Fasting Before the Struggle Gets Hard

Esther 4:16 "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."

This verse particularly spoke to me as I began to read through Esther a day or so ago. I'm working pretty hard now, getting tired, and soon I'll be away for 10 days serving God. It's pretty tiring between the stuff I've got to do for work, and the stuff I'm doing to prepare for the upcoming 10 days. I've got to admit, I have been struggling. Then recently I've had some disagreements with some people around me, people have been causing issues and its getting to me. But I've found comfort in reading Esther. 

Esther was a woman who was made Queen with a purpose, a purpose mandated by God. I know God has a plan for me, I know I'm going to be stretched more than I can bear, but with God, he'll get me through it. Reading Esther is teaching me to rely on God, that I should look to him before I make any decisions, but that before I do anything I should pray and fast, just as Esther did. So yes, I'm fasting and praying, and I've asked my parents to join me. 

Esther did what was right in God's eyes. And I am trying to do the same, I want my life to glorify him, and that includes my decisions even though things can be frustrating. Life may not be easy, and people will push your buttons, some people will even purposely try to start conflict to see how you'll react. Fasting is reminding me that I need to pray more often. I cannot serve God as a weak body, but I can serve him as a strong body. A body that has been faithful in action, and prayerful in thought. I am looking for God's guidance, and I know that if I ask him, and obey what he says, he will be faithful.

God bless! 

Body Image; the Image of God

Body image is a touchy subject for most girls, and even some guys. Its something that many of us struggle with at some point in our lives. It doesn't matter what size you are, the fact is that we see perfection in the media and we fool ourselves into thinking that beauty can be defined by our outer appearance. 

My body image used to affect me when I was in high school. Not only my weight, but my overall appearance, right down to my hair, teeth, and even the clothes I wore. Everything about myself bothered me, I wasn't comfortable in my own skin. I couldn't fake it, but I tried to change who I was. I tried to smile less, because I didn't like my teeth. I tried to exercise by playing tennis to loose weight, and I even tried to change my friend group in hopes that somehow I would feel prettier. 

Needless to say, it never worked. But, I am comfortable with who I am today. It began at the end of grade 11, during the summer. I began to serve God - I served God in a way I never had before, I served him without holding back; selflessly. In serving God and learning selflessness, God taught me my self worth. I remember looking back on that experience and telling my friends how I used to be self conscious with how I looked, but because of God I could now see how God had made me beautiful.  

It was that realization that God had created me to be beautiful, that really made me believe it. Because God created me there is no way I could be anything but beautiful! We are all created by God, who knows each of us inside and out. He loves us despite our faults and failures, and he gives us an amazing opportunity to enjoy life with him.

Genesis 1:27 says "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." The image of God is holy, beautiful, perfect and awe inspiring! We are made like God, and we can achieve amazing things when we trust in him!

I know that for some people, body image will always be a struggle, but just know that God created you to be a wonderful, smart, amazing, and beautiful human being! Its amazing to know that God created us in his image - a perfect, awe inspiring God would create beings that resemble his likeness. It think its pretty amazing!

What I'm really trying to say is this, body image isn't important. What is important, is what you do with that body. How you use it as an instrument, how you use it to work hard, how you use your body to love the people around you. That's what makes a difference. And as you love God, you'll learn to love the person he's created you to be.

God bless! :)