A Pure Heart

Purity. If you have been a member of a church youth group for any amount of time, you've probably had a Bible study on this topic. This word seems to geared primarily toward teen girls. Remain pure until marriage, wear modest attire, realize your inner beauty, ect. This blog isn't a rehash on all the purity talk you've heard growing up. This is about what God has been teaching me about being and pure and godly lady.

First, purity. There's more than one way for purity to be defiled. For me, I struggle with watching TV that clouds my vision. I mean, let's face it, there's almost nothing to watch anymore. It's all geared toward relationships: breakups and makeups, backstabbing. The drama is endless. Yet, America is captivated. Maybe it's not the junky drama we seek, but a good plot and the rest gets thrown in. That's usually my excuse. I enjoy the characters, the humor, the suspense. And then the producers have to go and ruin it. Oh well, hopefully the drama will speed by so I can get back to the main event. I watch episode after episode and season after season. And the junk that comes with it? It seeps into my head and poisons my heart. The things that appall me aren't as appalling anymore. The things that made me sick to my stomach? The feeling is rarer.

This defiles my purity. The TV, books, and music that the world listens to play with sin. And when we go along with it, trying to overlook the lies and sin, the stench of sin becomes less powerful. We get used to the horror of it all. 

This is a dangerous place.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

This is my cry. The need for purity reaches far beyond teen girls. It's for everyone. It's a daily battle. The lines less black and white and more grey when we drift from God. When our time with Him becomes less frequent, the area between right and wrong is blurred. 

Next, being a lady. There are many different ideas of what makes a woman a lady. When I think of a lady, I think of someone who is patient, graceful (in word and in deed), pure, and faithful. That's just to name a few. I'm surrounded by many examples of godly ladies. None of them are perfect by any means, but they all seek the Lord with all of their hearts. Those who are married support their husbands through prayer and encouragement. Unlike many marriages over the past centuries, they are not silent partners, yet they are willing to follow their spouse through thick and thin. My mom used to be that kind of lady. But now, it's obviously a bit different. She is an independent lady. She makes the tough decisions and the final calls. 

What ties together all of these examples and all of these woman is obviously that they are all ladies.

So what makes a lady a lady?

Her dependance on God and her devotion to His Word. Being a lady and remaining pure go hand in hand. I wrote in my journal a while back that being a lady "isn't an image to be upheld, but a purity to be pursued..." It's not about how you look or what your life looks like on the outside. It's about who you serve and how you serve Him. 

Stress, Peace, and Productivity

Busy. Busy. Busy. That pretty much sums up the past two weeks. I'm in the process of getting a job, starting a business, studying for finals, coaching, and keeping my sanity. I'll elaborate on the first two in an upcoming blog, but first, time management.

Part of being an American in being stressed. So much to do, so little time and money to do it with. We barely have enough time to share a meal a day with our family, let alone a sacred time set apart for God. Let's face it, when life gets hectic and we have to eliminate something, our quiet times are the first to go. God understands, right? He knows we need those extra 30 minutes in the morning to shower, or dress, or even catch a few extra Z's. He's a God of love...yada yada yada...

But don't you crave more?

Don't you desire a more stress free life?

Wait a minute, isn't that what started this in the first place? Stress= Less time= Cutting back on quiet time. Sensible, right? Wrong.

The Bible says our God is a God of peace. He desires us to be productive and godly and relaxed all at the same time. That extra time we spend with him in the morning? He will certainly redeem it. He knows what we need. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

For the past few weeks, I've been getting up earlier than ever before to spend time with the Lord. In the past, I've woken up an hour later and been exhausted and half asleep until at least 9AM. I went to bed early, got up late, and felt slow and lethargic throughout the day. Now? For "some reason" everything is different. I get up early, go to bed later than usual and am productive all day. I fully believe it is God blessing me because I'm using the first part of my day to glorify Him. God knows I'm busy. He doesn't sit back and watch me run to catch my breath or chuckle to Himself as I juggle a million different things. He cares about me and thus blesses my time and even my energy. 

I challenge you, get up early at least 3 days in the coming week and dedicate that time to reading the Bible, memorizing Scripture, and praying. And watch God alter your attitude and your entire day.