Happy Monday ladies! Living in Costa Rica has been teaching me alot about simplicity, and recently I actually came across a book of quotes about the topic. Here is one that has been on my mind the past couple days.

“May we look upon our treasure, the furniture of our houses, and our garments, and try to discover whether the seeds of war have nourishment in these our possessions.”   -John Woolman, 1774

I don’t know about you, but I shuddered when I read this.  The lifestyle of the average North American is exploiting others around the world. Our materialistic mindset of “more, more, more for cheap, cheap, cheap” fuels a machine of modern-day slavery and injustice.  Companies such as Walmart and Pier 1 Imports have been rated as some of the worst violators of human rights - in fact, slaves have been found as part of their work force overseas, and unfortunately many other companies are guilty of the same.  All to keep prices low in North America so they can sell more.

We may not think that materialism is a very grave sin, but the Bible says that all sin leads to death. Our greed, even though it is very normalized where we live, is resulting in conflict around the world. Our sin is indirectly causing the death of others.  Because injustice breeds conflict, our materialism is most certainly nourishing the seeds of war.

So how do we break out of this?

1. Take a look at your heart. Are you constantly wanting to buy something new, whether it’s clothing, accessories, things for the kitchen, furniture, decorations etc. PLEASE be honest with yourself.  No one likes to admit they are materialistic. But if Jesus came to you today and said, give all you have to the poor, would you be okay with that?  Or would you argue that you worked so hard for these things and cannot give them up?

2. Start purging. Set a goal of how many pieces of clothing you are allowing yourself to keep, and give everything else away. This goes for other things in your house as well.

3. Become a conscious shopper. When you do buy something, be creative about it. Find a second hand clothing store and give yourself a budget. Or repaint an old piece of furniture. Go to garage sales. I rarely go to the mall anymore. In fact, I kind of feel like throwing up when I set foot in one. I have made the transition to buying most of my stuff second hand.

4. Seek out fair-trade options.  Buying something that is fair trade allows people in other countries to make a living in a fair way.

I have discovered that simplicity is hard to attain, but so worth it!  This is the journey I want to continue as a Christ-follower. Please pray for me in this! I would encourage you to start the journey as well.

Michelle

I have spent the last week on a farm in Costa Rica, and two thoughts came to me when I was feeding the pigs:

1.  The slops we poured into the trough were so disgusting.  Peels, left-overs covered in bugs, and other miscallaneous things humans can’t digest.  The pig LOVED it!  But as I was watching the pig eat, I was reminded of the story of the Prodigal Son, who ended up eating pig food because his decisions had brought him to such a bad place.  Meanwhile his father would have had the best food at a table for him if he only came back.  It made me wonder, in what areas of my life do I eat pig food when God has so much more if I am willing to obey?
2.  The trough itself was nasty.  It reminded me that Jesus, the saviour of the world, was born in a manger-which also was used by animals.  What a humble beginning, and what a way for God to make a point.

Girls, Jesus died for us so that we would not have to eat pig slop.  He died so that we can live triumphantly, freed from the bondage of sin. But Jesus was also born in a manger, reminding us that we must humble ourselves before God and others. Let’s keep this in mind this week!

Michelle

One thing I hear people say to me sometimes is this: “Michelle, you’re such a good person.”  Have you ever had this experience?  I think the world is sometimes fascinated when someone chooses not to get drunk at parties, attends church regularly, or goes on mission trips to serve the poor.  When people treat others with respect and dignity, go out of their way to do acts of kindness, have integrity in the workplace, or have a positive attitude despite circumstance, they are seen as radical and different from most others.  These are all things I strive for, so it should not be a surprise when others label me as a “good person.”

But to be honest, it makes me sick.

If people see me as a good person but fail to see Jesus, my good acts are leading everyone astray.  If people think that I am who I am and do the things I do out of my own ‘goodness’ and strength, they are led to think that it all comes down to human effort.  Subsequently, there is no need for a saviour. 

For those of you that know me and think I am a good person, here’s what I have to say: It is ALL Jesus.  If you think I love others, it is because Jesus first loved me.  If you think I have integrity, it is because the Holy Spirit convicts me to do what is right. If you think I have wisdom, it is because God gives it to those who ask. If you think I am pure, it is because Jesus died for my sin, cleansed me form all unrighteousness, and allows me to live in victory over impurity.  If you think I am going to heaven, it is not because of my good works but because of the Cross.  That’s it. 

SHAME ON US FOR TAKING THE CREDIT FOR WHAT JESUS HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES.  We must make it clear to the world that He is the reason we are different.  It would be cruel to mislead people by telling them that we are good on our own.  The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  But when we believe that Jesus died for us on the cross and ask Him to be our Lord and Saviour, He begins to mold us and shape us to be better people. 

If you are a Christ-follower and people see you as a good person, make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Michelle

I’ve had it on my heart for the last couple days to talk about body image.  It seems that there are three types of girls out there:  those who hate their bodies, those who love their bodies, and those who have a healthy understanding of who God has made them to be.

1. Have you ever heard a girl say “I’m so fat! Look at my thighs/butt/hips/belly/legs etc.?”  I hate my hair, I hate my feet, I hate my teeth, I hate my skin.  Have you ever said something like this?  Sometimes this leads to obsessive exercise, eating habits, or not wanting to leave the house without make-up.  Let me tell you something.  When I started high school, I was pretty content with how I looked. But I had a friend who was constantly complaining about her body.  First I just thought she was crazy and dismissed it. But after a while, I started thinking, “well if she says that’s wrong with her body, she must have not seen mine!  As a result, I started worrying about how I looked, and learned from her how to complain about certain parts of my body.  And she was a Christian! Girls, when you complain about your bodies, you are (1) insulting the God who made you (2) being a stumbling block to other girls who are content with their bodies.  Stop it.  My mother-in-law said something once that has stuck with me ever since: “A lot of girls say they are ‘self-conscious’ about their bodies.  And that’s exactly what they are: conscious of self.”  By complaining about your body, you are being more conscious of yourself than the God who created you.  Self-worship is idolatry. 

2. Now there is the other extreme. The girls who think they’re hot and flaunt it. The ones with their pictures plastered all over facebook. The ones who dress to impress, especially to get the attention of guys.  This may come across as being confident, but really it is just another form of self-worship.  Let me ask you: how much do you spend on your hair a year? What about clothes? Perfume? Make-up?  The Bible says “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  If your money is an indication of where your heart is, who is your God? Your own body?  How hard would it be for you to no to post any pictures on facebook for a year? Or to not buy new clothes for a year?  What if you are in an accident and get your face badly burned?  Where do you get your worth?

3.  The last group of girls is quite rare.  These are girls and women who know who they are in Christ, are content in their own skin and have accepted their imperfections, work hard to maintain a healthy and balanced way of living (exercise, healthy diet, healthy relationships etc), and overall are more concerned with God and how to serve people than themselves.  These are the girls who are truly attractive, both on the inside and the outside.  They can’t help but draw people to them.  Christ shows on their face.  Guys (and their girlfriends!) feel comfortable around them.  It’s not a competition.  This is what we must strive for!

Let’s not forget that God gave us bodies here in earth for a purpose: to serve Him by loving others.  Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.  We should not worship the temple but use it to honour Jesus.

Be honest: which girl are you?

Michelle

Sometimes I find myself in a conversation with other Christians that is getting dull and meaningless, and I want to bring life to it by talking about what God is doing in our lives. But for some reason, sometimes I hesitate to ask the question: what has God been teaching you lately? What is He doing in your life?

I don’t know why this question is so hard for me to ask sometimes, especially when I know the other person loves Jesus and loves to talk about Him.  So why do I hesitate?  I think the biggest reason is that I do not want to seem like the super religious, holier than thou type of person.  But another fear is probably trying to answer the question myself.  What have I been learning lately?  What has God been doing in my life recently?  I don’t want to ask someone else that question if I am struggling to come up with something myself.

Last week I went out for lunch with a friend, and as we shared about our faith journeys and how God has been at work in our lives, I realized something. Intentional conversation about God reveals what God has been teaching me.  As the conversation builds, something will come out of my mouth that I didn’t even realize was in my heart and head.  It’s as if God had been teaching me something without me even realizing it, and it is brought to light through conversation.  Somehow I am able to put words to something that has been simmering in my soul for a while.  And that is such an exciting moment! 

Are you intentional in your conversations?  I urge you to be.  Not only will it shed light on what God is teaching you, but it will allow you to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ.  So go ahead and ask the question: what is God doing in your life?

Have a great week girls!

Michelle