Walking Tall When All You Feel Is Small

by Allie Marie Smith

I recently had the privilege of hearing one of my biggest role models and inspirations speak. She’s a woman of faith; a committed wife and mother; successful entrepreneur and philanthropist.

I had every intention of introducing myself, but I was late to get a seat and the meet-and-greet line was twenty-people deep. I didn’t want to be a bother. I even mustered up the courage to ask a question in front of 240 people, but didn’t act quickly enough.

Five feet away from her, I felt so small. Yet, had I introduced myself I know she would have made me feel important, known and valued – that’s the kind of woman she is.

I gazed at the stage as one of my friends interviewed her – they were both impeccably dressed, poised and articulate. I couldn’t help but think I should be something more than I am.

Make money. So you can buy nice clothes and get manis and pedis. Don’t forget to tweeze your eyebrows. Lose fifteen pounds and read the Wall Street Journal.

I drove home on the 101 through the California fog and felt clumsy and awkward, like a fragile foal just learning to walk amongst a herd of wild horses.

I mourned over a missed opportunity and wallowed in self-pity over the reality that it’s likely I’ll never own a billion dollar enterprise, grace the pages of magazines or get away without wearing Spanx at forty-something (or twenty-eight).

But as God is faithful to do, He taught me something:

Choose to walk tall, even when you feel small.

The truth is God doesn’t need you to walk tall, but as His child, He invites you to walk worthy of the identity He has clothed you with: his treasured possession - beloved, redeemed and cherished.

Stand tall, walk worthy and run your own race – the next lane over has already been taken.

When's the last time you felt small? How can you walk tall?

Ocean Song by Jessica McLean

by Allie Marie Smith

I started off my morning with a girls group I'm leading using our friend Christina DiMari's bible study "You're Designed to Shine." It's quickly becoming the highlight of my week. This morning, I played my sweet friend Jessica McLean's music video, "Ocean Song." It's one of my all-time favorite songs (and Jess is also one of my all-time favorite musicians and people!). I realized some of you girls have probably never even heard it so I want to share it with you! Enjoy!

The Widow of Zeraphath: The Baker

by Raquel Rodriguez

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zerphath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.” But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” (1 Kings 17:8-12)

In those days a widow was considered a second class citizen, notorious for their poverty and often going hungry. They seldom had a way to provide for themselves, much less for a guest. Hospitality was more than a friendly gesture; it was and still is a way of life in the culture of the Middle East. For someone who has been instructed to feed a visitor, this widow has shown a lack of hospitality. Rather than keeping busy at home, preparing a warm meal for the sojourner, we find her gathering sticks.

The Widow of Zeraphath is about to use the last of her flour and oil which stood between her son’s and her own starvation, when along came Elijah and told her to make him a cake. Her condition is so severe that she is ready to call it quits and die. Interestingly, she calls God “the Lord Your God,” revealing to us that He is not her God. What is this widow to do: Give the last of her bread to a stranger or to her son?

But Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her son continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. (1 Kings 17:13-16)

Not only is the Widow of Zeraphath alone, poor, hungry and depressed but here we read that she was also fearful. Elijah doesn’t seem to care of her social position, economical status and evident poverty. He tells her not to fear and because it was the word of the Lord God that promised her food throughout the famine, she obeyed even though it was at a great risk.

Like the Widow of Zerapath, are you found alone? Abandoned? Depressed? Empty? Helpless? Hopeless? Hungry? Thirsty? Ignored? In physical poverty? Spiritual poverty? Knowing of God but not knowing God? Are you at your wits end? It may just be that like the Widow of Zerapath, the Lord is asking you to make Him a cake, to offer the little that you have?

Elisabeth Elliot put it best:

“Make me a cake.” In other words, Elijah said: There is one thing you can do. Even from your poverty, you can give me something. It may not SEEM like much, but it is the very thing I need. If you will give it to me I can do something I could not do without it. When all we have to offer seems pitifully small and woefully poor, we must offer it nevertheless, in obedience like the widow’s, and in the simplicity of a little child who brings a crushed dandelion to his mother. The child is not bitter and resentful at the poverty of his offering.” –A Path of Loneliness

The Widow of Zerapath gave the scraps she had left. The effects of that obedience went far beyond her imagination. Imagine what the Lord can do with the little you give Him. Now imagine what He can do with your loneliness, your emptiness, your poverty, your hunger, your helplessness, hopelessness, brokenness and restlessness if you would hand it over to Him.

Why do you think it's so difficult for us to hand over our needs to God?

Media Commentary: The Emmy's

by Kati Smith

Hollywood’s big awards shows are always fascinating to me. Watching the stars come down the red carpet, I can’t peel my eyes away from the TV. The lights are flashing and everything from the diamonds and satin to the flawless skin sparkles and glows. I’m mesmerized by the glamour and the A-list couples and all of those designer gowns.

Then the show is filled with camera shots of beautiful, happy, laughing stars. They give (usually) well-crafted, sincere, tearful acceptance speeches and cheer for their peers. The whole thing can feel so magical.

Last week I was traveling while the Emmy’s were on, but I hopped on my laptop in the airplane to see the photos and follow along. Kate Winslet’s red gown made me almost gasp—and so did the appearance of the entire cast of men from Entourage in slick black suits and skinny ties, if I’m being honest. From what I could see in the photos and articles, this year’s awards were much the same as always—glamorous.

Yet as I was clicking through the images and reading about it, I saw something I hadn’t really seen before…

For every sparkle and perfect hair day, there’s a “Worst Dressed” worthy outfit and a bone thin actress feeling uncomfortable in her own body. For every tearful acceptance speech there’s embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy or injustice. The host tells jokes that are funny for a moment, unless you see that they are usually at someone’s expense.

It’s so easy to be enthralled with the glamour and magic that we see and feel in the carefully crafted moments of television, or music and movies. Celebrity is a whimsical idea in that it is just beyond our reach at any given moment. Something whispers to us that if we had just the right moment or tried just a little harder, we might look that way or enjoy the same success.

The harm is becoming too engrossed in it all is when we start to compare. Anything just beyond our reach feeds our discontentment. Inevitably the feelings arise of not being beautiful enough, thin enough, poised enough, polished enough, or just enough. There is no real harm in watching and being entertained, but keeping a sense of reality is so important. These Hollywood stars are just people—people who are airbrushed and hidden behind roles and publicists to create a hollow shell of a perfection. When we hold ourselves to these same standards, we are attempting to become something that doesn’t exist.

It just echoes the old saying, “All that glitters isn’t gold.”

Does your self-image change after you view awards shows or look at magazines? How so?

Contract Signing & Bible Study Planning

by Natalie Lynn Borton

On Friday Allie, Christie, Kayla and I met at the W Hotel in Westwood to plan our outline and assign chapters for the bible study we're writing this fall for Wonderfully Made! We signed our contract, prayed for guidance about the study, and worked through all of the logistics, like what voice we'll use in our writing, what each chapter is about, and who will be responsible for each chapter.

Though we planned to spend the whole day planning and discussing the study, we didn't anticipate watching a photo shoot in the middle of the hotel! We had the honor of meeting the nice photographers from Life + Dog Magazine, actress Mary Lynn Rasjkub, and her cute pups Ginger and Emily. What a fun surprise!

We'll be asking for your input as we begin the writing process, so keep your eyes peeled for your opportunity to be part of our bible study in the coming weeks.

When have you seen the Lord open doors in your life in ways you hadn't imagined?

How Modesty Campaigns Objectify Women (Part Two)

by Jeff Bethke

Yesterday we looked at how sometimes a good thing (modesty) can turn into a God thing (idolatry). In part two we will look at two reasons why I think we fall into the trap of modesty legalism.

Everything Caters to the Men
Imagine if men were subject to women’s “stumbling block” argument as much as women are to men? Imagine if a woman’s heart was cared for, cherished, and defended with the same tenacity that Christians defend men’s purity? You would certainly hear a lot less sermons about women having to dress a certain way, and more sermons about guys needing to repent of flirty text messages late at night with a girl he has no intention of pursuing. Maybe rather than girl’s having to pass the “skirt test” in the hallway, the teenage boys would have to pass the “text message test” by having their Christian teacher read through them everyday. Imagine that?

It is sad how much of the Christian theology centers on the man being helped and defended. Women are constantly told to dress in a way that makes the men not “stumble.” Now it is extremely encouraging from a guy’s point of view when you can tell a woman is dressing in a way to honor and help a brother in Christ. But, a lot of times this is just a cop out for guys to not deal with their unrepentant lust, sexual sin, and heart issues. It is following in the footsteps of their first father Adam who didn’t take responsibility but instead blamed his wife (Genesis 3).

The truth is a guy can lust or think sinful thoughts about a woman if she were fully covered head-to-toe. No matter what a girl wears the guy has a choice whether he will let Jesus and the power of grace rule in his heart, or if he will let his flesh rule over him. So women, dress modestly, but don’t become a slave to a man’s eyes, become a slave to Jesus.

We love Rules and Regulations, not the Spirit
No matter what the issue is, we as humans prefer rules, regulations, laws, and checklists to Jesus himself. Rather than asking the Spirit what the real issue is inside a woman’s heart, we simply want them to externally modify their behavior. We love to live by the letter of the law, and not the Spirit of the law. We do this because the rules are easier and quicker. But please take note of this one simple truth; a woman must have her heart changed, before her clothes ever will.

Trusting the Spirit takes constant communion, relationship, praying, etc. We can make rules and adhere to them whether the Spirit is absent or not, but to live by the Spirit means you must have a real, intimate, and lively relationship with Him in order to be in communication with Him. This does take time and effort, but the change that occurs here is real, deep, and lasting. If we are only after behavior modification and not the heart, we’ve lost the point completely and are in the same sin as the promiscuous dressing girl, just with a different bent. This is why I love Jesus; He is the perfect solution and antithesis to both religion and rebellion.

Solution
Trust the gospel, and no longer submit to a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). Don’t feel that your standing before God is in exact parallel with how you dress. You are clothed in perfection because you are in Jesus, not because you dress modestly. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Above that though bring glory to God through your clothes. Dress in such a way that points to your Savior and Creator, not yourself. Because as mentioned above, even sometimes modesty campaigns can be all about you, when God calls us to dress in a way that’s all about Him.

On a practical level, ask your husband, boyfriend, or a guy who is a “brother figure” about this subject. I think this type of guy usually knows you enough to have an honest conversation about what is helpful, what isn’t, and what brings the most glory to Jesus. Lastly, attack the heart of the issue and ask the Spirit to reveal where something may need to change. Remember that clothes (and the attitude that puts on those clothes) are simply an outflow of what’s in the heart. So, ladies, let our Savior’s grace, rather than your righteousness, be exalted through your dress.

How does this impact your view of modesty? Will it change the way you look at how you get dressed in the morning?

How Modesty Campaigns Objectify Women (Part One)

Good morning, girls! Today is our first-ever post from our new contributor Jeff Bethke. He will be regularly sharing thoughts on purity from a guy's perspective, and we hope you'll enjoy this new point of view and his refreshingly honest style.

by Jeff Bethke

Ladies, can I talk to you as a brother real quick? I more than anyone is for girls dressing modestly, but I think we are in danger in the future if we don’t realize a few things. I came across a recent article that argued modesty standards are sometimes just as sinful as girls who dress promiscuously. I wholeheartedly agree, but first let me explain.

Because promiscuity is so prevalent today us in the church have reacted by elevating modesty to unhealthy proportions. We jump too quickly into behavior modification and don’t realize that most of our modesty campaigns are actually borderline legalism.

One rule in particular that “Christian” schools, universities, and clubs like to enforce is the “skirt test.” It usually involves the woman getting on her knees to see if the skirt touches the ground, which if it does it’s deemed acceptable. My question though is what are we doing in that moment? Is the gospel being exalted or are we heaping shame and condemnation on them?

The fact that she is on her knees for the test couldn’t be more symbolic of submission, power, shame, and guilt. The trouble, however, is that while modesty standards are set up to not make women’s bodies an object, it is in fact doing that very thing.

Highlighting the girl’s dress in front of everyone, and telling her she should dress a certain way because she doesn’t want “to make the men stumble” is simply making her an object. In the body we need to realize using men’s sin and lust issues as the reason why a woman should dress a certain way is actually making her just as much an object than if she were to dress promiscuously.

Now am I saying a woman should dress promiscuously? Hear me emphatically say NO. There is nothing more attractive to me than a woman who dresses in a way that brings attention to her face, not her body. But, I am arguing that we must be on guard against our hearts natural inclination towards legalism.

Every lady should ask herself when getting dressed, “am I getting dressed thinking about God’s gaze upon me or someone else’s?” Because the truth is whether you dress to be looked at modestly, or you dress to be looked at promiscuously, you are still dressing to be looked at by someone other than your Creator.

Let me say this loud and clear ladies: you are not an object! Dressing so “church people” will accept you or dressing so guys will gawk at you is the same sin—becoming a slave to the praise of man. Tomorrow we will look at two reasons specifically that usually lead to this idolatry of modesty, and propose the solution to how we can live with the proper biblical tension on this subject.

Have you experienced idolatry to modesty? How so?

Food: Enemy or Friend?

by Natalie Lynn Borton

Good morning, girls! How was everyone's weekend? Brian and I just got back from what seemed like a month-long vacation, and strangely enough, I feel glad to be back into the routine of daily life. I loved relaxing lakeside and poolside as well as seeing friends and family, but I've missed being home. It's nice to sleep in our bed, go for a walk around our neighborhood, and sip coffee on our balcony again. I love home sweet home.

Today's post is about having a healthy relationship with food. A while back I read an article from Women's Health Magazine called "Why We Love Food", which shed some light on the social, cultural and biological factors that impact how we eat. At the end they share some helpful tips for befriending food again and I wanted to share it as an encouragement to any of you who have struggled with food issues in the past, or are currently struggling with them.

You can't alter your DNA, change your cultural background, or turn back the clock and make your pregnant mother drink vegetable juice. But now that you understand how these and other factors influence the way you eat, you can work toward making each new experience with food a pleasurable one. It's a matter of giving yourself permission to enjoy what's on your plate instead of fretting that you're not eating the right thing, the right amount, or the right way, says Lombardo. Here are some other tips:

Focus on your food.
You may not have time to savor every bite of every meal, but turning off the TV and sitting at a table will help you take more pleasure in your food.

But don't be hypervigilant.
"Being too aware of what and how much you eat can turn you into a food obsessive," says Wansink. "Not to mention that having a mind-set of 'If I walk two miles, I can eat this many chips' is a terrible way to live."

Don't tell yourself no.
Deprivation diets set you up for failure. "It's a lot more liberating to say 'I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, as long as I know how much I actually want,' " says Wansink.

Listen to your gut.
If you like steak, order it, even if everyone else is having salad.

Don't take on others' emotional static.
"Repeat this mantra: 'I choose to enjoy this food,' " says Lombardo. At the end of the day, each of us has to decide for ourselves if food is the enemy or a dear friend.

How does this change the way you view your food?

Imagine if You Knew...

by Allie Marie Smith

Imagine if you really knew this. Like didn't just know it to be true, but really believed it with every ounce of your being. How would your life be different than it is today?

Coming 2012: New WM Bible Study!

by Allie Marie Smith

We are so excited to announce that we (Natalie, Kayla, Christie & myself…with your help!) will be co-writing a Bible study! We are partnering with the creative folks at Group to launch a new Wonderfully Made Bible study series.

In 2012 we plan to re-release HEAL: Healthy Eating & Abundant Living and publish a brand new study tentatively titled “Wonderfully Made: Becoming Who You Are in Christ.”

We’ve heard from so many of you who’ve been looking for more resources for yourself, your friends and the girls you mentor, so we’re thankful for the opportunity to reach more girls with the truth about our value and worth.

I’m excited for this project to be a collaborative effort and we sincerely want each of you to be a part of the journey! As we tackle the writing process we will be reaching out to you to for your stories, input, ideas and prayer support.

What topics, verses and struggles related to identity and worth would like to see us address in our upcoming study?

The Key to the Closet

by Natalie Lynn Borton

[photo credit]

Have you ever investigated your own heart to discover that there’s something dead and rotting inside, something that you want to keep for yourself and refuse to hand over to the Lord?

Last summer while I was visiting my family on the east coast, we attended our church in Massachusetts called Church in the Pines. Pastor Joel shared a story from Robert B. Munger called “My Heart, Christ’s Home” that really resonated with my soul. It’s a fictional story of a man welcoming Jesus into his home, which is a metaphor for his heart. Jesus walks through the study, the dining room, the living room, the workroom and the rec room, and in each room the author recognizes things that are not of God, and asks Jesus to clean it up for him.

Eventually, they came to the hall closet, which is where the author kept the secret things he wanted to hide from God and keep in his control:

There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, “There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. It’s upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet.” As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on the landing, just a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about and certainly I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there.

Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door. “It’s in there! Some dead thing!”

I was angry. That’s the only way I can put it. I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the playroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, “This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key.”

“Well,” He said, reading my thoughts, “if you think I’m going to stay up here on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my bed out on the back porch. I’m certainly not going to put up with that.” Then I saw Him start down the stairs.

When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense His fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. “I’ll give You the key,” I said sadly, “but You’ll have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven’t the strength to do it.”

“I know,” He said. “I know you haven’t. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will.” So with trembling fingers I passed the key to Him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. The He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment’s time. Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!

Jesus loves to spend time with us, and deeply desires to dwell in our hearts; but He will not put up with partial disclosure. He wants all of us, not just the parts we want to give over to Him. He wants to be the keeper and Lord of the house. I think the most beautiful and comforting part of the story is when the author gives over the key and admits that He cannot clean the closet himself. Once he humbles himself to authorize Jesus to clean the closet, Jesus tells him that was all He wanted in the first place. He just needs the key. He just needs authorization.

Why do you think it's so difficult for us to give up control and let Jesus heal us?

Christie's Story

A few months ago we launched our HerStory campaign, a film series intended to share the stories of dozens of girls from a variety of backgrounds who have gone through many different life experiencing such as depression, an eating disorder, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, loss of a loved one, promiscuity, perfectionism, or abuse.

Christie, our Westmont College Regional Chapter Director, was kind enough to be the first of many to share her story on film. Below is her powerful testimony of God's grace, love, healing and redemption in her life:

What about Christie's story inspires or encourages you?

Featured Cause: The Shine Project

by Chrissy Watson

This month I want to share with you the story of a girl named Ashley.

During her internship at Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, Arizona Ashley had the opportunity to get a closer look at the lives and struggles of students in an inner city school.

“There are so many kids that have SO much potential, and just need someone to help them see it.”

Through her blog, The Shine Project, she has created The Shine Project Scholarship Fund. Ashley’s goal is to raise $20,000 by the end of October, which she plans to put towards four students at Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, Arizona, to help them pay for their first year of college.

There are a few ways you can help Ashley make this happen.

Change 4 Change Jars
Email Ashley at Ashley.TheShineProject@gmail.com and she’ll send you tags to make a Change 4 Change jar. Collect all the loose change you can or make one for a local business, classroom or for your church!

Donate some stuff
San Tan Ford is sponsoring a SHINE fundraising event in October. It is a silent auction, and all money will go into the scholarship fund. If you have any items you would like to donate just let her know!

Shop
Take a look at the awesome Shine necklaces Ashley makes. Not only are they beautiful and encouraging, some of the profit goes towards the scholarship fund!

Thanks Ashley for being such a strong woman! We are thankful for people like you! You can check out Ashley’s blog The Shine Project for more info!

Things I Don't Do

by Natalie Lynn Borton

This post is 100% inspired by a chapter in Shauna Niequist's newest book, Bittersweet, which I read earlier this year and absolutely loved (see my review here). Shauna was the featured guest at a women's Christmas tea I attended, and when she spoke on stage she shared this entire chapter with the women in the audience. The beautifully crafted words of honesty fluttered through the air and we were all ears.

Shauna described herself as a list-maker who never could figure out how so many busy women could keep it all together. One day over lunch, her friend Denise told her, "What’s hard...is figuring out what you’re willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about." Those words stuck with her for a while until she realized what was necessary:

Deciding what I wanted wasn’t that hard. But deciding what I’m willing to give up for those things is like yoga for your superego, stretching and pushing and ultimately healing that nasty little person inside of you who exists only for what people think.

So, there's the question I'm asking myself. What am I willing to not do in order to be the person I really want to become? First, as Shauna did, I must consider what matters to me.

Things I do.

• I pray, study God's word, and grow in my faith each year. My faith is what makes me who I am, and what shapes me into the woman I am growing into each and every day.
• I invest in my family. My parents raised me to be who I am, and Brian will be at my side as my new family for the rest of our lives. I call regularly, I make time, I keep myself available. One day if kids enter the picture, I'm sure I'll be glad I practiced this one in my non-motherhood years.
• I keep my best friends close, even when we live far away. No matter where we end up or move to (already we're scattered around California and Texas), having friends that are like family is one of the greatest gifts from God. These people are what, in a later chapter in the book, Shauna refers to as the "home team." It's become my new favorite term.
• I honor my body with the way I eat and exercise. Too many years of abuse and judgement ruined my self-esteem and prevented me from living my life feeling fully alive. I am finally in a place of freedom, and I choose to live freely in love by treating my body the way it should be treated: as a wonderfully made and unique creation of God.
• I get a full night's sleep and wake up early. Morning is my favorite time of day, why sleep in?

Next, I have to consider what I am willing to sacrifice in order to keep doing the things I listed above. What would I give up so that I can maintain the values that are important to me?

Things I don't do.

• I don't over-commit my time. I fell into this trap too often in college, over-scheduling my calendar to feel important and keep busy. But in the past few years since graduation, I've come to value down time, rest time, time to be available to the family and friends who are so dear to me. Yes, there are times when I am tempted to sign up for every single group and club that exists in my town, but that doesn't mean that I give into the urges anymore. It's not worth the sacrifice.
• I don't stay up late. Like I said, morning is the best in my book! So unless it's New Year's Eve, I'm on vacation, or a friend is having a crisis, you can expect me to be hitting the hay around 10:00 p.m.
• I don't pursue close friendships with men. This is so simple, and maybe seems silly, but it's the least I can do to protect my marriage. I love Brian more than anyone in the world, and I couldn't imagine ever confiding in any man other than him. However, if we don't guard our hearts and we build up friendships with men who aren't our husbands (for those of us who are married, anyway), we create an opportunity for disaster in the future. When it doubt, leave it out...well, close friendships with men, that is.

This list will always be evolving, changing, and growing as the years go on. I'll add more things I do, and more things I don't do, but I feel like this is a solid start in the right direction. Listing what matters to me puts everything into perspective, and it makes saying no a whole lot easier when I realize that saying yes would compromise that which I hold so dearly.

What are you willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about? Or, in other words, what are things that you don't do?

To the Girl Who Feels Trapped

by Natalie Lynn Borton

A few years ago, on an evening when my heart felt heavy, I wrote a prayer for the girls who felt trapped in their own distortions of themselves and their world. To the girl who was struggling with addiction, perfectionism, or an eating disorder; to the girl who hated her body or doubted her own worth or unique beauty; to the girl who felt enslaved by lies that she lived by even though she knew they weren't true.

I wrote this prayer a while ago, but it still applies today. If you can relate to the girls I just described--if you are any of those girls I described, this prayer is for you...

Dear Lord,

You are the creator of all things, from the endless universe to the smallest flowers. You know us intimately and completely even when we turn from you and you yearn for our love and obedience. Tonight, I lift up the girl who is lonely, uncertain, enslaved and addicted. Wrap her in your arms of love. Give her peace. Give her rest. Show her your power and glory and release her from the bondage of controlling her own life. Whether it is food or exercise or self-doubt or perfectionism, show her her worth. Let her know that she is worthy because you, the King of Kings, declare it from the heavens.

You call out to her–she is your perfect, unique daughter, whom you love completely and without condition. Heal her wounds and give her your truth. Let her hear your voice loud and clear above the deceptive thoughts that run through her head. Open her heart, her mind, and her ears to your grace and love and healing. Hold her hand and carry her when she is too weak to bear the weight of her struggles alone. Give her the strength to endure each day and give her hope for a day when she will no longer be a slave to the lies of this world.

Amen.

Is this prayer for another girl in your life, rather than yourself? If so, send it to her and remind her of her true value and worth.

Happy Labor Day!

Hey girls!

We hope you're enjoying this nice long weekend and spending time outdoors. Happy Labor Day to you! Enjoy the sunshine and these last bits of summer.

In Love,
The Wonderfully Made Team

How are you celebrating Labor Day this year?

Know Your Value: The Official Wonderfully Made Blog

Welcome to our fresh-faced new blog! It's been a fun project to work on, and we hope you like the changes we've made! Here are all of the new features you need to know about:

• A new name. We decided it was time to give this blog a real name, so we're calling it "Know Your Value." It's the official blog of Wonderfully Made!
• Follow options. It should be easy to read your favorite blog, so we're giving you a lot of options to stay connected. Click on any of our social media buttons on the top of the left column to stay in touch, follow using Google Friend Connect, or sign up to get an email whenever we post something new. Easy peasy.
• Regular contributors. Although we started this already last month, it's still a feature of the new blog. We have a talented group of women who are committed to making regular contributions to this blog on topics including dating and relationships, featured causes, media commentary, photography, and scripture.
• Better organization. You can now find posts three different ways, from the right-hand column: by date, by topic or by author. Or, you can check out one of our recently popular posts to see what everyone else has been reading. You pick!
• Improved about section. What exactly is this blog about? Well, now we tell you! We also included information about our organization, and where the name "Wonderfully Made" came from. Check it out and find out for yourself.
• Sponsor opportunities. One of our goals for this year is to partner with artists, businesses and organizations we believe in. Interested in sponsoring us or know someone who would be? Check out the sponsors page for more information.

Our hope is that you will feel at home here, visit often, and become an active part of our little Wonderfully Made community. As you read posts from our fabulous team of contributors, we encourage you to comment and engage in conversation. Let this be the place where we can grow together in the understanding of our true value and worth.

xoxo,
The Wonderfully Made Team

What do you think about the new look and feel?