Defining Beauty

Saturday, October 17, 2015

In our culture, it seems outward beauty always makes the "ten most important things every girl must have" list. Many women have become obsessed with having the most beautiful appearance, trendy clothes, and perfect hair. They would rather have a certain social status than think about their heart status. Webster's Dictionary defines beauty as: "Loveliness; good looks; pleasing, attractive person or thing." In contrast, how does God's word define beauty?





Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… Instead, 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.”
— 1 PETER 3:3-4

When we think of beauty, the latter definition should come to mind.  This verse does not say it is wrong to look beautiful on the outside (God is the creator of outward beauty!), but it is a reminder that we need to have our mindset in check, as it was when God sent Samuel to select a new king over Israel - “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” David, the youngest guy in the family, who took care of the sheep, he was God’s choice for king.
Biblical beauty really isn’t about us at all - it’s about the incredible beauty of our Creator. He is the most beautiful of all, and He wants to shape us into His likeness, that we might be truly beautiful.  As Charles Spurgeon once said: “If any soul has any such beauty... Christ has endowed that beloved soul with all its wealth of charms, for in ourselves we are deformed and defiled… There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us.”

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

  • Do you define beauty as Scripture does?
  • Have you allowed beauty to become an idol in your life? When you’re headed to church, going to school, or driving to your friend’s house do you worry about being accepted by friends or others? If so, what steps should you take to change?
  • Do you base your opinion of others on what they wear or how they look?

All Battered Into Shape

Tuesday, September 1, 2015


Oswald Chambers once said: "God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience." 



Isn't it exciting to think that God wants to make Himself known through our lives? God does not want us to be satisfied with mediocre Christian living; He wants to press us and "batter us into shape" so that His purpose for our lives may be accomplished. 

This time two years ago, I was going through one of the hardest times of my life. Someone I was very close to was rebelling against God and making extremely bad choices, these choices would sometimes put me and my family in danger. We never really knew when the next "flare up" was going to happen. The fear was intense, I knew only God could bring us through it. 

Through that dark time the Lord was incredibly faithful. I think it's in those moments that everything seems to be going wrong that we learn to totally trust Him. (And God heard all of our many prayers for that friend, who today lives a totally changed life by the amazing grace of God). 

At the time, I could not see any good in the circumstance, yet as I look back I can see that God was majorly at work in my life. I was so dependent on myself; God shook that confidence. I relied on myself to become like Christ, the Lord showed me that there would be no lasting change in me without his power (John 15:5). I often forced a smile and told myself "I need to care for others." God taught me that I must be totally emptied of myself (my own agenda, my own desires) and be filled with Himself if I want to truly love those He has placed in my life. 

"For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." Isaiah 50:7

Are you following Christ with every ounce of who you are? Or are you holding back? 

Chambers continues: "Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor's hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal. The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don't loose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.

Have a great day!
Cassidy 

New blog

Tuesday, July 28, 2015


Starting a blog has been on my heart for a while. It's not that I am an amazing writer or have something incredible to say, but I do serve an amazing God who works in incredible ways. I desire for this blog to be a record of His faithfulness in my life and hopefully be an encouragement to those who read it.

I probably won't post very often... but I am so excited to start!