TODAY: Bullying behind teen girls’ suicide pact?

Every morning while I'm getting ready I watch the Today Show. This morning I saw a story that completely broke my heart. It definitely affected me deeply because of my heart for teenage girls. I'm definitely praying for these families.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Girls :: Week Two

Last week we talked about how the world defines young women. This week we’re going to look at how you define yourself, not on the outside, but on the inside.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." – 1 Samuel 16:7

Luke 7:36-50, MSG
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
One of the Pharisees asked [Jesus] over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him." Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Oh? Tell me." "Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most." "That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal." Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins." That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!" He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

In understanding this story, it’s helpful to understand the etiquette and culture of that day, just as it is important for us to know the etiquette of today. Let’s see how well you do:

Today –
1. At a formal dinner, when should one start eating the main course?
a. After the hostess is served.
b. After the hostess lifts her fork.
c. After three or four people have their food.
d. ASAP, with urgency and passion.

2. What do you do when you’re not using your utensils?
a. Place them on the side of your plate so they do not touch the table.
b. Place them on the table, where they were originally.
c. Place them in your lap. No one needs to see you nasty silverware.
d. Leave. The meal MUST be over; my utensils are not being used!

3. At a formal dinner, what is the signal that the meal is over?
a. When the hostess places her silverware on her plate in an x.
b. When the hostess rises from the table.
c. When the hostess places her napkin on the table.
d. When you are done eating, duh!

Answers -
1. b
2. a
3. c

Old Testament Day-
When the Pharisee invited Jesus to his house he knew that Jesus should be recognized as a guest of honor. The customary greeting was a kiss, not as an expression of affection, simply a polite acknowledgment of the guest’s arrival.

The washing of feet was mandatory before a meal. If the guest was of high status, the host would perform this duty himself. If not, he might have his servant do it.

A thoughtful host would give his guests some olive oil for anointing, though this was somewhat optional. With a very warm climate, and a scarcity of deodorant, such as a gesture was particularly refreshing.

Let's look at Simon and the woman from the outside in.

Simon
Outside World –
Pharisee (Saul. Legalistic. Outward Appearance.)
"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You're like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin you're total frauds." – Matthew 23:27- 28, MSG
Inside Heart
- Doubted Jesus (Skeptic)
- Judgmental
- Not grateful

Woman
Outside World –
Sinner
“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner." – Matthew 7:39, NIV
Inside Heart
- Broken
- Sacrificial
- Grateful

Remember:
“But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." – 1 Samuel 16:7

Girls :: Week One

What if we stopped comparing ourselves to the world's false standards and started viewing ourselves in light of scripture?

The world tries to define us by it's own standards. Because those standards are nearly impossible to achieve, many of us are left feeling unattractive, unaccepted, and substandard.



But the world is wrong! Your worth is not measured bu how you look, what you wear, or who your friends are. Don't let the world tell you who you are. Let JESUS tell you.

Mark 5:24-34
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.



There could never be a more beautiful you. Don't buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through. You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do. So there could never be a more beautiful you. "More Beautiful You" - Jonny Diaz

:: Women :: Significance :: More Beautiful You ::

I believe that God has given me a zeal for women- more specifically- teenage and young adult women. That’s a little bit unusual considering some of this group is my peers. However, I have a heart to see the women of my generation reach their full potential in Christ. I’m not saying this having figured everything out but as a woman who is on the same journey and has been through quite a bit in her life. The past 6-7 years of my life, God has moved in amazing ways. I have gone from a not being connected to Christ, to playing the “church” game, to working out my salvation daily. During this time, I have struggled on different levels with different sins and still continue to struggle with certain sin in my life. I know, however, that God has called me to be “set apart”. Now, if you know me well at all or have known me for a while you probably know this about me, just look at my email or screen names. Sadly, I haven’t always lived up to my calling to be “set apart” but through out my walk with Christ, I have always heard a small voice in my heart that says, “I created you for something different than this world”.

I think it’s time for me to live up to my calling and also encourage you.

I want you to know that you are a person of great worth and potential. You were designed by God and desired by God. Rewind.. you are DEISRED by God. God craves a personal relationship with you. He created you to be YOU! He didn’t create you to be someone else. So, I don’t want to hear anymore “I’m not good enough”s because you are basically slapping God in the face and putting down his creation. NO MORE LADIES! But you also need to realize that you are a work in progress. This life isn’t a destination but progress. You live, you make mistakes, you learn (hopefully) and you live some more, and you make more mistakes, and you learn more (hopefully). I am sick and tired of hearing the women that I love put themselves down for the mistakes they’ve made. I am fed up! And the reason I am fed up is because I have been there. For the longest time in my life, I have put myself down and have been so hard on myself on so many different levels. I’ve had to deal with a lot of issues in my life and I am still dealing with some of them. However, I think the point is that we have to rerecord the tapes that are in our heads. If your tape is saying “You are not good enough” Rewind that tape and hit record on some scripture. Start with Psalm 139. I think the root of this issue is that we are trying to find our significance in something (or someone) other than Christ. What if God was the thing that we were seeking more than anything? What would our relationships look like? What would our conversations sound like? What would our jobs look like? We would act differently? YOU BET!

I guess the question then is- Is the pedal down on the floor board of your life wanting Jesus more than anything? Or are you seeking your significance in other things (or people)?

The reason I say “people” is because WARNING! I am getting on my soap box God isn’t preoccupied with you having a boyfriend.. He is preoccupied with how far you are on the journey to becoming the person he dreamed you up to be. I’m not saying that God isn’t concerned with that part of your life (because He is) but He isn’t as preoccupied with you having a guy in your life as most of you are. (BBC girls- does this sound familiar? Haha..) The key to life is to become someone not find someone. A lot of people are preoccupied with finding someone but I believe we need to start spending our energy talking to God about becoming someone and his purpose for our lives.

I like the way Louie Giglio says it, “Life story TRUMPS love story.” If you aren’t the person you are supposed to be in Christ and you are looking to “get in” on some guys story so you can have significance, STOP!

Relationships are hard work.. they aren’t always lovey dovey. There will be times where the feelings aren’t happening anymore. If you don’t have a life story that drew you together- I don’t think you will have a love story that will draw you all the way to the end. Through the seasons of life and the “feelings” of love- your life stories will be the things that get you through. I believe the sole purpose of a relationship is that two little lives are making the biggest impact possible for the glory of Christ. If you and Bobby Joe aren’t doing that- then what’s the point? Is it possible that the only reason you want a relationship is to feel significant? Ouch. Anyway, this isn’t intended to be about “dating” but about finding your significance in Christ and CHRIST ALONE!

I guess this is meant to serve as a challenge to you and to myself. What is currently sitting on the throne of your life? If it isn’t God then you are settling for WAY LESS than the best. I hope you are encouraged.

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P.S. This is an AMAZING song by Jonny Diaz (for all you Braves fans.. that would be Matt Diaz's brother!) You can listen to it here: http://www.imeem.com/popmusic26/music/IY45bORf/jonny-diaz-more-beautiful-you/

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine
Says she wants to look that way
But her hair isn’t straight her body isn’t fake
And she’s always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen I wish that you could see
That beauty is within your heart
And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair
Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don’t buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you’ve already done
Anything to get ahead
And you say you’ve got a man but he’s got another plan
Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come
You starve yourself to play the part
But I can promise you there’s a man whose love is true
And he’ll treat you like the jewel you are

So turn around you’re not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It’s not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the one who’s strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl

Lot's Wife (Genesis 19 and Luke 17:32-33)

I’m going to try very hard not to make that slip up! The truth is, however, that we all slip up. Maybe it’s our words, maybe it’s our actions.. it might even be something we think. This is a verse many of you may know: Romans 3:23. It says, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Notice it doesn’t say some have fallen short, or only 10th graders fall short.. it says ALL. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, teachers, your best friend.. even Lindsay and I. We have all fallen short… we have all sinned. Eeekkk.. we are in big trouble.. but then again why do you think the gospel is called the “Good News” praise the Lord!

Remember last week when we talked about Potipher’s wife and her revenge on Joseph? She just couldn’t let it go that he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. So, she plotted, conspired and schemed. She just couldn’t let it go. She continued to sin to cover up her sin.

Have you ever had a sin that you just couldn’t shake? Gossip (ouch), talking back to your parents (eeekkk), lying to a friend (ooooohhhh), having bad thoughts about that girl who likes the guy you like (okay, okay.. stop it Ashley! We get it.) What about an event in the past that you can’t let go of.. a break up? Something within your family? I think we can learn a lot from the next Bad Girl of the Bible, even though she is only mentioned twice in scripture and like Potipher’s wife, has no name. Tonight we are going to talk about Lot’s wife.

Genesis 19 gives an account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

What are we looking back at? Maybe there is something in your past that you are looking back at. I don’t know what it is for many of you but for me it’s definitely my past. There are things in my past that I am not proud of. Things I did, things I said, relationships I was in.. but thank the Lord for his mercy and grace. Thank goodness that He can take those things in my past and use them for His glory. He continues to show me daily how he wants to use me. I’ve been called by God to be “set apart” and I have never followed this call. It’s a tough place to be. It’s a tough calling to follow. This mean that some of the things that the world sees as “normal” and things that are totally legal- are just things that I don’t do. (I should remind you that this isn’t something I have followed very closely but I am trying each day to work harder to become that person that God is calling me to be.)

Anyway, I say all that to say that I want you girls to spend some time in prayer. Spend some time thinking about the things that you need to let go of. Take some time to think about the things that you need to work towards. God is always calling us to give something up for him and replace it with more of him. What is he calling you to give up and what is he calling you to replace it with. For me- it’s the past and it’s this “set apartness” that I know he wants me to dwell in.

Oh, and can I borrow your calculator? xox

Eve, you naughty girl!

I help teach a Life Group at my Church, Brentwood Baptist. I teach the 10th grade girls and they are MY LOVE! They are just great and fabulous and if they are reading this.. their heads are getting BIG! ;) Last night we talked about Eve, our first "bad girl of the bible." I thought I would post my sermonette notes for a two fold reason. 1. I thought it was a pretty good lesson and 2. So my girls could have a physical reminder of our lesson. :) Here you go:

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How many of you like Christmas? The reminders of Jesus' birth, the lights, the snow, the Christmas tree and the PRESENTS! I love Christmas. I mean, this whole week I have been listening to Christmas music. Yes, I know it's the beginning of September but I just love Christmas- it's one of my favorite holidays. One of my favorite parts of Christmas, other than the birth of Jesus, is seeing the presents under the tree. I love the "secret-ness" of it all. I love that someone has thought about me enough to go out and get something for me and wrap it all pretty and place it under the tree. But... I also have a problem… I am a pre-Christmas present finding sneak-peeker. Yes, I admit it and my whole family knows that if they don't keep their presents far away then I will end up finding them. It's not that I don't like surprises but it's the thrill of the chase. The idea that there is some mystery somewhere with my name all over it! (I get excited about it just thinking about it.)

I wonder if this is how Eve felt when the serpent came up to her about that tree. Was it like Christmas? I'm sure the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil didn't have lights and tinsel but there was a mystery.. a chase.. the unknown.. and Eve had to have it. I think Eve was the biggest sneak-peeker of us all. I mean, sure.. I've felt bad after sneak-peeking but I don't think any of us have ever been accused of messing it up for the rest of humanity. Today we are going to look a little deeper into this story and about our first Bad Girl of the Bible, Eve, and how we can avoid the same mistakes she did.

Genesis 2:15- 25
The story begins
Dating Tip: vs. 18 (NLT) "Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him." Have you even seen a couple and you think "Oh my gosh, they were MADE FOR EACH OTHER!" It's way cute, right? Yes, and let's just admit it and get it out there. We like boys. Haha.. there is something about the "opposite sex". There is nothing wrong with that. BUT let me ask you this.. who are you spending more time day dreaming about? God or "Billy Bob". (The girls laughed at my "Billy Bob") God, since the beginning of time, has created someone who is "just right" for us and we are "just right" for him. So, why are we wasting our time drooling over Billy Bob and wondering if he likes Susie Q more than us? Your right- it's a little bit of a waste. Why not spend our time focusing on God and let Him handle the situation. I mean, it is fun to have crushes and it's fun to have a boy to talk about but when you get down to it- God has your best interest in mind.. if you are supposed to be with someone, it will happen. Give it to him!

Genesis 3:1-2
Don't get into a debate with Satan.
James 4:7
That's right ladies, resist him. "Oh, I will beat you down with my Bible!"

Genesis 3:3 back to Genesis 2:16-17
Know God's Word so you won't be fooled.
Psalm 119:11
Hide the Word of the Lord in your hearts. One- you will totally fall in love with Jesus over and over again and you will be able to recall verses when you need them the most.

Genesis 3:4-7
Watch out for the Big Three.
We are physical, emotional, and spiritual beings.
Satan tempted Eve on ever faucet of the Big Three. The "fruit" was "good for food", it was "pleasing to the eye" and it was "desirable for gaining wisdom".

Genesis 3:8-13
Avoid the blame game
"Typical Man" my girls shouted.. "blaming it all on Eve, come on! And then he goes and blames it on God too 'the woman YOU put me here with' what a load of junk.. boo ADAM!" Ladies, what did Eve do after that? *cricket cricket* SHE DID THE SAME THING! Typical woman! Typical human! Typical... sinner. We do the same thing when we sin.. we run and hid from God, who knows where we are anyway, and then we try to blame others (or other things) for our sin. OWN UP LADIES!

To end it all I just have to ask... "Will you be the other half of my skittle?"

"Set Apart Femininity" by Leslie Ludy

Girls! Do you long for something more than the shallow, self-focused, pleasure-seeking femininity so prevalent today? Do you want a focus beyond chasing male approval and pop-culture appeal? Do you need a fresh vision of God’s amazing purpose for your life as a young woman? Are you ready to become one of the few in this generation who will make an eternal impact upon this world? Discover set-apart femininity. This is a powerful, candid, conversational book in which I pass on a compelling vision for femininity that can forever alter your existence and take you far beyond the unfulfilling trends of modern culture. This book is not the same old mediocre message you’ve always heard. It’s a radical call to a counter-culture lifestyle in which every aspect of your femininity – from the way you relate with guys to the focus and direction of your life – is shaped by an intimate relationship with the King of kings. It’s the kind of heroic femininity that the world-changing women of history understood. And it’s well within your grasp, no matter where you’ve been. This book tackles key issues you’re facing today, like:
-unlocking God’s sacred call upon your life
-understanding God’s pattern for true feminine beauty
-captivating the heart of a Christ-like guy
-aligning your daily existence with God’s priorities
-finding real fulfillment by living a poured-out life.
Get ready to experience the lost art of set-apart femininity – and find what you’ve been searching for.

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This is a book that I am about to start reading. I got the hook up with the Ludy's and received a free online copy to preview. Apparently this book and Eric's new one "The Bravehearted Gospel" weren't supposed to come out until the middle of September but oopppsss! Something CRAZY happened in the publishing world and it got out EARLY! Anyhow If you know anything about me you know that I love Leslie Ludy's book "Authentic Beauty". (If you haven't read it... DO SO NOW!) This is another one of those books. I'll be reading it for the next few weeks and let you know soon! :)

P.S. If you haven't had the chance to check out Eric Ludy's new book "The Bravehearted Gospel" you should! It's a powerful message about putting the "manly stuff" back into the church. I very interesting take on the status of today's Church. :)