One Size?

My dear friend Holley Gerth is currently posting a series on God-sized Dreams. I'm thrilled to welcome Holley here as a guest blogger today:

God-sized dreams...aren't one size fits all

Vintage dress pattern photo by Laineys Repertoire (flickr) My friend Kim and I ventured out for a little resale shopping recently. One particular store had a hot pink neon sign, loud music, and gum-popping teenagers behind the counters.

I tried on my usual size but it seemed those jeans must have been designed for Barbie. At any rate, my hips weren't having any of it.

So I reached for a shirt that looked more like a bib. That was followed by a dress that would have barely covered my bellybutton. Ahem.

When it comes to dreams, it seems to go much the same way. I think, "Oh, that dream looks so cute on her! I want that one too!" So I try it on and it doesn't fit my heart any better than those jeans fit my hips.

I keep trying other dreams until I sink to the floor of life's dressing room in discouragement. Or worse yet, I go out looking like someone Stacey and Clinton should nab for What Not to Wear as quickly as possible.

But I'm learning something beautiful. Although God's dreams aren't one size fits all like I sometimes wish they could be, He's created particular ones just for us and they fit who we are perfectly.

We don't have to settle for off-the-rack dreams or someone else's discards. No, ma'am, we've got a divine tailor who does nothing but high end, one-of-a-kind couture.

True God-sized dreams feel like they're made just for you...

because they are.

And you're made just for them, just for Him, too.

Now that's simply stunning.

(c) Copyright Holley Gerth, all rights reserved

Holley Gerth has a masters degree is counseling and is an award-winning writer and editorial director for DaySpring with more than ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Her first devotional book, Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times is available online and in bookstores. She’s also the author of over 2,000 cards, as well as several devotionals, articles, journals, and books. Holley is passionate about bringing hope to the hearts of women. You’re invited to visit her online at Heart to Heart with Holley at holley.dayspring.com

Speak from the Heart

If a home is a man's castle, then I think it must be a woman's place of self-expression. What I feel on the inside is the personality I want to reflect as I create a home. I just found a really fun way to do that (and enter to win some beautiful prizes) at Nesting Place where I created this sign for the Write Them on Your Doorposts give-away today. :) These words are based on one of my favorite Scripture verses, Psalm 4:8.

Beauty in the Shadows

Have you ever heard someone describe a time of trial as, “living under the shadow of [xyz]”? My shadows have included infertility, grief, depression, chronic illness and more. I'm sure you can plug in your own "xyz"s; maybe cancer, abuse, loneliness…

Job and the Psalmist talk of “the valley of the shadow of death.” Shadows impress a dark picture of gloom and heaviness in my mind.

Hope demands I give shadows another look... [To read the remainder of this article, please visit (In)Courage where you can also enter to win a copy of my book, Hannah's Hope.]


Keep scrolling here for a great list of verses that reflect God's sheltering shadows in my life.

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One way God seems to work in my life is through “theme word seasons,” specific life lessons He wants to drive home with me and situations that bring those themes to light over and over until I finally begin to grasp a small portion of what He longs to teach me. Wait resounded in our hearts through the loss of our business and the struggle for my husband to find a new career that truly fit, all in the midst of infertility's endless cycles of hoping and hurting, wanting and worrying, coping and crying.

Waiting has given way to new horizons, a series of theme seasons too numerous to list here, but with one of the most recent being Hope. And then to Hope, God’s spent this year adding the active pursuit of Joy to my life as well. Here are some of my favorite resources from these three themes:

Wait:
- Hannah’s Prayer Ministries offers support through fertility challenges, including infertility or the death of a baby at any time from conception through early infancy.
- A Graceful Waiting by Jan Frank
- The Wait Poem by Russell Kelfer (Truly beautiful book, with a written message even more powerful than the photos! This poem was life-changing for me and has been impactful in many lives.)

Hope:
- Out of the Valley Ministries, Inc. Postpartum Depression Support
- Grieving the Child I Never Knew by Kathe Wunnenberg
- Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption Loss by me, Jennifer Saake :)

Joy:
- Rest Ministries provides support in the face of chronic pain and illness, including National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week each Sept.
- Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times by Holley Gerth
- The book of Philippians, written by the apostle Paul.

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies” Philippians 4:8-9. (MSG)

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Verses that reflect God's sheltering shadows in my life:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” James 1:17. (NIV)

“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:3. (NIV)

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” Isaiah 9:2. (NIV)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" Isaiah 40:31. (NIV)

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me" Micah 7:7. (NIV)

"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield" Psalm 33:20. (NIV)

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God..." Psalm 40:1-2, (NIV)

“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light…

“He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead…

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness…

“For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love…

“You came near when I called you, and you said, ‘Do not fear.’
O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life…”
- from Lamentations 3 (NIV)

Dayspring Necklace

DaySping has generously donated a God’s Heart for You – Sterling Silver Necklace ($45 value) to our Virtual Spa Weekend! It is the number one seller on their website and it will be randomly awarded to one InnerBeautyGirlz reader who is leaves a comment on this blog by midnight Sunday. If you would like to earn additional entries for this prize, please share the link to DaySpring's promotion on your own blog or social network, then come back here and post additional comments for each way you have helped spread the word!

In God’s heart, you are…

created
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. PSALM 139:14 NIV

chosen
The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured possession. DEUTERONOMY 14:2 NIV

celebrated
He will take great delight in you…
He will rejoice over you with singing. ZEPHANIAH 3:17 NIV

cherished
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. JEREMIAH 31:3 NIV

God Thinks You're Beautiful

I am delighted to welcome Holley Gerth as a guest blogger at our Virtual Spa Weekend! Holley is an award-winning writer and editorial director for DaySpring (check the first link tomorrow morning for a great give-away from DaySpring) with more than ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Her first devotional book, Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times, is now available online and in bookstores. She’s also the author of over 2,000 cards, as well as several devotionals, articles, journals, and books. Holley is receiving a masters degree in counseling, and she’s passionate about bringing hope to the hearts of women. You’re invited to visit her online at Heart to Heart with Holley at holley.dayspring.com

Just flip through a few television channels and it’s easy to see that our culture is obsessed with beauty. Stars get plastic surgery before they grace the red carpet. Makeover shows transform lives and faces. Miss America crowns one girl the fairest of them all. From the time we are young girls we wonder how we fit into all of this fuss about beauty.

I clearly remember changing outfits at least ten times the evening before the first day of school in fourth grade. I would put one on, parade in front of my parents, and then rush back to my room to stare in the mirror. None of them seemed quite right. I was a wallflower who got few compliments.

The next morning I woke up to find a note beside my bed. It said, “The outfit looks great and so do you. Love, Dad.” I don’t even think he knew which outfit I ended up choosing. It didn’t matter. I belonged to him and that made me beautiful in his eyes no matter what I was wearing.

Our Heavenly Father feels the same way about us. He created us and regardless of what the world may try to tell us, He thinks we’re beautiful. I attended a conference taught by writer and women’s ministry leader Bekah Mulvaney. She talked about women’s search for acceptance and how she is learning to embrace God’s view of her.

Then she said something I'll never forget, “When I look in the mirror I see my imperfections. When God looks at me He probably thinks I’m adorable! After all, he made this nose, these eyes, and my heart.”

The biblical book of Song of Solomon is thought by most scholars to be a picture of Christ and His relationship with us. Over and over the lover he says words to his beloved like, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me” (Song of Solomon 2:10).

Angela Thomas explores this more in depth through her book, Do You Think I’m Beautiful? The Question Every Woman Asks. She also shares how we can respond to our desire for beauty. She says:
“If the question, ‘Do you think I’m beautiful?’ came attached to my soul, then maybe the answer wasn’t ever meant to fully come from this world. Maybe the purpose of the question is to take me by the hand and walk me into the presence of the Creator. My soul cries out and asks me the questions meant to lead me to God. Maybe all that really matters is what He thinks of me.”

Whether we obsess about it or ignore it, we’re made to know we’re beautiful. That truth can ultimately only come from God. He’s waiting to speak to our hearts the words we’ve always longed to hear…
You are beautiful.