Self Image

[Disclaimer.... I wrote this for a dorm devotional a while back and I thought it would be good for people to read it outside of that dorm devotional. If you're a christian, please read it and tell me what you think. Give me comments. If you're not a christian, please do the same. Read it and give me comments. Hope to hear feedback soon. It's my prayer that this is a blessing to someone out there. Also, all the scriptures I include are from the English Standard Version. Much Love, SBK]

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Self Image

Do you like the person you see in the mirror? You should. After all, the person in the mirror is a very special person, who is made and loved by God. And God precicely knew what He was doing when he gave you a unique set of talents and opportunities. Now, it's up to you to discover what those talents are and to use them, but sometimes the world will encourage otherwise. At times, society will attempt to force you into a particular, performed mold. Yet God may have other plans in store for you.

The world will attemtp to define you- how you should look, how you should act, and how you should think. And because you're an imperfect human being, you may become so wrapped up in meeting the world's expectiations that you fail to focus on God's expectations He has for you. To do so is a mistake of major proportions. Instead of trying to please the world, try to please God by becoming the very best 'you' that you can be.

Thousands of books have been written about ways to improve self-esteem, yet maintaining a healthy self-image is, to a surprising extent, the matter of doing three things: 1. Obeying God, 2. Thinking healthy thoughts, 3. Finding a purpose for your life that pleases your Creator and yourself.

The following ideas can help you build the kind of self-image and the kind of life that both you and God will be proud of:

1. Behave yourself. If you're not behaving yourself, how can you possibly expect to feel good about yourself? 1 Peter 3:12 says, "For the eyese of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

2. Guard your thoughts and guard your heart. Eventhough you can't control every thought, you can usually control the direction of your thoughts. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

3. Spend time with people who are upbeat, enthusiastic and encouraging. If you and your friends always seem to end up in 'the critics corner', it's time to find new friends... and a new corner! James 4:11 says, "Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge."


4. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you're willing to firgive other people's mistakes, then you should be willing to forgive your own mistakes, as well. Romans 14:22 says, "The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves."

5. Find something you're passionate about. Become so wrapped up in something that you don't have time to worry about self-esteem. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men,..."

6. Beware of addictions. Addictions of whatever type lead to misery, grief and low self-esteem. Exodus 20:3 says, "You shall have no other gods before me."

7. Finally, here's a word of caution. Don't spend too much time focused on self-esteem. Instead, you should focus on using your talents and pleasing your God. You should learn to direct your thoughts in positive ways. You should learn to find something to do and someone to love. When you accomplish these things, your self esteem will, on myst days, take care of itself.

Additional Bible Readings:

Ephesians 2:10- "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Psalm 139:13-14- "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wondefully made."

Psalm 8:5- "Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him over with glory and Honor."

Phillipians 1:6- "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to chopelation at the day of Jesus Christ."

Ecclesiastes 11:4, 6- "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. [...] In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or wheter both alike will be good."

2 Timothy 1:6- "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,..."

Good bye for now Dr. Warren

While at a Mary Kay party a friend of mine from church was throwing, I found out that one of my old teachers at F-HU passed away today. Dr. Warren was my speech teacher. I never will forget his smile (man he had LONG teeth), how he would go out of his way just to say hey, and how he LOVED his wife. I also won't forget how he cared for people and how he and his wife were so gracious, and generous and hospitibal. He had some health problems, and then his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimers. I would kindly ask you to keep him and his family in your prayers, and especially his wife as I do the same. Thank you very much.

So... Here I am again...

Hey, all. I know it's been a while... YET AGAIN!! Not a lot has been going on lately. I'm taking Educational Psychology at a local Comm. College and a big part of that was my mom's "influence"... She was really pushing me to stay "in the loop" of things I guess. So I did.... It's been ok so far. Our first test is tomorrow... *sigh* It's been fun trying to study. I went out of town two weeks ago to John's dad's house in Mississippi. It was fun. It was wierd coming back, though... I was feeling kinda sad leaving that Monday. But I got over it just as soon as my lack of sleep caught up with me. lol... Then the following weekend, since John had taking that Friday off thinking we'd be going back that weekend to an Ole Miss football game and to see their dad in a play, we ended up spending that Saturday and Sunday at his mom and step-dad's. Then, the play and the football game was this past weekend. I got home last night about 9:30 pm, but ended up in Nolensville at my curfew time. (Me having a curfew at 21 is a different story for a different time...) It was fun. His daddy was amazing in the play. I was really impressed. It was a sequel to a play they did last year. If either play is going ot happen around here where I live, I would LOVE to try out for it. The play that was put on last year was called "Smoke on the Mountain" and the sequel was called "Sanders Family Christmas". I would highly recommend seeing them, but seeing them in order because it makes more sense that way. OBVIOUSLY!!! haha... But anyway. Just thought I'd touch base with y'all... I haven't seen my sister yet since we moved her in, but hopefully soon I'll be able to get out there to visit.

So, in six days we're moving my sister in at Freed Hardeman University. That's where I've attended for three years. I'm transferring to Columbia State, so I'm coming back home. So this is gonna be kind of bitter sweet coming to Freed, but it's going to be wierd since I'm not moving in to attend there. :( I don't really know how I'm feeling. I'm glad I'm not going back in some ways. But in a lot of ways I'm going to miss it. There, the student body definately feels like a family. It's going to be hard the the first few days without my sister here and me not being there too. It's wierd that this is her last week at home before she goes to college. I kinda feel old. haha.... But then again I shouldn't because I'm about two and a half years older than her. So... Just think of me the next couple weeks. That would mean a lot.

truely scared

we found out recently at church that one of our missionaries we support had gotten kidnapped in nigeria and had some kind of randsome on him (wording??) that someone could pay to rescue him. i don't know if the captors got their randsome money or what but they let him go. he's been sick and lost either his brother or cousin (i was told two different things)... so he's been in going through some mega struggles... this past tuesday, a member at our church left to go to nigeria to do more mission work, the day that someone else got kidnapped. he got released wednesday. i was sitting at church and i was truly scared... i don't get truly scared about a lot of things very easily, but this was SCARY!!! she could not make it back alive!! i mean... think about it... if any christians read my blog, please pray for her. and these other two. their names are Edu Okure, Bob Wittaker, and Joyce Anderson.

Capri by Colbie Callait

She's got a baby inside
and holds her belly tight
all through the night
just so she knows
she's sleeping so
safely to keep
her growing
and oh when she'll open her eyes
there'll be no surprise
that she'll grow to be
so beautifully
just like her mother
that's carrying
oh capri
she's beauty
baby inside she's loving
oh capri
she's beauty
there is an angel growin' peacfully
oh capri
sweet baby
and things will be hard at times
but i've learned to try
just listening
patiently, oh capri
sweet baby
oh capri
she's beauty
baby inside she's loving
oh capri
you're beauty
just like your mother
that's carrying... oh capri

So I don;t know where this has come from but John and I have been arguing a lot lately. I woke up with a headache this morning and vomitted. John and I argued last night on the way home to my house and every time we do I never feel like he wants me. I always feel like I'm just not making him happy. He wants me to lose weight and look a little better for him. I can understand him wanting to have a good looking girlfriend or fiance, but ya know, I don't understand why I'm the one doing this for him and he hasn't done anything for me... He has to lose weight and has no room to talk. I want him to look good but he attributes it all to laziness. I can't sit here and lose this weight for him and him not lose weight for himself in return. It's also hard for me to accept that he sometimes skips church. I grew up where I LOVED going to worship. God is my first priority, but it doesn't seem the first priority for him. I want it to be a first priority for him, I just don't see it. He's asked me to help him and I've tried, but every time i try to help him it doesn't seem that he appreciates my help and every different way i try to help him doesn't seem to work because he just sits there and gets upset with me. I don't know what else to do. I want this to be a testimony for the people who are dating. Relationships are a bunch of give and take, compromise and working things out. We need to find a healthy way to argue/disagree. It takes work and if you really love them, you'll do what you can to change and work through it TOGETHER.