Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

A few days ago I caught glimpse of myself in a large mirror. I almost shrieked with horror! I was not prepared for what I saw. I have always been self conscious. I tend to judge myself harshly. I tried to look at myself with God’s eyes instead. He sees me as his child. No matter what I look like, he loves me. He created me to be exactly as I am. Every part of myself is what he designed.

I started reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. The first day really got to me. So far every day has really gotten to me. It has made me mad, sad and hopeful all at the same time. If you haven’t read it you need to! It is a 40 day thing. There isn’t much to read each day.

Day 2’s “Point to Ponder” was I AM NOT AN ACCIDENT. The entire section for Day 2 was filled with how God made us and let us have the parents we have, the bodies we have, our brains , our pasts, circumstances and everything else about ourselves and our lives because he wanted us that way. We have a specific purpose that can only be fulfilled by us the way we are.

That really hit home to me. I never thought that everything about me was made the exact way God wanted it to be. I’ve always compared myself to models and other women and it left me feeling less than I should. It was refreshing looking at things that way instead of my normal view of myself. Have you ever felt you were less important or that you weren’t as good as others? This is a lie!!! God made each of us special. We are all custom designed. We are not cookie-cutter people!! Something I always thought was a bad thing is actually an amazingly wonderful thing.

Psalm 139:14 “… For I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

When I was a little girl, I remember catching part of a movie on T.V. It was an older movie, maybe made in the 50’s or 60’s. Everyone was to be transformed in this machine to a certain look. “Normal” people weren’t acceptable. There were 3 or 4 models you could chose from. There was a homely looking girl who refused to be made into this image. She was determined to stay true to the way she looked because it made her who she was. The scientist argued with her and even said but don’t you want to be beautiful like everyone else?

I never knew if she was forced to be changed or not but she didn’t want to be anyone but who she was made to be. I honestly forgot about that until now! 

I no longer want to be look or be like anyone else. We are our best, when we are ourselves.

On that note I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! I am not treating myself very well. Last year I ate only things that would help my body perform the best that it could. I have almost completely fallen off of the healthy eating and lifestyle wagon. In fact I’m starting to lose the tracks from the wagon wheels! I am starting today going to treat myself better and eat what is best for me and exercise so I can have a healthy body to God’s purpose. I am also going to try to get enough sleep. I always have a problem with that.

I am telling anyone who reads this (maybe only my mother) so I can be accountable. I am going to strive to become spiritually and physically fit! Every once in a while I may post recipes or other things but for the most part this blog will be centered around bible verses and what I get from them to help me in my life and hopefully in your lives as well.

God Bless you all!

 

Purpose – Jesus Knows My Name

I’m glad that I have a savior who knows me when I don’t know myself. He knows my name, the number of hairs I have on my head and he knows my purpose. My Grandma has Alzheimer’s. She has lost who she is, but Jesus knows her and that’s what counts. She asked Jesus into her heart a long time ago. She worked hard taking care of the money for our church. She played the piano for the church and played the piano for The New Jerusalem Quartet. Her purpose was to be a wife, a mother to 3 children, a piano player, a book-keeper, a baker, a grandmother and most importantly a servant of God.

I’ve always struggled with my purpose. I know that God creates each of us with a purpose. I know as a Christian that my purpose is to spread the Gospel of Jesus and help those who are seeking Jesus and those who don’t know they need to seek Jesus, find Him. I’ve asked God, how can I serve you and carry out my purpose? What is my purpose? Can I still reach people after all the sins I’ve done? I don’t know if anyone else has ever felt this way. I’ve felt so low and unable to do God’s will because of past sins. Those negative feelings are lies from the devil. He sticks that nasty little finger in our minds and starts stirring up all these ideas so that we will be distracted from what God wants us to do. He enjoys seeing us feel unable, unworthy and afraid. He wants us to think we have no purpose. He has come to steal, kill and destroy.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Jesus says he has come so we can have life AND that we may have it more abundantly. He loves us. He had a design and plan for our life before we were even born. Jeremiah 29:11 KJV “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11 says it. God knows the plans he has for us. He created us. Everyone was born with a purpose. No one born is a mistake. Have you ever thought, I’d be better off if I’d never been born? I think at one point or another that thought has crossed all of our minds. It makes me think about, It’s a Wonderful Life. The character John gets to see what the world would be like without him. He sees how the town changes and how the people are negatively affected by him not being alive. He realizes that he has a purpose. He had a reason to be born.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

God knew you and who you were going to be before you were born. He designed you with a purpose. So many of us never carry out our purpose. I challenge you to seek God’s purpose for you. Ask him and really listen. Read and pray every day. Trust God to supply you with what you need for your calling and your purpose.

Love in Christ,

Iva

Welcome!

I am very excited to start this blog! You will have to bear with me while I work on getting everything up and running. My purpose is to help girls and women see they are worth more than what the mirror says. It’s something I’ve always struggled with, and unfortunately it is something most females struggle with today. I plan on posting bible verses and thoughts each day. I will also post information about being healthy and healthy recipes. The number on the scale is simply just a number! It’s how you feel and your health that are important.

I know there are a blue million sites on self-esteem, beauty, weight loss and being healthy. My site will be different because I want girls and women to see that beauty starts within. I want them to see that God sees them as precious jewels. I want them to see themselves how God sees them. I am currently working on the about me page and plan to add several more pages in the following week.

Love in Christ,

Iva Mae