Life as a girl can be difficult. It can also be beautiful. This world taunts and tempts us with so many lies that sometimes it's hard to know what's real and what's true. As we live and grow, we are going to face challenges. We need truth to help us live this difficult, beautiful life. As I reflect on what God has (and is) showing me as a seek to become a godly woman in the midst of a God neglected world, I've put together a list of 13 things I believe every young girl should know. Some are encouraging, some are down right hard to hear. However, we need a little of both. My prayer is that it would not only continue to be a reminder for myself, but I pray that it would challenge, convict, and encourage all young girls(and women) as they face the difficulties and beauty of this life.
ONE:
Jesus and the cross is everything
There is nothing of greater importance
than knowing Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross. This world will
try to offer you many things but nothing comes close to what Jesus has to offer
you. If there is ONE thing that you can or could ever do right, it is to know
and accept Jesus. If there is ONE thing you could ever do completely wrong, it
would be to deny Christ. His life, His death, His resurrection is the single
most important thing for you to know and understand. The power of Christ and
His sacrifice on the cross holds the power to change your life. With it, you
gain life. Without it, you lose it. Don’t even continue on until you know and
understand what He has done for you.
SEEK HIM above ALL else.
TWO:
You are a girl by God’s design
You are a lady. A lovely lady made in
the image of Christ. Understanding what that means and the beauty that lies
within it is hard, especially in this twisted society. But, despite what this
world says, being a girl is a truly beautiful and wonderful thing. God has
designed us different than men, and His design is beautiful. You were made in
the image of God. You were made to be a woman.
Understand it. Embrace it. Live it. Understand that God’s design for a
woman is not like that of man’s design. It’s different, yet it’s beautiful and
lovely. This world will push you towards things that destroy God’s design for
womanhood and erase femininity. We can’t live by the ways of the world. We must
live by God’s way and His alone. I could spend pages telling you what I think
it means to be a girl and what a lovely thing it is, but I challenge you to
search the pages of His word to discover His design and the beauty of it.
“To me, a lady is not frilly, flouncy,
flippant, frivolous and fluff-brained, but she is gentle, she is gracious, she
is godly and she is giving. You and I have the gift of femininity... the more
womanly we are, the more manly men will be and the more God is glorified. Be
women, be only women, be real women in obedience to God.”- Elisabeth Elliot
THREE:
Being you is a unique and beautiful thing
Who you are is beautiful. God is both
the creator of beauty and the creator of you. Therefore, you are beauty. He has
knitted you together in your mother’s womb and designed you just as He desired.
You are unique and wonderful. Ignore the world when it whispers in your ear
that you need to be somebody or something else. You are not too skinny. You are
not too fat. You are not too ugly. You are not too smart or dumb or quiet or
loud. Who you are is who God intended you to be. You are different from others
and meant to be unique in your own way. God is going to use your personality
and individuality for something special. If you try to be someone or something
else, you miss out on the something special God has planned. Being you is a unique and beautiful thing.
Rejoice in that and embrace it for everything it is.
Psalm 139:13-16
FOUR: Beauty is more than makeup and clothes
Beauty is more than skin
deep. We live in a material world full of material girls. Our culture has
destroyed the meaning of beauty and made it vain and shallow. Dear girl, don’t
search this world for the definition of beauty. Search God’s word. God’s word tells
us that true beauty lies within. Don’t worry about your outward self-- your
makeup, hair, clothes, and your body. Seek to become beautiful from the inside
out. Cultivate a beautiful heart and spirit. Makeup, clothes, and fancy
hairstyles are all fun things and can be wonderful and beautiful. BUT, true
beauty must come from within. You can’t dress your outward self with makeup and
fancy clothes and forget to clothe your inner-self with gentleness, quietness,
and ultimately, love for the Lord. Beauty flows from your love for the Lord,
not from the makeup and clothes you dress yourself in.
1 Peter 3:3-4
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of
fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe
yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the
unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so
precious to God.
Proverbs 31:30
FIVE:
You do not need a boyfriend
You need only God. One of the biggest
lies and temptations you will face is the lie that you need a boyfriend (or
husband) to make you happy or to fulfill you. Let me warn you, a boyfriend will
not solve your loneliness. A boyfriend will not complete you. He will not fix
your insecurities and he will not meet all your needs. Don’t get me wrong, a
godly relationship can be a truly beautiful and wonderful thing. But only when
it is given by God… in His time.
Understand that until you know the Ultimate Lover, Jesus Christ, you won’t
experience the real beauty of a relationship. You may find yourself a boyfriend
but until Christ becomes your all, it will only leave you more empty and unsatisfied.
You do not need a boyfriend, you need only Christ.
Ephesians 3:19
Isaiah 30:18
Solomon 2:7
SIX:
Life is not a fairytale
Before you go on with life and think
that everything will fall into place just how you imagine or dream it to, slap
yourself across the face and take note of this: Life is HARD< but God is faithful. It’s important and
wonderful to dream big and develop deep desires but it’s far more important to
leave those desires and dreams in the hands of God. Don’t expect all your
dreams to come true and all your desires and plans to fall into place
perfectly. Life is hard. You must expect and prepare for hardship, struggles,
and pain. Don’t live life with a spoiled attitude but instead a humble one. Know that life won’t be
perfect but that in that imperfection God is faithful and has a beautiful plan.
Know that your desires and dreams will take hard work, prayer, and the hand of
God. His picture for your life is far more beautiful than any fairytale. He
will take the imperfection, pain, and struggles and turn it into a thing of
beauty. Beauty and happiness do not lie in our dreamt up fairytales, but in
God’s faithfulness in our lives.
“The will of God is never exactly what
you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it’s going to
be a lot better and a lot bigger.”
Elisabeth Elliot
SEVEN:
Life is short, eternity is forever
Your life here on earth will soon be
gone. You can live it up and try to extend your days as long as possible, but
the truth is, you will soon be gone. This life is temporary. This life is short in comparison to eternity. What
you do with this life will affect how you spend eternity. If you chose to live
it up and deny Christ, your eternity will be one of misery. You can have all
the fun in the world and spend your days being thrilled and entertained,
meeting each and every one of your desires. Yet, life on earth still ends and
eternity is waiting. Don’t get so caught up in this world and its pleasures
that it causes you to forget your Creator. For one day it will be too late. I
tell you, dear girl, it’s better to seek your Creator and live a life of
suffering here on earth then to deny Him for the pleasures of this world and
spend an eternity in Hell. Life forever with Jesus is far better than any
short-lived thrill here on earth.
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
Ecclesiastes 8:12
Ecclesiastes 12:1
EIGHT: You are capable
Oh, how capable you are! You
are capable, regardless of how young or how (old) you are. I don’t care how old
you are. God doesn’t care how hold you are. He can use you and He will use you. He has given you talents
and gifts and strength. He has made you capable. Don’t let anyone look down on
you because you are young. Just. Do. Great. Things.
1 Timothy 4:12
NINE: Friends come and go, but family is forever
Be careful not to get so
caught up in your friends that you choose to shut out your family. A time may
come when those friends you chose over your family do not choose you… and your
family will be all you have. Some friends may very well become your family, but
often times, they simply come and go. They may move away or enter a different
stage in life and you’ll soon become disconnected. However, your family is who
God put you with from the beginning. Family is a forever bond. Remember that no
friend is worth ruining that bond for. Enjoy your friends, but cherish your
family.
TEN:
You don’t know it all
As much as you think you do, you DON’T
know it all. You don’t know what the future holds, you don’t know what will or
won’t hurt you, and you certainly don’t know what’s best for you. You barely
know right from wrong. You’re young and inexperienced. You’ve barely seen life. STOP thinking and
pretending you know it all. Be open to advice, criticism, and correction. Be
open to guidance and wisdom. Your parents, teachers, and elders have been
through life and have experience in a lot of things you are going to go
through. They know things and have knowledge to offer you. Quit resisting it
and just simply take it all in.
ELEVEN:
Iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen you.
Choose wisely who you surround yourself
with. Pick your friends carefully. Those who you spend your time will have an
influence and effect on you. Some will lead you down a path of destruction-
maybe quickly, maybe slowly. Flee from this sort of influence. Seek out those
who will lead you to Christ and challenge you to become a better person. Choose
to spend time with those that make wise choices and good decisions. Friends are
good to have, for they can help you succeed. But choice wisely.
“As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
TWELVE:
You have an enemy and he seeks to steal your soul
This world we live in is a dangerous
place. There is an enemy prowling around seeking to devour and destroy. (1 Peter 5:8)
Satan, the enemy, is real and if you do
not stay alert, He will attack. I kid you not. A vulnerable, young girl like
yourself is a big target. As scary as it may be, I want you to know it’s true.
I want you to open your eyes to the reality that you have an enemy and he seeks
to steal your soul. I also want you to know that there is a way to overcome the
enemy… and that is by the power of Jesus Christ. He has ALL power and He stands
in victory over Satan. I highly suggest that you don’t strive to take on this
world alone. Don’t step out without Christ and those He has given you on this
earth to protect you. God has given us people to help guide us and protect us
from the dangers of this world… for example, your father. He is a good, good
gift given to you by God. He is meant to be your protector. Put aside your
doubts and your desire to do things your way. Don’t leave his protection unless
or until God offers you another
source of protection. I urge you also to seek out protection, guidance, and
wisdom from those who are older and wiser. Don’t be too stubborn, independent,
or prideful to have help. The dangers of the enemy are not to be taken lightly.
Suit yourself in the armor of God and don’t deny or resist the help and
protection He offers through those He has graciously given you.
Ephesians 6:10-17
THIRTEEN:
You have a purpose
Last but far from least, you have a
purpose. And first and foremost, your purpose is not meant to be a
self-fulfilling one, but a God-glorifying
one. Your purpose on this earth is solely to bring glory to God. Don’t for
a second think it’s to achieve happiness or fame or pleasure. No, your purpose
is to bring glory, honor, and praise to the one and only, God Almighty. Each
and every person has a different path, but we all have the same purpose. If
your life doesn’t reflect that purpose, then stop and change directions. Serve
and honor the God who gave you life. Become more like His Son. Live in such a
way that others want to know King Jesus because of what He is doing in and
through your life. Help advance His Kingdom. Deny yourself and talk hold of Him
and the cross. Praise Him with your every breath. Lift His name higher and
higher and higher. That and that alone is your purpose.
1 Corinthians 10:31
1 Peter 4:11
