NEW BLOG!

Hello, friends!

It has been such a joy to have the "Authentic Beauty" blog. A lot has changed since it was started. The most major development is that I got married and I'm now living in North Carolina with my adorable husband! Secondly, I received a certification in protocol and etiquette through The American School of Protocol just last spring. My new blog, "The Awkward Girl's Guide to (Almost) Everything," has an emphasis on etiquette but still touches on things of life, love, and faith. I hope to see you over at the new place!

Shine on, and God bless!

the most romantic guy in the world

Let's keep before our eyes what real romance is all about and not sell it out for something shallow.

"...man greatly loved..."

I've been enjoying my studies in the book of Daniel of the Bible as of late. The Word of God really is rich with all sorts of wisdom, beautiful poetry, brilliant stories of God's providence, and captivating mysteries. 


Several times in the book of Daniel, Daniel has been recognized as a man greatly loved of the Lord (and respected by great men/rulers). And it's no wonder! Listen to the way he petitioned the Lord, "...For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy..." (Daniel 9:18). So humble. And listen to this, "...Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words." (Daniel 10:12). I highly suggest reading these verses in the proper contexts. In the latter verse I just wanted to highlight that if we ever wondered if the Lord hears the prayers and petitions of His people and takes action, here is the proof that He does. How encouraging!


I have been challenged by Daniel. He consistently prayed, sought the Lord, fasted, had faith in his God, and was very tender concerning his people and the things of the Lord. I hope that as I set my own heart to understand and humble myself before my God, that I could be a little like Daniel ("a man greatly loved" and heard by the Lord).

setapartgirl magazine

Hey girls!

I've been reading through this magazine and have enjoyed it a lot. I thought you might, too!

Check it out: setapartgirl Magazine

romance. love. dating. marriage.

So this made me laugh and really think. It's worth checking out, ladies.

as you pound the pavement...

...what is pounding in your ears (a gateway to your mind and heart)?

A good friend and sister of mine had inspired me to go running to keep in shape. When first starting, my stamina was zero, thus running was quite a chore! So to motivate myself, like many runners, I decided I needed to load my ipod with energetic music to get myself pumped up. A lot of the mainstream music out today has some great beats to help you get moving, this is true; however, listening to the beats and not the messages proved impossible for me. As I tried it out, it didn't take long for me to realize that this was not healthy for me, especially when it came to keeping my eyes on the Prize (my Lord Jesus Christ). Ever since, I've been consistently on the hunt for some good tunes minus the relentless encouragement in debauchery. To my amazement, I've been pleased with my findings. 

So, for many years it seems like a good bit (not all, mind you) of Christian music has been like the "off-brand" of music in general, as it has tried to capture the popular sounds of many secular artists, of course with a more wholesome message, but coming up short in talent, authenticity, and production quality. Today, however, with artists like Jimmy Needham and Tal & Acacia, I've been amazed at the originality and true talents that have come to the surface in the Christian music industry. Not only have I found artists that have produced quality music as far as sound goes, but that really have solid messages that minister to me daily. Like this song by sisters, Tal and Acacia:



Some upbeat artists to check out are Royal Tailor , Tal and Acacia, Beckah Shae, Group 1 Crew, Mary Mary, and Abandon. By the way, I do not fully endorse these artists' lifestyles (necessarily), but I do appreciate their quality musical artistry. Okay, onward! Here are some of the top songs on my jogging list:












Let's diligently protect our hearts!

don't give away your mystery

makeup tutorials

When I was putting together the Authentic Beauty e-course a year or so ago, I hit youtube to find some good makeup tutorials. In the process, I found a channel called "bethainy's channel". She had great looks and how-to's, like one inspired by Grace Kelly in How to Catch Thief. I recently looked her up to find the following video (now this is what I call authentic beauty):




Love,



P.S.

Check out her "God channel", Ever Abandoned: http://www.youtube.com/user/everabandoned

to all the single ladies

A dear friend of mine showed me this and not only did I thoroughly enjoy it with much humor, but was deeply challenged. Passing on the love to you, my dears...

Me Tarzan, You Jane (by Grabrielle Pickle, featured on CBMW.org)

Here is an article to get you thinking. 
Well said, Gabrielle!

Me Tarzan, You Jane?

Tools:PrintE-mailPermalink

Gabrielle Pickle
February 8, 2011

It’s all over twitter. It’s discussed in detail in all the recent dating and relationship books. It screamed at us from reality television. Every  successful TV matchmaker positively demands it.

Men are hunters. Women are responders.

Patti Stanger, The Millionaire Matchmaker, is famous for berating her girls to “Give him space to chase! Be the hunted!” Steve Ward, VH1 Tough Love host, explains “Men like a challenge; it’s in their nature. They love the thrill of the hunt. It’s okay to make him earn a relationship with you. If he is really interested he’ll do what it takes to see you.” Popular performer Steve Harvey, in his chapter entitled, ‘Strong, Independent and Lonely Women,’ says “If men can’t exercise two of the major components that make up who we are as men –providing and protecting-then we’re not about to profess our love for you.” He goes on to say that women who don’t need their men to be men (because the women are busy being the male in the relationship) will date perpetual boys who will use them or men who will leave them for women who are the women in relationships. Even reality TV shows like the Bachelor/ette have proven it…. When many men pursue one woman…. There is sometimes a happy ending. But when many women pursue one man…. They breakup in a few months. The entire secular world, feminists included, has come to observe that for a relationship to be successful, the man needs to be the pursuer.

Men are hunters. Women are responders.

Scripture not only supports this truth, it reveals that God designed men and women this way. God created Adam as protector and provider,“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Gen. 2:15) Then God created Eve as the helper for Adam, because “for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. (Gen. 2:20-24) God created man as protector/provider and designed woman to be his helper.

This truth is not confined to Genesis; the entire book of Song of Songs is a beautiful, graphic, picture of a bridegroom pursuing his love. He initiates their relationship and she responds to his tender courtship. (Song of Solomon) He pursues, she responds. Another story that reveals this truth, one not so happy or romantic, is that of Hosea and Gomer. The prophet of God who married a prostitute. He went out and found her, rescued her from a life of sin and shame – he married her. Again and again Gomer returns to her past life, leaving behind the man who gave her everything. He pursues, she responds – although her response is not always positive.

But why? Why are men hunters and woman responders?

Patti attributes the male hunter behavior to innate masculine energy. “The man is the hunter and the woman is the gatherer, and the man is supposed to provide for the woman. So if she begins to provide for him, she gives off masculine energy, and it throws everything off balance.” Steve Harvey speaks of DNA, “Encoded in the DNA of the male species is that we are to be the provider and the protector of the family.” Matchmaker Steve Ward assumes it has to do with evolution. Men are hunters because somewhere deep down inside is a remnant of their ancestors – the prehistoric cavemen. Supposedly, prehistoric man lived in caves and provided for his family by hunting. Chasing down prey was his first job and first sport. Many believe that this evolutionary instinct is still present in men today. No better picture of the “caveman” behavior than Tarzan. He lived like an animal, surviving off the land. Initially, he was only able to communicate in a series of grunts. Yet, he somehow managed to win the heart of an intelligent woman like Jane, solely through his persistent pursuit.

But why? Why did God created men as pursuers and woman as responders?

Not because deep down there are still remnants of prehistoric caveman ancestors, but because God intentionally designed them that way. God’s design of masculinity as pursuer of femininity directly reflects Christ’s pursuit of his bride, the church. Jesus pursued us, his bride. (1 John 4:19) Jesus made the provision for us to have a relationship with him. (Is. 53:5) His love is unconditional and unfailing. (Rom. 8:38-39)

Male and female directly reflect Christ’s pursuit of his bride. “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph. 5:25-32)

Men are pursuers. Women are responders.  Because gender is a picture of the gospel. God’s “role assignments” for men and women are a living picture of Christ’s pursuit and provision of us, the church, his bride. We, the females, are designed to be responders. Not as punishment for being less skilled or weak, but because this is how Jesus asks us to glorify him. Your Savior is asking you to be the responder in your dating relationships, in your marriage, in your church – so that His redemptive salvation is declared to the world. That way, even if there isn’t a second date, even if your marriage is on the rocks, Jesus is made known through your behavior. By refusing to ‘be the man’ and embracing God’s design for your femininity, He gets glory.

Not because he is a modern-day Tarzan and you are his Jane….

But because, as male and female, you are a reflection of your Savior to the world.

___________________________________________________________________

About Gabrielle Pickle: Committed to serving as a voice for silenced, Gabrielle is the Associate Director of Communications for Sisters In Service, a nonprofit dedicated to providing new life to abused and exploited women and girls in highest-risk places around the world. She is also one of the contributing writers at the Unlocking Femininity online magazine, (http://unlockingfemininity.com/) providing biblical truth to today’s woman. This post originally appeared at www.girlsgonewise.com.

And just for fun...

Also, check out an interesting scene from The Village (particularly the dialog beginning at the time 2:13):

The Dangers of Emotional Pornography (an article from RELEVANTmagazine.com)

Here is an interesting article I stumbled upon... what do you think?




The Dangers of Emotional Pornography
Cole NeSmith Tuesday, 28 December 2010 00:00
RELEVANTmagazine.com

We (rightly) worry and fight against visual pornography. But what about the dangers of pornography of the mind and heart?

I watched the pilot episode of Glee when it premiered a few months before the show was to begin airing regularly. It was decent enough to at least give some time to the next few episodes. But by the end of episode two, I was getting a little uneasy. As I watched it, I was becoming aware of what the writers wanted me to feel—the good guy teacher to cheat on his evil wife with the gentle co-worker, and the main male character to cheat on his hypocritical Christian girlfriend with his female lead counterpart.It was one thing to want the characters in the show to do this thing or that, but I turned it off in the middle of a scene in which that male student finally decided to cheat on his girlfriend. It wasn’t because I was offended at the content before my eyes. Rather, in that moment, there was a transference of energy. I found myself thinking about whose girlfriend I should have stolen in high school and how easy and awesome it would have been.

Flash back to Nashville, May of 2009. I’m driving in a rental car, scanning radio stations. I stop on the local Christian station, and the female DJ is talking about the coming The Notebook: The Musical. She goes on to fawn over the romance in the story and how well it will be adapted to the stage. “But what about A Walk To Remember?” she says. “That would make a fantastic musical. I just loved how that made me feel. And, of course, Switchfoot would have to have some songs in it.”

There’s certainly a war against the prevalence of visual pornography in many corners of our society—especially in the Christian culture. There is an attempt to expose pornography for its promotion of unrealistic sexual expectations and exploitation of human sexuality. And that attempt is a very necessary one.

But what about the unhealthy emotional and relational expectations portrayed in so much of our media? Is there really much of a difference in the hyperbolized sexual imagery of typical pornography and the hyperbolized momentary emotional high felt in a romance film or romantic comedy that sends us looking for a “love” that doesn’t exist?

I heard an interview on NPR with a female author named Elizabeth Gilbert. She was talking about the proliferation of the “Soul Mate Complex” in our modern culture and how the film Jerry Maguire served to reinforce it with the now illustrious line, "You complete me.”

It’s not necessarily only the resulting effects of such a movie that parallels the traditional definition of pornography. Just as there is sexual excitement surrounding the mystery and allure of what flesh might be seen in a movie known for its racy reputation, so too are we drawn in with an anticipation for the emotional and physical high of a romance film.

As a result, we’re taught to crave the moment of romantic ecstasy or to live for the wedding day. We’re raised to think these are the real stories of love and relationship, and we’re confused when they are so few and far between that we aren’t sustained. So we turn back to that which led us to believe in this fantasy all along. And we’re left with an old woman sitting alone, in her love seat, in front of the television watching her “stories.”

Kids eventually understand that pumpkins don’t turn to glass carriages and Fairy Godmothers don’t grant wishes, but many girls never grow out of the idea that one day they will be rescued from reality by some magic and a fictitious prince. And little boys never live up to the fantasy of the mind or that they’re supposed to be that prince and that their spouse is an all-fulfilling princess.

Next time you’re thinking about seeing a movie, be aware of what’s pulling you toward it. If you decide to watch it, recognize the moment when you feel the emotional reinforcement of fake love. And when you walk out, recognize what you now hope for and expect.

There is such a thing as love. There are beautiful moments. But love is about life. And life is about the long haul.

Cole NeSmith is a pastor at Status in Orlando and creator of Uncover The Color.

where does "true beauty" come from?

modeling inner beauty

So I came across this jewel of an interview with a successful runway and print model that has made a stand for Christ through her lifestyle. I was inspired and I'm sure you will be too!

Shine on!

"all that glitters...

...is not gold."

It's an old saying that holds a timeless truth, and it's one that recently shook me. Hearing it a couple of weeks ago, one might have thought I had heard it for the first time considering the thought-provoking impact it made.

Back in the gold rush, many times miners thought they had made a fortune only to find out that what they thought was valuable, genuine gold was actually its counterfeit, iron pyrites (what we know as "fool's gold"), which is worth virtually nothing. How disappointing this must have been! The miners were probably devastated and felt cheated.

Have you ever fell in love with a movie star, particularly because of a certain movie character played, only to find out after you researched him that in real life he's not anything like that character? In fact he might have some real serious character flaws. What a disappointment!

On a personal note, upon hearing this thought, I determined that I did not want to be fool's gold; merely glittering like the real thing. Speaking of which, how do you tell if what seems to be gold is actually gold? Well it is said that it has to go through a testing process. The Bible says that just as fire tests and purifies gold, so trials test and perfect our faith (1 Peter 1:7). Trying shows what the substance being tried is actually made of. If it's false, it will likely be consumed by the fire, and if it's genuine it will purified and strengthened.

The Bible gives other ways to tell whether a glittering personality or appearance of ourselves and others is a true reflection of what our character really is. Consider Matthew 12:33 & 35, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruits bad; for a tree is known by its fruit... A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."

I don't know about you, but I would be crushed to find that after going through trials that whatever glitter I might have is proved to be only surface deep. The only way to assure that we are genuine gold, is to have first established a relationship with Christ, recognizing Him as our Lord and Savior, and then continually seeking Him through His Word, prayer, and active faith. Through all of these comes the strengthening of our character, so that when the fiery trials come we are not consumed and shown to be merely fool's gold, but only pure, authentic gold!

I am glad for the reality check, and I pray that when I am tested I will come forth as gold- and the same goes for you too! So shine on in all authenticity!

Nobody's fool's gold,

mother... is there a sweeter name on this earth?

happy mother's day to these unsung heroes; our mothers!

a more beautiful you

prince charming

It's him! ::dreamy sigh:: The one we've been waiting for. He's the brave and mighty hero. We swoon at the thought of him. He will whisk us away and fulfill all of our dreams. He is our happily ever after. We dream about him, fantasize about how he will look (will he be tall, dark, and oh-so-handsome?), and just how he will sweep us off our feet. "Yes, some day my prince will come!" our hearts sing.

Yes it's true, we do have a prince who is coming for us, and when he comes he will be coming in on the clouds with great glory to gather his own. It's going to be an awesome event, so get ready. ;-)

Shame on us for putting this sort of hope in our brothers, who with this hope of being our everything set on them will always fall short. Only Christ can be that Prince that we've been longing for our whole lives, the One who can make us whole. The One who cherishes us and calls us to be His special bride. Hope placed on him is rightly done so, because it's a sure hope.

"A husband is a brother you choose."

The significant other. We will love them greatly, and they will love us, but they will not fulfill the deepest longing in your or my heart. There is only One who can do that, He's the One that paid the ultimate price for you and I. The lover of our souls. His name is Jesus Christ. No, no one can love us like Him or give us what we're looking for (that is, what our hearts are seeking). Do you know Him? Doing you really know Him? Seek and you shall find Him, your True Prince.

21st century femininity

Photo of Madeleine Carrol

My goodness, it's been too long!

I had to share this wonderful old romantic comedy I watched just tonight called, My Love for Yours.

So, I wonder, what is it about old movies that I love so much? I think it's a combination of things, but there is one thing I observed tonight in particular. For instance, in this movie, though the leading lady was supposed to be somewhat of a feminist in her thinking (this comes to change), she possessed such a lovely and feminine countenance. There wasn't a thing rude or crude about her behavior. She was strong but not pushy or overbearing. Such a contrast to the trend today, which, I'm afraid to admit, creeps it's way into my countenance sometimes.

If only we had the courage and confidence to be soft and vulnerable- and it does take courage, too! Sometimes it can feel like a casting of pearls to be trampled upon, but we mustn't give up... right? What do you think?

authbeau online course has begun!

The first day's course of study has been sent out. Please let me know if you have registered but haven't received an e-mail as of yet.

:)

PS

It's not too late to join in: Abby1211@gmail.com

authentic beauty online course starting february 1st!

Hello ladies!

It's been a long time with no word from myself, and for that I must apologize. Much work has been going into the online Authentic Beauty e-course, which starts this Monday, February 1st! If you've been having some trouble getting registered, please let me know right away: abby1211@gmail.com.

In the meantime, keep checking those inboxes! =)