There Is Much Beauty in Store for 2009!

 While resolutions probably won't get you very far this new year, it may be a good idea to set reasonable goals for some positive life changes. It is never too late to make taking care of yourself a life goal for not just 2009, but for every year after.

I’m not talking about joining the millions of women who resolve to lose weight this year or who will set a goal to only eat pineapple and soup and spend an hour in the gym everyday in an attempt losing weight like the latest celebrities. Taking care of the body God has given you goes way beyond weight. It is about taking the time to be intentional about blocking out time to make appointments with yourself to re-evaluate your life, to pray, to exercise, to look at your eating habits, and to do what you can to make yourself look your absolute best each day.

Especially since my son was born, I have often felt guilty about taking time for me; spending the extra time before going out to add some makeup, blow out my hair, and spend ten minutes picking out an outfit, but as I have become more comfortable with who I am as a child of God I feel more and more worthy of loving myself enough to take time to invest in myself. You are worthy of time just for you and you are, after all, in charge of maintaining God’s holy temple.

And this year, while you may or may not feel led to lose weight, it is always the right time to begin or to continue exercising and thinking about what foods you put in your body. If you have problems with portions or emotional eating, begin to seek God as to what needs to be dealt with in your spirit as to what is causing you to turn to food as a means of coping or substitution. When I first started praying about my eating habits it seemed completely absurd, but taking the time to really become aware of what you are putting, or not putting into God’s temple while you are here on earth, is a way of honoring God.

One thing that I am continuing to set as a goal this year is to always include a fruit and a vegetable with lunch and dinner. Before my son was born, especially during my college days, you could often find me munching on a candy bar and some pretzels for lunch with the expectation that they could get me through the day. And even though my eating habits used to be pretty terrible, ever since my son was old enough to inhale a jar of baby food, I have made it a priority to offer him many fruit and vegetable choices with his meals. It wasn’t until he was old enough to realize that I was eating something entirely different from him that he really started to question why I wasn’t eating my fruits and vegetables. So last year I made it a goal to include those same fruits and vegetables with my meals, and with the Holy Spirit constantly reminding me that I need to eat my fruits and vegetables, it has been a year full of good nutrition choices. I plan to continue that this year.

Of course, I often make room for a little dessert after meals. I feel that it’s okay to indulge my love for chocolate as long as I have been putting good things in my body as well. I’m convinced that chocolate candy bars were dropped down from heaven one day as a gift to all humanity and I intend to partake in that gift as often as I can.

This year, spend some time locked in the bathroom giving yourself a facial, painting your toenails, and putting on some lipstick. Make sure to remind yourself that you are a cherished and loved child of God who is deserving of some time spent on you this year.

When I say that, people often misconstrue “spending time on yourself” to mean that I’m promoting a day of shopping at the mall or a day of spa treatments. Neither of those things are bad, but what I am saying is that you are worthy of good health and some spent just to make you feel your beautiful best apart from your job, your spouse, your kids, or your ministry.

I think women often feel that shopping for new clothes or getting a new haircut will help them feel better about who they are, and while a new outfit will release a temporary feeling of satisfaction, true self-worth will come from Jesus.

Here are some verses for you to speak aloud to remind yourself of how beautiful and valued you are to God.

God can turn even your ashes into beauty.
“The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning; and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

You are God’s daughter.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

You are a friend of the Almighty God.
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from the Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)

You are a temple of God.
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16)

You are an overcomer.
“for everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world…” (I John 5:4-5)

You are blessed with every spiritual blessing.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)

You have been made complete in Jesus Christ.
“and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:10)

You have been given a holy calling by God.
“who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” (2 Timothy 1:9)

You are washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
“he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)