God is WORKING

Hello all!

Today has been day number NINE of our make-up free month, and we are beyond excited to share with you what God has been teaching us thus far. The first few days of our fast were pretty tough. I (Lauryn) felt like giving up numerous times. As we both looked into the mirror, we didn't see ourselves. It was discouraging to be asked, "hey, are you feeling okay? are you sick? are you tired?" Needless to say, the first few days were difficult, but the good news is we are past them! As we are just over a week with no make-up, we are beginning to recognize our faces in the mirror and become comfortable in our own skin. Yes, there are times each day when we wish we could just smear our faces with the wonders of foundation or mascara, but we know this is something good for us to do.

Throughout this week, we have been studying together and learning what it really means to have "true beauty." As we started studying, we recognized that the world says you need to have a, b, c, and d in order to look like this model or this famous icon. As Christian young women we thought, we don't really do that. We don't dress in an inappropriate way to gain attention from guys, we don't go party or get involved in bad things, we don't act flirtatious or sensual around the opposite sex, but we were proved wrong. Although, as Christians, we may not "participate" in the bad clothing or behavior, but we still believe we need to have this, this, and that in order to become something we are not. Very convicting. Christ calls us to be DIFFERENT from the world. How are we doing that if we are buying the clothes they tell us to buy? Or acting a certain way to receive attention? We are no different and that is the problem most young Christian women have today.

As we have continued on with our study, we have come across the worldly importance of finding our "inner beauty." Before we looked further into this, we thought inner beauty was a good thing. The world says we need to love our selves and God loves us, so shouldn't we love ourselves as well? The answer is NO. Loving ourselves would just be giving into the worldly standards of "inner beauty." Without Christ, we are NOTHING. As women, we all want to be beautiful and to be found attractive. And although that is not wrong, we still need to recognize that when we came to Christ, we traded in our desire to be found beautiful by the world in order that we may be found beautiful by Christ and Christ alone. How do we do that? By letting others SEE CHRIST IN OUR LIVES. When others see His glory shining through, we will be found beautiful. As believers we are DEAD to sin and ALIVE in Christ.

Today, we are all too focused on self and what the self wants.
                 "The Christian life can be explained only in terms of JESUS CHRIST, and if your life as a     Christian can still be explained in terms of you-your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything-then although you may have the Christian life, you are not living it yet." -Ian Thomas

In order to have a set-apart lifestyle, which God has called us to, we must lay down EVERYTHING and surrender all to Him and be CONSUMED with His love. Some may ask, "how is not wearing make-up being consumed with Christ?" It's not. But it has helped us realize that although the world may see us as beautiful with make-up on, God doesn't see us as any different. At this rate, it is not make-up that is the issue, it is the heart.

John 3:30 "I must decrease, so that He might increase!"

Again, we THANK YOU all for all the support we have been given. To GOD be ALL the GLORY!

L&B