Just for Women Wednesdays: Pursuing Hotness or Godliness?

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine about modesty. In the middle of our conversation I brought up the word "hot" as a possible motive for women in the church losing their modesty. I thought it was a topic to begin to explore. I am only touching the surface of this topic today.

That's so Hot!!!!

I still remember the first time I heard the word, "hot" used in terms of another person.  I didn't think much about the word then, and I don't think much about the word now. The definition of "hot" as an adjective is "sexually exciting, carnal, erotic, lewd, (Source: http://thesaurus.com/browse/hot). If you consider what is really being said when describing a person, "hot" emphasis is placed on a person as a sexual object instead of as a person created in the image of God. That's why I never use the word nor do I seek to be "hot." I really hadn't thought about the way it made me feel as a woman until the other day when I was discussing modesty with a friend of mine. "It seems like more women, even Christian women, want to show more skin than ever before," she said. "Not only is it in the culture around us, but even in the church we have to address the issue of modesty."

Agreed.


So why are Christian women and young christian girls seeking to be "hot?" Is it because Christian women have let worldly thinking of being "hot" skew their idea of "beauty?" Do Christian women desire to look "hot" or desire to be godly and look godly? It's really that simple. There are no agreements with hotness except if you are married and there is a time and place for hotness there!!! That's it. If Christian women are desiring to look "hot" to whom are they desiring to look "hot"for? This desire to be "hot" and noticed speaks to a greater issue of a woman desiring love, security and contentment. The place where that comes from is through a thriving relationship with Jesus Christ. 


When I hear the word "hot," the image that comes to mind is a commercial picturing a woman showing too much skin or a promise from an infomercial about how to get a "hot" body. I never connect godliness to hotness. They just don't go hand in hand to me. You may think differently from me and that's OK. With swimsuit season in full force, many women wear bikini's and prefer them over a one piece. But I still can't get over the fact that a bikini looks like underwear on a lady. I have to be in a bathing suit this summer with my son in local pool and I try to keep covered up as much as possible. I still hate having to get in with him simply because I hate showing that much skin. But I have to do it. At present, I am looking for water shorts to put over my one piece. Modesty is really hard these days because the world is telling women and young girls to pursue "hotness" by the clothing that they wear. 


Instead of using the word "hot" I prefer the word "beautiful" or "pretty." The Bible describes women as "beautiful" in form, or "Beautiful" or "very fair." Thank goodness we can go back to the Bible and turn away from the world to get a healthy view of what beauty we should be seeking.

Consider the following Scriptures

• 1 Timothy 2:9-A beautiful woman dresses respectably.
• Proverbs 31:30- A beautiful woman knows, loves and has a reverence for God.
• 1 Peter 3:4- A beautiful woman has an incorruptible character on the inside unlike the clothing that is corruptible on the outside and she has a peaceable spirit that is pleasant toward others. 
• Romans 10:15- Beauty is telling others about Jesus.

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

As a believer, a follower of Christ, a woman; you have a reputation to uphold. You have a charge to be blameless. Our bodies are to be used to build up the body of Christ, not tear them down by causing a fellow sister in Christ to follow a pattern of dressing or a fellow brother to stumble toward lust in his mind.


To sum it up, does your clothing reveal a pursuit of "hotness" or "godliness?" 

30 Quotes from Oswald- What Impression do You Leave Behind?

Oswald Chambers that is!!!
I have learned so much from this man that I never knew. His love for the LORD has encouraged my spiritual walk with Jesus in so many ways for years. There is no devotional book that has spoken to me like "My Utmost for His Highest."

Today I wanted to post a quote from him. Be encouraged dear sister! You have purpose where you are, hope for the future and light to guide each step. You have the God of the Universe who is with you all the time.

"When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus."

 Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest" January 7th page 

                                                                             
Now that is something good to ponder on this Tuesday isn't it!!!!!
Are you intimate with Jesus enough to where the impression you leave is Jesus, not yourself, your problems, your attitude.....WOW!!!!! 

Manna Monday-The Laundry Challenge!

Ever find your Monday's boring, routine, mundane? Do you ever find yourself saying, "I hate the laundry, I wish I didn't have to do it. It's never clean......and so on?"

I have a challenge for you this week. For myself too! I call it "The Laundry Challenge."
To make myself remember, I made a sign of some things I wanted to ponder about God.
I wanted to meditate on some of His names:

• Jehovah Jireh- The LORD Provides
• Jehovah Shammah- The LORD is There
• Jehovah Shalom- The LORD is Peace

As I go about my week doing laundry, whenever I look between my washer and dryer, there is a reminder of what I am to turn my thoughts to- The LORD! Yes, you can worship God in your laundry room!!!!

As I focus on these names of God while doing the laundry, I will be recounting the ways God has provided for me in the past and in the present. I will thank the LORD that He is always with me and that He never leaves me. I will thank the LORD for giving me His peace when I have to walk through a life storm, that He is my peace in an unpeaceful world and that I have eternal peace through Jesus Christ.

I know it's a challenge. But you can do it. I am doing it!!

Do something different to give spiritual attention to your mind and heart. Take the laundry challenge for one week and see how your mind will become renewed during the mundane times. No complaining about the laundry, no under your breath sighs, no thoughts about how you hate it. But thankfulness and a attention to God.

I want to hear from you this week!!! I really do!! What things about God are you focusing on this week?

Fabulosity Friday

Looking for something to give to your mother-in-law or give to yourself?

This is NOT my idea!!! I found this idea on pinterest (Love pinterest!) except I used different frames. 

Also, my frame is for one hand. If you had multiple children, you could place all hands on one page and frame it. 

Supplies: white paint, fine art black paper, white crayon, frame.

Paint your child's hand. Let it dry. Then take the white crayon and write your child's name and date under the hand. You can do this multiple ways. I used one hand in a frame.

Here are mine:

                                                            Memories for grandmothers.....

                                                                     Memory for me!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers!!!!

Free Art Friday Winner

My partner was not here this morning. Sigh. He was visiting grandparents. So, in honor of him, I placed his mother's gift to me in the middle of our drawing. Sweet isn't it!!!

It was hard to take a picture and draw a name at the same time. But I did it!!!!

                                      Congratulations to Sarah Schroeter!!!!!!

Thanks to ALL of you who entered today's Free Art Friday.
Stay tuned. I will be doing more "girly" stuff for your little ones.
And please share Joy Treasure with your friends and family.
Happy Friday!!

Wishing I had a young daughter to give this too!!! I made this back in the winter time. Love it for myself, but it would be more joyful for me to give it away to a young girl. It's a joy to give it away in hopes of a young girl would have this message hanging in her room and be reminded that no matter what...she is loved by God. Would love to give it to a mom or dad who has a young girl. This message is what girls need to hear, need to know, need to believe and need to hold on to in a world that tells them they are only loved by what they look like.

How to Enter:

• Click on the bottom of THIS post.
• Follow the promptings given by the post.
• Leave your first and last name in the box.
• I will have my son draw a name out of all the names left in this post.
• Winner will be revealed this Friday morning at 9am on May 11th.
• Drawing begins now, May 7th at 10:30am and ends on Thursday May 10th at 11pm.

Thanks for your support, encouragement and following here at the Joy Treasure blog. Please tell your friends and family about the encouragement received here at Joy Treasure. Happy Monday! 

Manna Monday-What's Hindering Your Prayer Life?

Yesterday morning in Sunday School, we had a great discussion on prayer. Our lesson was rooted in the parables of Luke chapter 18:1-14 as told by Jesus. As I was studying this passage, it hit me that Jesus was teaching the disciples very specific truths about prayer. It made me ponder my own prayer life. I pray today's message spurs you to consider your own prayer life too!

Four things stood out to me in the passage of Luke 18:1-14. 

I call them the "Secret Ingredients to a Powerful Prayer Life." 

I know there are so many more truths about prayer but these characteristics will challenge your walk with the LORD this Monday morning. Prayerfully consider each one.

1. Persistence (Luke 18:5) 

Do you pray without ceasing? Do you continue to pray despite no answer from God or do you give up when the circumstances look bleak? Do you continue to pray despite your feelings of wanting to give up? The persistent widow did not give up. She kept asking the Judge to give her justice and he finally gave her what she asked for. Our persistence to come to God reveals we trust God. Through our persistence, God is working to grow our faith. When a prayer is answered, we believe Him more, our faith grows and our prayer life becomes a vital growing part of our faith.

2. Humility (Luke 18:13-14)

Do you think of yourself as "pretty good" and look at others who are "worse off " then you and say to yourself, "At least I am not like those awful sinners doing those awful things." This is not a spirit of humility. This is a spirit of pride. We are saved by God but still sinners...sinners saved by grace (Romans 5:8).

  3. Believing God (Luke 18:8)

I love what Jesus says to the disciples in  Luke 18: 8 "...However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" He was referring to the persistent widow and her willingness to keep asking and not give up. Will God find you faithful like the persistent widow? Prayer reveals our faith in God or our lack of faith in God. Our willingness to come to Him, obediently, persistently reveals we trust God. He is not bothered by our asking. Through our belief in His ability and in His character and His Word, we grow our faith.  

4. Depending on God (Luke 18:11-12 in contrast to Luke 18: 13)

Through prayer, we show our dependence on God and not ourselves....when it is rooted in a right heart attitude. And if you try to do all the right things and mumble a bunch of words in front of others like the Pharisee, God knows the motive of your prayer life. He knows the heart attitude from which you pray. The Pharisee was religious and wanted to be seen and heard. This was not showing dependence on God. This was showing dependence on himself and an image he wanted to be known by. He couldn't fool God although he might have fooled man. The tax collector on the other hand couldn't even look up to God because he was so convicted by his own sin. He asked for mercy. Jesus was pleased with this dependence on God compared to the Pharisees dependence on himself.

These four truths about prayer will help you to consider your own heart attitudes toward God in prayer. 

Have a great Monday!