kids are starting college next week! I couldn’t be more proud of them or more surprised at how quickly time passes by. It’s almost been a whole year since I started school and it feels like my first day was just yesterday. All the excitement and energy I felt is exactly what they’re feeling now. The least I can do I help pick a comfortable outfit perfect for that first day.

Evening Horizon Scarf: $17.99 Mod Cloth

Blush Tank: $26.99 Ruche

Corduroy Backpack: $68.00 Urban Outfitters

Blush Sandals: $34.00 Urban Outfitters

Denim Button Down Skirt: $25.00 Thread Sence

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Wrap Up

Our first Bible challenge is officially complete! It’s been great going through each verse that describes the Proverbs 31 woman. Is has definitely been edifying and useful for me to stop and consider each godly quality and I hope it has been for you too. Just in case you missed one of the posts or would like to revisit some of them, here are the links to the whole challenge:

1. Intro
2. Trustworthiness
3. Doing Good
4. The Hard Way Out
5. Looking for Quality
6. Sleep Less
7. Smart Spending
8. Strength and Submission
9. Thankless Work
10. Investing
11. Giving
12. Prosperity
13. Beauty
14. Building Up
15. Quality
16. Strength and Biblical Submission
17. Powerful Words
18. Don't Do Nothing
19. Rewards and Motive
20. Beauty and Charm
21. Rewards

Listing these just made me realize how similar some of them are. One of the benefits of taking more time to read and study Scripture is that you pay more attention to subtle differences in verses that can seem so alike at first glance.

Another benefit is that you get to really examine yourself and compare yourself to what Scripture says. I know it’s been both a blessing to see what I’ve progressed in and a challenge to realize how much work I still have to do.

My hope for this challenge is that it will help you become a better wife, mom, sister, daughter, and give you growth as a Christian. And next week, we’ll start a whole new challenge!

Check It Out

Design Sponge posted an awesomely easy Coffee Filter Flower DIY. It’s definitely something I’ll be trying soon.

Ali is traveling around the world! You can read her blog for amazing journal-like updates and great photos.

Although I really used to take pride in my sarcastic ways, thoughts like this made me think about whether my joking was really just mean.

Jon Acuff wrote about our tendency to make bad trades. Read it for yourself here.

Are college professors out to convert students? Apparently, a lot of them are.

Kevin DeYoung posted an extremely helpful three part series on giving and taking rebuke.

Have a happy weekend!

Photo of the Week

This is the little guy we found a couple of weeks ago. It was over 105 degrees, he was lost, and he didn’t have a collar. We haven’t had him checked for a chip yet, but we definitely plan on doing that soon. In the meantime, he’s welcome to keep stretching out on my brother’s bed for his frequent naps.

PS. We’ve been calling him Killer and if we get to keep him that’ll be his name.

Style Idea 21: Star Gazing

Richie, my brother, and I headed out to Red Rock Canyon late on Friday night to watch the Perseid meteor shower. We’d tried to watch meteor showers before but had never really found a good spot. Red Rock turned out to be perfect – it’s pretty close to our house yet far enough from the brightest city lights. Being out there was amazing and it made me want to go back for a Friday date with just the husband. I think the right outfit would make a trip like that more date-like. Of course, this is something I would wear on a star gazing trip and not an actual hike or anything!

Lace Collar Dress: $68.00 Urban Outfitters

Vintage Binoculars: $21.95 Etsy

Crocheted Belt: $9.50 Charlotte Russe

The Shoes I Really Wish I Had: $144.99 Mod Cloth

background image via James Marvin Phelps

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Rewards

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:31

The first couple of years that my husband and I were in charge of youth group were beyond difficult. Our kids refused to pay attention, caused disruptions in every service, rebelled against all the rules we set, criticized every event we planned. It really seemed like they were trying to make ministry as difficult as possible.

Richie and I were putting a lot of hard work in, but it seemed like nothing we tried could make things any better. We spent a lot of time preparing their lessons, praying for them, trying to establish relationships, planning camps and retreats. No matter how much effort we put into ministry, it felt like we were getting nowhere. We were doing a lot but seeing nothing in return.

Working at becoming a Proverbs 31 woman can make you feel like that too. Maybe you’ve been following along with this series and trying to make changes but nobody has seemed to notice. Maybe you’ve been serving others selflessly for a long time but have never gotten a thank you. It' can get really discouraging really quick.

The good thing is, hard work doesn’t stay unrewarded. My husband and I eventually were blessed by the true transformation we saw in a lot of our youth group kids. Now there is even a small group that’s being discipled more closely and prepared for ministry.

If you put an effort into following God’s guidelines for Biblical womanhood your work will bear fruit and people are bound to notice. But even if in your lifetime you don’t get the recognition you deserve, know that the greatest rewards are those to be received in heaven.

All rewards and recognition must not lead us to take all the glory, though. We have to always remember that God is the source of anything good we do. If it weren’t for his help we’d be unable to follow what his Word tells us.

Cucumber and Dill Pasta Salad

I really hope you can all forgive me for my lack of posts last week. Midterms kind of caught me off guard and even though they weren’t really all that stressful, they did manage to keep me busy. To make up for my absence, you get two entries today! The first is a recipe for my current culinary obsession. If the only mouth I was feeding was my own, I’d probably make a month’s worth of this pasta salad and eat it everyday for every meal.

 

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb medium pasta shells
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/2 fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbs mayo
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced

What you’ll do:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, whisk the mayo, olive oil and lemon juice until you have a smooth dressing. Combine the pasta shells, cucumber, and dill. Add the dressing and stir to coat your salad. You can serve it like that or let it chill in the fridge for a while if you’re more patient than me.

Style Idea 20: Casual Date Night

Friday night is usually date night for the Garcia’s. While “date night” sounds fancy and expensive, the husband and I typically go for casual outings: picnics, dollar movies, and free live music. So even though I want to dress up a bit for our date, I also don’t want to overdo it. That’s why I love this outfit and wish I could actually get it! It’s more dressed up than what I usually wear without going overboard. And I could really use a cool cardigan like this one!

 

Owl Necklace: $14.99 Mod Cloth

Black Tank Top: $19.50 Delia's

Light Striped Cardigan: $30.00 Lulu's

Caramel Leather Bag: $168.00 Fossil

Layered Ruffle Skirt: $38.99 Mod Cloth

Black Hole Punch Flats: $27.99 Mod Cloth

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Beauty and Charm

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

Charm and beauty are without question two of the things our culture values most.

The people our society considers most successful (movie stars, singers, millionaires) are more often than not ridiculously good looking. Whether they’re successful because they’re attractive or attractive because their success can buy plastic surgery, the message we get is the same: beauty and success go hand-in-hand.

Today’s girls very quickly learn that a little charm can go a long way in getting them what they want. Cosmo to Teen Bop equally promise to teach us “50 fun new ways to flirt” and what kind of body language is sure to give us the result we want. Movies tend portray flirtatious women as the ideal we should all strive toward.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that God isn’t impressed by the things that wow our culture. In fact, it should be obvious that culture’s obsession with beauty and charm is at odds with everything Biblical.

It makes complete sense, but it can be so hard to remember! When everything around me tells me I should be worried about my body, that my face is far from perfect, that I should spend more time on my hair, that my style needs an upgrade or two, and that I should be concerned about making men take a second glance at me it’s extremely hard to remember what God’s word has to say.

That’s what this verse reminds us of. Whatever beauty I might gain will one day disappear; even if I die beautiful, my corpse will never be attractive. Whatever charm techniques I might master, they’ll be at best a façade and at worst a sinful attempt at deception.

God doesn’t want beauty and charm from us. He wants us to fear (respect, admire, adore) him! He doesn’t expect us to spend hours getting ready or to impress him with our charm – he expects us to follow the pattern he set out for us, to walk in his commandments striving to be more like him each day.

Proverbs 31 describes a godly virtuous woman. Out of 21 verses that describe her, only one mentions anything related to her beauty. That was obviously not her strongest point! That doesn’t mean she was ugly; it means that because among all her other admirable qualities, beauty was secondary. Her strengths were her wisdom, trustworthiness, intelligence, resourcefulness, and the love she showed her family.

Let’s think about what we’re investing in. Are we investing on the superficial qualities the world admires or on the virtues God calls us to? Memorize this verse. It’s incredibly helpful when standing in line at the grocery store with flawless faces staring at you from the magazine rack.

Check it Out

It’s been a while since i last wrote on of these posts, mainly because I’ve been busier than I ever thought I would be. I thought I would have more free time after quitting my job, but school has somehow managed to take over those 40 hours and then some! I’ll try to be consistent and have a post every Friday, but we’ll see how it goes.

We all tend to be hypocritical about some things. A Boundless post challenges us to dig up those areas in which we “engage in moral licensing.” For me, it seems to be evangelism.

Ali has access to 600 names that represent people in desperate need for prayer. These are potential patients that the medical ship she lives on in Africa just couldn’t help.

Chris Larson shares a simple explanation of Christ’s substitutionary atonement.

So this is why waking up early helps me pray! Josh Harris writes about the importance of self-control and sober-mindedness in prayer.

I might just try my hand at making this lovely chandelier instead of waiting to have enough money to buy one.

This map post was another source of inspiration! So many craft ideas!

Photo of the Week

 

Boulder City is less than an hour’s drive from my house and just 15 minutes from school! it’s fairly close to Vegas, but completely different. The mood is more laid back, the people are nicer and smile more, old buildings don’t get torn down. I took this photo a few months ago when my brother and I went out to Hoover Dam at about 5 in the morning to get some architecture shots. On our way back home we sort of intentionally got lost and ended up at this mysterious old building.

Up to Date!

I posted the long-awaited (ha!) Proverbs 31 Challenge post. In order to not mess with the posts’ order, I set the publish date as Monday. So, if you wanna read it, you can check it out below!

Prayer

If there’s one thing I suck at (besides posting blog entries really late) it’s praying.

I understand the need to pray (Romans 12:12), the command to pray (Luke 18:1), the privilege (Romans 5:1-2) and benefits of prayer (James 5:13-18), and all the theological reasons why I should pray but I can’t seem to actually get myself to do it.

When I first converted, I thought prayer would get easier as I grew spiritually. I thought it would somehow someday come naturally. Six years later, it doesn’t. At all.

For a while, I got into the habit of saying short prayers throughout my day. “Thank you, God, for this amazing view,” as I drive westward at sunset. “Lord, please help me,” before taking a difficult test.

And that kept me satisfied for a while, but eventually I yearned for more. It’s funny how that yearning has worked in my life, though. Instead of leading me to deeper longer prayer times, the dissatisfaction I’ve felt led me cut even the tiny amount of prayer time I already had.

We’ve been slowly reading through RC Sproul’s Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow with our discipleship kids. The second chapter is about prayer, and boy was it helpful.

Sproul explains the importance of prayer in the first part of the chapter and then moves on to practical advise he himself learned from a booklet by Martin Luther. The two things that stood out the most to me were his encouraging to set time apart specially for prayer and to pray through Scripture.

Praying from Scripture and through Scripture are two very different things, he said. The first just involves reciting verses and repeating parts of the Bible. The second means taking a portion of Scripture and using it as a guide to your prayer. This is how Jesus intended for us to use the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.

So instead of running through a recitation of Jesus’ sample prayer, you stop wherever you need to elaborate in your own words. As Sproul puts it, “to pray through the Lord’s Prayer is to focus attention on each of the petitions for a time.”

Last night, I set my alarm to go off at 4:30 in the morning; a whole hour earlier than usual. Granted, I didn’t actually get out of bed until 5:15, but I had some time for prayer before getting ready for school. I took me a few minutes to figure out the most comfortable prayer spot is actually in my closet, but I finally got to pray.

5:15 was the perfect time. The whole house was quiet. There were no distractions but my own wandering mind (which I have at least some control of). It was great. Both tips worked. I got to spend more time in direct communion, speaking to my God, than I had in months.

I’ve heard a lot of people claim their day goes better when it starts in prayer. Others have said it changes their morning from dreadful to cheerful. I don’t have any claims like that, but I will say the satisfaction of being able to praise God, to obey his command to pray, and to finally feel close to him again is far better than any other benefit I could have gained. I can’t wait for my alarm to go off again tomorrow at 4:30 am.

Style Idea 19: Simple Skirt and Tank

Although the heart’s starting to wane, me typical 102-degree days still feel too hot for anything other than a dress or skirt. I asked my husband once if my skirt and tank top outfit was casual enough and he laughed. Most people probably would agree with him and say that a skirt getup can’t be casual, but I think it definitely can. Just like you can dress jeans up, you can dress skirts down. Just pair them with a simple top, comfortable shoes, and a few basic accessories and you have an outfit casual enough for an impromptu weekend bbq.

 

 

Sunnies: $12.99 Ruche

Green Tank: $4.50 Forever 21

Thick Woven Belt: $19.99 Ruche

Paisley and Flower Print Skirt: $28.00 Francesca's

Woven Leather Oxfords: $114.99 Mod Cloth

Catch-Up

I’ve been trying to catch up on school work, church stuff, and blogging since Friday. Thankfully, I’m finally starting to get there. I should have your Proverbs 31 Challenge and Style Idea up later tonight, so check back for your weekly dose!

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Rewards and Motive

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

Proverbs 31:28,29

One of the best earthly rewards anyone can receive is the gratitude, admiration, and respect of those who know you best, and that’s exactly what this verse is about.

What the people closest to you say about you means a lot. Those who know you best often have the clearest idea of who you are. While my youth group knows me fairly well, it is my husband who can truly testify about my character. After all, he’s spent the past four years getting to know me!

A stranger’s compliment may be nice, but my husband’s compliments always mean more to me. When he tells me he admires my growth in patience, I know I really have progressed. Because he’s the person closest to me, his evaluation of my character is most accurate (at least aside from God’s).

As we strive to become more like the godly woman described in these verses, we should receive praise from the people who know us best. That may mean your husband and children, mom and dad, friends or church family. This praise, however, shouldn’t me the reason for our pursuit of godliness.

Although the Proverbs 31 woman doesn’t work hard at developing good character qualities and serving others just to hear compliments. The compliments and rewards are a nice bonus, but our focus should always be God’s glory and not our own.

i hope that as we near the end of this challenge we can look forward to the rewards but also examine our motives for pursuing Biblical womanhood. Is our motivation God’s glory or our own?

Lasting Beauty

A while ago, I wrote a post about beauty. In it, I said that we should care about our appearance without sliding into vanity and I still believe that. As Christian ladies, we should seek a healthy balance between not caring how we look and caring too much.

A week ago, though, a sister helped me realize I’d forgotten about something more important than decent clothing and hair. As we talked over dinner, it grew more and more obvious: even though she looked externally beautiful, her appearance was not the spring of her beauty. 

This is a sister I’ve come to greatly admire in the short while I’ve known her. She spends time evangelizing every week, is there for her husband as he steps into a new pastoral role, works on learning Spanish to better serve the women in her church, and volunteers as a church secretary daily. Her beauty came from inside, manifested in the things she does.

Maybe it’s the cliches that now surround it or the sheer corniness of how it sounds, but I’ve neglected to write about this inner beauty. I have no trouble remembering 1 Timothy 2:9. But the next verse, the one that says what our adornment should be, I have no trouble forgetting.

God, through Paul in his letter to Timothy, tells us that as godly women we should dress with modesty, showing self-control. This is, of course, important and good to remember, but the instructions don’t end there.

In 1 Timothy 2:10, we’re further instructed on how to adorn ourselves. Instead of using expensive, immodest, gaudy clothing we’re to rely on good works to bring out our beauty. And really, what’s truly more beautiful? The latest low-cut embellished Armani tank top or a heart after God’s own expressed outwardly through works?

Our salvation is not attained by works, but works should adorn all believers. Our character, work ethic, compassion, and charity should shine brightly as a testament to the salvation God granted us.

I sometimes tend to focus on my appearance and neglect the true source of beauty: a heart changed by the God who died on a cross so I could be saved and made new. That’s when I have to let God remind me that external beauty is fleeting but the inner beauty that he gives believers will last all eternity.

Style Idea 18: Summer Heat

It’s been a hot summer in Las Vegas. It may seem like an obvious thing to say, but it still kind of amazes me when it’s past 90 degrees at 7am. I am amazed pretty much daily. The best thing to wear on 115-degree days is a breezy dress like this one with the least amount of accessories possible. This way, you won’t have to fuss with intricate folds of fabric as you venture out for groceries or popsicles.

Mosaic Dress: $38.00 Francesca's

 

Handmade Leather Bag: $185.00 Jenny N Design

 

Sunnies: $5.80 Forever 21

 

Black Wedges: $64.99 Mod Cloth

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Don’t Do Nothing

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

With only four verses to go, we now arrive at the summary of this whole series. All the verses before this have shown us that the virtuous godly woman works to maintain her household.

We’ve seen that the Proverbs 31 woman rose early in the morning to start a productive day. She made clothing, bought food, planted vineyards, sold sashes, decorated her home, and helped the poor. This had to be a woman who didn’t often give into the temptation to just sit there and do nothing.

How many of us can say we’re as productive as this woman? Our daily to-do list may not include planting vineyards or sewing winter coats, but we all have things to do that are more important than the latest Top Model marathon (believe me, its easy to get sucked into those).

I recently had three weeks off of school. On my last day of class, I put together a list of things I wanted to do during my time off. It included painting the hallway closet, doing some work on the kitchen cabinets, re-finishing a couple of pieces of furniture, and keeping the house clean. Even though I had two full weeks to do this (one week was spent in Mexico), I somehow managed to accomplish nothing. These things would have benefited my family, but I instead chose to give in to my desire to waste time.

This isn’t to say that we should never rest or always be so busy we have no time for relaxation. There should be a healthy balance between work and rest. I think the problem is that we tend to lean towards resting more often than towards working.

A big part of taking care of your home and those who share it with you is resisting the urge to always do nothing. Whether it’s the television, the telephone, the internet, or something else that tempts you to forget to do laundry, make dinner, or help someone out, I encourage you to think of others before yourself. 

Photo of the Week

 

I hadn’t seen my grandma in 8 years.

She used to knit me the cutest dresses when I was little.

She taught me to look in the mirror and see beauty.

She laughed so hard once, soda squirted out her nose.

She didn’t remember who I am this time. She seemed to be somehow lost most of the time. She only smiled a few times, probably vain attempts at making things seem alright.

Style Idea 17: LA Lady

Reasons why LA is great:

1. The weather is always fabulous.
2. You can never get too far away from a beach.
3. People drive more kindly than in Vegas.
4. The mood is always casual and laid back.
5. It’s where I was born and raised!

Black Tank: $19.50 PacSun

Marigold Sunglasses: $11.99 Mod Cloth

Basic Denim Shorts: $9.50 Forever 21

Yellow Sandals: $44. 95 DSW

Awesome LA Tote: $19.99 Mod Cloth

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Powerful Words

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

Have you ever blurted something out just to realize it would have been better to keep quiet? Have you ever stayed up wishing you could take some words back? Have you ever been haunted by the embarrassment of something you said?

That’s probably why the Bible has so much to say about our speech. We all struggle to control the things we say, to reform our words and sentences and align them more to Christ.

James 3 speaks about the damage our words can do, comparing the tongue to a small fire that can destroy a whole forest. Proverbs 18:21 speaks of the great power our words can hold. In Matthew 12:34 Jesus told the Pharisees that words reveal what’s in a person’s heart.

As virtuous women, we have to realize that the words we speak affect a lot of things. Our words have a lot to do with how others perceive us. They can bring encouragement or discouragement to those around us. They affect the mood of our family and in our surroundings. With our words we can either build up or tear down.

Many people have taught that our words are powerful in another way. They teach that the words you speak have power in and of themselves and you therefore have to be careful what you say because words become reality. According to these teachers, you shouldn’t say, “I’m getting sick,” even when you feel a cold coming on because then you will for sure get sick.

Although popular, that doctrine has no Biblical warrant and its not what this challenge is about. Our words have power only in the way our actions have power. If you kick a ball it will move. If you yell at someone they’ll be hurt.

The virtuous woman knows to have self-control and speak with wisdom and kindness. She is a blessing to those around her because she speaks good things. Let’s work at being virtuous in this way and start thinking about our words before we say them. Let’s stop ourselves before arguing with someone, before criticizing, before putting down, before mocking.

Mexico Vacation Part 2: El Oro

 

After visiting my dad’s side of the family in Cuernavaca, we headed over to my mom’s hometown: El Oro. We went from humid tropical weather to cool overcast days and rainy nights. What I love about El Oro is that even after so many years, everything has stayed pretty much the same. The city hall in the photo above seems especially unchanging, always painted in its signature bright red.

 

 

One thing that has changed is the size of the family. While its always been pretty big, many recent additions have made it even bigger. Its still a bit strange to think that several of the cousins I used to go out and get into trouble with are now settled, married, and have kids.

 

 

My brother, born on July 4th, got to celebrate his birthday with the family. We headed out to a nearby historic town full of rustic buildings and beautiful 16th century landmarks.

I can’t help but laugh at the photo above! So typical of 13-year-olds!

Mexico Vacation, Part 1: Cuernavaca

 

Today was our first day back from a short Mexico vacation and I wish we could have stayed another week or year.

 

Our first stop was in Cuernavaca, my dad’s hometown. It had been eight whole years since my last visit, but everything was just as beautiful as I remembered.

 Cuernavaca is a busy fast-paced town with a tropical climate. Beautiful foliage and wildlife gets mixed into every corner of the urban landscape, adorning each apartment tower, tall stone wall, and tile façade with bright greens, pinks, and yellows.  

My dad told us stories about Chapultepec, a huge park around the corner from my grandparents’ house. At its peak, the park even housed lions and other exotic animals. Strolling through it felt like being on safari in a very small, very tame rainforest.

The best part of the trip was spending time with family I hadn’t seen in so long.

Photo of the Week

Fact: My husband has always been hot, but now that he rides a motorcycle he’s even hotter.

 

We’ve both gotten a lot of lectures and disapproving head shakes since we bought the bike a few months ago. The truth is, we needed extra transportation and couldn’t afford another car and all that gas. His bike has been the perfect solution and I’m at peace because I know he drives carefully and this bike isn’t really all that dangerous (it can’t even go past 75 mph and is pretty light). And he looks amazingly cool when he pulls into our driveway.

Growth

Among the songs my pastor chooses often for worship, one in particular is bittersweet. Singing together as a congregation, the song leads us to ask God to renew us, confessing that everything we are needs to be conformed more unto his image. That’s the sweet part; it’s a beautiful song. The bitter part comes when I remember how I sang it in the past.

At one embarrassing point, I thought I had arrived. I thought I was “there”. I seriously didn’t think I could get any better or need any improvement. Surprisingly, I wasn’t cocky or arrogant about it. This attitude somehow sprung from sincere gratitude toward God for all the ways in which he had dramatically changed my life.

I was 17 and I had gone through severe depressions, deep involvement in the SoCal partying punk rock scene, drug use, an abusive relationship, and serious family problems. My life had gone from that darkness to the light of Christ and I was extremely thankful.

When I sang that song which was supposed to lead me to ask God to keep working in me, what came to mind instead was, “Thank you, Lord, because you’ve changed me so much already, I don’t need any more.” I honestly just couldn’t fathom how things could get any better than they already were.

By God’s grace, I realized my attitude was completely wrong. I learned we never fully arrive at the Biblical ideal, at least not until what Paul calls “the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). I realized that when Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” he was referring to a life-long struggle to follow the lifestyle Scripture set out for us more and more closely.

There is never a point in a Christian’s life when we can say we’re completely sanctified, done growing, done learning. The work God began in us on the moment we converted does not end until after death. While we’re here, we have to keep striving to grow in him, to be more like him.

Style Idea 16: Patriotic

Fourth of July is just around the corner, and even though I’ll be in Mexico for it,  I won’t miss the opportunity to dress in red, white and blue! Today’s outfit idea is sure to keep you cool and comfortable for a picnic and afternoon of fireworks.

 

Light Lace Cardigan: $37.99 Ruche

Blue Button Down Dress: $13.50 Forever 21

Red Bow Headband: $12.99 Mod Cloth

Red Stripe Canvas Wedges: $69.00 Toms (with every pair purchased, a child in need also gets a pair of new shoes)

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Strength and Biblical Submission

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

Proverbs 31:25

In the year between my husband’s proposing and our wedding, a fear was constantly on my mind: would I be able to submit? I knew that as a Christian striving to be more Christ-like and aligned with the Word of God, I had to be a submissive wife. But I had no idea what that looked like.

One of the biggest fears this generation of 20-something women faces is submission in marriage. The question high school girls in youth group ask with the most fear in their eyes is, “Are wives really supposed to submit?” More often than not we picture a boring, weak, overly-dependant pathetic woman when we think of a submissive wife.

No one can argue that the Proverbs 31 woman is not a submissive wife. Verse 11 says her husband trusts her. Verse 12 tells us she does her husband good throughout her life. Verse 23 says she adds to her husband’s reputation. How could a rebellious wife who does whatever she wants without caring whether her husband agrees or not be such a blessing to his life?

Today’s verse should show us that being a biblically submissive wife doesn’t mean all those negative things we usually think of. A wife who submits to her husband isn’t boring, weak, over-dependant or pathetic. The Proverbs 31 woman is submissive but also strong and full of dignity and confidence.

The virtuous woman has so much strength and dignity that its apparent to everyone, just like your clothing is visible to everyone you encounter. Her confidence in God is so strong, she doesn’t worry about the future but faces it with a smile. This is as much as part of her character as her willing submission to her husband and all authority.

Biblical submission and strength can and should exist side-by-side. Its time to exchange the world’s ideas of strong womanhood for the Bible’s instruction.

Style Idea 15: Airport Chic

In exactly a week and about eight hours, I’ll finally be headed on a long-awaited vacation to Mexico! I’ll only be able to stay for about ten days, but its been a while since I last was able to take a trip like this. No matter how much time passes by, though, I never forget how uncomfortable airports and airplanes are. And since my flight this time will be at around midnight and last for more than three hours, comfort is high up on the traveling day priorities list. Something like today’s outfit would be wonderful – the flowy tank top keeps me from worrying about my gut showing, the cardigan can double as a pillow if need be, and all the books and magazines I tend to over pack can fit into the amazing bag.

 

 

Coral Cardigan: $62.00 J Crew

Black and Peach Tank: $24.99 Mod Cloth

Dark Wash Skinnies: $69.50 Gap

Leather Oxfords: $114.99 Mod Cloth

Traveling Canvas Bag: $48.99 Ruche

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Quality

She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Proverbs 31:24

There were a few times last year (mostly around holidays) when I went on do-it-yourself marathons. I stumbled on several impressive DIY blogs that showed beautiful photographs of the neatest hand-made gifts and trinkets. About a million and a half pages were bookmarked and I vowed to make a stuffed animal for a friend’s new baby, a collection of flower headbands, fashionable tote bags, and cute fabric-covered journals.

Have you ever tried your hand at making something? You get all these fabulous ideas and daydream about how wonderful your creations will look and how happy and surprised the recipients of your handiwork will be.

In my case, the final product rarely met the standards I dreamt up. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if I hadn’t let it discourage me, but my disappointment kept me from trying again. And without trying again there’s no way I can ever get better.

Today’s verse speaks about the quality of the things the Proverbs 31 woman makes. We already know she makes great clothing for her family and beautiful decorations for her home. Now we see that the things she makes are even good enough to sell at the market. These aren’t itchy knit sweaters and scarves her kids wear because she forces them to!

What we have to remember is that this woman wasn’t born a superhero. No one, not even the great woman this chapter describes, is immediately good at everything she tries. The fact that the garments she made were high-quality doesn’t speak of some miraculous talent. It tells us that she practiced and didn’t give up when things didn’t turn out perfectly the first few times.

Skill isn’t something that appears overnight or that you get the first time you try something. We have to work and practice and learn from mistakes and not let our failures discourage us.

Photo of the Week

For the longest time I was constantly frustrated by my inability to capture good photos. I knew how I wanted to frame a subject, how I wanted to convey the mood of the moment, how I wanted each color to come across but I didn’t know how to actually do it. It’s like having an amazing idea for a painting but not knowing how to pain or having great song idea in your mind but not knowing how to put it to paper.

That’s why I’m so thankful for the photography class I took this quarter. Even though I worked photography jobs for a while, I was taught only what I needed to know. In studios where everything is pre-set and the camera buttons are glued down, that meant I only learned about posing and framing shots. It’s invaluable training that I’m grateful for, but it didn’t give me the creative tools to capture photos like the one below. I feel invincible now and am really looking forward to sharing a lot more photos!

 

Style Idea 14: Beach Retreat

The company my dad woks for holds huge annual summer picnics and this year, my brother, sister, niece, husband and I are driving out to LA to attend. Not only will we get to spend Father’s Day weekend with our dad, we’ll get to do so on Manhattan Beach! Naturally, I’m already thinking of outfits for this weekend-long mini family vacation by the sea, and I’d love to pack something like this outfit.

Floral Dress: $33.00 Be Yourself Boutique

Chunky Bead Necklace: $22.00 Shop Mamie

Brown Repurposed Leather Bag: $119.00 Mod Cloth

Coral Flats: $26.99 Ruche

Woven Belt: $12.00 The Novel Hunt

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Building Up

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

Proverbs 31:23

It’s been forever since we last heard about the virtuous woman’s husband. Proverbs 31, verses 11 and 12, speak of her husband’s trust and the good things she brings into his life. Now, after reading through some of the many ways in which she works so hard, he comes back into the picture.

At first glance, this verse seems a bit strange. So far, the majority of Proverbs 31 Woman verses have been mostly about her. They describe what she does, how she acts, and even how she dresses herself and her family. Right in the middle of that, we find a verse that seems to only speak about her husband.

The ESV Study Bible explains that the gates were the hub of an Israelite city. It was where the town’s leading men gathered. Being known there would be to them what being known in City Hall is to us. Only important, respected people get recognized in such high places.

What does this have to do with the woman of virtue? Proverbs 12:4 says, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.” Whatever a wife does affects the way her husband is perceived by the public. She can contribute to his reputation or completely tear it down.

The fact that the Proverbs 31 woman’s husband sits among the VIPs has a lot to say about her. It means that the things she does build her husband up. She helps his reputation by keeping her own, helps his success by keeping a good home, helps him financially by being responsible and industrious. Every good thing she does helps her husband succeed.

It’s easy to fall into thinking our actions and choices have small consequences, but this isn’t true about anyone, no matter how insignificant we feel. Everything we do, whether good or bad, affects those around us, especially the people standing closest.

This week, lets consider whether we’ve been contributing to or tearing down their reputations, their chances at success. It takes a lot of courage and honesty to really look at our lives in terms of how we’ve affected others, but even more so to change whatever bad habits we find. If you notice something that needs changing, ask God for his help and trust that the Holy Spirit living in you is your helper.

Guess Who’s Back?

My last entry was about a month and half ago. I’ve been on a type of impromptu break from this blog while I took care of some things. Now that everything’s a lot more stable and I’m feeling quite a bit better, I plan on returning to the weekly line up of planned posts and more! I have a lot of art, photography, stories, and Bible studies to share and I can’t wait to get back into the whole blogging thing come Monday.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

 

Can you believe I had never baked cupcakes before last week? When I stumbled upon this delicious recipe about a month ago, I went out and got a cupcake tray, cupcake paper, and a bag of powdered sugar. Most of the ingredients were already in my pantry!

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• orange juice
• oil
• 1/2 orange, zested

Icing Ingredients:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 orange, zested

For cupcakes, follow the directions on the cake mix box, only replacing water with orange juice. Add in the orange zest, too. This should make about two dozen cupcakes.

The frosting is super easy, also. Just mix all the ingredients until they’re nice and smooth. Add orange juice three tablespoons is not enough to get a workable frosting.

Original recipe (with more beautiful photos) found here.

Photo of the Week: African Daisy

This is another assignment from last quarter made using graphite pencil and color pencils. There are definitely ways I can still improve this, but its way better than anything I thought I could do.

What I’m liking best about all my classes so far is realizing how much creativity God used in creating everything. I may be able to tap into my artistic side to make a drawing like this, but how could it ever compare to God’s creations?

Style Idea 13: Skirt and T-Shirt Kind of Day

I love skirts. If I could, I would wear a skirt every day. You don’t need a special occasion, a date, or any reason whatsoever to thrown on something a pretty as a floral skirt. Put one on even if your plans for the day are grocery shopping and dish washing. Dress it down by pairing it with a simple T-shirt and relaxed flat sandals. Seeing the pretty print every time you happen to glance down will brighten your day.

Purple V-Neck: $12.50 Gap

Leaf Necklace: $30.00 Top Shop

Floral Skirt: $44.95 Mod Cloth

Casual Black Sandals: $49.95 DSW

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Beauty

She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Proverbs 31:22

Of all the verses that describe the virtuous woman, this is probably the most surprising one. All the hard work, the effort to take care of others, the willingness to invest time in skillful work are expected characteristics. We shouldn’t be surprised to learn that a godly woman does all that. But now a verse about her home decorations and clothing?

I think we can sometimes get so caught up in the need to be hard-working and industrious that we forget the value of beauty. Beauty, of course, is not the end for which we should strive or the matter around which our lives should orbit. It isn’t of highest priority or importance. It isn’t the pinnacle towards which we climb.

That doesn't mean, though, that it has no importance at all. It doesn’t mean beauty should be ignored, thrown out the widow, rejected as a vain endeavor. Beauty should have a place in the life of a Christian woman, especially one striving to be more like the Proverbs 31 woman.

Your home, whether an urban apartment, humble mobile, or single-family house, should be a place you and your family enjoy. It should be a place you all get excited about heading to after a long day or work, school, or errands. It should be a place where everyone can gather, rest, share, and grow together. It should be a place where your family glorifies Christ in every way. There’s no shame in investing time, skill, and resources into making it a beautiful place, because making it beautiful and enjoyable will help make it everything it should be.

The same goes for how we dress. We can care about our appearance and avoid vanity at the same time. The clothing we choose communicate something to everyone around us. What are your clothing choices saying about you? Whether we like it or not, sweats can convey as negative a message as an immodest dress. There is nothing wrong with taking a few extra minutes each morning to pick out something that reflects our character a little bit better.

Our challenge this week? Think about how you can make your home and your style better reflect Christ. Is there a mess in the kitchen that only speaks of neglect? Does your clothing make you seem lazy or like you don’t care about modesty? Lets make changes to fix that and align this aspect of our lives to Scripture as well.

Ministry

I used to think that most status updates and Twitter feeds were pretty insignificant. Who cares, after all, if on Friday at 5:02 you were stuck in traffic but were looking forward to the weekend?

A few weeks ago, though, I thought I’d scroll through my youth group’s status updates even if it meant swimming through a deep sea of endless “I love you”s between a boyfriend and girlfriend and reports on who’s house so-and-so were headed to.

It ended up being more difficult than I could have imagined. The annoyingly excessive PDA ended up fading into the background while the emotions, problems, and misplaced hope jumped off the screen. I hadn’t expected that.

One of my kids posted about feeling depressed several times. Another about plans to go out to a wild party. Still another constantly exposed an apparent idolatry of her boyfriend. Where had I been for all this? And why was MySpace the one to clue me in?

The truth is, the blame rests solely on me. For whatever reason, I stopped talking to my kids, stopped seeking them after class, even stopped caring when I knew they needed help. I became completely apathetic toward them. No wonder they didn’t take me up on invitations to talk whenever they needed to. No wonder I never got phone calls when something important happened.

I though I was fulfilling my responsibilities as their teacher simply by having a new class installment ready each week. I stopped caring about their specific needs for guidance and put an end to my availability for more personal teaching.

I let my ministry to 11-13 year old kids focus on just the mechanical part: investing hours in preparing class, showing up to church, giving class. I paid no attention to the actual people I was trying to reach.

Ministry shouldn’t be mechanical. Ministry shouldn’t ignore the people being ministered. I learned that lesson and now I’m trying to figure out how to better help the kids understand the gospel and all things necessary for their salvation. I think a big part of it will be spending time with them individually, explaining how Biblical principles apply even to them and the problems they face. I hope that after a while of helping them in that way, things will get better.

Style Idea 12: Bright Spring Days

Spring in Las Vegas is a lot different than Spring anywhere else. It rarely rains, the temperature is quite warm, and most days feel like the beginning of summer. Transitioning from cold weather to warmer weather is not a big deal; the change usually happens over night. Having said that, today’s the perfect day for an outfit like this.

True Blue Top: $32.99 Mod Cloth

Lightning Yellow Shorts: $17.80 Forever 21

Licorice Belt: $15.99 Mod Cloth

Gladiators: $79.00 Piperlime

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Prosperity

She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed in scarlet.

Proverbs 31:21

A sudden snowstorm or the beginning of winter may not be a big deal to us now. Most of us have a winter coat to pull out of storage, a home to take refuge in, blankets and heaters to keep us warm.

But what would an unexpected storm mean for a woman in ancient Israel? The verse implies that changes in weather were something to fear. If caught unprepared, a family could suffer the death of several members.

But the woman of Proverbs 31 was confident. She knew her whole family would be safe and survive to see the end of the storm. Why did she have this confidence? Because her family had enough. To be clothed in scarlet was a sign of financial prosperity, which means this family had the resources it needed to survive.

Its important to note that the family’s prosperity wasn’t spoken into existence or made to appear out of nothing. We’ve seen in verses prior to this one that the woman described was hard working, industrious, and creative. She used all that to take care of her family and thereby help her husband be successful in what he did. Their financial security did not come from a secret formula, a mysterious over-night success, a financial peace seminar, or some 10-step plan schemed by a Fortune 500 CEO. It came from the hard work both husband and wife contributed. Hard work pays off.

What the Proverbs 31 woman didn’t do was ignore her household duties in order to provide. Notice that verses 10-20 speak about the work she did directly for her household. Ignoring our responsibilities at home is never acceptable, even if it means an extra paycheck every two weeks. If your job or the amount of hours you put in negatively affect your ability to keep a good home, something has to change.

Our challenge this week, then, is to seriously think about our family’s finances and how we’re affecting them. Are we helping our family be prepared for whatever comes? Are we using our gifts in ways that help bring security? Is there a balance between work and home that allows to fulfill our responsibilities? Make whatever changes you have to make, knowing that God delights in obedience.

Update

After an unintended week-long break from blogging and social networking, I’m back and ready for the dive back in!

My last day of work over a week ago came just in time for a completely free Spring Break. I’ve been working on home improvement projects, fun DIY’s, and some baking recipes I can’t wait to share, Look for those posts throughout the week, intertwined with the regulars.

On a different note, we’ve now reached the halfway point in the Proverbs 31 Challenge and I’m thrilled to present you with the complete list of entries written so far. I hope they’ve been, and will continue to be, a blessing to you. They’ve been a blessing for me.

• Introduction
• Trustworthiness
• Doing Good
• The Hard Way Out
• Looking for Quality
• Sleep Less
• Smart Spending
• Strength and Submission
• Thankless Work
• Investing
• Giving

Photo of the Week: Vintage Village

     

This is a photo of the final project I turned in last night for my drawing perspective class. It is definitely an improvement from my first perspective drawing which I'm too ashamed of to share with you. The best part? It was chosen to be used as an example or exemplary work during school accreditation meetings and such. Honestly, even though I don't think this is a masterpiece, I never thought I'd ever be able to draw anything, much less something like this.  

Evangelism

Do you evangelize? Witness? Preach the gospel? Obey the Great Commission (Mar 16:15)? I don't. I have on occasion, but I don't do so regularly at all. I can happily announce that I'm a Christian, but announcing the message that makes me so is a different story.

I'd been ok with this for a long time. I'd watched Ray Comfort rightly preach the gospel several times and felt conviction and a desire to do the same. I bought tracts, passed some out, encouraged the youth group to "get out there" and share their faith, and even helped an established evangelism team one night. The thing is, the conviction and desire always faded away and I ended up back where I had started: discouraged, apathetic, and intimidated.

After going through the process a few times, I'd gotten tired and settled on apathetic mode. Concern for everyone else's eternity was near the bottom of my list. That's probably why I was more excited about the drive out to California than the actual reason behind the drive. I'd made up hundreds of excuses for not evangelizing and they all seemed legitimate enough. "I need to brush up on some apologetics first," "Paul did take years to prepare before he did anything."

As the seven of us headed out in one very large church van, Sarah leaned over and told me she was already very excited. "I'm also a little scared, though. I mean, Ray Comfort is so direct," she said. She knew what was ahead of her. She knew she would feel conviction, but she was ready for, even looking forward to, it. I, unfortunately, was not. I honestly didn't think anything would happen. I'd heard it all before, so what could possibly change?

We'd been settled into our seats for some time and one of the guys had just finished his message. Videos of evangelism encounters were playing as people shuffled in their seats. One particularly caught my attention.

The camera focused on Ray was speaking to a woman near a fancy fountain. "Have you ever told a lie?" he asked. She answered with a simple "yes." "Have you ever looked at another person with lust?" He continued until the look on her face showed she realized how sinful she actually was. Before saying good bye and walking away, he asked her if she had ever heard what he told her about Christ. "No, never," she replied.

Never? Hasn't everyone in America heard the gospel? Doesn't everyone know at least vaguely about what Jesus did and accomplished on the cross? I don't know why I hadn't realized it before. Hardly anyone has heard the gospel. I hadn't heard it before I converted. I'd been told that Jesus loves me. I'd been told he had a plan for my life. Never had I heard that he died on the cross so that if I believe and repent, my sins will be forgiven. Never.

The conference I attended achieved much more than I thought it could. It showed me, once and for all, that there are countless souls who have never ever heard the good news. I cried. I cried not only because I thoughts of dying hospital patients who never heard of the wonderful sacrifice Jesus made flooded my mind, but also because I feared that the urgency I felt at the moment would fade away again.

This time, I'm determined to stay on fire. I know I have to seek the lost and tell them of the salvation that has been revealed to me. I have no more excuses. They were all destroyed during a later message when somebody said something about not needing to know anything but the gospel to go out to preach it. They were destroyed when somebody explained how to start a conversation. They were destroyed when the great men of Living Waters made evangelism seem easy.

So, my dear readers, you have become my accountability group. Next week will mark the beginning of a new post category: Testimony Thursday. I'll make time each week to head out and do some street evangelism and report back any interesting stories on Thursdays. Please pray for me!

Style Idea 11: Vacation Planning

I booked a flight to Mexico yesterday and now I'm so excited to plan the trip! Granted, we won't take off until late June, but Richie and I haven't taken a real vacation since our honey moon more than three years ago. We'll be visiting my mom's hometown where I hope to take lots of walks without a destination, explore the nearby woods, and relax in my grandma's sunroom. Naturally, I've got an outfit planned for lazy summer days.

Big Retro Sunglasses: $30.00 Top Shop

Agate Stone Necklace: $9.00 Charlotte Russe

Navy Blue Polka Dot Romper: $37.99 Ruche

Marigold Cardigan: $36.00 Tulle

Marigold Peep Toe Flats: $39.95 DSW