Her children rise up and call her blessed...

Dear Mom,

Tomorrow is the day we have always honored you. We write you cards, give you gifts and tell you that we love you. This year, that didn't quite seem enough. You have given me so much more than I can fit in a card or summarize with "Happy Mother's Day!"

You raised me with love and in the fear of the Lord. Almost every morning we had "Bible time" and I still remember drawing out the Psalms and Proverbs. What you instilled in us at a young age has left it's mark; it has not returned void. You taught the Word and it's principles in everyday life. Loving God was always more than merely going to Church, it was a way of life to be passionately pursued. In everything you taught us to seek the Lord. 

You spurred our creativity. Nothing was ordinary in our house. You cared more about our learning than a spotless house. Indian teepees, Pioneer wagons, Medieval castles, and forts of all shapes and sizes donned our living room more often than not. Once, you built us an ear that we could actually crawl through, and another time you really made me carry water like I had gotten it from well. You didn't just teach us, you made learning come to life.

Mom, you taught me how to love life. You are certainly more of a free spirit than uptight, and I love and appreciate that about you. Our home was always a happy and upbeat place because of you. I can't even count all the dance sessions we had while cleaning up the kitchen or the late nights you spent with us laughing in our rooms. Life was always an adventure to you. We could be lost in the middle of downtown Atlanta, but you said "It's an adventure kids!" Even going to the mall with you was "an adventure in how to be patient" especially for the boys! I can already tell that I'm going to be just like that with our kids as well.

You are very bold and are not afraid of being different. Your love for the Lord flows out into telling others about Him. I love that you simply cannot hold it back. I am so grateful for the weeks we spent in India together. It was a huge blessing for me to share Christ with my precious mother by my side. I loved watching you share the Good News of Jesus so passionately! You are set apart because of your passion for Christ. I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful example to follow.

You've always been there for me Mom. You have served us with such love for our entire lives. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of all that you sacrificed for us, and how ungrateful I have been at times. I am so very blessed to have a mother that loved me so much. You loved me enough to discipline me, to correct me, to teach me, and to train me up in the way that I should go. Not only that, but you hurt when I hurt, you were joyful when I was joyful, you were proud when I accomplished something and so much more. I have become who I am because of you. Your love and support has given me the desire to go after great things.

Your love for the Savior is unparalleled. I am so thankful that I grew up in a home where my mother read the Bible and lived out it's principles. I have so many sweet memories of us sharing what the Lord had taught us and reading God's Word together. When you pray, it is powerful. When you worship, it is authentic and often with tears. I have never doubted that you fear the Lord. 

One of the things I am most thankful for is how you loved Dad. You have truly shown me how to love and honor a husband. I pray to be a wife like you have been to Dad. You always supported him, deferred to him, followed his leadership and showed him how much you loved him. We respected him because you respected him. He is certainly worthy of it! I can remember several times when you just broke down in front of us and cried saying "I am so blessed to have your father as a husband!" You have shown me how to be faithful. You always did what he asked, even if it wasn't convenient - You made it a priority. I can't tell you how thankful I am for your example as a wife!

Mom, you are so beautiful. You radiate Christ and His love. You are an amazing woman and I hope to follow in your steps.

See the great heritage you are leaving for your children? We rise up today and call you blessed. "Many have done excellently, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruits of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:29-31) We praise you Momma!

I am blessed to call you Mom. You have given me so much that I can never repay. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. You are one of the most precious gifts that God has given to me.

I love you!

Your daughter,

Jennifer

True Beauty

Believe it or not I have not always felt pretty or like I fit in.

There were lots of times when I felt ugly and unattractive, unwanted and left out.

Other times I have placed too much emphasis on my looks, taken pride in my fashionable outfits and what was painted on that morning.

I have been teased about my weight and insecure about my breakouts. I have thought myself better than others and succumbed to pride in appearances. I have felt vain for putting on nice clothes and make up and like I didn’t ever look nice enough.

True Beauty vs. Vanity – don’t we all struggle with it?

The other day I read an articele on Cross Walk from Jill Swanson, author of Simply Beautiful: Inside and Out. This is how she starts her book talking about “Beauty Without Vanity”:

"Balancing beauty with humility is an ongoing struggle for today’s woman. None of us want to appear vogue on the outside and vague on the inside. If we were to be honest with ourselves, we would all like to look the best we can. Clothing and appearance affect how we feel and think about ourselves. They can lift our spirits and help give us confidence to face the real world.

 "The body is God’s handiwork. We have a responsibility to take care of it and to present ourselves in a way that will compliment the Kingdom of God. How we appear on the outside reflects our integrity and competence. Through initial contact with people, fifty-five percent of our perceived credibility is based on appearance alone! First impressions lay the groundwork for establishing trust and believability."

There is something in a woman that longs to be affirmed, to be seen as beautiful. Even though this is true, my heart has been humbled lately. Through The Difference Project I have seen just how much emphasis I have put in what I put on. Sure, I want to take care of myself like the article was saying, but I want to radiate beauty from the inside even more so. I truly needed to be reminded of this.

The most beautiful women I have ever meet have been radiant with Christ. They just glowed with His beauty. Sure, they were all shapes and sizes, had different eye color and skin tone...but what I noticed was not their outfits, hair or make up. What I noticed was their heart for the Lord, an inward beauty that made their outward appearance beautiful as well.

The world's standard of beauty will always be changing, but the Lord's standard never changes. This is the kind of beauty that I desire above all else. I want to see myself as the Lord sees me - as His precious daughter. The world may look at me according to their standards of beauty, but true beauty lies in having a heart like His. May I ever gaze in the mirror of His Word and seek to be like Him - the most Beautiful One.