Beauty Queens

Last Wednesday night I attended  a celebration for ladies as we concluded a Beth Moore bible study called "Breaking Free". The room was filled with more than 50  "Beauty Queens". No. I don't mean the kind that wear sparkly crystal tiaras I am talking about a different kind of beauty queen. This one wears a crown alright but not one that will ever break or rust or lose a crystal. These women wore crowns of beauty bestowed on them by the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 61:3b foretells of some of the things that Jesus will fulfill as it states that He will  come "to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes".

The high light of the evening  came when some of  these "beauty queens" (or should I say, beauty princess' since they are daughters of the King) shared their personal "make over" stories.. The"Before"stories were not  pretty in themselves as they were filled with messy situations, heartache, shame and guilt. They spoke with trembling lips, their emotions poured out in tears as they revealed the deepest hurts and weaknesses of their lives. They revealed their old wardrobes.

Although the beginnings of their testimonies were varied there was one common thread...the REDEEMING LOVE of Jesus Christ. All of  these women had been touched  and dramatically changed, made over, by their relationship with their Redeemer, Jesus. The crowns they wore although not tangible still glowed, shimmered and radiated  when they spoke of what God has done in their lives
Oprah's "before and after" programs had nothing on these God make overs.

God's Love and Forgiveness was the foundation for  transformation. HIS Love and the Truth of HIS Word allowed them to find freedom from the things that held them captive. The power of  God's Word, knowing TRUTH (hiding it in our hearts) , prayer, worship and friendships with other Christian women added color  texture, warmth and sparkle to their lives.They gave HIM their old, dirty rags and "clothed themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.( Romans 13:14)

Jesus is the Master Make Over Artist, HE is the Creator of all Beauty. We can not get a make over if we don't stand before the Master Make Over Artist! Unless we have submitted our lives to His Hand we will stay in our "Before" phase. Unless we give HIM our old wardrobes and put on the Kings clothes we will never have the beautiful "AFTERS" God so desires for us.

So Thank you to all the  ladies for sharing your new beaut full lives!

Joyfully,
ruthann



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