Acceptance...

Accepted: generally approved; usually regarded as normal, right, etc.  This is the definition according to http://www.dictionary.com/.  Why do we long to be accepted so badly by the things and people of this world?  I have really been thinking and pondering on this a lot lately, especially since I have had so many people make comments about my body and suggesting different things I can do to lose weight.  I feel like I want to be accepted because if I am not, then there is obviously something wrong with me.  I mean I am 31 and single...these are the kind of thoughts that the enemy puts in to my mind!  I feel so unaccepted by so many "friends" sometimes.  That is why I have to find my true identity and self in Christ Jesus.  No person, not a friend or a man will ever make me or anyone else feel complete and accepted EVER!  The only person who will accept us for who we are is Jesus!  This has also made me more aware of how I look at other people around me too and it is quite the eye opener.

I could go on for a long time trying to explain myself and why it is harder for me to lose weight but, I am not going to do that any more.  I feel like maybe the Lord keeps me in a place of "discontentment" so to speak to make me desire more and more to be with Him in heaven one day.  :)  Brings me back to the wonderful song by Bethany Dillon: 

"Beautiful"

I was so unique

Now I feel skin deep

I count on the make-up to cover it all

Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention

I thought I could be strong

But it's killing me



Does someone hear my cry?

I'm dying for new life



[Chorus]

I want to be beautiful

Make you stand in awe

Look inside my heart,

and be amazed

I want to hear you say

Who I am is quite enough

Just want to be worthy of love

And beautiful



Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me

Fighting to make the mirror happy

Trying to find whatever is missing

Won't you help me back to glory



[Chorus]



You make me beautiful

You make me stand in awe

You step inside my heart, and I am amazed

I love to hear You say

Who I am is quite enough

You make me worthy of love and beautiful
 
Lord, I truly want to be beautiful in Your eyes.  Help me to keep my focus steadfast on you! 
 
 
I hope whoever reads this, feels beautiful today!

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You are Here and Then You are Not...

It still blows my mind anytime someone passes away suddenly.  I will be honest, it obviously affects me more when it is my own family or someone that I am close to.  I lost my Uncle Jack on Monday, August 2nd, unexpectedly.  Though I am sad that he is gone, I am praising our Holy Father for redeeming my Uncle.  My uncle had a very rough life but, thankfully he found Jesus and His salvation a few years ago!  I have always had a soft spot in my heart for him.  I remember each time I would tell him that I loved him and he would always say, "I love you too kid".  I know I will see him again!  Please pray for his children, they are not believer's and I know that he was in prayer for them to find Jesus.

Today's devotion that was sent to me is so appropriate for all of us but, especially for me.  I always feel like I have to look a certain way or be a certain way for a man to like me.  Well, that is just a lie from satan and I am trying fervently to break that lie.  Here is the verse and the note along with it...I hope it touches you and fills your mind with God's truth.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." -- 1 Samuel 16:7

THOUGHT:

Have you ever wondered how many potentially good friends you may
have lost simply by judging them on your first impression of them?
I'm amazed at how the first impression very seldom tells us much of
substance about another person. We're not really going to be able
to evaluate people properly until the Lord reveals at judgment what
is really in their hearts. Don't you think that we should give them
time to reveal what is in their hearts before we make a decision
about them?! Let's don't just look on the outward appearance!

I have sadly done this too many times!  Though I know that the world is full of people who only look at the outward appearance (me included sometimes), ultimately we should only care about what the Lord sees.  Don't get me wrong, I know that the Lord wants us to take care of ourselves but, He loves us no matter what!  HOW AMAZING!

Here is another person who loves me unconditionally....