Perfection deception

It's videos like this that remind us that the media is trying to make us believe that we have to be perfect to be beautiful.
I'm so thankful that these videos surfaced so that us girls can face the truth that this type of perfection is un-attainable! The magic of technology has made this woman thinner, tanner, stronger, longer and they even changed her shoe size!
Yet we as women continue to look at these images(in magazines and on the telly) and LONG for what they've got. Every. Time.
I am constantly comparing myself to these images thinking that I am not good enough because I don't  look like___________.
But ya know what? That's garbage! Stinky, foul. yucky, ridiculous garbage!

I have to remind myself DAILY that I AM FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made and I AM exactly the way God created me for a reason. I don't NEED to compare myself to anyone. I am learning to love myself for who I am.  And you know what? It's a process everyday. Because those lies creep in everyday. It's a constant women's battle.
I want to encourage all the women out there young or old to start looking at yourself as FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. Tell yourself that daily. Whisper that to yourself in the morning when you first get a glimpse of that slept in matted down crazy unruly hair of yours, write that on a post it note to stumble across when you open up a kitchen door, text it to yourself in the middle of the day then shout it out WHEREVER you are (cuz who really cares who's looking)!


Then believe it.
Believe that truth.
Because it's God's truth whispering to your soul. Desperatly wanting you and I to know it. To REALLY know it.

Then whisper it to someone else. Write it on a post it for someone to find. Text it to someone in the middle of the day. Shout it to a stranger as you pass by on your moped or whatever vehicle you travel this life on(but be careful not to scare them). Let's rally as women and fight off this PERFECTION DECEPTION and not allow the lies to enter anymore.
Ready?
Suit up for battle friends. Spread these truths...
Psalm 139:13-16

Blogger break

If your visiting my blog for the first time, thank you so much. I pray that you find it helpful in your journey. I hope that you will read my past posts and I always love feedback.

 I am going to be taking a bit of a break from blogging here. God has put a new project on my heart that I will be working on throughout the year which will involve a lot of writing. I will come back to this blog at the beginning of next year so please come back for a visit.

My ministry PurityTalks will continue to do speaking engagements. If you need further information on how to book a conference or retreat feel free to contact our team at any time. Also be sure to check out my book, Finding My Pure Heart Again, available online at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Angie

My Prince will come....

Remember the old fairy tales about the beautiful princess who is sitting in her castle tower and a handsome prince comes riding on a white horse to rescue her??? Other than in most of the Disney princess movies or in the movie Pretty Woman, does this really happen? Are you longing to find love, to be rescued...to find that one, true, handsome prince?

 Many of us girls are desiring this prince. But will we ever find him? Are there guys out there who are still chivalrous? If so, what does that even look like?

 Who is my one, true prince?

 Well, I have the answer...

yes, you read that right...I, personally know who He is. These are things that I am writing about in my new book that will be coming out next year. I'd love your input on it as I'm putting the last few chapters together. If you could answer these questions for me...you may have a chance to be in my book and receive a free copy!

1)What does your true prince/princess look like?

 2)What are some qualities you desire in your prince/princess?

 3) If your a guy...what is one thing you wish girls knew about you? What is your heart saying as a man?

 4) If your a girl...Why do you desire a love like this?

 I look forward to hearing your responses...

She's got that look

This picture was in a recent article in a fashion magazine. I was floored to find out that the girl in the picture was Cindy Crawford's daughter. The shocking part wasn't that it was HER daughter, because she's quite beautiful, but because she is only 10 years old. Yep, that's right...10. Cindy Crawford was only 16 when she started modeling so it is no surprise that her daughter is going to follow in her footsteps, but 10... Really? My 11 year old is still climbing trees barefoot and just simply being a kid. Why oh why are we trying to make these young girls grow up so fast? In Cindy's defense she was quoted saying, “At this point, she's too young to pursue a career. There aren't even a handful of jobs for a 10-year-old girl. But if she's 17 and wants to try it, of course, what can I say?" I GUESS this comment helps a little. I still think she's misguided in saying that she wouldn't be able to do anything about it if her daughter was 17 and wanted to. MAybe I'm an overprotective parent but I'm thinking we always need to help guide them no matter what age they are. I'm not a perfect parent (by ANY stretch) but I do try to instill in my girls that their beauty is within. That they don't need to dress like a hooker to get attention. Unfortunatly when I saw this picture, I thought hooker. I can only imagine how many men thought this way too. And let me remind you...she is 10. It saddens me to think that this new generation of young girls (ages 7-12) are thinking that just because the store Justice or the fashion magazines are marketing these "hooker" like clothes, that they HAVE to dress like this to fit in. Come on moms! Let's save our girls hearts and remind them that they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" without all that! Look at yourself when you leave the house everyday. Are we a good role model for them? Now, once again, like my other posts, I LOVE FASHION!!!!REally I do! But we can be fashionable and modest....let's teach our girls to do the same.

Let's hear from you...

I'd love to hear from you...send me a brief message with your thoughts on these topics

1) Fashion/Modesty-does it matter what you wear?

2) Sex/Marriage-why wait?

3) Self Image-do you ever feel un-loved? Un-lovely? What makes you feel that way?

4) If you've already read my book, Finding My Pure Heart Again, what things really stood out to you?

PurityTalks Team

What an awesome weekend we had in Ashtabula Ohio. The woman/teens there were amazing! Beyond the blizzard we were able to minister to them about self image, boys, sex, purity & healing.

I am amazed each time I watch the team perform the skits that I wrote to make my story come to life. I am always a blubbering mess at the end.
I was blessed beyond belief at the love and encouragement that they each brought.
Thank you PT girls for that! God used you in mighty ways this weekend! Our prayers were answered! I look forward to serving along side of you again soon.

If you are a church out there that is looking for ideas for a conference for teens...be sure to contact us. We are always honored to come and speak to women of all ages about these hot topics.

Flawless skin, white teeth, perfect hair...

The other day at work I was busy about the office and realized that I hadn't stopped to use the little girls room in awhile and well, it was time. I found some new reading material on the counter and was interested to see what it was. Magazine after magazine filled with fashion advice and advertisements. How could you not want to spend at least 10 minutes of your day reading this stuff? (Don't worry Julie-aka-my boss-I only looked while I went :)
But as I sat flipping through the pages I couldnt believe what I had seen. It's been awhile since I bought these types of magazine but I had no idea just how much they've changed. And I'm talking about Glamour and Cosmo magazine here(just to clarify)!!!!
Almost every page had a half naked or naked woman on it advertising...well, I really couldn't tell you what she was advertising...then the other pages were full of articles on how to get a man, how to have GREAT sex, how to get the PERFECT body, how to have perfect hair, how to lose 20 lbs in 20 days, how to get away with having sex with your frienemies boyfriend....REALLY?

Wow! Are you telling me that THESE are important things? THIS is what life is made up of? Really?
Believe me I completely fall into these traps of thinking that I need to look a certain way, or dress a certain way, or ACT a certain way, or that I NEED to lose 20 lbs to FINALLY get that perfect body.

But girls, let me tell you...these things are all lies. I'm being lied to too! Each day we see articles, billboards, magazines, television commercials telling us that we are not good enough. That because we don't look like "The next top model" that we don't measure up.
Do you ever feel this way?
I do.
A lot.
I find myself comparing myself to women all day long.
The other day we were shopping at Kohl's and this gorgeous, tall, blonde beauty walked by. She was the picture of the world's standards of beauty.
I gazed in jealousy.
As I walked by her I recognized how short I was compared to her lean tall frame.
I felt very un-pretty.
Very un-tall
Very un-perfect
Very...UN-anything

Then I looked behind me at my gorgeous, quirky, adorable daughters who are 8 & 11 and realized that I didn't want them to EVER feel UN-anything. They are worthy, they are perfect, they are lovely. I never want them to feel that the OUT-side even matters AT ALL.

Then I remembered.
I remembered what my Heavenly Father tells me daily. And He wants you to really KNOW this too.
Listen to this...

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16

Now that's truth. That's what life is. Life is knowing full well that you were created for HIM, by Him and IN HIM you ARE perfect. That's all that matters.
Now let that truth really soak in girls.
STop buying those magazine to make you think otherwise.