Vanity

One thing that tends to be a temptation when it comes to fashion and beauty is vanity and being identified that way. It is something that we pray against that we know is a bad thing but I never really knew why. In my head vanity was finding your worth in your looks or wanting to look better than everyone else. The actual text book definition is that it is worthless or all for nothing. That is the last thing that we want this school to be. However if God is not in it, if everything that we do doesn't point to him and line up with this idea of bringing beauty out of ashes and raising up Oaks of righteousness for his Glory then it truly is all in vain. all for nothing.

It is interesting to me to see how true this definition is, a friend of mine was telling me about a guy friend of hers who asked her the age old question: "why are the prettiest girls the most insecure" Well although I cannot speak for every single insecure girl out there I can say what I have observed. Putting all the normal daddy issues aside I would say it is because that is all that they are praised for. Those girls that we define as the most beautiful are constantly told that is what they are. When in their hearts they know that beauty is vanity, its fleeting and worthless. They are not told how intelligent, funny, interesting or talented they are. They are told how beautiful they are because that is what is staring you in the face. 

I am not saying that girls don't want to be told that they are beautiful, we do. I am not discrediting our whole ministry plan. I am saying that without God's leading without him being in control of it, of us, of each of our students it is all in vain. For nothing. For some girls this means giving up make-up, or shopping, or doing your hair different, embracing the way God created you. For me in my own life all through high school I lived in vanity. I wore sweat pants and pulled my hair back and I was living and doing it all for nothing. I thought there was no hope for me to be beautiful. I thought that this is the only way to do modesty for me. It was all in vain. Then God showed me I was worth it all. I dressed up, went to cosmetology and now I am part of this Refined Beauty DTS. I am redeemed, redefined, Refined.

The prayer is that we will reach women. That they will follow God's leading in picking up or putting down the mascara. Giving everything away, or shopping armed with their new identity in Christ. It is all about him, his leading. How he wants to reach women across the globe beginning with each of us.

Here is the plug. If you are interested in coming to be "pretty" pray harder, search deeper. If you are willing to allow God to work in your heart. To bring out your insecurities and weaknesses transform them and use them for his Glory. Sign up today! check us out at www.ywampittsburgh.org.