Be That Lily

Hey Yall (all three of you who read this),
Well, I must say I haven't written lately because Andrew is working the day shift, so we actually have some normal hours to spend together.... which has been absolutely fantastic. I really have nothing pressing to talk about or really anything that will necessarily interest anyone, but there is one issue that has been heavy on my heart. 

Sexuality. "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens" Song of Solomon 2:2 . We are intended to be sexual beings but only within the confines of marriage. Later in Song of Solomon, Solomon says"....do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." (2:7). True love waits is a campaign that has become a little less prominent in society today but its values hold true. A true love will wait on the Lord's timing. 

 I have such a hard time looking through countless young girls' facebooks and getting one message which is the need for acceptance. Now that would be okay if they were getting genuine, Christ-found acceptance, but they aren't. These young ladies are getting messages that tell them they are only worthy of acceptance if they are willing to give up their bodies. Bodies that are to be clothed in righteousness and dignity are traded for name brands sold at high prices for WAY LESS material. Beauty is seen as an unattainable store-bought item instead of an attribute you are born with and develop through Christ's renewal. This is so saddening to me because I can easily seen where these things have completely destroyed many of my friends' and even family's precious lives. 

So please, if you are a girl, find your worth in a God who not only FORMED and molded every fiber of your being but breathed LIFE into your lungs. Let your beauty be rooted in your actions and words, not what you see in the mirror or what you buy. Don't sell yourself short by being sold out to a boy or to this world because those things will leave you to a deeper search away from the God Who created you. 

Be THAT lily. The lily among many many thorns... The lily whose inner beauty that allowed her to grow far outweighs her outward beauty that will eventually fade. Don't be afraid to be different in your stands morally, politically, spiritually. You know, even Jesus was rejected for being different. Matthew 8:34 says "Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region." This was after Jesus performed many MIRACLES. But He was still rejected for being different. Don't shy away from embracing your inner beauty and neglecting part of your outer beauty. 
So I want to issue a challenge to you to put aside one aspect of your outward beauty (make-up, hair products, number of outfits) to focus more on your Christ-founded beauty. Instead of taking 15 minutes to put on make-up each day, take 5 minutes and spend the rest of the 10 in prayer or reading the Bible. I promise you will become far more beautiful this way than ANY lip gloss, hair bump-it, or pair of shoes could ever make you. ;) Do this for thirty days and observe just how much more beautiful you feel. Don't be surprised if others reject your new views but embrace the arms of Christ. Or hey, talk to me! Not many people understood why Andrew and I didn't sleep together before we got married. I'm more than happy to go over ALL the reasons why we didn't and practical ways you can share that same moral love with someone else. (It's really not that complicated) 
And if you want a good example of what to look for in a Godly guy:

  There's one!

You Find Out Who Your Friends Are

To appease my best friend Maddie's wishes, I am posting tonight. Although I am sleepy after multiple four-hour sleep nights, I will write :) I mean who am I kidding? Hubby's at work, and I won't get a wink until he walks through the door anyway!

Lately, I have really noticed just how great my friends are. My family has always been spectacular, and I think that is rare. However, friends that are spectacular can be even harder to come by. I have noticed that my attitude about so many things has changed because of what I have seen in my friends.

 First, I'd like to mention my simply amazing friend Tianna. Facing an eight month long deployment is not easy for anyone.... facing a pregnancy is not easy for any woman... and facing both ALONE is downright unbearable. But she's going to do it and seems to be only hopeful. THAT is just one example of not letting your circumstances get the best of you but truly relying on God for hope in the coming days. Side note- their baby is going to be ridiculously gorgeous. 

I also have a friend named Maddie. And although she is quirky, she has a heart like no other. A heart for all kinds of things like ART, children, her massive family, hurting friends, and more than anything to please the Lord. Her passion is contagious and her goofiness is timeless. From making odd videos in the middle of the night to praying with me before my wedding, Maddie has been a true companion and has shown me just how important loyalty is. Also, Maddie has a new passion for a boy named Blair Jaques whom she will marry in just a few short months. :) Praise Jesus! However, we will ALWAYS be cookie and sanchez and nobody can change that. NOBODY.

Now for Melissa :) While we argued like crazy the first few months we knew each other, those arguments only grew into wonderful discussions and TONS of laughs later on. I already wrote a little about Melissa, but there is always more to be said. Melissa is truly the most caring person I know. She would do absolutely anything for you. Like sneak out right before curfew checks just to get a movie and ice cream so you'd stop bawling about the love of your life back home. I feel bad because I know in a lot of ways I could have been a much better friend to her than I was because I was so focused on missing Andrew. Melissa would also do things like jump in a pool in the middle of winter just to earn $5... I mean FIVE? oh Melissa. Melissa's love for the Lord and for people will take her to places she never thought she'd go.

I have tons more great friends I could write about but I must stop for now. Please know that good friends (hopeful, loyal, and caring) are hard to come by. And while I have not done so, treat them like precious treasures, for they really are. Also, each of these ladies has a mixture of every characteristic I listed, and that is incredible.

 

Birds and Blessings

First of all, I just realized there is a completely unplanned "B" theme going on in this blog. Woops!  

                                                                         Abbey!

                                                                       Tatyana!

                                                            Melissa!

Blessed. I am undoubtedly blessed. Over the past few years I have undergone many changes that have ultimately led to blessings. One of the biggest alterations occured when I went off to college to attend Liberty University ("the world's most exciting university"). I was completely immersed in my major, Athletic Training and had the privilege to meet many wonderful people who continue to encourage me today. Although Liberty was neat, my heart ached because my best friend and boyfriend was not enjoying a bit of this exciting change with me. The longing to share my joy with my best friend grew into sadness that overshadowed the happiness I found. I must say if it wasn't for my lovely friends Melissa, Tatyana, and Abbey, I would have been LONG gone before the end of my first semester! So, thank YOU! 

All that being said, I decided I wanted to change majors from athletic training to exercise science and in doing so, I would also transfer colleges from Liberty University to Old Dominion University. This was a very beneficial move both financially and truly spiritually. While I did make up some other excuses, I genuinely believe this series of events helped me grow in Christ tremendously.Although I was met with many criticisms, I wrestled over what truly drove my decisions and came up with the following: 
1. Andrew needed my support in person just as much as I needed his.
2. I knew marriage was in the future for us and my continuing education at Liberty would have been tremendously expensive
3. I was not challenged enough spiritually at Liberty (though it was a wonderful growing experience for me)
4. Athletic Training would be a small portion of a dream that had to be sacrificed in order to later grow a healthy marriage and family 

As for the "birds" portion of this post. This verse, "26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" means worlds to me. It seems whenever my discouragement and worries overwhelm me, I see a bird! I can distinctly remember occasions at both Liberty and ODU when birds have just sort of appeared when I felt desperate. This verse immediately pops into my head and reverts my thinking from ME to GOD. The God of the universe Who takes care of the "less valuable" birds and truly BLESSES me.

It's Not ALL About Me!

While I am not wise, I am fully reliant on a Savior Who defined wisdom. While I am not bold, I am married to the most courageous Police Officer a city could ask for.This blog, Beauty and the Badge is just a small portion of what the Lord is doing in our lives. Honoring Christ in our home, in our hearts, and on the streets is what we are striving for. 

I am a student concluding my undergraduate degree in Exercise Science. My husband and I were married on March 3, 2012 after five years of blissful dating. We remain best friends, and I am sure he will be the reasoning behind 99% of my blog posts. :) We have a wonderful family accompanied by a wonderful extended church family. My husband and I dream of retiring in Africa as missionaries, but for now we are finding joy and satisfaction in serving in our community.  

This is my husband's police sector. Please join me in praying for him and his fellow officers as they guard the homes and lives of many.

"Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify  You."