Three years ago I took on a summer job working midnight shift at a break pad factory.  Every morning I would come home covered in black soot - in my nose, my ears, and my hair.  I remember first walking in for an orientation and realizing my floor was mostly manned by guys – and some of them looked at me as if to say, “what the heck is a blonde girl doing here? Does she think this is a hair salon or something?” Though this may not sound appealing for many of you ladies, it was one of the best summers of my life.

I made it my goal that summer to love everyone around me as much as humanly possible.  I heard stories that were fascinating and others that were heartbreaking.  I made some incredible friends.  Our conversations were always yelled out, because the loud machines combined with our earplugs made hearing difficult.

Though I have many amazing memories from that place, one really stands out.  One night a new guy stepped onto the floor and immediately I felt uncomfortable around him.  My instincts turned out to be accurate. He came right up to me, and before even introducing himself, made a very sexually derogatory comment.  I told him to never speak to me like that again and I wanted nothing to do with him for the following weeks.

But one night at the beginning of my shift, I heard God telling me, “Michelle, give him your Bible.”  I immediately started arguing with God. My Bible was very dear to me. I had had it for years.  I had taken it on all my mission trips and had life lessons scribbled all over the margins.  I’m sure some of you can relate.

So I began to bargain with God. I said, “Ok, how about I will go buy him his very own Bible tomorrow, and give it to him when I see him during our next shift?” But I felt God telling me that it had to be my Bible, and I had to give it to him before our shift was over.  I argued with God all night, until one question hit me hard: Michelle, do you love your Bible as an object more than you love what the Bible actually says - to be obedient and to love God and people regardless of the cost?

Long story short, I walked up to him at the end of the shift, and with my hands shaking gave him my Bible. I almost expected him to laugh and throw it out in front of me, but he was visibly moved.  He kept saying, “But…this is yours…why would you give it to me?”  He thanked me, put it into his pocket, and went home.

Here’s the crazy part: I never saw him again.  I came to work the next day and found out he had been fired.  I realized that If I had disobeyed God by going out and buying him a Bible instead of giving him my own, he never would have gotten it.  I was so humbled.  This guy came from a strict Muslim family and probably would not have had many opportunities to get his hands on a Bible.  Please pray for him.

This experience taught me that it is always worth it to pay attention when God taps us on the shoulder.  Even if it makes us uncomfortable.  Even if it makes us look stupid. Even if it costs us something.  I hope this story is an encouragement to you this week as you live for God.  Be blessed girls, and be listening when God calls!

Michelle

Soooo I’m sitting here watching America’s next top model.. I don’t know why, it’s just one of those shows I need to watch every week. [can you say addict?!]  ANYWAY.. one of the girls is apparently “gaining weight” on the show and Tyra Banks is quite upset.  I look at this girl and laughed. Not because she is overweight, but because she is, guaranteed, still a size 2 and she’s worried!!  (haha kinda funny cause I’m sitting in my ‘chair n’ a half’ with a big bag of chips…to myself!)  but not the point…

The definition of a ‘nice body’ varies for everyone.  Everybody wants to look a certain way because it gives them confidence.  Everyone wants or has wanted to rock a “hot bod”.   But in reality what does a ‘hot bod’ get you?  The sad thing is, that’s the top thing media idolizes: girls who force themselves to fit into a size double 0, who only wear XS and who you can lift with one hand.  It’s hard for us!

1 Corinthians 6:10: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is IN you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”

Girls, you are already RADIANT!  Did you just read that? The Holy Spirit, - the same one that sent Jesus, who forgives every single day, gives us life - is inside of you!  He is dying to shine through to the outside!  Your body doesn’t even belong to you because it is a temple for Him.  We shouldn’t be worrying about weighing 100 pounds or having the most recent fashion.  We should be worrying about what Jesus sees.  But because of the stuff we see everyday, it’s so hard to turn away from wanting those things.  If we strive to let Jesus shine through, could you imagine how gorgeous our world would be? We would blow those top models away.

We are all still human and all of us have our days when we don’t feel beautiful and do give in to media’s standards.  But, I have a challenge for all you amazing women of God out there:

Every morning before you leave your house, look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment. You owe it to yourself! You’re insulting God if you don’t because God CREATED you! You are His blessing, so give Him credit for what he created.  Tell yourself how beautiful your eyes are, how smooth your lips are, how your smile can brighten up a room, how your legs are muscular and ready to play a sport…whatever!

But most importantly; tell yourself that you are captivating.  Let God tell you that you are captivating

Captivating.  It is my favourite word ever spoken.  Be captivating for yourself; inside and out.  But top priority…be captivating for Jesus.  He is the only one that matters in the end.

Oh, and one more thing…you are:
beautiful
healthy
wonderfully made
created by the One and only
precious
radiant
courageous
strong

C.A.P.T.I.V.A.T.I.N.G

Before anyone else believes it, you must first believe it yourself.

I love you all

-Steph

Have you ever looked around you and felt like everyone is in a relationship except you? Then you get thinking…is something wrong with me?

The answer is NO – nothing is wrong with you.

We are single because God wants it that way.  In His perfect timing the right person will come along.  But in the meantime, celebrate your singleness.  There are ways in which single girls can have an impact on another’s life, which would otherwise not happen if in a relationship.

God puts us in each stage of life for a purpose.  I once heard someone say that they couldn’t handle hanging out with her single friends anymore because they were just not as mature.  Please do not listen to people who say these types of comments.  They are not true.  Maturity is not based on whether you are dating, married or single.

My friend Ruthann Brock once said “The stage of life that you are in means that this is where you can be most effective for the Kingdom”.  The first time I heard this it hit me so hard.  I finally realized that I need to take advantage of being single and use it to further the kingdom.  We will only be single for so long so lets have the biggest impact we can.

So all you single ladies… get up…and make a difference instead of focusing your energy into trying to find a boyfriend.  Take each stage of life as a blessing.

Rebekah

Girls, do I ever had a story for you!  I was sitting in Starbucks about a month ago doing some book writing, and I overheard a conversation that amused me thoroughly.  It was a youngish looking woman, ranting to her close friends at the TOP OF HER LUNGS.  (some people have zero self-awareness)

This is what I heard:  “I just want to be established by 30.  But then I think, oh $#!t, it’s so close!” She went on to explain that she just needs 1.) a man that fits in into her complicated made-up age equation, 2.) a career, 3.) a nicer car, 4.) a solid wardrobe, 5.) a good pet, maybe a dog, and 6.) a good hairdresser (seriously!)

I’ll stand by this statement:  no one ever gets fully established.

There is no “there”.

You’ll never be fully satisfied with ‘where you’re at’.

You will never achieve everything in your mind.

No one has ever ’settled down.’

No one has actually “made it.”

Depressed yet?!

It’s okay.  It’s not your fault.  It’s God’s fault. He made you antsy.  He filled you with hope, and dreams, and vision, and creativity.

Paul put it this way…”Pressing onward towards the prize…”

Or as the old hymn puts it “This world is not my home…I’m just passing through”

If my life was perfect, I wouldn’t be looking forward to spending forever with God.

And I’m looking forward to it very much.

You?!

Four years ago I spent seven weeks doing missions work in Turkey. During my time there, I took a tour of Ephesus - a New Testament Historical site- where I saw the statue pictured above. Her name is ‘Diana’ (also known as Artemis,) the great goddess of fertility. Temples were built in her honor. Riots were formed in her defence. Somehow she captivated the hearts of the people and caused a lot of drama amongst the early Christians in Ephesus. (Acts 19)

Walking down the streets amongst the ruins and rubble of what was once a thriving city, I could easily pick out what these people once lived for: Diana. She was their idol.

Throughout the Bible, we are warned and commanded to stay away from idols. Sure as Christians in North America we are not faced with this sort of idolatry. We don’t wake up every morning and bow to a statue. Unfortunately, our idols are much more discrete… and often masquerade themselves so that we don`t realize they are there.

An idol- defined simply- is anything that takes top priority in our lives. They are the things we give most of our time to, spend most of our money on, and think about most often . It usually starts out as something good, but then we take it to the extreme,- devoting ourselves to it and somehow allowing it to define who we are. It could be a relationship, job, hobby, education, etc.

I think it’s safe to say we all have something we idolize in our lives. It’s time to find out what they are, get rid of them, and give Christ the  top priority He deserves.

Jess