"Let GOD be the Judge"

 

I am NOT defined by my clothes, hair, weight, height, social status, grades,

friends, relationships, possessions, appearance, physical exterior,

 what I've been through, where I've been, or even what I used to do,

 My self-worth is defined by my heart, my faith, my actions, my intentions,

 my love for others, my love for God, what GOD is going to do through me,

 what HE is doing through me, what HE knows about me, how HE sees me,

what HE thinks about me, my future with HIM,

my current status in HIM, and my walk with HIM,

People WILL judge me, People WILL critique me, People WILL be against me,

 But none of that matters,

because if God is with me, who really can be against me?,

 They don't see what my Lord and Savior sees, they don't want to see,

they don't try to see, their only desire is to see a flaw before they see a blessing,

 they'd rather tear down then build up, they'd rather carry stones than

carry the love of God, in HIM is my identity, I am NOT defined by the mouths

of those who claim themselves as God's people, nor those that are steady staggering through

this world, but by the One Who is called Faithful, the One Who is called Holy,

the One who is the only Judge, do they really see Him? do they really hear Him?

do they even know Him? because if they really knew Him, they would know me

 I am made in His image, not the world's

I am His.

 

 

 

"Thus Saith the Lord..."

 

So many people in the body of Christ focus on man instead of the God that works through man, that delivers man, that works miracles through man, that heals through man, that saves through man, that sent a Man, His only Son to save a man from his sins.

 

Why do we judge man before we love man? Why do we rebuke man before we see God use man? Why don't we acknowledge his potential to be something great? 

 

We need to shift our focus back to the one who looks at the heart of man and not how many pairs of shoes he has, or scriptures he can recite, or if she has on a lime green shirt instead of a black or brown shirt, not how many piercings or tattoos he/she has, or whether she took a bath, or whether he has clean clothes, or whether she has long or short hair, or black, brown, white, yellow or green skin. God sees man doing great things for His Glory and doesn't judge him by his story. It seems as if we have been blinded by the enemy's own hands to keep us from loving, nurturing, accepting, and opening our arms to those who don't look just like you.

 

 

Does a Christian look a certain way? Is their a catalog or magazine only for Christians that says you have to look like this, that, and the other in order for you to be accepted into the Body of Christ or even to be called and used by God? It's a shame how the one's we claim to be holy aren't living holy simply because they persist in judging others. WE are the ones that stop new believers from joining our ministries, WE are the one's that limit them from getting closer to God, and WE are the one's that are also going to be held accountable for the lives of those that are newly saved or are going to be saved. The Bible says in Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged".  Don't just be merely hearers of the word of God deceiving your own selves, but be doers of the word (James 1:22) This is hypocrisy! Why do we seem to be the one's to tear down the walls and foundation that the Lord is trying to build up? When will this form of rebellion cease? Is anyone too coward to speak out against this disease? It's bad enough the world judges, but even worse when those whom God call His people judge. Are we not noticing that the enemy is using us to destroy the Kingdom of God when we do this? This is a sin! It's usually those with religious mouths who persist with this devilish act. God calls this a rebellion and says that it will no longer take place for too much longer now!

 

Too many are running away from the church instead of running towards the one who built it.

 

 It frowns Him when He sees leadership accept and perform this repetitive act. (pastors, prophets, evangelist, apostles, bishops, ministers etc.)  The Bible says, "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone" (John 8:7).

 

 

We are too busy at work rebuking others before we check ourselves. So many of us make pre-conceived notions to judge and hurt, then to love and build up. Romans 2:1 "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things". Usually when people judge others they recapture themselves, they rebuke the sin in others that they really see in themselves. When we see something that alarms us in someone else it's usually something that we HATE in ourselves. When it's something that we want and can't have we judge, when we see something that we want and don't have, we judge, when we hear something and don't know the facts we judge, we usually conjure up our own image and perception of someone instead of going to know them and allow God to reveal their heart. Most of us are busy at work in church judging instead of getting delivered from our own sins.

 

How come we recognize other people's faults more then our own sins?

 

We worry about the other person's step instead of the next step that God is trying to get us to take in Him. But then we're only going a step backwards every time we allow ourselves to get distracted by the other person's move. Where is our focus? On a person's past in death or their future in life? Is it on their background or God's ground? The enemy has many bound to this state of distraction which is keeping many people in the same spot then they were from the first time they've gotten saved. People have gotten comfortable with where they are and wonder why they aren't moving forward because of this sin. Ever wonder why people are still stagnant in the same place from the last time you've seen them? It's because their still battling with themselves and the same demons that THEY won't let go from before. They are steady running in place in the same mess that they started 10 years ago. Their physical atmosphere has changed but their internal atmosphere still has yet to be transformed and proceed to their next level in the Kingdom and Body of Christ.

 

Where is your focus? Are you focused on God or people? Are you focused on God's plans, or what you perceive to be what God's plans are for His people? Who are you to define man when God is the one who created man? This has definitely become an epidemic that has plagued not only our planet but our churches. When will this ever end?

 

Check your heart before you tear someone else apart.

 

Let God be the judge, are you trying to take His place?

 

-tay

 

 

It's NOT about what other's think about you, but it's what God KNOWS about you!

 

When God calls you to fulfill an assignment, don't feel as though you are not worthy, because you ARE! Don't be concerned about pessimistic people's opinions, because God KNOWS you and CHOSE you not THEM!

 

P.S.

I encourage you to extend a hand of encouragement to your brother or sister before judging them. No matter what they look like, where they come from , or even what they do. Love them beyond their current status, love them beyond their past mistakes, love them for who their going to be not for what they used to be, love them not because of their exterior but for their inner man. Talk to them, start a conversation, search for the heart and allow God to use you to minister to them. Ask God to search your heart for anything that would disappoint Him and hinder the growth of His Kingdom. Don't be the reason for this rebellion against the Kingdom. Be the beginning of change to transform your heart, ministry, and the lives of others. 

Watch God move mightily.

 

 

 

 

You're Beautiful, Really:)

 

Do you have a positive image of yourself?

 

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female he created them"

 

 If you could describe the physical characteristics of Jesus, how would you describe His beauty? And if God says that He created US in His image, how would you describe yourself after you've already answered the first question? Would you call Jesus ugly?...If your answer is no, then why would you call yourself ugly since you look just like Him? And did you know that by calling someone else "bad-looking" you're only disrespecting God's creation being that they were created by Him?Think about it, if God created us in His image, wouldn't you think that we are just as beautiful as He is? But even then, when thinking about the beauty of Jesus, their is really NO words to describe how beautiful He is. Their is no makeup of words in even one 20 page essay that would be able to describe His glory, His beauty, and even His love. There are not even enough adjectives in the world to describe the beauty of Jesus Christ. And its amazing to think about that because just as we see Jesus like that, God sees us the same way. But how come we don't see ourselves that way? Why is it so hard for us to accept the fact that we are beautiful in our own special way? Why do we compare ourselves to other women who are just as beautiful as you are? Why do we try and bring each other down because of this insecurity, by slandering each other's names and calling each other ugly, sizing up one another, and comparing who looks more beautiful or has the best body?

  

Well, like before, I'll start with my story...

 

 

 

Growing up as a little girl, I would get teased a lot. I then had adopted the names of pop-corn booty, because I was super skinny with a little bottom that apparently stuck out farther then usual lol I got teased so much that the thought of me being ugly taunted me and eventually led me to thinking that that was who I was. I would literally look in the mirror and try to pull my hair out because my hair was super course and wasn't as straight as some other girls hair was. I would pick at every little thing that I didn't like about myself instead of what I love about myself. I hated my lips because I thought they were too big for my face, I hated my jaw bone because it was more prominent then most females faces which made me think that I looked like a man. I would hate my brown skin complexion because it wasn't light enough, and I thought that by being light skinned would allow me to be accepted more. Throughout my school years, I would never get chosen to be apart of the "pretty girl clique" and wonder, am I not pretty enough to hang out with them?

 

I would literally walk into a store or see another beautiful girl and wish that I was that pretty, not knowing that I was just as beautiful. I would just beat myself up about the thought of not being beautiful enough, or being accepted by the girls that I thought were super gorgeous. And about a year ago, one girl in college told me that I was too skinny and looked anorexic, (when I wasn't) but when she told me that, I started to focus on that part of my body and just cry because I was never as "thick" as the urban society views that African American women should be. It was sooo many times when I thought I wasn't pretty enough, and I would continuously ask guys "Am I really pretty?", or "Do I really look gorgeous?". And even when I got that answer, it still wasn't good enough. People would look at me and think that I was the most confident person in the world, but don't be so quick to judge, because I never was that person.

 BUT glory be to God! When I got saved and adopted into the royal family of Christ, I began to see just how beautiful I am, inside and out. No kidding, I would literally look into a mirror and see the glory of God shining upon my face. It was as if I was missing something before that I now see. I would say "how come I didn't see this before"?, or "wow, I really am who He says that I am,". My negatives became positives and once I began to see who I was in Him, I gained more confidence. I began to walk with my head held high, and refused to look to the ground. Most people would say "oh, who does she think she is", "she think she's all that", "she think she cute". No ma'am, I  KNOW, that I'm cute, &I KNOW that I'm all that, because I am a Child of God and if you were too you wouldn't be trying to judge but only join in my joy! If you knew what I've been through, and know what I know in Christ Jesus, you would KNOW the same thing.

 

 I have no reason to slouch my shoulders when I have a King that brought be out of the darkness and lifted me up so that I can live again in His fullness. Now don't mistake my assurance for arrogance, because as a Child of God, with this new found confidence, came humbleness. The Bible says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Phil 2:3-4), "Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”(1 Peter 5:5). When you know who you are in Christ and see yourself as He sees you, some people get intimidated by that, and mistaken it as being "conceited" or "arrogant". But this is only because the world is not used to seeing someone who radiates confidence because being insecure is really all they know. The world wants to see people down and out just like they are. They want you to join in on their sorrow and spread their diseases only to share them with you.

 

Meaning, when they are insecure, they don't want to see you all confident and happy, (ooh nooo) they get upset and would rather want to see you even more insecure then they are. But when you are born again into  the Body of Christ, you are set apart, and transformed from the ways of this world. God has definitely changed my MINDSET in how I view and think about myself. God has shown me my true beauty in Him and has given me the courage to use my testimony to help those who are battling with the same thing.  My sisters, so many of us struggle with this insecurity and with this post, I pray that your mindset is changed and that you allow God to show you who you are in Him today!

 

 

 

 

"You were very beautiful and became a queen. Then you became famous among the nations, because you were so beautiful. Your beauty was perfect, because of the Glory I gave you, says the Lord God"



                                                                                                    -Ezekiel 16:13-14

 



 

Here is God making Israel beautiful. The description is very captivating and if this is God's description of what we look like to Him, I can only imagine how beautiful Jesus is. God made us in His image, which makes us just as beautiful! Wow! How amazing:)

 

So often do we try to make our outer appearance beautiful to fill the void/insecurity we feel inside but later finding out that it doesn't change anything. We don't need jewels, makeup, fancy clothes, money or a nice body to make us feel beautiful. That shouldn't be our focus, we must shift our focus back on Him, our Creator, in which He calls us His "masterpiece, anew in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10), and watch Him make us beautiful instead of wasting our time and money in futile attempts to be physically attractive on the outside, only to be accepted by the world's standards. Our beauty is made perfect by God's glory, His character in you, and His opinion of you.

 

 

As women, many of us can never pass up a mirror without picking out the slightest glitch in your appearance. ""OMG! I have pimples", "My nose is TOO big", "My legs are huge!!", "I'm fat," "I'm too skinny," "My hair is a hot mess,!" And even with that, for some reason we don't even like to take pictures anymore, because we say that we look "too fat" or "not ready because I'm not dressed up"...? It's even gotten so bad we REFUSE to go anywhere without makeup, and complain that someone might see you -- and catch this, they will see YOU! Not the makeup, the hair/wig, the fancy clothes, purse, etc. etc., We're afraid that they will see our natural beauty, the person God created before the media and celebrities changed the way society should interpret a woman's beauty.

 

And honestly, the women on television shows, magazines, and runways (that are perceived to be what beauty is) are actually the one's that God doesn't want you to be like! 1 Peter 3:3-4 says "Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, the clothing you wear --but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" NLT Version says "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty...you should clothes yourselves with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty..." Even though God did create us uniquely beautiful on the outside, what really matters to Him is the inner beauty, the spirit. What truly makes a women beautiful is her inner self. Just because someone has a beautiful face, doesn't mean their beauty illuminates on the inside. Some women can be very beautiful, but have a very ugly heart, which indeed makes them ugly-- Proverbs 31:30 says "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain(fading), but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised," Also in 2 Cor 4:16 says "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day"

 

 

There are so many women who go "under the knife" just to change something about themselves that God already made perfect. Plastic surgery, breast implants, face injections, weight supplements and other synthetic body matter is yet only temporary pleasure. It's simply something that momentarily satisfies your wants for the outer you but doesn't cure the internal damage acquired from the inner you. They only camouflage the outer presentation but doesn't heal the pain from not feeling beautiful enough.

 As a woman of God you must remember that your body doesn't belong to you, but to God. Anytime we consider the body and how we treat it, we must begin with the fact that, as Christians, our bodies belong to God and are used to bring Him honor. 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself And with this being said, we have to appreciate what God gives us.

 

Are we not satisfied with God's perfection?

 

So very often do we pick at our "awkward externals" in which we would call our "flaws"; We claim them to be a flaw, yet their really a blessing from God that makes us who we are. You want to know what God says about this?

 

 

Song of Solomon 4:7 "You are altogether, my darling, there is NO flaw in you"

 

 

 

Psalm 139:14 also says that you are "FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY created"!

 

Which means that everything about you is beautiful and just plain ol' amazingly gorgeous! Embrace your blessing, don't hide those big ears, or cover those big teeth, don't cake your face up with makeup to hide the random freak break-out (which is totally normal) or even your natural beauty, don't cover those huge hands with gloves, don't hold your head down to hide your beautiful face, don't hide under a hat or even hide those larger lips, 3 toes, 2 elbows, 1 leg, whatever it may be. These things make you who you are. Can you honestly say that without the quirk, would you really even be set apart or described as uniquely made? God gives us these quirks to see how we approach them when their noticed by others. He wants to teach us to appreciate the things that we have no matter materialistic or physical. And He also wants to know your motivation, Do you hide your true beauty to make the world feel comfortable? (If the world doesn't like it, tell them to look the other way because you're not going to cover the quirk, their just going to have to get over it and just bask in your beautifulness!:)Or do you honor God and be grateful and thank Him for making you different from everyone else? Do you want to be like everyone else? Or do you want to be the one-of-a-kind jewel that God created you to be?

 

I really loved the MSG version of this verse "You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless"

 

And I know what you're thinking...who me? (which is EXACTLY the same thing I said when I first read this) YES YOU! This is how God sees you, and how He wants you to see yourself. If God created you in His image, beautiful wouldn't even be a good enough description to describe His beauty and better yet YOURS! This is who God says you are so just accept it! He wants you to know who you are and when you are confident in your God-given beauty, you won't have to "fish for compliments", listen to sweet nothings from a knuckle headed guy, or even get discouraged when someone may try to say something negative about you in regards to your physical appearance. And sadly, those who try to tear you down are usually the main one's that are insecure about their own appearance. However, when this happens to you, take advantage of the opportunity to share the gospel, stand in the gap and be an example to other sister's who aren't confident in themselves. Someone has to speak out, and God is going to use you! So don't get discouraged but instead encourage your sister so that both of you will win! Plus, God can't work with two insecure women, one of you has to be confident in who you are. Once you know who you are in Him, nothing can mislead you because you are a Proverbs 31 woman who is far more precious then jewels. Know that you are special and divinely created.

 

 

God took His time with you, He carved every facial feature, cheek bones, body shape, fingers and toes with perfection. Jeremiah 1:5 says "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart,"  This verse highlights that before you were even born He already had a blueprint of you and knew exactly who you were going to be. He basically knew what you looked like before your mother even got to see you...wow:) But before something is created, it has to be prepared, you have to go through trial and error, it has to be manipulated, and since God is a perfect perfectionist, it took Him some time to get you just like He wanted. Isn't that amazing? God took His time forming and molding you into who you are. Isaiah 64:8 "And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand"

 

 

He had to make sure that you didn't look like your best friend, cousin, or even like your mother and father. Although you may resemble them, it's fascinating to know that you still are very unique and don't look exactly like them. This process is beautiful itself, that goes to show you just how special you are, just how perfect you are, how beautiful you are. And once you know this, of course there is nothing that you can't conquer and then you can go and share the good news!

 

 

Don't depend on a man to tell you you're beautiful, then that would be based off of feelings and emotions.

God wants you to know that you're beautiful, knowing is not a feeling, and God doesn't work off of what you feel. He wants you to be confident in who He has already ordained you to be. With some guys that are in the world, it's as if you have to be qualified to be with them , as if you have to have certain qualifications in order to be worthy to be with them. As if you have to be light or dark, or be this pretty or that pretty. But with God, you're already qualified, so why not look to Him to tell you that you're pretty. If their is any compliments that you're looking for, look for them in Christ, the one who created you. Personally, I'd rather hear it from Him knowing that He has a pure heart other than receiving them from a guy with wrong intentions that is most likely telling you you're beautiful just to get into your jewelry box! 

 

 

KNOW WHO YOU ARE BEFORE SOMEONE TRIES TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU'RE NOT!

 

 

 

 

Where did this insecurity come from, and how do we overcome it?

 



Many of you may have dealt with self-doubt or lack of confidence since you were a child. After reading Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind", it is understood that the enemy beings to initiate his well-laid plans to sow his deliberate deception at a very young age, he tried to develop strongholds through "the girl who said you were ugly at the playground", "the boy who dumped you for a cheerleader", "through the mother or father who abused you and called you names", or "through a modeling agency, televised talent show, or recording label that refused to accept you because they said that you didn't have "the look".  It becomes a continuous, drawn out, repetitive plan in which overtime takes captive of you and your mind, heart, and soul. This act would then eventually end up brainwashing you into thinking that you're worthless, ugly, fat, or good for nothing. But God is using me to warn you that the enemy is the Father of lies and all that is false (John 8:44) He tried to infiltrate our mind with these lies so much that we usually end up believing them. But to God be the Glory! We have a God who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). We have a God that's not like man, that He should lie Numbers 23:19. Because He is the TRUTH! And in His word is His truth, and with the word, it is the mighty weapon to defeat and cast down the tactics and lies of the enemy (2 Cor 10:4-5)

 

 

When we read His word daily, which is our daily bread "For it is written that "man shall not live by the bread alone, but by every word that come from God! Matt 4:4, we will begin to acquire the mind of God "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ," 1 Cor 2:16 -- "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the Lord" Isaiah 55:8 But once again we can't obtain the mind of Christ/or defeat the taunting lies without reading His word and building a relationship with Him. Once you begin to grasp this concept, get into His word, study, meditate, and do it all over again, then you will begin to think like Him and by having the mindset of God, you'll not only know Him, but know who you are in Him, and by knowing who you are in Him, you'll begin to know how He sees you and will be confident in who He says you are --BEAUTIFUL, FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY CREATED!:)

 

 And along with knowing who you are, you'll begin to acquire the eye's of God and visually see your true beauty in Him. You'll begin to see that you're beautiful, and when you look in the mirror it will be as if a thin layer of film that was on your eye-ball (that has blinded you) has been stripped away. Everything will become clearer than before, and you'll notice beautiful things about your features that you may have never noticed before. You'll start to love that "blessing" in which you claimed as a flaw and once thought was ugly and embarrassing.

 

 Then once you've received the eyes on God, as you continue to study His TRUTH, your language will begin to change as well. Your negatives will start to become positives. The negative things that you've once said about yourself and others will begin to change. You'll basically start to talk like Christ. It's written in 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come". The Lord also says in Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto those who hear" Which also includes YOU! When you begin to say negative things about yourself, you become those things, and eventually you'll make yourself believe them, and then everything and everyone around you will become negative.-- And then EVERYTHING Is just full of a bunch of negatives! lol -- But when you start to speak life and positivity, you'll get positive feedback that won't just benefit you, but also those around you who would recognize that you speak life.

 

And with having a new language, you'll being to speak His word and take captive of those deceptive thoughts that the enemy may try to conjure in your mind (2Cor 10:5) Through this transformation and renewal (Romans 12:2) you will once and for all KNOW, SEE, & SAY everything that God said that you are! What a great fulfillment, and what a gratifying process in which you'll receive emotional, psychological, and spiritual healing from all of the hurt and deceit from your past.

 

 

My Beautiful Sisters in Christ,



 

I encourage you to encourage others who have dealt with the same issue. As 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up!" and share your testimony and "go into all the world, and preach the Good News" (Mark 16:15) to not only your sister, but your brother as well! You'll be surprised how big of a difference you could make in your sister's life by simply telling her that she is beautiful. It may sound corny, but anytime I speak to my sisters in Christ or even just a lost girl that I would so happen to meet, I say "Hey Gorgeous!" or "Hey Beautiful!" They probably think I'm weird because it's not "the norm" or "expected"  to greet someone that way. But by doing this alone, you would be planting a seed, God would send someone else to plant another, and other, and then He'll send the rain, then He'll make it grow! (1 Cor 3:16)

 

 

Sisters,

 

Never ever, ever forget this. Keep it in your hearts. This isn't just something that I randomly posted to make you feel good, but merely something that God knows many women deal with today. Remember, no matter the color of your skin, the make-up of your hair, how big or wide your nose, how spaced out your eyes are, how tall or short, big or small, bow-legged or pigeon toed, your beauty is perfect and according to God's standards, you have NO FLAWS!:)  Even more, don't try to compete with the world's standards of beauty, because unfortunately,  they'll never be met, no matter how many lip injections, butt lifts, breast implants, you get, the world is NEVER going to be satisfied. For instance, you may notice when most women celebrities get those cosmetic enhancements to please the world (thinking that they'll be loved and admired) THEY STILL GET TALKED ABOUT AFTER THIER PROCEDURE IS DONE! crazy right? But instead we have a loving God, our Father in Heaven that says come as you are no matter what you look like. He sees you as beautiful, He created you, and makes no mistakes, and everything that He creates was and is always good and perfect (Genesis 1:31)

 



 

I pray that your eyes, mind and heart are opened and that you will begin to allow God to manifest Himself in your life like never before so that you can see, and that He can show you who you are in Him.

 

 

Today, by looking in the mirror, look back at yourself, be gentle, (we're fragile) and try not to judge, but simply say "I am beautiful" and by repeating that every time you wake up to brush your teeth, you'll begin to see Jesus:)

 

Remember,

 

 

 

 

LOVE YOU:)

 

Chat with you later beautiful!

-tay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Being Beautiful Modestly:)

 

Let's Talk Modesty....

 

Well, before anything I will start with myself...

Before I gave my life to Christ, I can honestly and openly say that I misused the gift that God has given me and used it for the world instead of His Glory. In other words, I wanted to be the next Beyoncé lol. I figured since I already had the voice, their was still something else missing -- "the image". I began to study the worldly trends and followed the sexually connotative image that most professional singers portray. If you're not familiar with the term "sex sales" then check the latest trends that the popular recording artists set for our society and you'll understand what I am talking about. Thank God that even then He had His hands on me because I didn't pass any forbidden boundaries that most of the popular artist cross. Simply because my Dad would NOT have that lol. But as you can see in some of the images that I posted on my page, you can see just how far it went and it pretty much didn't pass this point. However, even with the slightest piece of skin being revealed, was it pleasing to my Father in Heaven? Is it fair to my "husband to be" that my flesh was being looked upon by other "thirsty" men in the world?

 

 

Cute Huh? lol

 



 Ever since I was a little girl, I was always extra super special...lol in a GOOD way. I always stood out, even when I wasn't trying to. My elementary uniform was always decked out extra embellishments with feathers and whistles wrapped around them lol (Not really, but you get my point lol). Not only was my wardrobe very different, but my mindset didn't correlate with my generation. I can honestly say that I do love fashion then and even now. It was basically a way to express my individuality and what set me apart from others. Although I still have a passion for fashion, it's not the center of my life anymore and I had to give up that intense desire so that I wouldn't be distracted from what God has originally called me to do and be. And OH yeah, I was cute, but in these pictures, can't you tell that something was missing?

 Just like I did, you would think that your wardrobe really isn't a  big deal, and you may also say that God isn't going to judge us by our outer appearance because that is so very true. You also, make think that changing your appearance is changing who you are and is stripping your identity or liberties. That's not what God wants to do, He wants to transform all of you, not half of you. What it will do is display obedience to the Word of God. It will reflect a heart that is submitted to Him and a desire to dress “to the glory of God!”  And just a little advice from that faze in my life, don't allow the world to set your standards of dress!

What Does the Word Say About It?

1 Timothy 2:9-10

"And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or expensive clothes. For women who claim to devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do"

 

1 Peter 3

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes, you should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit(humble spirit), which is so precious to God"

 

 

--Now this doesn't mean that you have to wear long skirts that fall to your ankles or long sleeve turtle-necks, but what God is saying is that as women of God, especially in church, we must exude modesty so that everyone, primarily men but not excluding women in the church are focused solely on GOD and NOT YOU. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:13 So if what I eat causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live--for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble.

 

When I read this scripture, I wanted to go deeper to see what the meaning of meat was and what God was referring to when He says "meat".

 

 

Definitions of Meat:

1. Dictionary meaning: food in general; anything eaten as nourishment; the flesh of animals used as food
2. Biblical Definition: Being that the flesh(skin) on an animal is exposed--for example: a stray dog that has waddled in dirt, mud, and filth ; this image represents our fleshly nature, being dirty; the world, external, human effort,(standards, nature, etc.) perversion, sensual, worldly manner
3. In the old Testament back in Genesis, God refers to meat as edible solid food, but in the New Testament the meaning has shifted to the external fleshly, worldly desires of a person.

 



Let's NOT repeat the sinful act's of Eve and prove the statistic against women in the Body of Christ to be wrong... You definitely don't want to end up in Eve's position when the enemy tricked her into eating the apple which led to Adam repeating this sin. Then when God confronted Adam, all fingers pointed to Eve. If you open even the slightest hole in a window for the enemy to slip through to kill, steal and destroy, he will definitely will take advantage of the opportunity and set you up to fall just like Eve did. And referring to wardrobe, you'll be the blame for someone else's fall.

 

As women of God, we not only should exude modesty and shift the perception of our next generation of young women in the churches, but also outside of church.

• As the Lord says in 1 Peter 1:16 "For it is written "Be holy,  for I am holy".
• Also in Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in His image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.
• Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
• Titus 2:7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
• Romans 12:2 (NLV) Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (KJV) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God)

As women we must set the example for other young women and little girls that are still lost and far away from the gospel. As women, it is obvious that we all want to be cute and express our individuality through our outer appearance (makeup,shoes,jewelry,clothing). But as Queens in the Kingdom of God we must be role model's for those that God is trying to reach and today we can start with our clothing. In Psalms 31:22, she wears the finest linens and silks. Basically, she looks good, which specifies that God has no problem with us looking nice. In my opinion, if Jesus were to come tomorrow, then you'll already be dressed in your best in which would represent your wedding gown (as the Bride) to prepare for your marriage with Jesus, your Groom:) 

 

Instead, my desire is to challenge you, my gorgeous sisters in the Lord, to reevaluate what God's word says concerning modesty. Many times we seem to be asking, "How much can I get away with before it is considered a sin?" "How  many articles of clothing may I shed before it's considered wrong?" "How tight is too tight?" How low is too low?" Instead my question to you today is "What is God's best?" And not only that, but ask yourself, what is my motive for wearing a tight dress, a cropped shirt that reveals my belly button ring and stomach, tight booty shorts that guides the eye towards our womanly possession, or wearing a see-through shirt that barely overs the prize that God is saving for my husband. Ask yourself, Am I wearing the finest jewelry to make my sister jealous of my "allusion" of wealth, or even dressing seductive or provocative to entice my brother,  am I dressing myself in flashy garments to "compete" with my sister? or even to wear flattering clothes to disguise my insecurities? am I trying to impress a guy that I like or the God that loves me? What is your motivation?

 

Start with these questions and if you are doing any of these things to intentionally offend anyone or even God, ask for forgiveness and ask God to change your motives, transform your heart and mind to be set apart from the world's ways.

 

 

My Beautiful Sisters-- 

Let us repent of our selfish desires and turn to the Lord with a humble and contrite heart and may the God of mercy grant us pardon for our worldly and selfish desire to dress contrary to the glory of God.

 

 

Take a step back and let us re-evaluate our wardrobe then take a second look in the mirror to make sure your outer appearance is pleasing to God.

 

 







 We are Queens so let us wear the crown and be the positive influence to many women across the nation.

 

 

We were born into a Royal Family so let's act like Royalty!

 

Who said that you can't be modestly beautiful?

God is still working on me everyday, but I think I'm off to a great start. I pray that you do that same:)

 

Be Blessed.Be Beautiful.&Be the Queen that God created you to be

 

Love you,

-tay