Devotionals for the Heart: True Beauty

You’ve Got the Look
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.”– Exodus 34:29 (NLT)

I’ve never been good at doing my makeup … or my hair.

In fact, beauty skills have eluded me my whole life and I grew up never feeling fully “girlie”.

When I would have a dance recital or, as I got older, an aerial performance, I vividly remember being backstage getting ready while many girls came in with large makeup cases full of foundation and false lashes, brightly-colored shadows and glittered glosses, leaving me feeling completely inadequate.

I remember venturing out to buy myself a trendy case of my own, filling it with all the goodies a girlie makeup case needed (and the sales girl recommended). Next performance, as I sat in front of the lighted mirrors, I proudly opened my metallic treasure box, dreaming of stepping onto the stage where I would no doubt stand out wearing my face that was sure to look like a Michelangelo masterpiece. I quickly realized I had no clue how to apply this smorgasbord of face paints. So back to the store I went.

A kind sales lady with a flawless face painted me up. She then proceeded to take a piece of paper with a diagram of a face and step-by-step colored that piece of paper with each of the items she used on me. Surely I would join the ranks of supermodel armed with my products and paint-by-number instructions. It was foolproof! But apparently not Cyndi-proof. Somehow I felt like I always looked like the toddler that had gotten into her mom’s makeup stash. Sigh. 

Did you know on average, women will spend approximately $300,000 on makeup in their lifetime? Just as interesting, the average woman spends 29 minutes per day applying make-up in order to achieve a “natural look”. Wait, what? What if we spent that 29 minutes in the Word instead? Or that money on Kingdom pursuits? Or at least some of it.

While it’s okay to want to look nice, the Bible has some great advice when it comes to our appearance. And we would benefit from not just reading these verses, but taking time to let them really sink in. 1 Peter 3:3-5a (NLT) says, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful.” With my makeup skills, or lack thereof, this is a plan I can get behind and maybe even get good at.

It’s no secret spending quiet time with the Lord is good for our soul and spirit. However, the Bible shows us repeatedly how time with the Lord can dramatically, and visibly, change our outward appearance as well. Numerous verses throughout the Bible reveal to us how others were able to visibly see a difference in those who spent time in the Lord’s presence. Countless other verses give us insight on this matter. Read these verses, for example: Luke 2:9, Psalms 50:2, and Psalm 80:3.

Just like Moses who spent time on Mt. Sinai in God’s Presence (Exodus 34:29), others can tell when we have been spending time with the Lord (and when we haven’t for that matter). Though they might not be able to put their finger on exactly what is different, they recognize something is different. These are some ways that people know something is different about you: You have a “certain glow”. You remain calm under the pressures of work. You seem to have a gravitational pull that makes others want to be around you or share their worries and struggles with you.

While they may not know what the difference is, we do. And it can be summed up in one word: Jesus. As you pray in God’s Holy Spirit, you begin to fill with the unmistakable presence of God that emanates from within and shines for all the world to see. And as you read through the promises of God, you get the confidence and reassurance that you are not alone and the worry lines begin to soften on your face. It’s like natural Botox only better because it’s free and you can access it daily for a touch up anytime!

So next time you are craving a spa day for relaxation, restoration, and a rejuvenating facial but don’t want to spend $250 or more on a spa package, just open the Word of God (The Holy Bible) and enter into God’s presence. You may just come out of your prayer room looking like a Spirit-filled supermodel!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Master Aesthetician. Help us to turn to You and Your Word for the rejuvenation and replenishment our bodies and spirits crave. Remind us that nothing in this world will ever satisfy us or develop in us the qualities and characteristics that You can and will, if we simply seek You with our whole hearts. Give us hearts that always seek more of You and a soul that longs to be near You. And when we finish our time with you, let us relish in the internal serenity and outward radiance that is evidence of time spent in Your presence. In the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

*Note from Alexis: Cyndi's devotional today reminds me of the song, "Alone in The Presence" by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him.

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

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Connect with Cyndi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/

Romantic Reads: Dance Over Me

Welcome Candee Fick to the blog! 

Today, she's here to share the story behind her book, Dance Over Me.

Enjoy!

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How a Dream and Song Turned Into a Book

A guest post by Candee Fick

Ever wake up in the middle of a dream and actually remember what it was about?

Usually the wisps of unconnected, pizza-induced, nonsensical images disappear within a few blinks, so when a vivid scene lingers and actually feels real, I pay attention. And when my imagination keeps the characters interacting at least until I’m brushing my teeth, I know it’s time to pull out my notebook and capture the idea so I can add it to my folder of story seeds.

In one such dream, I was a college-aged dancer standing backstage at a theater watching three or four couples rehearsing a slow dance onstage. I noticed their popularity and personalities enough to know I didn’t belong and stayed in the wings. But the romance and the music and the potential for something just out of reach still drew me in. What I remembered most about the situation was the emotion. The longing. The wishing. The hoping… Until a new young man stepped up beside me, started a conversation, and then escorted me onto the stage to begin the perfect dance that left the others speechless.

Who were they? Where were they? What did it mean? And what was I supposed to do with the scene?

Not long after my dream, the worship team at church sang “Amazed” by Phillips, Craig & Dean. It’s a song about the love of God that shows up in unexpected ways that leave us amazed. The opening verse states: “You dance over me while I am unaware, You sing all around but I never hear the sound.”

Immediately, my heart connected with the lyrics and my subconscious resurrected the imagery from that dream. And I knew it was God in the wings loving and encouraging the girl until she was able to step onto the stage.

Once home, I did some research and found the Scripture in Zephaniah 3:17 that inspired those song lyrics. “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice (dance/whirl with joy) over you with singing.”

Serious brainstorming ensued and more pieces started to fall into place. The girl became an orphan who was searching for family and a performance artist longing for a place to belong. The guy was a “somebody” in a “nobody” (i.e. overlooked) role. And since the onstage diva wouldn’t be happy to give up her spot at center stage, I had plenty of potential conflict.

Dance Over Me is now the first in a series exploring faith and fame. And while that duo-dancing scene from my dream never made it into the final version of the story, I worked hard to keep that raw emotion on the page. Not to mention the constant reminder that our ever-loving God is working behind the scenes.

Did I succeed? I think so, because one book reviewer said: “Dance Over Me is an emotional journey, from rejoicing over Dani’s successes to wanting to purse whomp the antagonists (or at least trip them) to crying with Dani over her frustrations. Through it all, we are gently reminded – through the authenticity of Dani’s walk with Jesus – to let Him fight for us and to rest in His love.”

And it all began with a dream and a song.

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Blurb for Dance Over Me:

She’s spent a lifetime searching for family, but God’s been dancing behind the scenes. 

Danielle Lefontaine, an orphaned actress raised to the lullaby of Broadway, searches for her long-lost brother and her place on the stage. After a successful audition lands her a part in the same city his adoptive family had moved to, Dani believes she’s finally close to finding her place to belong.

Meanwhile, Alex Sheridan is living his dream playing the trumpet at his family’s dinner theater. He’s got everything he ever wanted…except someone special to share it with. When Dani dances into his life, he hopes she’s the missing piece to his heart but fears the bright lights of a bigger stage could steal her away.

However, after a jealous cast member’s vicious rumors threaten to drop the curtain on Dani’s career, everything they’ve worked to build may end up for nothing. Will the rhythm of dancing feet usher in their deepest desires or leave them stranded in the wings?

If you like tap dancing, musical theater, adoption-reunion stories, and faith-based romance with authentic characters, then you’ll love the first book in The Wardrobe series from Candee Fick.

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Buy Candee’s book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble 

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Author Bio:

Candee Fick is a multi-published, award-winning author. 

She is also the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. 

When not busy writing, editing, or coaching other authors, she can be found cheering on the home team at sporting events, exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.

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Connect with Candee:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.Candee.Fick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CandeeFick
Website: https://candeefick.com

Devotionals for the Heart: The Pit

Reminders from the Pit
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.”
–Psalm 40:1-3 (NASB)

When my daughter was in high school, she took the opportunity to play flute in the pit orchestra for the spring musical. If you have any experience with musical scores then you know that especially for large productions like that, each musician is only given the notes he or she needs for a particular instrument.

For weeks and weeks they practiced the music as an orchestra, until it was time to add in the vocalists. She came home one day and said, “I didn’t even know some of those pieces had words!” Layering the vocals on top of the orchestra created a blend that made the music she was already enjoying even more spectacular. It became brand-new and exciting again.

Being in the “pit” also means that the musicians can’t see the actors. They can hear what’s going on, but have to rely on their conductor more closely than they might otherwise in order to keep pace and make the performance as enjoyable as possible for the audience.

Many stories in the Bible have characters who have landed themselves in a “pit,” either literally or figuratively. Think Joseph (Genesis 37), David (1 Samuel), Elijah (1 Kings 19), and Jonah. Sometimes it was someone else’s action that led them to the pit, like Joseph’s brothers selling him to traders; sometimes it was the person’s own doing, like the choice of Jonah not to follow the Lord’s leading.

In those most difficult moments, down in the pit, they needed to believe that they were playing a part that only they could play, and that God knew what the end would be. Each of those men relied on God and eventually something beautiful came from their situations.

As believers we are very much like those musicians in the pit. We have a partial score of what God (our conductor) is doing in the world. We only see what He shows us, but we need to trust that He knows the beauty that is to come. We need to keep our eyes on Him intently, watch for His leading, trusting that in the right time, as we walk with Him, He will lead us and our fellow players through this life: an exhilarating performance.

And someday, when glory comes, the opening night will surely be one for the ages!

Let’s Pray: Father God, please show me how to trust You more than I do today, to let You lead the way even if I can’t see where I’m going. You will bring beauty from ashes and order from chaos, because that is Who You are. Be with me today. I pray in Jesus’s holy name I pray, Amen.

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Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume. 

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Ginger's advice on how to find Jesus Christ

Do You Know How to Find Him?
A devotional by Ginger Solomon

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 

~John 20:2 (ESV)

Can you imagine Mary’s consternation when she went to the tomb, saw the stone rolled away, and Jesus’ body gone? The man she’d loved and cared for was GONE! He wasn’t where He was supposed to be.

Have you ever gone looking for someone or something and not found it where you thought you left it?

I do it with my phone and or iPad all the time. Those times are bothersome, but I don’t get overwrought. It’ll eventually show up.

Once when my girls were five and six or seven, they followed their older brother and his friend into the woods behind the house where we lived at the time. The boys ran and dodged them until they were lost. My son came home but said nothing about his sisters. Not long after, we received a phone call from a stranger. My daughters asked her to call us because they were lost and couldn’t figure out how to get home.

My heart jumped into my throat. They’d wandered to a house nearly a half a mile away. I was devastated and frightened. Had they not called, I wouldn’t have known where to look.

Mary Magdalene didn’t know where to look either. She told whomever she saw her predicament. She wanted help in her search.

I think much of the world has the same problem. They search for something elusive to fill the Jesus-sized void in their hearts. They turn to drugs, sex, alcohol, work, money. The list could go on and on.

Sometimes as Christians, I think we think our “service” fills the void. We say things like:

· “I go to church every time the doors are open.”

· “I serve in the choir, as an usher, and on the finance committee.”

· “I go to nursing homes, prisons, and help feed the homeless.”

But we can’t find Jesus in those places or in those activities. Just as Mary didn’t find Him in that tomb.

Jesus reveals Himself to those with a searching heart.

Mary was searching. She knew what or rather whom she was searching for.

And she found Him. Or rather, He found her.

John 20:14-16 (ESV), “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'"

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)

How glorious that must have been for her.

I know how relieved I felt when my husband drove up our driveway with my daughters firmly in tow.

One of those daughters recently wrote this monologue and performed it for our church. I’ve only included a snippet here, though the whole thing is powerful.

She said: “We can’t just build up a wall of fake smiles to keep God from seeing what He already saw and honestly, I can’t accept living life without Him because once you know what full feels like you cannot be satisfied with empty, and nothing else in this entire world can fill you like God does."

Click here to see the video of my daughter's performance.

Do you know how to find Jesus?

Honestly, it’s no further than your Bible. You will find Him there if you search for Him. Because Jeremiah 29:13  (NIV) says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Matthew 7:7-9 (ESV) says it slightly differently, but the essence is the same. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” 

It sounds trite. I know. And yet, the truth stands. If you’re truly searching and not just paying lip service, He will find you. And what a glorious day that will be.

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Author Bio: 

Ginger Solomon is a Christian, a wife, a mother to seven, and a writer—in that order (mostly). 

She writes or reads inspirational romance of any genre, and if she’s busy homeschooling, doing laundry, or fixing dinner, books are on her mind.

She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), president of her local writing group, and blogs regularly for InspyRomance.com and at gingersolomon.com.