I'm Watching You

I found this post that I had shared in another blog I used to have a while ago. One of those embarrassing, middle school, pre-facebook "share my every day's activities" blogs. Anyway. This also is from an article in the Sisterhood Magazine. (Again, I highly recommend checking it out)

It doesn't matter your age, everyone has someone else that looks up to them. This subject is so important right now. It's not the shortest article, but God really laid this on my heart to share with you all. We all need to be open to the things that the younger generation are struggling with.

Hi. I'm Megan.
   I'm growing like crazy, and the changes in my body totally make me self-conscious.
   I love to sleep.
   I'm battling mood swings that can frighten a bear out of hibernation, and I often express myself through outbursts of anger. But I'm also terrified-and to cover that up-I pretend I'm much stronger than I am.
   I'm only 11. And this is where you come in! I know your older than me, and I want you to know that I need you. It seems like I crave encouragement, support and love-the unconditional kind. So when I try to hang around you, its' because I'm watching you. See, I know you remember what it's like to be 11. And because you're turning out OK, I figure I can learn by your actions.
   My friends are really important to me. So is my freedom. I get lost in my day-sometimes I can't tell the difference between 5 minutes or 50 minutes. I daydream a lot too.
   I like to sew, paint and write in my journal. My little brothers drive me mad, but I love them like crazy. I'm interested in spiritual things, but a lot of what happens at church and what I read in my Bible, doesn't make sense to me...at least not yet.
   You remember this stuff, right? You were here. So you also know that I am a sponge! I soak in everything I see and hear, especially what I notice in teenage girls-girls just like you. Again,  I'm watching you.
   So I want you to know how powerful your life is! Have you ever thought about the opportunity you have to shape the life of young girls like me? It's crazy-huge! the way you choose to live your life is most likely the way my friends and I will choose to live our lives...so please...choose wisely.
   A while ago my dad asked me to make a list of the characteristics I think are important in being a role model. I think he was hoping I might find someone your age who could help me to become who God wants me to be. I think he also wanted me to know what kind of a person I'll need to be to shape the lives of younger girls when I'm your age. Anyway, here's what I came up with
   I want to be a teen girl who...

• has a positive self-image. I hope I don't look to the world for my worth, but instead remember that I'm a child of God and created in His image.

• respects authority. I hope I'll be someone who chooses to allow the people who are there to guide me (like my parents, teachers and coaches) to actually guide me.

• serves others first. I want to be a person who leads with love. I don't want love to be secondary in my life. I want it to be the first thing that comes out of me.

• is trustworthy. I want people to know they can believe in me because I fulfill my promises, keep secrets and am completely honest. 

• is always teachable. I hope I'm a person who never thinks I know everything but can learn from everyone-even people who are younger than me or people I don't really know very well.

• is committed to social causes. I hope that I'm a person who actively words to right the wrongs in the world.

• admits when I'm wrong. I want to be the kind of person who can admit when I've made a mistake or that I'm wrong when I am-and asks for forgiveness.

• is truthful. I pray that I'm always truthful, because lies are damaging and can destroy friendships. 

• is committed to living green. I want to increase my passion for this world to become a healthier place. As a future mentor or role model to others, I want to be a person who cares about all of God's creation.

• seeks holiness. I want to please God with my life, and I hope I'm a person who values love and purity.

• seeks peace. I want to be a person who tries to make peace and finds ways to bring people together by showing their similarities instead of their opposing views and different opinions.

• is a role model and has a role model. I want to always have someone to look up to. I think anyone who wants to be a role model should have a role model from whom to learn, grow and be shaped.

 My Plea:
I don't know how you see yourself, but maybe the list of traits above will help you evaluate your life. Remember, I (and other girls just like me) am watching you. We all want to be just like you when we get older. I hope you'll show us how to live in the right way, so we can be powerful role models for others someday. 

I hope this has opened your eyes, as it did mine, to what we should act like not only around those younger than us, but around everyone. Please share this, we need to be the generation that seeks God's wisdom in all that we do, in all that we say. We need to be the ones to help those younger than us, so that when they are in our shoes, they'll know what to do.
Even if you don't know many younger than you right now, you can do so much even by lifting them up in prayer, as well as your peers, that they would rise up and be the children of God that He asks us to be.

Close My Eyes

Like a rider covers his horse's eyes

Leading it through the flames

You cover mine and hold my hand

You say,

"Walk this way

don't look

just follow Me."

When I am past the flames

You uncover my eyes

and reveal Your splendor

I hear you say:

"Don't look back

I've already brought you

through the past

only look at what I'm giving you

in this moment.

Look at the sky

drink it's peacefulness.

Hear the wind

embrace its coolness.

Now, daughter,

look at Me

and rest

In My presence."

I wrote that this morning. I've been having one of those weeks where everything seems to frighten me. I look around and I feel like my world is caving in. Of course it's not, but you know how emotions can cloud over and take captive of your mind.

I'm sure we've all seen those movies where a barn, or stable catches on fire. The animals inside are going crazy and all the stable hands are rushing to get things out. The fire is growing bigger by the second and the air is tense. The stable hand comes to the horse and holds his hands over it's eyes, then proceeds to lead it out. You now notice that the horse is somewhat calm. Why? Because it can't see what is going on around it, and therefore doesn't panic. The horse doesn't freak out because he can't see where it's going. It just follows it's leader's pull of the rope. 

Then I realized, that sometimes, I need my Leader to close my eyes. I need him to grab my hand and throw his arms over my face to keep me from seeing. I'm not saying that God will blind us from what goes on in the world. But there comes a time when we need to shut off our vision, and just let our Father lead the way. Don't be afraid to be the horse. Instead of searching for your own way out of the fire, ask God to cover you and then put all of your trust in Him. And after he has led you through the fire, do not look back. Only look forward into His eyes, into His freeing love, into His beautiful splendor, and rest in His presence.

"I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths." 

           Proverbs 4:11

Beauty Unfading

Beauty unfading. What does it mean? Do you think of those gorgeous girls that appear everywhere…perfectly smooth skin, bold eyes, a million dollar smile and hips that attract eyes when they float down the sidewalk?

  I remember reading a verse in 1 Peter that said

“Your inner beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

At first, I really didn’t like reading it. In fact, people would share it with me, and inside I would get offended. I remember thinking “what? So for me to have worth in God’s sight I can’t look good? What kind of a ‘loving God’ is that?!”

  Okay, I’m going to go off on a rabbit trail here. (If you plan on reading many of my posts, you should get used to it) I’m a teen girl. I like clothes. I like looking good. I mean, we’re talking about the girl that scans through store sites to see what I can buy next…and then look through all of my friends/friends of friends facebook pictures to see if its “in” or not. I. Love. Clothes. And hair? Don’t get me started. I can easily spend 2 hours trying out hairstyles, just to take a million pictures that no one will ever see. I. Love. Hair.

So. Now that you get the picture of how I am, can you imagine me reading that? I kind of freaked out. But after a loooonnnggg time of reading it over and over and different people giving me their own personal opinion of it, I started to understand the point.

  Let’s dig into the verse a little. The first part says “your inner beauty..”

  “ooohh” you say. “one of those ‘your soul’ verses huh?” well. In a way, yes. And in a way, no. So what is inner beauty you say? It is a willing heart that is ready for God to mold and change constantly. It is a willing spirit ready for whatever task  The writer is saying this: Don’t spend tons and tons of time looking good, just for others approval. Other people’s opinions won’t last, but God will. Clothe yourself with the things that will last in God’s sight, like purity, self control, gentleness, love for the people who don’t love you..those kinds of clothes are what’s important.

  It’s easy for us girls to get caught up in the glamour, clothes, hair, makeup and so on and so forth. But when it boils down to it..is that what will satisfy you for the rest of your life? Is your outer beauty what will save you when you’re in a rut? If you said yes, then please, hear this truth. You are loved more than you will ever know. By someone who died to know you. He doesn’t love you for your appearance, whether or not your having a good hair day..or if what you’re wearing is “in” or not. He loves you because you are you, and that is beautiful. 

  Christ wants our all..not our sometimes. Decide to give Him your everything, and trust Him enough to set aside your appearance worries. When you do..it becomes a beauty that is literally unfading.