Saving Money, Saving Lives by Cheryl Wilhelmi
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MICHEAL BY PHOTO
Jeremy Blaschke was getting worried. The 17-year-old from Clovis, N.M., had thought that challenging other candidates for the presidency of his home school association’s mock election sounded like fun. With only three days left, Jeremy still didn’t have an idea for the required service project to support his pro-life campaign platform.
HEATH
How a teen in New Mexico put his pro-life convictions into action
Scrambling for ideas, he began surfing the Internet. As he was scrolling down a page on Focus on the Family’s Web site, family.org, some words caught his eye. Slowing down to read more closely, he discovered information about a program called Option Ultrasound, Focus’ initiative to place ultrasound technology in pregnancy resource centers around the country. The program equips pro-life resource centers with ultrasound machines to highlight the reality of life inside the womb for pregnant women. “I hadn’t heard about the potential of ultrasound machines to save lives,” Jeremy says. An idea clicked. We could just buy one, he decided. But considering a machine costs $25,000, others were skeptical. “Nobody thought I could do it. I was shocked, because I thought if God had laid this on my heart, then we can do this.” Despite the doubters, Jeremy won the election and then had to find a way to raise $25,000 for an ultrasound machine—a task that would claim his focus for an entire year. “Each baby is a gift from God,” he says, “and we have a duty and a responsibility to protect those weaker than ourselves.” Plans to Action To honor Sanctity of Human Life Week in January 2006, Jeremy and his team kicked off the first of many events in their fundraising campaign with a presentation to their church. Jeremy was nervous. As he stepped to the microphone, he hoped his speech would leave a good impression. When the offering was collected, they were $2,000 closer to their goal. Not all of his church visits would go as smoothly as the first, however.
He recalls with regret a small church he spoke to when his team was only $2,000 from reaching their goal. “Satan knew we were really close, and he had to do something quick to try to stop us.” Jeremy gave his usual
speech, believing all was well. But when he received the response to his followup note, his heart sunk. “I was really shook up,” he says. Because of Jeremy’s frankness about the truth of abortion, “The pastor said, ‘You made my job of offering hope 10 times more difficult.’ It was really hard to hear—hope is what this [campaign] is all about!” With his last presentation soon to follow, Jeremy felt unsure. He rewrote his speech but still didn’t feel peace. A few days before the presentation, he felt God speak to him. “He said to me, ‘Jeremy, I put on your heart what to speak, and you spoke it. Sometimes persecution will come.’ So I went back to the original presentation.” Jeremy quickly learned how well God could bring good from bad situations as he delivered the speech. “Before my PowerPoint was done people were in tears, and you could feel God moving.” Though it was a small church, God
Want to get involved? Here are some ideas
1
Volunteer. At a PRC, at a Walk for Life event, even at your church— where you put your convictions to work isn’t as important as doing it. Your time could free staff members to reach even more abortionminded women.
2
Organize. Work with a local PRC to organize a Walk for Life or another type of fundraiser. If there’s not a PRC in your area, choose another project to support, such as Option Ultrasound.
briomag.com • january 2007
used them to raise $2,000—which put Jeremy and his team right at the $25,000 mark with the largest fundraising event, a dinner-theater performance, still ahead of them. Thanks to the matching grant of a donor, the performance raised $8,000, putting them well above the $25,000 needed. Lasting Success Though the campaign was a huge success, Jeremy doesn’t see it as a result of his own efforts. “If Jesus is first—a priority—He’ll let us know what to do,” he says. “When we open ourselves to His convictions and His power to accomplish those convictions, we can do anything. Raising money for Option Ultrasound wasn’t done by teenagers; it was done by teenagers allowing God to work through them.” A few months after reaching their goal, Jeremy and a few members of his team traveled to Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, Colo., to present a check in the amount of $33,285.30 to Dr. James Dobson. In front of a packed chapel service, Jeremy’s vision for saving lives came full circle. “The dollars were just a physical goal; it was so much more than that,” he says. “It was about letting babies have the choice to come into heaven and be lights in their own lives—it was about saving life.” f Cheryl Wilhelmi, from Colorado Springs, Colo., is the program manager of youth outreach at Focus on the Family.
Jeremy Blaschke says Christians have a responsibility to protect the unborn.
3
Represent. Become an ambassador for your local PRC. Become familiar with the pregnancy services in your area. To find a PRC near you, log on to optionline.org.
4
Study. God has called us to protect vulnerable lives. Wonderfully Made is a five-day devotional celebrating the gift of life. Study it on your own or with your youth group. Request a copy using the envelope at the center of this mag. Item code: CR057. U.S. suggested donation: $3. Canadian price: $3.99 plus tax. 13
by Dandi Daley Mackall
ILLUSTRATION
BY
ANNAGOODSON
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PABLO
Mean G irls in
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Six tips for handling Internet bullies
briomag.com • january 2007
Beware! What’s going on? Cyberbullying! Bill Belsey, president of bullying.org, calls cyberbullying “an emerging threat to those who are often online.” And who are these big tough bullies sending hurtful messages through cyberspace? According to a recent study of middle schoolers reported on stopbullyingnow.com, twice as many girls are cyberbullies as guys. In cyberspace, “mean girls” have the technology to spread their meanness instantly and worldwide. What can you do if you’re the target of cyberbullying? Here are six ways to combat it: 1. Wise Up Do what you can to prevent becoming a target of cyberbullying. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that your personal information in blogs, e-mail or chat rooms will stay personal. What goes into cyberspace stays in cyberspace . . . forever. Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say in a school assembly or around the family dinner table. Cyberfriends can’t be trusted like your flesh-and-blood buddies. Proverbs 25:19 says, “Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.” Ouch! briomag.com • january 2007
2. Cool Down If you receive a mean e-mail, you’ll probably feel like striking back. Stop. Pray—for yourself and for the cyberbully. Jesus wasn’t kidding when He said in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Think before you write. Check this out: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself” (Proverbs 26:4). Your smartest move may be to drop the mouse and step away from the keyboard. 3. Don’t Go it Alone If you’re the target of a cyberbully, don’t keep it to yourself! Tell a responsible adult. Print out copies as evidence. When Jennifer, a junior from Kentucky, began receiving nasty e-mails, she didn’t tell anybody. “I didn’t want them to see the stuff people were saying about me,” she explains. “But after a while, I couldn’t take it anymore.” Jennifer told a friend in her youth group. Together, they wrote a simple e-mail, asking the bully to stop. Then, after bringing in Jennifer’s parents, they used a spam-blocker to prevent returning e-mails. Most cyberbullies move on if they don’t get a reaction. But not all. If the bullying continues, or if you feel threatened, what can you do? Read on!
If bullying persists, the next stage might be a lawyer—or the police, if the messages are considered threatening. 6. Take a Stand For every cyberbully, there are dozens of silent watchers. If you witness bullying, take a stand! Pray and then tell “cyberpals” it’s time to stop the meanness. Hey, guys! I don’t like where this is going. You may get the backlash, but that’s OK. Draw comfort from this passage: “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17).
And That’s Not All! Finally, don’t let the mean girls rule cyberspace! Nice girls, take over! Use the Internet to build up and encourage your real, flesh-and-blood relationships. Start positive blogs and keep taking a stand against bullying. We can stop cyberbullying. God reigns—even in cyberspace! f Dandi Daley Mackall, from West Salem, Ohio, enjoys shopping on eBay.
Blog On! Tips for Positive Blogging
B: Buddy up. Start a blog together with your real friends.
L: Look out for others. Don’t stand by and watch meanness.
O: Open up. Help your friends and school
4. ID the Bully To move forward, you’ll need to identify the bully. First, talk to friends and see if someone comes to mind. Chances are, you’ll have a good idea of who wants to hurt you. Google yourself to see if cyberbullying has moved to the Web. You can ask your Internet service provider (ISP) for help. Check the offensive e-mails and write or phone the ISPs of the senders. Once you have the name of the bully, you have the option of reporting the cyberabuse.
bring cyberbullying out into the open.
5. Report Consider your options: With your parents, you might send a certified letter to the bully’s parents, asking that the cyberbullying stop. Include copies of your “evidence.” Consider involving your principal, school counselors and other students’ parents.
the mean girls.
G: Golden rule of cyberspace: Write what you wish would be written about you! You’ll someday regret sarcastic and mean messages you may have sent through cyberspace. Colleges and employers are increasingly looking on the Internet and now have the technology to track down bloggers and commenters, even if they don’t use their real names. There are reports of people losing job offers and college admissions because of what they’ve posted on the Web. So go back to the Golden Rule!
O: Overcome evil with good! Don’t give in to N:
Network! Use privacy controls to restrict
who reads your blog. Resources Find more information at cyberbully.org, abuse.net or safekids.com.
Web site references do not constitute blanket endorsements or complete agreement by Focus on the Family with information or resources offered at or through those sites.
Web site references do not constitute blanket endorsements or complete agreement by Focus on the Family with information or resources offered at or through those sites.
Tressa stared at her inbox, too scared to click on any of her 143 e-mails. Headers such as “Two-ton Tressa,” “Big fat loser!” and “Stay out of public!” told her all she needed to know. The mean girls were back. Kyra was just browsing blogs at MySpace when she discovered a horrible picture of herself posted on a school friend’s blog. The cell phone pic, snapped in the girls locker room, would have been humiliating enough. But the caption read: Rate Kyra’s bod. And people had, posting numbers that made Kyra want to crawl in a hole. Samantha felt left out when she didn’t get invited to Riley’s sleepover, until Brittany IM-ed to check up on her. Grateful, Samantha opened up to Brittany, confiding her huge crush on a guy in their class. Within an hour, Samantha’s “private” confession had been sent to over 200 mailboxes.
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From Blue to Renew Here are six surefire ways to beat the blues and renew your spirit! by Carolynn Clarke
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briomag.com • january 2007
C
ongratulations! You survived another holiday season filled with shopping in crowded malls, wrapping mountains of gifts, partyhopping from Aunt Ida’s house to your best friend’s place and watching It’s a Wonderful Life one more wonderful time. The frantic pace of this fantastic time of year produces an adrenaline rush to outmatch any supersized, highly caffeinated energy drink. And then, all at once, the days that blurred together are behind you. All that remains is the ache of Christmas letdown. You’re left with postholiday boredom and blues. Now’s the perfect time to embrace wisdom from God’s Word and secrets from the spa. Turn on the wall fountain, light some candles and grab your cozy slippers. Navigate these six strategies— by yourself or with your favorite group of friends—to go from blue to renew:
BLUE
PARTY
PHOTO
BY
RON
NICKEL
//
ALL
OTHER
PHOTOS
BY
ISTOCKPHOTO
#1
Refresh
Check it out: “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25). That seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Refresh, and you’ll be refreshed? Similar to “It’s better to give than to receive” and “He who loses his life will gain it.” These are God’s paradoxical mysteries with wonderful promises for those choosing to obey! So, next time you’re really beat, look for ways to refresh others. Read Jeremiah 31:25 and Isaiah 57:15. God promises to refresh our bodies and our souls. Now consider a delicious, refreshing, ice-cold fruit smoothie! Next time you start to drag, make this smoothie for yourself and a friend! Ahh. Instant refreshment!
Soother Smoothie Citrus y milk
#2 Revitalize
Memorize it! “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel” (Proverbs 27:9). Don’t neglect your relationships! Nothing’s more revitalizing than speaking from the depths of your soul or debating controversial issues with your best friend. Call, write or email someone you haven’t seen for a while. Reconnect and rejuvenate your friendships. Also, make time to revitalize your body, heart and spirit! If you’ve been depending on Red Bull for extra energy, forget it! Exercise instead! Strive for at least 30 minutes a day of aerobic activity five days a week. Why? Because this will give you an extra shot of energy, boost your mood, help you sleep better and keep your happy heart healthy. Best of both worlds: Enjoy an energetic walk with your pal. Tell each other great jokes, discuss burdens of the heart or share personal goals to establish an accountability partnership. More fun: Revitalize your skin after an energetic workout!
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briomag.com • january 2007
#3 Renew
Write this down: “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:114). For more spiritual renewal, read Ruth 4:15 and Psalm 51:10. When I searched the Internet for tips on how to fight stress, I found multiple entries emphasizing the importance of meditation. The articles described visualizing all kinds of places, people and scenarios or single words to repeat while meditating. Sadly, the most crucial ingredient for true renewal was missing—God’s Word! Meditating on an imaginary Caribbean island or repeating the word chocolate from a yoga mat will never bring enduring renewal to your spirit. But reading the Bible, meditating on God’s promises of hope and dwelling on His goodness renews our lives and sustains our spirits. It’s a fact: He will renew those who trust in Him and meditate on His Word. Renew your Skin: Calendula Renewal Clay Mask Improve the appearance of troubled skin! Mix calendula powder with warm water to a toothpaste-like consistency. (Calendula is the fancy name for marigold flowers, and it can be purchased at kalyx.com. They offer three ounces of calendula powder for $4.72, or you can purchase the pre-made calendula renewal clay mask from the same site for $15.75 for 16 ounces.) Apply the paste and gently massage for 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to dry. Rinse face and pat dry. For a moisturizing and nourishing mask, blend a mashed banana with white cosmetic clay and apply. 21
#4
Think about it: “’Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus wants to give you rest, so cast your cares upon Him! Rest your mind by telling God all your concerns, worries and burdens. He longs to carry them for you! If you have trouble believing that, read Matthew 11:29 and Psalm 62:5 for a double dose of assurance. Your body needs rest, too! Sleep is necessary to feel refreshed, and it actually impacts the way our bodies function. Sleeping poorly can affect how often you get sick, your weight and how well you grow. Make time during the day to rest, too! Schedule time to soak in a hot bath, read a book in your favorite cozy corner or treat your hard-working hands to a restful soak!
Party On!
#5 Reflect
Take it to heart: “I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds” (Psalm 77:12). Also, read Psalms 4:4 and 143:5. You are loved unconditionally. You were chosen before time began and created with divine purpose. God loves you so much He wants to live with you forever. In fact, He gave His only Son so that He could! So go ahead; be still, close your eyes and quiet your heart. Now count your blessings. Meditate on the secret ways God reminded you of His love last week. To help you reflect: Grab a spiral notebook, a polka-dot bookstore journal or create your own. Record God’s amazing work in your life each day. Review them regularly. These reflections are your spiritual service of worship to God.
new “From Blue to Re Why not host a ns, tio ita inv ur friends! Blue Party” for all of yo s se va , ins ta , babbling foun blue decorations y er ev in s othing candle of eucalyptus, so music will uil, instrumental room and tranq all! for recipes), use refresh one and arch the Internet (se bs m t bo th int the coolest se Make fizzy ba see who can pa to h lis po or ue ls bl of res, facia different shades thies. Enjoy manicu drink blue smoo d an s that stress e ak ing m th ils, of t of na ’s Top-10 lis ne yo er ev e ar sh u pedicures as yo to beat the stress. ith favorite ways w g on al arkling flavored t, ou u yo d a variety of sp an it fru s, ie gg polish, eye-gel Serve fresh ve friends home with ur yo nd er Se a. te bath soap, show waters or herbal massage rollers, , es ov gl e nd bl ha Bi -to-renew masks, moisturizing your favorite blue pe Ty . ue bl in l gel or lotion—al as a tag. to your favor gift promises to tie on 22
Bank on it: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). Also, read Romans 12:12. Everyone has had a few tough days. Maybe you studied the wrong chapter for the Spanish test. Perhaps you tore your shirt on the edge of a locker as you raced to math. Why, on a tough day, would you even consider rejoicing? It’s because of our hope in the glory of God. Hope in the promise of Jesus’ return. Hope in God’s promises of salvation, unconditional love and acceptance. Yes, even on a tough day, we can rejoice in His hope. The discipline of continual rejoicing (see Philippians 4:4) will revolutionize our lives. When we choose to reflect on the joy of hope, we can’t help but forget all of the things that discourage, frustrate, stress or anger us. The best recipe for getting the rest, renewal, refreshment and revitalization your spirit desperately needs is to rejoice in God’s goodness, blessings and faithfulness! One of the best places to reflect on God’s mercy, love, provision and promise is the book of Psalms. Recipe for rejoicing: Read a chapter of Psalms every day. Share it with a friend, tell your family at dinner or list five things in your journal for which you are grateful and in which you rejoice each day. Congratulations again! By embracing the wealth of wisdom from the Word and soaking up secrets from the spa, the winter blahs and post-Christmas blues are sure to beat a quick retreat. May God’s rest, refreshment, renewal, vitality and joy be yours today and always! f Carolynn Clarke lives and writes in Corvallis, Ore.
Web site references do not constitute blanket endorsements or complete agreement by Focus on the Family with information or resources offered at or through those sites.
#6 Rejoice
Rest . . . your body and your soul!
briomag.com • january 2007
On Solid Ice
by Ashley Boyer
Karissa Schlosser uses her figure skating performance to worship God.
Every March Karissa’s skating club hosts the Ice Show. The show has about 40 acts, and none featured Christian music. Enter Karissa. When she was 13, Karissa skated her first solo performance, which meant she got to pick her own music. Because the other acts skate to secular music, Karissa says there’s a real contrast when her song comes on. briomag.com • january 2007
A Real Challenge Karissa’s bold decision to skate to Christian music has come with struggles. “I’ve been able to see the devil at work, trying to destroy my Ice Show program
and hurt me in ways that would cause me not to skate,” she says. Last year Karissa had mono and struggled to maintain her level in order to skate in the Ice Show. Two weeks before the show she got an upper respiratory virus and could barely get out of bed for the mandatory morning practices. Karissa’s skating dress came back too small, requiring an adjustment minutes before she took to the ice. Even with all this against her, Karissa trusted that the Lord had called her to be a light in her sport. She skated a perfect performance, which she hadn’t done once, even in practice! “It’s been a big place of spiritual growth to see that [spiritual warfare] and be like, This is real!” Karissa says. Karissa’s been blessed to have a Christian coach who knows how to choreograph a performance that will glorify God. Karissa hopes to do the same thing as a coach one day. “I’d love to be a positive mentor and encourage people to keep perspective on life, along with skating,” she says. f
BY
God in the Music
“It kind of shocks everyone, and a lot of people come up to me and say, ‘That was so refreshing. I was blessed to see that.’ ” Karissa picks songs that openly talk about God. “I want everyone to know that it’s speaking straight about God or Jesus,” she says. Since she began skating a solo performance, Karissa has skated to Mercy Me’s “I Can Only Imagine,” Casting Crowns’ “Who Am I?” and “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban. Her decision to skate to Christian music affects more than just her audience. Karissa explains how another girl in her skating club wanted to skate to Christian music but didn’t want to be the first one. Karissa was able to open the door for her teammate, giving her the confidence to pick a Christian song the next year.
PHOTO
S
ixteen-year old Karissa Schlosser knew God had gifted her as a graceful ice-skater, but she struggled to understand why. Because of distance (most competitions are at least six hours away) Karissa wasn’t able to compete. She was frustrated with not being able to use her ability, until she discovered a way to use her skating talent to worship God. “My purpose for being here is to skate to Christian music and glorify Him with that talent, even though I’m not competing and using His talent in the way most people would,” Karissa explains. “Maybe He put me here so that I could touch lives.”
GETTYIMAGES
Karissa and her coach Becky Andary.
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Stir up a delicious drink to share with a friend!
Make Your Own Tea is an ancient drink thought to have its beginnings in China. Legend has it that an emperor in ancient China discovered tea while on a trip across his kingdom. When dried leaves from a bush fell into boiling water, the water turned reddish brown. He tried the drink and felt its refreshing effects. Scientists today say black tea has the healthy antioxidants our body needs to fight diseases. Chai tea has its origins in India, where it’s called masala chai. Masala is a mixture of spices, and chai means “tea” in Hindi, an Indian language. In India, Nepal and Tibet, it’s found at roadside restaurants and served daily in offices and homes. Try out the recipe below and share a gourmet experience with your friends at a tea party! This chai tea tastes better and costs less than what most coffee shops offer.
WHAT YOU NEED
(Multiply this recipe by the number of cups you want.) • 1 cup skim milk (If you use 2 percent or whole milk, add water to make a 1:1 ratio. For example, 1/2 cup whole milk to 1/2 cup water.) • 1 heaping tsp loose-leaf black tea (Teabags can be substituted but aren’t recommended, because they don’t give the robust flavor needed for chai tea.) • 2 tsp sugar or honey • 1/4 tsp mixed spices (Mix together one tbsp of each spice: ground cinnamon, 24
Chai Tea
by Anit
ground cardamom and ground ginger. Ground cloves, nutmeg and/or black pepper can be added for an authentic Indian, spicy-hot taste.) • 1-qt saucepan • Measuring spoons and cup • Tea strainer (Check out the step-bystep instructions on the next page.) • Tea cup or mug WHAT TO DO Put tea leaves, sugar and spices in the 1-qt saucepan (or larger, depending on the number of cups). Add milk and
stir to dissolve sugar. Place saucepan on burner and turn heat to medium high. Watch the milk as it heats. When it begins to expand and foam, carefully remove the pan from the burner and turn off the heat. Let the tea steep in the hot milk for one minute. Place the tea strainer over the cup or mug and pour the chai through it. The strainer will collect the wet tea leaves and leave a nice aromatic cup of chai tea. f Anita Kauth writes from her home in Greenville, Ill. briomag.com • january 2007
Make Your Own
Tea Strainer by Anita Kauth
a
ta Kauth
What You Need
• 2 feet of 12-gauge insulated electrical wire (You’ll find this in hardware stores, sold by the foot.) • 1 can with a 3-inch diameter • Wire cutters • 1 clean pair of pantyhose, cut at the heel 6 inches from bottom. • Straight pins • Sewing needle • White thread, doubled
3. Use your imagination and make a memorable teatime with your friends. 4. Package the spice mixture together with the recipe, adding a pretty mug, and you have a nice gift. 5. Grab your best friend and enjoy a mug of homemade chai tea while you curl up on the couch and watch your favorite movie.
briomag.com • january 2007
RON
2. Drink chai tea with vanilla wafers or a chunk of chocolate for an afternoon pick-me-up.
BY
1. Make a cup on a chilly day and snack on salty crackers or roasted soybeans.
PHOTOS
TEA AND TREATS
NICKEL
What to Do
Form the wire into a circle by twisting it around the can. Make a loop with the extra wire to form a small handle. Snip off excess wire with wire cutters. Pull the top of the pantyhose through the circle and over the wire. Pin thickness together to form a casing. With needle and thread, stitch the pantyhose below the wire. Now it’s ready to strain the tea. Always discard the tea leaves, rinse the strainer and hang to dry. f
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celebrity is the most important. We’re supposed to admire the things they do. But what about who they are inside? Many Christian women read about the woman in Proverbs 31 to learn who they’re supposed to be, but those verses are about doing. We can’t do things for God until we learn who He created us to be. Be Free
How can you become the godly woman God desires?
ILLUSTRATION
BY
MARK
SHEPERD
W
hen I got pregnant in grad school, I went into shock. Why had God seemingly allowed my plans to be ruined? Yes, my husband and I wanted children; we just hadn’t planned on having them at this particular time in our marriage. I wanted to become a physician’s assistant so I could heal people and serve God. Didn’t He want that? I know God wanted me to go to grad school. I’d prayed vigorously, “Lord, if you want me to go, get me into one, and only one, school.” That’s what happened. But God knew that my nice goals of helping people and serving God were for my self-esteem. They were who I thought I was. Going to grad school was about my doing something instead of God working through me. God doesn’t ask us to succeed at doing. He created us as beings—“BE”ings. We’re important because He made us. The world tells us that the person with the best job, the most money, the most expensive clothes or the biggest
briomag.com • january 2007
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness’ ” (Genesis 1:26). All humans are created in God’s image. There are many ways that God made us like Him, but the most important is the freedom to make choices. Why are choices important? Love. Without freedom to choose, we can’t choose to love. Our choices are important. For example, no one can force you to be her friend. Neither can anyone force you to have a bad attitude. Free women (that’s you and me!) have the power to say yes or no to friendships, gossip, being intimate with guys, being kind and a whole lot more! Be Loved “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We all need someone to love. God saw Adam needed someone like himself to love, so He created a woman named Eve. God placed you into the arms of parents who love you. No matter how lonely you feel, God, your family and your friends will always love you. Women return that love and share it with others. There are many lonely people whose lives will be turned around when they feel God’s love through another person. Be Strong “I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). The word helper does not mean servant, pack mule or slave. In Hebrew, the
language in which the Old Testament was originally written, the word we translate as helper is ezer kenegdo (or “a help standing alongside of”). Except for this one place in Genesis, ezer (helper) refers only to God and the help He gives us. God isn’t our servant, and a woman is never her husband’s slave. God created you to be a strong person. You may not be as physically strong as most men, but you carry strength in your heart and soul. We women use our strength to stand for truth, comfort the hurting and serve God in any task He asks of us. Be Beautiful “The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’ ” (Genesis 2:23). Adam’s words, “This is now,” are the equivalent of “At last!” or “Whoa, baby!” I picture him grinning from ear to ear at the gorgeous woman as he sees her for the first time. God didn’t create just any old creature. He created the being who completed Adam in every way, a woman whose outer beauty represented the unblemished beauty of her perfect soul. You are beautiful, inside and out. That’s how God made you. We can’t always see it in each other because of sin, but it’s still there. Walk in beauty. True, feminine beauty draws people to you, giving you a chance to show them Christ. Be Yourself Since grad school, I’ve learned that God created me to be free, loved, strong and beautiful. Now my self-esteem comes from talking to God and being the woman He’s called me to be. I’ll always be me, no matter what I do with my talents and education. Whatever God asks you to do with your abilities, whether it’s homemaking, nursing or engineering, it will never change who you are—a “BE”-ing. f Terri Pilcher, from Bel Air, Md., likes pets that fit in a jar—such as lightning bugs or worms.
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briomag.com • january 2007