Weird in a "Normal" World

I can't tell you how many people close to me have recently called me (or thought me) weird: not that I am personally weird, but that my actions (or lack of actions in some cases) are weird. Truth be told, it hurts my feelings. No one wants to be thought of as weird. No one wants the people closest to them to think they are "extremists" or that they cannot easily identify with people. After all, Jesus could identify with the sinner and the saint.

But, as I prayed and sought God in His Word, I realized that Jesus has not only called us to be extreme in His Word, but He has called us to be weird...at least from the perspective of what the world would say is weird. You see, for those around me, being weird is characterized by not attending movies with sexually ilicit scenes or ones that glorify sin, like the Hangover 2. Being weird means that I wear a modest one-piece to the beach instead of a two-piece. And being weird means that I abstain from a sexual relationship before marriage. Sometimes, being weird means that I hang out with a homeless man or spend my Saturday night evangelizing, rather than with friends.

Don't get me wrong, I don't say these things to make myself look good to anyone, especially people in the faith community. I say it to encourage the other weird people in the world who are made to feel bad because they engage in Kingdom activities that do not conform to the way the world lives. We have been bought with a price, therefore we honor God with our bodies and conduct ourselves in holiness, and make the most of the time we have been given here on earth.

The bottom line is this...don't let anyone make you feel bad for being "weird" in a worldy sense. Recognize it as persecution and pray for them. Jesus said that even those closest to us would persecute us, and such they do.

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy because I am holy'. Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:14-19

Torn to Pieces

April 19, 2010

"For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces and go away;
I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.
Then I will go back to my place
until they admit their guilt.
And they will seek my face;
in their misery they will earnestly seek me." (Hosea 6:1-2)

Have you ever had your heart torn to pieces? Chances are, you have. As a Christian, the knowledge that God is completely in control is comforting, but I think it is important to explore/pray about the reasons why you may be going through this trial, so that the Lord can do a work in your heart and lead you in a closer walk with Himself.


Struggles and trials, first of all, are part of life in a fallen world. Sometimes, the Lord allows you to go through struggles in order to build perseverance, and with perseverance, hope. "Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:3-4). What is very interesting about the passage is that the Lord uses a situation of suffering (where there usually is a struggle with hoping in the promise of God) to bring about the very hope that we are struggling with. Wow! That is awesome!


But, I think the main thing to really pray about is whether or not the Lord is disciplining us because of sin in our life - sin that he wants to prune from our life as a loving Father. The Word says, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will bear more fruit" (John 15:1). Similarly, in Hebrews 12, Scripture says, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons...No discipline at the time seems pleasant, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY IT." This verse implies that discipline may/will come regularly, and we should welcome it as an opportunity to be trained by it into the woman that we already are spiritually in Christ Jesus, and we should be joyful because the Lord is treating us as His daughter. I would welcome any suffering if it means that I am the Lord's daughter. In fact, I welcome it with joy. That is what the Lord has been teaching me...to be joyful in suffering because He is teaching me a great lesson that will be revealed at the end of my suffering.


I read through Hosea this week, and if you have never read through it, you really should. It is probably my favorite book in the Old Testament because it shows the Lord's steadfast love to the most despicable of people. Basically, the Lord tells Hosea to marry a woman by the name of Gomer - yea, I know, not the coolest name ever. On top of it, Gomer is a harlot and the Lord tells Hosea that even though Gomer will go back to her other lovers and will forsake him, he must take her back and show her steadfast love. The story is a portrait of the Gospel and the love of the Father toward His rebellious people - that even though we, as his Bride, continue to sin and love our idols and look for satisfaction in places other than His steadfast love, He will be faithful and He will always call us back and restore us. The passage is so so SO SOO beautiful. What really is the most beautiful part is that the Lord says that He will tear His people to pieces because of their sin so that they humble themselves under Him and only want Him. After He has allowed her to be broken to the very core of her being, He will lead her (His Bride) out into the wilderness (where she will feel all alone) and He will make Himself known to her and He will speak kindly to her and cause her to love Him and walk with Him and restore her to Himself. It is the most beautiful love story I have ever heard and we can all have it with our Husband, our Maker.



"Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. Otherwise I will strip her naked and make her as bare as on the day she was born; I will make her like a desert, turn her into a parched land, slay her with thirst. I will not show my love to her children, because they are the children of adultery. Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.' Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.' She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold—which they used for Baal. Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her nakedness. So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands. I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days—all her appointed feasts. I will ruin her vines and her fig trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them. I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot," declares the LORD. Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. "In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.' (Hosea 2)



How absolutly beautiful. Speechless.



Taking a break from blogging for a few weeks to seek the Lord on some sin in my life so that I can have a closer walk with Him. Praise Him for His Fatherly discipline that leads us to repentance. Praise God that He sometimes tears us to pieces, leads us into His Presence and restores our souls. :)



xoxo,

Ashley

Gentle Breezes
March 16, 2010

1 Kings 19:9-13
9Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 11So He said, "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD " And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave And behold, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

As I read this passage today, I was so blessed by it, especially with the recent reports of earthquakes and natural disasters across the globe. Sometime, the church community is so quick to assume that God is punishing us or that the end of the world is near because Jesus warned us about earthquakes. While that may be true, it may not necessarily be the case. We will just have to wait to see.

What I personally like about this passage is what the Lord was trying to teach Elijah during this time. In fact, I think that the Lord is trying to teach all of us this as well today. To give you some background, the story picks up in the aftermath of a miraculous sign that the Lord used to show the Israelites and the baal prophets that the Lord was the One true God. When confronted by baal worship in the region following the marriage of Ahab (King of Israel) to Jezebel (a Phoenician princess and daughter of Ethbaal who, according to Jewish scholar Josephus, murdered his predecessor to become king), Elijah was infuriated and was sent by God to confront the baal worship. During that time, baal was considered the storm god responsible for crop fertilization. This worship infuriated the Lord, so He sent a three and a half year drought on the land.

To get to the point, Elijah gathered all the Israelites and the baal prophets (as well as the Asherah prophets) numbering 850 total and told them to cry out to their god and have him send fire on their offering. When their god did not, Elijah cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent fire on Elijah's offering in order to show the people that He was the One true God. Scripture says that when this happened, the people fell down on their faces before the Lord and Elijah slew all the baal prophets.

When Jezebel heard of what Elijah did, she burned with anger and told Elijah that she would have him killed the next day, so Elijah fled. This is where this above passage picks up.

Elijah is scared. Here he is, he just fulfilled the Lord's wishes to restore the people to Himself with a tremendous personal risk to himself and was fearful that the Lord was not going to protect him or work things out (even though the Lord just scorched a water-logged sacrifice right in front of his eyes). So, what does he do? He hides. In a cave. He must have been really scared! Elijah is upset because not only could he be killed, but he feels as though all "his" work for the Lord was in vain since because Jezebel was unrelenting and hardened despite the miracle. She refused to turn and trust the true God. So, what does God do? He 1) shows Elijah his power yet again with a strong wind that literally broke the mountains into pieces, an earthquake, and a fire; 2) Scripture says that "the LORD was not in the wind" so clearly He sent them to get Elijah's attention and to force him out of the cave or out of his fear state and to announce His coming; 3) the Lord revealed Himself to Elijah through the sound of a gently breeze blowing past.

How many times do we act like this? We don't trust the Lord and fail to recognize His hand at work despite the fact that He has delivered us so many times before. So, what do we do? We assume He is not at work. I think the Lord was trying to reveal to Elijah that He will always be faithful to complete His work, and many times this may be imperceivable to humans. We must trust that the Lord is faithful and just and will work out His perfect plan for His glory and our good. It may not be in an earthquaking experience, but it may come in a faint gently breeze that forces us out of the caves where Satan loves us to be, and into the glorious presence of the Lord.

Let's spend today reflecting on the times when God uses light breezes to change our lives and work His purposes! :)

xoxo,
Ashley

Pruned to Bloom
March 4, 2010

I read this fantastic story in the book Becoming God’s True Woman. The story came from the chapter called “Pruned to Bloom” by P. Bunny Wilson and I just love it. I feel so much like the little branch in the story.

Once upon a time, there was an old grape branch; it had been growing in the vineyard for a long time. One day a new branch was planted in the next row. The younger branch grew, developed more branches, and bore fruit. Taking courage on hot summer day, the young branch looked up at the old branch and said in its squeaky voice, “It must be great to have people travel from miles around just to taste the sweetness of your fruit.” The old branch nodded. Feeling encouraged, the young branch continued, “I have been talking with the other branches in the garden, and they say yours is the sweetest fruit.” The old branch smiled. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you! How can I have sweet fruit like yours? I’ll do anything you say.” As the old branch looked down at the young branch, he remembered the day when, as a young branch himself, he had asked an old branch the same question. In his baritone voice, he gave the young branch the same answer he had received earlier: “Be willing.” The young branch mused in frustration, Be willing? I tell him I’ll do whatever it takes to have sweet fruit, and all he can say is “Be willing”? Then he turned to another branch and began carrying on what he felt like was meaningful conversation. Each day there was constant chatter in the vineyard as the branches shared the latest gossip and wasted the hours away by comparing the sweetness of their fruit. The young branch knew there was no other place he’d rather live. One cool autumn morning, the young branch was awakened by the sound of the old brown, weathered gate opening. As he looked at the end of the row, in stepped the gardener. Normally when the gardener came to visit, the vines would clap their leaves together and shout in delight. But something unusual was taking place that day. A hush swept over the garden. The young branch glanced over at the old branch, who didn’t seem to be disturbed; so the young branch directed his attention back to the end of the row. The gardener stopped by the first branch in the row; the young branch was sure he has come to compliment his friend on her fine growth. But watching intently, he saw the gardener bend on one knee, reach into his back pocket, pull out what looked like sharp scissors, and move toward his friend. Instinctively the branch at the end of the row pulled her leaves back, and the young branch heard her plead, “No, no, why are you doing this to me? Haven’t I been sweet? Didn’t I bring honor to the garden? Please, please, don’t do this to me!” Before the young branch could blink, his friend lay on the ground except for the nub. The young branch turned to the old branch and asked in a low, fearful voice, “What’s happening? Why did the gardener do that?” The old branch did not respond. The young branch strained to understand and then blurted out, “Oh I get it! We thought the gardener liked that branch, but he really didn’t like her.” The old branch responded, “No, that’s not true. In fact, what you just saw the gardener do proves he loves that branch.” “Oh. I knew that. Let me try again. We thought that branch’s fruit was sweet, but it really wasn’t sweet.” “That branch’s fruit was sweet.” “Okay, okay; I know the real reason. That branch did something wrong, so the gardener is punishing her; he’s just not telling us why.” The old branch answered, “That branch is not being punished. Listen carefully—your friend is being pruned. Not because she was trying to do things wrong, but because she was trying to do things right. Not because her fruit was sweet, but because the gardener wants it to be even sweeter.” “But that doesn’t seem fair!” protested the young branch. “Just look at her. She’s been cut down to the nub. Now all the people who come to taste the sweetness of her fruit will laugh and judge the branch.” “Only those outside the garden who don’t understand will laugh and judge the branch.” “Only those outside the garden who don’t understand? That branch didn’t understand! Did you hear her say, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’” The old branch was quiet for a long time and then responded slowly, “Unfortunately, what you are saying is true. It’s one thing when people outside the garden don’t understand, but when those inside the garden—especially the ones being pruned—don’t understand, it causes a lot of confusion, disappointment, and pain. Those branches down at the end of the row will have to listen to your friend murmur and complain until she blooms again.” The young branch proclaimed, “Well, you don’t have to worry about being pruned. You have the sweetest fruit in the garden!” “I want to be pruned.” “You what? It must hurt, and you’re going to look funny.” The old branch chuckled and replied, “I must admit it’s quite uncomfortable. You see, my young friend, I know I look good to you, but I have a fungus growing on my underside that no one can see. If it remains, it will diminish the quality and quantity of my fruit. No, when the gardener comes to prune me, I won’t pull my leaves back. I’ll life myself high in the air to make his job easier.” Trembling, the young branch responded, “I don’t understand.” With compassion, the old branch replied, “Did you see that branch the gardener just tore off and threw over the fence? It didn’t belong in this garden at all and will be burned in the fire.” “Wow!” exclaimed the young branch. “When the gardener comes to prune you, remember that the gardener only prunes the branches that belong to him, which makes it an honor. He doesn’t prune you because you’re trying to do things wrong, but because you’re trying to do things right. It’s not because you’re not sweet, but because he wants you to be sweeter. And always remember, my young friend, the very fact that you’re being pruned means you will bloom again.” Just then the gardener stopped by the old branch, and the young branch saw the old branch raise his leaves high in the air. He heard a snip, and the old branch lay on the ground except for the nub. Then the gardener turned to the young branch. His leaves were shaking, and tears rolled down his side, but with every ounce of strength he raised his leaves high in the air. He looked up into the gardener’s face and said, “Kind and gentle gardener, I’m willing.”

Pruning is one of the most important tasks in growing a vineyard. Every year, up to 90 percent of the vine is cut away. A wise gardener knows that pruning positively affects the quantity and quality of the fruit.
The branches are constantly being attacked by diseases, most of which can be kept at bay with pesticides and insecticides. But the vine has to be pruned because there is a deadly fungus that attaches itself to the branch, and its only cure is to be cut off. Each time the vine is pruned, its fruit grow sweeter.

The Scripture often uses an earthly example to explain a spiritual principle. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2).”

Wow! Everytime I read this, it makes me cry. In the midst of pruning, I always feel like I am not God’s child or that I am being punished for something. It convicts me to know that I am not trusting God during the time He is pruning me.

I feel as though I am being pruned in my life right now. I don’t know why some of the things that are happening to me are happening, but I will lift my leaves high, trembling, and thank God for His wisdom. I know he is trying to protect me from sin in my life and I know that He is going to bring about sweeter fruit than I possessed before. I can’t wait for the day when I will bloom again. I can’t wait for the day when I see how God’s perfect plan will come about for His glory and my good.

One last thing that caught my attention in this story is the young branch’s view of the gardener. The branch sees the gardener as “kind and gentle.” Never does he see the gardener as something other than what He is. Let’s be thankful that we have a kind and gentle gardener who has himself suffered. Let’s not question His goodness. We are so quick to do that in our sinfulness. After all, Christ himself was led to the ultimate suffering—death on the Cross—so that the Father’s will and wonderful purpose would be accomplished. It was horrible for Him, but He willingly submitted to the Father’s will.

Let’s walk in the steps of Jesus and submit to the Father’s perfect will, even if it means pain and suffering. Ultimately, the pruning will bear sweeter fruit to the Savior of our souls.

The Perfect Woman...From a Godly Man's Perspective :)
March 1, 2010

I am not going to go into much depth on this issue yet because I have not done any research personally on this, but my amazing small group leader gave me the summary of a sermon by her singles Pastor, Gary, and I felt that it was great to pass on to ladies.

Qualities that a Man Should Look for in a Woman before He Decides to Seriously Court Her:

1. Do you enjoy her companionship?
2. Is she modest? Is she someone who you will want your daughters to dress like and act like?
3. Does she follow your leadership?
4. Does your theology match her theology?
5. Does she trust your decision making?
6. Does she appreciate the men you surround yourself with and the accountability steps you take to protect yourself from sin?
7. Does she have noble character? Is she pursuing holiness?
8. Are you in awe of her carriage and speech? Is she a classy girl?
9. Is she content with the lifestyle you are called to? (Not monetarily, but the type of lifestyle. For example, a missionary lifestyle.)

I thought they were some helpful tips that seem to be, at least on first glance, biblical. :)

xoxo,
Ash

12 Qualities to Look for in a Potential Mate

February 27, 2010

Let's face it, a Christian woman who is deeply devoted to submitting to the Lord in all areas of her life will look for a potential mate who is equally as devoted. The problem lies in what does that look like? What does it mean to be devoted to Christ? We all know that we should never date or marry someone who is not a believer, but does it just stop there? Does 2 Corinthians 6:14 stop at salvation or does it go beyond a simple statement of faith...

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

In my personal experience, I have met many young men who profess Christ, yet live to please themselves, not our Savior. I personally fell short in this area before the Lord showed me my sin, but the issue remains...there are many young men who fall into the James 2:19 category: "You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." So, how can you weed through the mass of professing Christian men when looking for a potential mate? To this end, I have dissected Titus 1:5-9 for the purpose of uncovering the essential traits in a godly man. Please consult Scripture for the Holy Spirit to speak to you about this passage. The six traits are as follows:

1. "An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife,

(Does he have a wandering eye? Is he committed to pursuing you alone, forsaking all others until your courtship either ends in marriage or separation? Does he struggle with pornography or lustful thoughts? I assume he does. If so, does he take the necessary steps to protect his mind and the purity of the woman in his life? Is he a man who you undoubtedly respect and can trust completely? How does he treat his mother and sister(s)? Does he have a servant's heart toward them or does he expect them to serve him?)

2. a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.

(As a single man, are spiritually younger, male believers edified by having a relationship with him? Does he lead younger men in discipleship? Is he committed to being a leader in purity when it comes to younger men, holding himself and them accountable to God's Word?)

3. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless,

(Is he committed to purity and holiness? The natural conclusion from this passage is that all men are the spiritual leaders of the women in their life. Does he lead by example? Does he even know what the Word says in order to lead you?)

4. not overbearing,

(Does he lead in a way that makes you want to follow? Does he have a gentle, humble, understanding leadership style that makes others want to be around him? Is he enjoyable to be around in general? Does he lead with a kind spirit? Do spiritual mentors approve of him and his style of leadership over you?)

5. not quick-tempered,

(Is he quick to react when disrespected or offended? Is he quick to forgive? Does he hold grudges and allow situations to fester or does he resolved issues when they happen? Along the same lines, is he passive aggressive? Does he try to scoot arguments or conflict under the rug or does he deal with them appropriately and maturely? Is he committed to taking the log out of his own eye?)

6. not given to drunkenness,

(Does he pursue forms of altering his mood (not just alcohol)? Does he believe and agree with what the Bible states clearly about drunkenness? Does he attend parties where unbelievers or believers are drinking? Does he think lightly of being an unbiblical witness for Christ in front of unbelievers? This is an area where he needs to be following the Word. The other areas are subject to growth, but this is an area where you need to think very carefully about the habits he is cultivating, particularly in front of unbelievers.)

7. not violent,

(This is self-explanatory. Please do not date or consider marrying someone who has or is prone to violent tendencies.)

8. not pursuing dishonest gain.

(This part of the passage historically deals with individuals desiring to be pastors or elders for the purpose of gaining wealth or status. But, in practical terms, does he overemphasize wealth? Does he work to glorify God, support his family, and lead others in his work environment to Christ, or does he work to obtain wealth or status? Generally, does he store up treasures on earth or in heaven (See Luke 12:13-21 for the Parable of the Rich Fool)?

9. Rather, he must be hospitable,

(Does he treat strangers with respect and kindness? Does he make people feel welcome and comfortable? Is he genuinely interested in the needs of those around him or his own? Is he selfish with his things or willing to give his life and his things away? Does he have an attitude of appropriateness in any given situation, knowing when to hold his tongue in front of people? Does he know how to give you and others around him an appropriate compliment?)

10. one who loves what is good,

(Does he hate what is evil and love what is good? Does he care for the purity and holiness of those around him and gently reprove those of his friends who fall into sin? Does he care for the things of God and for the Kingdom while putting off the world and its lusts? Is he actively sharing the Gospel with those around him, seeking for others to be saved?)

11. who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

(This is important!!! Is he controlling the direction of the relationship physically, not allowing any sexual sin to enter the relationship until marriage? Does he protect your heart and your walk with the Lord by protecting you from sin? Is he in control of his passions? Is he disciplined with being in the Word? Does he have a clean and disciplined house and lifestyle? Is he disciplined with his work? Food? Health? The list goes on and on. Does he watch inappropriate movies? Is he sound in speech? (Note: Since the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart, if he never talks about spiritual things, guess what is not in his heart...) Is he late to things? Is he pursuing you with open intentions?)

12. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught,

so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." (Does he know sound doctrine to be able to teach you? Girls, this starts with YOU! You must know sound doctrine to know if he knows it. Is he growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ? Is he actively seeking guidance from spiritual leaders? Does he properly understand the roles of men and women and the symbolism of marriage? Has he learned to be a Bride (meaning does he actively submit to Christ's authority and headship in his life)? Does he have men in his life who actively keep him accountable and does he continually seek their counsel? IS HE TEACHABLE? Girls, if you find a teachable, godly man, don't look back. Can he, with gentleness, refute error? Does he even know when he is being confronted with heresy? Again, this begins with you, girls.

WOW! I know that is a lot. The man of God's choosing will be fostering these qualities. No one will ever master all these qualities, but he should be actively pursuing them in his life. Now, I am not saying that we should nit pick every inch of your guy and dump him if he doesn't have all the qualities (except for number 1), but I am saying that you should know what to look for. After all, we all fall short. That is why we desperately need Christ. However, if he is not continually looking more and more like Christ throughout your relationship, you should pray about walking away from the relationship.

Along the same lines, as the woman in the relationship, we should be actively pursing Christ-likeness in these areas. There are other passages which are designed for women that I will discuss in future posts, but this is a great start.

Have a beautiful evening ladies!

xoxo,

Ashley

Are you a dog (or a cat :/)?
February 25, 2010

Funny question, I know. But, it's one that deserves some thought. Tonight, as I was putting my dog, Huni, in her bed for bed time, I reflected on how wonderful of a puppy she is. Huni was given to our family after she was found in the parking lot of a church...abandoned. She was very skinny, had a skin disease, and had (obviously) been severely beaten. She is the best dog someone could ask for, except that she is a little stinky sometimes (lol) but I guess that is her owner's fault.

The one amazing thing about Huni is that she is a pleaser. When you approach her, she bows down (mostly because she is afraid of people) and she leans over on her side and sort of cowers before you EVERY SINGLE TIME you approach her. You would think that after, I don't know, thousands of times of approaching her, she would understand that I love her and am not going to hurt her. But, she doesn't. She is extremely reverent. Along those same lines, while she is afraid of people, I have seen Huni become very defensive of her family. She gets upset when strangers come into the house and start jokingly roughing someone in the house. She would defend us despite her intense fear, and that's why I love her.

On the other hand, you have Mini...our cat. Mini is a princess. Every morning at 7:00am, she sits at the door and meows until you let her out. She walks around like she owns the place, goes in and out of the house, abuses her welcome, and straight up rejects me when I call her (even though I'm going to pet her!!).

Now, the question remains...are you a Huni or a Mini? Do you bow in worship and reverence to the Lord Jesus? Do you fear, yet love Him? Do you do as much as you can to defend Him even though you fear what people will think of you? Or do you roam around like the world revolves around you? Do you go to and from your house and work, thinking it more of an imposition than a blessing that you have a house or a job? Do you assume you should be fed (blessed) or are you happy and joyful when your Master gives you something? I fall short in all of these ways. Too many times, I act like a cat, not a dog before my Master. I don't lovingly fear Him. I expect from Him, forgetting all too often that He has given me all I need for life and godliness through His death and resurrection and through His Word. "Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." Proverbs 31:31

Precious Jesus, please help myself and anyone reading this treat you as though you are to be feared and loved. Help us to give you the reverence you deserve with a thankful heart. We love you and want to please you.

xoxo,

Ashley

Buckle
February 23, 2010

The other day, I went to the mall with my little sister. She loves the store Buckle and I must admit that I like some of the interesting clothes they have there. Their jeans fit really well. Anyways, the enormous wall of brand new swimsuits caught my eye as my sister browsed the racks looking to something to spend her new Christmas gift certificate on. One of the swimsuits, in particular, grabbed my attention. You can see it to the right. It's a little difficult to read, but on the right, you can see a large cross. On the left, you can barely see the word "Sinful" (The clothing company's name). Ok, I'm not gonna lie... When I saw this, I had a minor panic attack in my heart. I though to myself "How is it that Satan has so cleverly aligned the word 'sinful' (the exact polar opposite of the Cross) with the Cross itself?" And, more importantly, how is it that in a culture where upwards of 80% of Americans align their religeous beliefs with Christianity, this is OK? How is it that no one has seen this or freaked out? I assume the answer to that is that the majority of "Christian" women do not see an issue with this. For me to say it genuinely upsets me to see this probably labels me as a legalist or a fundamentalist...and so be it. That's not the case, but oh well. Christ is not sinful. The cross is not sinful. It was the only pure thing that has ever been, and I would charge us as women to think before buying clothing from a store that sells clothes which so severely disdain the Cross. I personally had to tear myself away from an adorable hoodie because I simply could not purchase something from that store on principle. Believe me, this was difficult...the hoodie was cute. But, Christ is more important than a hoodie or nice clothes. Christ deserves our reverence. Let's show Him some, sisters. =)

P.S. I'm not gonna lie, Target is amazing. Let's shop there. Plus, they are super affordable. Clothing that glorifies Christ and prices that glorify Christ. How much better can it get?!? lol.

xoxo,
Ashley

Introduction to Sweet Aromas
February 23, 2010

Hi Everyone!

I am so excited to begin this blog. I pray the Lord would bless all those who are encouraged, convicted, or sanctified through it. Recently, I have noticed a lack of discussion on topics relating to young Christian women's issues. As a young Christian woman myself (I am 24 years old), I have seen the prolific amount of mixed views from all sides on what it means to be a modern woman. Even within the church, there are varying views on women's issues. I hope that as we cut through the differing views, we can come to a clear understanding together of what Biblical womanhood is and how to become a God-fearing, fruit-growing young Christian woman by the power of the Holy Spirit. Throughout this journey, I will tackle a spectrum of issues relating to young women. As we discuss them, keep in mind that I am not coming from any particular point of view. For many of these issues, I myself have very little knowledge of what the Bible says. So, let's learn together from the ultimate teacher: Jesus Christ. As we do, I pray we all would grow into the woman who God intends for us to be.

Note: This blog seeks to provide a biblical foundation on various topics for young, unmarried women, between the ages of 16-24, on the lifestyle that Christ has called us to, in order to live as an accurate representative of the ressurected Christ, our Savior, and to spur one another on toward holiness by the power of His Spirit. As a note, Scripture is sufficient for godliness, so in all cases consult Scripture. I do not seek to add or subtract from any part of the Word of God. In all cases, go to Scripture and hold what I say accountable to the living Word of God. My posts, in no way, are a set of rules to live by. They are my personal reflections on the life that I believe Christ has called us to as young women. That being said, pray for the Spirit to convict and guide you in your individual walk with the Savior. In no way am I promoting a legalistic standard of living. I am however, asking to to look at all viewpoints expressed through the lense of "How can I most glorify my Savior who satisfied the wrath of God that I justly deserve?" With that, I hope my blog blesses you. But beware, radical viewpoints will follow! :)

xoxo,
Ashley