The Truest Love

Close your eyes and imagine with me for a moment. (Well, closing your eyes could be a bit difficult while you read this, but bear with me.)


Imagine you’re in a ballroom. The decadence is overwhelming. Glowing light is cast over everything as the band plays soft, serenading music in the background. You’re a bit of a wallflower, but you don’t mind. You’re enjoying watching everyone twirl and dance, so much so that you don’t even care that you’re not waltzing with the rest of them. Your soft purple dress falls around you in graceful folds, and your hair is in a curly updo. You wouldn’t even know how to do your hair like that if this was real life. You see diamonds everywhere - in the chandeliers above your head, in the dangly earrings you wear, and the diamond bracelet on your wrist. The sparkly atmosphere makes it feel all the more magical.


You feel a light tap on your shoulder. “May I have this dance?”


You whirl, suddenly brought out of your reverie. You were so lost in thought that you didn’t see this man approach, but now, here he stands. His hair is in sawdust-colored curls, and he bows slightly. A hint of a smile lingers on his lips. You’re not sure whether to feel afraid or excited at this unexpected turn of events.


You take his outstretched hand as he leads you onto the dance floor. He grasps your hand, and you waltz. Twirling, twirling. You study this mysterious stranger as you dance. Who is he? Where did he come from?


“I believe we were never fully introduced,” you begin. 


“I’m sorry.” He smiles, almost mischievously. He doesn’t give you his name, and seems to have no intention of giving it to you. You wait for a few awkward moments, and then you tell him your name. “I know,” he says with a wink.


You can’t think of anything to say, so you keep your mouth shut as the dance continues and finally draws to a close. You stand still as the music fades away, suddenly struck with the realization that you danced with someone who is a complete stranger and seems to want to remain that way. Far be it from you to drag information out of him, but there’s something about him that makes you want to know everything. Maybe it’s the way he smiles... or his bluish-green eyes. Whatever it is, you’re intrigued. And you don’t want this conversation - or, rather, lack of one - to end.


Much to your surprise, it doesn’t. He keeps his hold on your hand and tips his head as he looks at you. “Walk with me?”


You are much too surprised to refuse, and allow him to lead you off the dance floor. Together, you walk out the large double doors onto a balcony that looks just like it came from a Disney princess movie. The stars seem to sing above the two of you, accompanied by the sound of the crickets in the bushes below. You study this man curiously. “Who are you?” You finally ask.


“I am,” he simply says.


“No, I mean... who are you?” you ask again, bewildered.


“Tell me...” He begins, leading you by the hand to a nearby bench. “What’s been troubling you? Your thoughts? Your desires?”


You are speechless. “Um...” Again, you ask yourself, who is he? Why does he seem so familiar? And what is this strange hold he seems to have on your heart?


He just looks at you, imploring you to speak with those beautiful eyes of his. And so you do.


“I’ve been thinking. About God. About life. About me...” You trail off. “Who I’m going to marry, mostly.”


He raises his eyebrows, inviting you to go on. “Yes?”


“No, it’s stupid.” You hang your head. He reaches over and lifts your chin up, and you find yourself looking straight into his eyes. “It’s not stupid,” he whispers. “Not to me.”


Your eyes fill with tears. “I feel... worthless. There are no guys who want to date me. No one to even give me a second glance.” 


You turn your body away, but he comes around and kneels in front of you. There is no escaping this man. He holds both your hands in his warm grasp. “What about me?” he asks.


“What about you?” You repeat, starting to get irritated. “I don’t even know who you are!”


“I am,” he says simply.


“You are what?” Your eyes fill with tears again, this time angry tears. You don’t understand this man or anything he says. 


Then he says your name. So tenderly. So sweetly. The sound is so beautiful that you want to melt. Slowly, you turn towards him again. “Yes?” you reply.


“Talk to me,” he says.


And for some reason you can’t understand, your heart comes spilling out. All your desires. Your wants. Your needs. Your pain. Your fears. Your hopes. Your dreams.


“And while I have your attention,” you say with a laugh, “I just want to say, I want to know... where is that special guy? Why hasn’t he come yet?”


This man across from you feels like one of your best friends. And in this moment, all he does is blink. So you continue.


“Who is my true love?”


The man stands, and pulls you into his arms. Then he laughs softly. “Well, that’s easy.”


He pauses, and you look up into his eyes. His eyes... you nearly drown in them.


His voice rumbles next to your ear, and you will never forget what he says.


“I am.”

Why "Beautiful in Christ"?

Beautiful in Christ (BIC) is founded on the idea that everyone is beautiful. It sounds cliche, but it's true. You are beautiful.

I've had many days where I don't believe that I'm beautiful. It's hard to feel that way in our culture today, where everywhere we're bombarded by "fake" beauty. So what's a girl to do?

We have to listen to what God says. That's the foundation of everything else. Once we listen to God's voice and hear what He says, our thoughts will begin to follow. We have to believe we're beautiful.

Why?

Because Jesus says so.

We may not be perfect. But Jesus is, so we don't have to be. I once came across a blog. The URL was misspelled as "inperfection" rather than "imperfection." Upon further inspection, I noticed that someone had left a comment. This person commented and said, "I know you probably meant to type 'imperfection' in your blog URL. But I think the way you typed it is really cool, because we're in Jesus, and that means we're in perfection."

Jesus is beautiful. His love, his grace, and his mercy are beautiful. Christ has made us new creations, and therefore, we are beautiful.


That's the point of this blog. You are beautiful. Why? Because Jesus says so.

More Beautiful You

One song that has spoken to me greatly as I've gotten older and faced the struggles that so many girls face is Jonny Diaz's song, More Beautiful You. I appreciate this song from a guy's perspective, encouraging girls that the way they are is beautiful, and not to settle for lies from Satan and the world telling them they're not good enough. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, with a poignant message that I believe every young woman needs to hear.

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn’t straight, her body isn’t fake

And she’s always felt overweight

Well, little girl fourteen I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care, your skin your body and your hair

Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don’t buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you



I'd encourage you to hit play on the video, sit back, close your eyes, and let the words sink into your heart. Remember that God is amazed by you. He died just so He could be with you...and He loves you more than words can describe.






So turn around you’re not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It’s not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the One who’s strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl



If there's one thing you take away from this part, I want it to be this:
God made you to fill a purpose that only you could do...
...so there could never be a more beautiful you.


~Kylie

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord...

 I really liked Ashley's devotional earlier this week. It was very thought-provoking, and very to-the-point. I'm so thankful for Jesus' amazing sacrifice. To think that my King would die for me... it is almost beyond my comprehension.

This verse makes me happy. It reminds me of how awesome God is. We're his children, and He loves us so much! Never ever forget that!

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:10-13

~ Kylie

How He Loves

This is my all time favorite song ever, and I thought it was really suiting to talk about God's absolutely amazing love!!! 

How He Loves Us - David Crowder Band

Verse 1
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane,
I am the tree
Bending beneath,
The weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me.
Chorus
Oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how he loves us,
How he loves us so.
Verse 2:
So we are his portion,
and He is our prize. 
Drawn to grace by the redemption in his eyes.
If love is an ocean we're all sinking.
So heaven meets earth like a loving first kiss,
and my heart turns violently inside of my chest.
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about, the way,

Chorus
That He loves us. 
Oh how He loves us.
Oh how He loves us. 
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves


-Ashley H

God Loves You

God loves you.

Those three words are so powerful! They have comforted many in times of trouble or need, and have often brought about the conversion of ordinary people. We hear it so often in our Christian society. Although the words have not lost their meaning, some people don’t fully understand what they really do mean. Of course we know that God loves us, but how much?

Well, first of all, the Bible tells us that God is love. That concept is probably hard to grasp, but what I believe it means is that God has so many different facets that we will never understand Him all. His love is so deep, so undescribable, and so eternal, that we won’t be able to understand it at its fullest either—and that is just a portion of him!

However, when Jesus was hanging on the cross to die, the weight of the world quite literally on his shoulders, we were able to glimpse just a bit of how much God loves us. He loves us enough for Him to come down on a little baby, and live in this world of sin, so that he could die on the cross many years later and take away the sins of all mankind—past, present, and future.

This month, and for the rest of the year, I hope you will remember the truest love there could ever be, and share it with others.

{This post was originally published in Kids of Faith Online Newsletter.}

The Bible

For this week’s follow-up, I decided to post a quote, since we haven’t ever done that on this blog. Last night, I was skimming through The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer – a book that I have heard is exceptionally good, and one that I plan to read. I stumbled across this quote, and thought it would perfectly complement Ashley’s devo last week.

So, without further ado, is A.W. Tozer describing the Bible in his own words.

The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into him, that they may delight in his presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts. – A.W. Tozer

Isn’t that a powerful description of the Bible? I love it, and I think it sums up the purpose of the Bible completely. What does this quote mean to you? Leave a comment and let us know!

The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, emphasis mine)

No doubt you’ve heard this verse. I know many people who count it among their favorites, and I’ve heard the last part quoted many times. Today we’re going to take a closer look at what that phrase means.

First of all, what is joy? Well, according to my big blue Webster’s dictionary (that’s probably similar to Suzanna’s dictionary), this is the definition of joy:

Joy – n; 1. a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being; 2. something that gives great pleasure or happiness.

It’s from an Old French word that means “to rejoice”. Rejoicing occurs a lot in my life, especially when I receive something that makes me happy. I'm sure you've experienced joy many times. I think that the joy of the Lord may be bigger and better than any form of earthly joy.

I also believe that God Himself is joyful, and rejoices often. One of my favorite representations of Jesus is a picture we have hanging in our upstairs hall. Jesus’ eyes are smiling, and His mouth is open wide with laughter. It’s a beautiful picture of the delight God must feel in His children, and the joy that He wants us to have.

God knows that when we have His joy within us, it will refresh us and bring us life. When we have the joy of the Lord, it’s also a form of supernatural strength that can only come from Him. His joy goes beyond circumstances, and it will never run out. Most of all, we can rejoice because we have been saved by Christ Himself.

So how do we get this joy? Well, I would start by asking the Lord to give you His joy. I’m sure He will honor your request. Start tuning into Him and what He says. I get a lot of joy from my relationship with Him. And maybe try to find joy in everyday occurrences. You never know what might surprise you.

Redefining Christmas

Christmastime is definitely approaching. I can almost smell it in the air. People are gearing up for the busy holiday season, and depending on where you live, you’ve probably had at least one snowfall. Everything is centered around preparing for the arrival of what is probably the biggest and most-anticipated holiday of the year.

Christmas is probably my favorite holiday, but not just because of the general holiday cheer. I enjoy being able to spend time with family, give them gifts, and most of all, celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. To me, Christmas is just one more opportunity to really reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us. After all, the reason Jesus came to be on earth was so that He could grow up, die, and be resurrected, to take away the sins of the world. This season, I’ve been thinking a lot about Jesus, and the hope that He’s given us. Without Him, Christmas seems so empty. Christ has to remain in Christmas, otherwise it will become meaningless.

As I thought about it, I wanted some way to be able to share this hope with others. I was thrilled this morning when my mom told me we had some money to give. Excitedly, my siblings and I looked at all of our possibilities. We had so much fun choosing who we could bless this Christmas. In the end, we gave to several causes, such as a local pregnancy center, our local shelters, and several organizations that minister to families overseas. I felt so ecstatic that I was making a difference, and helping other Christians bring Jesus’ hope to those in need. This morning I discovered that the old adage rings true—to give is better than to receive. I can’t explain the feeling I got after choosing to give, but it was inexplicably wonderful. I realized what Christmas is really about—it’s about Jesus, and giving others His hope.

This Christmas, I’m going to redefine my focus. I’m going to focus on what I can give rather than what I will be getting. I’m going to focus on the ways that I can bring light to others, even if it’s just smiling at a random person who passes by me. Most of all, I’m going to look for every opportunity I can to remind those around me of Jesus, the real reason for Christmas. Who’s with me?

~Kylie

My Hiding Place

You are my hiding place; 

       you will protect me from trouble

       and surround me with songs of deliverance.

       Selah

- Psalm 32:7

Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

- Isaiah 4:5-6

Corrie ten Boom's faith really amazes and inspires me. I read her story not too long ago, and came away with a strong desire for faith like that. She was such a strong and faith-filled lady that I would have loved to meet.

You only have to read a brief biography of her life to gather that her life wasn't easy. She grew up the daughter of a clockmaker in Haarlem, Holland. When the Holocaust began, Corrie and her father and sister Betsie helped hide the Jews in their house. Sadly, they were betrayed, and Corrie and her family were taken to a concentration camp. Her father and Betsie both died during their imprisonment, but Corrie escaped ten months later with nothing short of a miracle. She then went on to speak to thousands of people about how "there is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still." (quote from Corrie)

When I read Corrie ten Boom's book, The Hiding Place, I was baffled by her joy and hope even in the midst of darkness. I couldn't understand it, until I realized something. "The hiding place" may refer to the secret room in the ten Booms' house that they used to hide the Jews, but I think that it also refers to the source of Corrie's hope as well - Jesus. When things were at their worst, Corrie still ran to her Heavenly Father, the only one who could be her refuge during that time. Corrie learned how to truly rely on God for everything, and how to hide under the shadow of His wings. Below is some of Psalm 91, a passage I thought was fitting.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 

       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, 

       my God, in whom I trust." ...

He will cover you with his feathers, 

       and under his wings you will find refuge; 

       his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

  You will not fear the terror of night, 

       nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 

       nor the plague that destroys at midday....

 If you make the Most High your dwelling— 

       even the LORD, who is my refuge-

 then no harm will befall you, 

       no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you 

       to guard you in all your ways;

 they will lift you up in their hands, 

       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.....

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; 

       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him; 

       I will be with him in trouble, 

       I will deliver him and honor him.

 With long life will I satisfy him 

       and show him my salvation."

When things get tough, all we have to do is call on the name of the Lord. He's always listening, and always there to lift us out of any pit. I want to rely on His strength to carry me. No matter what lies ahead or how hard things are, He knows what will happen, and He is there to walk through it with us. He's our refuge, and He will always be our Hiding Place.

~Kylie

P.S. - I found this website interesting, because it contains photos of Corrie's home and Corrie herself. Check it out with your parents' permission! Click here.

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ

Romans 10:15
"How shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things." 

How beautiful, the hands that served the wine and the bread, and the sons of the earth.

  How beautiful, the feet that walked the long dusty roads, and the hill to the cross. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. How beautiful, the heart that bled, that took all my sin and bore it instead.

  How beautiful, the tender eyes that choose to forgive and never despise. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. And as He laid down His life.  We offer this sacrifice, that we will live, just as He died. Willing to pay, to pay the price, willing to pay the price. How beautiful, the radiant bride, who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.

  How beautiful, when humble hearts give the fruit of pure lives so that others may live. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. How beautiful, the feet that bring the sound of good news, and the love of the King. How beautiful, the hands that serve the wine and the bread, and the sons of the earth. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. 

                                                                       "How Beautiful" 

                                                                                 ~written by Twila Paris 


~Natalie

                                            

True Beauty

From Zion, perfect in beauty,
       God shines forth. ~Psalm 50:2

One thing I ask of the LORD,
       this is what I seek:
       that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
       all the days of my life,
       to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
       and to seek him in his temple. ~Psalm 27:4

 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
       God comes in awesome majesty. ~Job 37:22

It's the question that every girl has wondered at some point in their life -- what is true beauty? In the glamourous portrayal of  'beauty' that we get from movie stars and popular culture today, there isn't really a clear answer. As a Christian, I've heard numerous times that true beauty comes from the inside, and that it's your heart that counts. That's a very true concept, but as I thought about this, I wanted to approach this topic from another perspective.

I was fascinated when I read the above verses. I had never really thought about God's beauty before! But as I contemplated it, the more I realized how true it was.

Now, I know this may sound a little odd -- the idea of God being beautiful. But I don't think David, the writer of the Psalms, was referring to God's physical beauty. Rather, God is beautiful in His very nature. He's so perfect, so majestic, so infinite, that beautiful doesn't even begin to describe Him adaquately. He's beautiful not only because of His love, His mercy, and His compassion toward us, but just because He is God.

Here's something else for you to think about. Because we're created in God's image, we have His beauty too. We definitely can't have it on the infinite scale of His beauty, but because we are in Christ, we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). That means that we're beautiful too. God's beauty is amazing, majestic, and glorious. It's beauty beyond compare, and beauty that will never pass away. That's something I definitely want to have. What about you?

~Kylie

The Beginning

Welcome to Beautiful in Christ! Our names are Ashley and Kylie, friends living on opposite sides of the United States. We have a heart for encouraging other girls in their walk with Christ and this blog was started for just that purpose. We also want to remind you, our readers, of what true beauty is, and how we are made beautiful -- through Christ.

On this blog we hope to post meaningful articles that make you think and bring you enlightenment, along with some fun stuff along the way. This blog is fully committed to God and we pray that He would speak to you through it. If you come away from this blog with anything, we hope it is this: Jesus loves us so much, and thinks we have value beyond compare.

We'll be getting this site up and running over the next few weeks, so bear with us, but in the meantime you can visit our blogs (Ashley's blog, and Kylie's blog). Or you can shoot us an email at daughtersoftruth [at] gmail [dot] com.

In Christ,
Ashley and Kylie