New You

Yup, it's that time of year again, the time when everyone starts saying goodbye to the past year and preparing for a "fresh start," piling up New Years' resolutions that will mostly be shattered before February even gets here. We hope to wipe away past failures and replace them with victories, but my friend, in our own strength, we can never find lasting change.

I know this blog has gotten a little soft in content the past year or so, mostly being a collection of advertising and sales links. I've been rather "burned out" on beauty blogging the past year, focusing on many health issues. Recently I've gotten excited about this blog again and want to breath new life into my posts here. I'm not promising anything spectacular or earth shattering, but I am hoping to refresh my efforts at deeper content this next year. I'm starting by taking this moment to really bring us back to the original heart purpose of this blog, my desire to bring glory to God as we celebrate the beauty He sees in us as His handwork.

As we revel in the joys of womanhood, what real change can we seek in the new year? If anyone reading does not know with certainty where you would spend eternity if you were to die today, let's start right there. This week we have celebrated Christmas, the coming of God to earth as a fragile Baby. If that were the whole story, it would be a sweet tradition and nothing more. Thankfully that Baby came with a purpose. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Do you ever feel lost? He came to bring purpose to your life, and to mine!

Over 2,000 years since His birth, there is still more factual, historical evidence for the person of Jesus Christ than even remains many United States presidents. There is no question that He was (and is!) a real person, the question is what you believe about who He is? If you say He was a "good man" or a "good teacher" then I must challenge your beliefs. He claimed to be God! With this claim there are only three options:
- He either is who He claims to be (and thus, so much more than just a prophet or another good teacher)
- or He was delusional, truly believing Himself to be God and so deceiving not only His followers but Himself (and thus certainly not a "good teacher" I would choose to follow)
- or He was intentionally lying about Himself (and absolutely knocked out of the "good man" category).

Who do you say Jesus is? I say He is my Lord and Savior. The one and only Living God, who was tempted in every way as I am, yet lived a sinless life, being crucified to pay the death penalty for my own sins. Again, if that's the end of the story, it's a sad one indeed, but as promised from the beginning of time when Adam and Eve first made a choice for sin, He has power over life and death and the grave could not hold Him! It is in His resurrection that I find true hope and peace.

Still questioning? Then here's a realistic New Year's resolution for you. Challenge God to make Himself real to you in 2011! He promises, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

If you are looking for real, lasting change for 2011 and beyond, here's your answer. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here" (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

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That's the heart of what this blog is all about ladies, the kind of content I want to bring you more of in the coming year! To keep this blog live, I do have to pay the bills too. So, here's a "word from our sponsor". ;)

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Lace

It's the start of a new year. Many are making resolutions and plans for a fresh start. I must admit to doing my own soul-searching and reflecting, but in looking forward, I'm also looking back. 2009 was a hard year in many ways, but I'm thankful for the struggles God carried us through and rejoicing in the victories He has had in and through my life over the past year. If you want to more about these beautiful lessons, I would love to encourage you to visit God-Sized Dreams and Choosing Joy on my InfertilityMom blog.

Looking even further back, beyond this past year, even the past decade, I'm thankful for the beautiful gift of loving family and a heritage of faith. A tangible reminder of these gifts is the hand-crocheted lace I find around my home; a fragile framed doily crafted by my great, great grandmother, now hanging on my wall, a doily lovingly made by Rick's grandmother gracing a side table, a dresser scarf that belong to my grandmother to put a smile on my face as I stand before my mirror each morning...

Lace is a lot like life, fragile and complex and in need of a skillful Hand to craft it into full beauty. Sometimes stains come along that seem to mar what was beautiful, but when cared for with love, these scars become a beautiful part of the legacy.

So, beyond the turn of a calendar page, what's prompted these reflections today? Please allow me to introduce you to the new Affordable Mineral Makeup™ shade named Lace! This light, pearlescent shade of pink is a dainty color that's great on eyes. To make it brighter, it can be applied wet. A 5g jar can be yours for $7.79 at www.affordablemineralmakeup.com/innerbeauty.html

Lace