5 Actions That Will Beautify Any Christian Woman

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward

--arranging the hair, wearing gold or putting on

fine apparel--rather let it be the hidden person

of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a

gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious

in the sight of God"

1 Peter 3:3 & 4

This verse has a bad reputation but it's actually a call for Christian women to rejoice in their womanhood.

Christian women should take a stand and say, "Yes, because I love God, I am different. I refuse to let society fads and fashions stereotype me and my styles."

Here are 5 verses that can influence the way women can show off the beauty in Christianity. 

“Judge not, that you be not judged” Matthew 7: 1

     A woman's judgement, either for or against someone or something, many times will be for the safety of herself, her spouse, her children, her extended family or her friends.
     Judgement condemning someone which may forever keep them from God is never the role of a Christian. Condemnation is God’s job but, if this form of judging is your habitual sin, He will absolutely forgive all who ask for forgiveness.
     This verse also warns us when judging to make sure the impact of our choice does not condemn us. If making a decision for or against anyone, use discernment to judge fairly, and strive to deliberately harm no one.
     God gave women a special personality trait of high emotional influence and because of this, when judging someone; you must carefully examine your reasons. Any necessary judgments women make are to improve the good things and destroy the bad things to create safer and cleaner lives.

“But I say to you that for every idle word men, (women), may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment” Matthew 12: 36.
     Communication is essential to life. The correct language can open doors and incorrect language can close doors. With a carefully sustained clean conduct, women can control a major part of the language spoken in their homes, work place and in public. Commonality of speech for women doesn’t have to assume coarseness or gutter-talk.
     Women can show off their beauty and attractiveness by their everyday speaking. Clean speech and behavior can especially enhance a woman’s character, style, beauty, and desirability.

“And just as you want men, (women), to do to you, you also do to them likewise” Luke 6: 31
     Rudeness mars beauty. Sometimes called the ‘golden rule’, it is a real fact, if you want people to be polite and nice, show yourself to be polite and nice. Women can be strong leaders in this area of personal and public life. A mother can teach her children how kind words and actions can help them achieve much. On the job, favorable actions and manners will get better reviews. If you want to have any influence, use the ‘golden rule’ and see what can happen around you.

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” Matthew 6: 3.
     Visibly heightened emotions are created part of women. Love, joy, anger, sympathy, empathy, and mother's love and protection; women show these traits with more vulnerability than men. If managed well, they can be a part of our hidden beauty that makes us attractive. Women can utilize their God given emotional specialties as wonderful givers, doers, motivators, counselors, and encouragers.
     Have you ever done something for someone who wasn’t expecting it, and you did it just for the joy of giving? While God made men to be subtly appreciative, God made woman with the capacity of giving and receiving with more emotion.
     Is there anyone you can help without thinking of any return for your effort?

“…Esau…took wives, Judith…and Basemath…and they were a grief to Isaac and Rebekah” Genesis 26: 33, 34.
     Family relationships can be a struggle at any time. A woman can trouble her own house or she can make it comfortable. Everyone will admire a woman, whether married or unmarried, who can maintain a good home. Habitual good and bad behavior is something learned or unlearned.
     In former decades, before the push for what is touted as equality, before she left home, most girls were taught the ways of femininity for her own benefit. While a woman can be computer programmers, drive trucks, be CEO of large companies, and run for President of the United States with no condemnation against her womanhood, she should present maturity and good behavior while preforming her public duties and personal actions.
     God gave Christians the closeness of church family. Let the Christian woman seek good friends with sound advice on how to manage her home, business, and her life. A fun circle of close woman-friends can encourage each other in good works.

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Are there any special Bible verses you make an effort to obey to enhance your Christian beauty?

(There are no guarantees that these suggestions will change anyone's situation if implemented. While these descriptions are in general and do not apply to all situations, they can be effectively true in the Christian woman who strives to please God.)

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Do You View Circumstances Through Scripture Glasses?

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

If we look at all the uses of maximizing Scripture in our daily lives, decision making, the eyes we see through, and the way we discern our circumstances, our lives can be the easiest way to exalt our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And just maybe it will be contrary to what we might have originally thought.

Scripture Glasses for Church Ministry

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. There are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

If God has given someone a vision and you don't see how it is going to work out, accept that maybe you don't have a part in their ministry but you should do your ministry alongside them and thus build the body of Christ as you exercise your gifts.

The growth their vision brings is going to offer you more opportunities to serve God in your gifting because this person is being faithful in theirs.

As when Peter preached the first sermon; many gifts were used after the church began to grow.

"Then those who gladly received his (Peter's) word were baptized; and that day three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayers. Then the fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles" Acts 2:41,42,43.

Scripture Glasses for Personal Witness

"For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God"
Romans 10:17.

When witnessing, try to speak verses during the opportunities. It doesn't matter if the other person can recite Bible verses. If they don't know God, their recitation is nothing. When you speak the word of God, you are representing Almighty God and His power is in the words you speak.

"And when He (The Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement" John 16:8.

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" 1 John 4:4.

Scripture Glasses in Obedience to Serve

Even when you've done everything right in your witness, and the person you have witnessed to doesn't receive what you've told them and maybe even gotten really angry, God's word has done exactly what God intended.

You could be witnessing to someone and think you blew it but it could be God has done something you don't know anything about!

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and shall prosper in that thing for which I sent it" Isaiah 55:10,11.

Scripture Glasses When Things Change

How do you view someone leaving your church for another body of Christ. Is your sorrow for losing a number or a member? Are you upset because they went to a rival congregation? Are you upset because you and they maybe couldn't reconcile a disagreement?

How about this--Are you sorry that maybe your church lost an evangelist, a prophet, a preacher, an administrator, a teacher, an encourager, or an exhorter.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets,
some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers"
Ephesians 4:11.

Do you ever consider maybe God has given that person who's leaving a vision so strong God has to move them to a place where He can use them, because traditions or patterns at your church are too restrictive?

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" Acts 3:2.

"Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing" Titus 3:13.

If you've been praying for revival, watch for God to do things that are contrary to your comfort zone.

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The Sweetness Of God Changing Us, also known as, The Chocolate Pie Mix

Instant chocolate pudding mix was

created to become something more

I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12: 1, 2

Every person born is created by God to worship Him. But does that happen? No.

Imagine a nice golden pie crust as God. He is available and ready to receive everyone. Now pour us, the instant chocolate pudding mix into this crust. Now there's just a pile of dark brown powder in the center of the crust. It has neither adhered to itself nor to the pie crust.

Doesn't do much for the appetite does it?

Can the powdered mix make itself into something more appealing, even though it's sitting inside the crust? No.

So, as this instant chocolate pudding mix, we are incapable of changing into something else. We’re just not going to make a pie of ourselves in the state we are in. Dust, powder. Nothing. No one would want to eat pie crust filled with chocolate powder.

But, God wants us to be in Him. To do that, we have to change into people who can worship Him. People who are in Him.

Imagine cold milk as the Holy Spirit. Now this chocolate powder wants to be a pie in God, so God pours in the Holy Spirit. Instantly, there is a change! God whisks us around, changing us. The instant pudding mix has now become something new. Now when in God, the pie crust, we are made a beautiful pie, sharable, sweet, and delicious.

To get to this new creation, we needed the Holy Spirit in us and then some whisking around to make us something we weren't before. But being beaten with a whisk is painful, disgusting, and messy.

Nevertheless, it had to happen. It is the only way to get us into what God wants us to be. This takes some changes we may not like, but in the end, we are better than we were before.

Because God loves us, He saves us. Jesus saves us and God immediately changes us. It is a fact of the Christian life. Otherwise, we are not part of Him. Lack of God’s changing us is visible to everyone. Other Christians know it and the world knows it. If you don’t change under God’s love and instruction, the world knows you are not a Christian. You won’t fit in the pie. You're just loose powder that can be blown here and there without the Holy Spirit, the mixed in milk, and without any adherence to God, the pie crust.

Expiration dates on packages mean that stores have to throw food away. Think of the millions of instant chocolate pudding boxes that get thrown into the dumpsters, never made into a pie. They’re lost forever, burned in incinerators and thrown on dumps.

Those people never asked God to save them or forgive them and they expired, their time was up and they are forever lost.

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Learn the Tools of the Trade

 Derus & Gloria B. at a show I worked

While I’m not an accomplished equestrian, I enjoy riding and feeling the special connection between horse and rider. When atop a horse, you have signals wholly different from those exchanged while on the ground.

When riding, you have tools helping you and the horse communicate. Bit, noseband, and reins are parts of the bridle the rider should be familiar with in the communication with the horse through mouth, head, and neck. In the saddle, you send signals by the way you sit, use your legs, knees, heels, toes and your hands. The body movements of the horse communicate from under you.

These tools require knowledge in usage and the better you learn their use, the more pleasant the ride for you and your horse, which is the ultimate desire for you both!

God has supplied us tools and He expects, even commands us, to learn them and their uses. Among the Christian tools are faith, the Bible, and prayer.

Faith is major. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him,” Hebrews 11:6a. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” 1 John 5:12. 2 Cor. 5:7.

Reading and memorizing the Bible are important for Christians who want to do a good job for God. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Tim. 2: 15. “So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading” Ezra, 8:8. Matt. 4:4.

Prayer is imperative. “But in everything by prayer and supplication, let your request be made known to God” Philippians 4:5b. “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thess. 5: 17. Eph. 6:18.

To work well, a child of God must accept, learn, and utilize them. Each has a purpose and neglect of any or all will make your walk a disaster just as a mistake in placing the bridle, or the saddle can cause a major wreck.

A Christian becoming proficient in the use of Spiritual tools takes practice. If you want to be the best rider, you practice riding. Your horse will look forward to any new the adventure as you learn to ride better. Continued practicing with your God-given and God empowered tools will enhance the results. Witnessing, teaching, or fellowship becomes an exciting adventure. You will strengthen and encourage the faith of your fellow Christians as you utilize your tools.

Champion Purebred Arabian AHF Van Derus

The perfectly executed routine in a Dressage ring, or a reining horse performance is a beauty to watch, so is a Christian at work for God. As spectator at a show, you enjoy watching the horse and rider move with ease, confidence and unity, each listening to the other and reading the signals. You know they spent hours perfecting their connection to gain the prize. The smoother the signals completed between horse and rider, the better chance of winning.

While trusting in God, reading the Bible, and praying, a Christian desires God to praise them with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:21. God also says that a good steward will practice usage and only get better. (Matt 13: 12, & 25:12). You can only get better!

While surrounded by horses and riders, working in a Horse Show as Ring Master, I’m enjoying myself, but I’m very conscious I’m not riding. I’m a spectator. In the ring, I’m merely watching signals transferring from rider to horse achieving a certain pattern, or movement. Because I am a rider, I catch myself tensing my knees, or moving my hands to signal the horse I’m not riding! I know all the right moves but I’m not accomplishing a thing of worth. I’m not eligible for any prize.

There can be Christian spectators also. They may know the tools but they’re not competing for anything. How sad for a Christian to miss the enjoyment of a good job. I may be able to make all the moves but if I’m not riding, I’m missing the enjoyment of working with that beautiful animal. And at the end of the show, I’m not getting the trophy.

A Christian surrounded with all the awesome tools may not be using them for a beautiful outcome for God. There’s no hope of a trophy.

To succeed with the tools, trust in God, pray, and read the Bible, then get out there and do a good job. Using your Spiritual tools will get easier and smoother and in the lineup at the end, you will hold the trophy!

In the ring, I am part of the show, but I really would like to be on the back of a horse. As a Christian at the end of the age, I’d like to have a “Well done good and faithful servant.”

 “I press toward the mark of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus my Lord” Phil 3:16. “Also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” 2 Tim. 2:5. Colossians 3: 23, 24.

Go for the trophy!

Having a fun ride on my Appaloosa Santana Little Britches

*Photos of Gloria and Derus used by permission

I Had To Slowly Acclimatize To Farming

 Me, in the pasture, hugging a heifer named Marshmallow

 

 "And God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind and it was so." genesis 1:24.

God designed cattle and they are exactly what He desired for a meat and milk producing critter. Praise the Lord.

God created me, too, just the way He wanted me to be. Praise the Lord.

But when I came along, these so many years after His original creation, I had no desire for farming. Growing up my farming experiences amounted to rabbits, chickens, and raising worms. At times, even that was too much work for an active tomboy. 

Personally, I was terrified of cows.

So how did I adapt to being a farmer's wife? It started when my mother rented a house from a Dairy Farmer. It just followed that I would gravitate to it. 

I did say I was a tomboy.

I wandered to the farm next door and met my landlord. Because I kept wandering to the farm and doing odd jobs, like spreading hay, fetching tools, raking, and sweeping hay around the floor. It wasn't long until my frequent involvement graduated to assistant milker.

I still wasn't ready to trust the cows up close. Nothing I had done so far had me and cows in close proximity--yet. 

Assistant milker didn’t milk, which meant I didn’t have to do anything with those Holsteins the size of small vehicles, but with brains. A black and white, half ton of power with primitive reasoning. One end has horns, the other powerful legs; it's dangerous coming and going.

Where I began my introduction to dairy farming, there was no automated system on this farm; no pump whisked the milk to the tank. Milk was poured into two 16-quart pails, which had to be immediately taken to the milk tank. That was my job, lugging up to 64 pounds of milk. From production to tank less was than 100 feet. In all that walking up and down the cement floor, I covered over five miles. To dump the pails, I stood on a cement block, while lifting the pail about head high. I lifted up to 32 pounds of milk to dump it into a strainer that drained into the 600-gallon milk tank. Try that without spilling any!

 The more I was there the more my fears abated, until I progressed into managing the whole milking process of washing udders, strapping the machine on, setting the teat cups, stripping, (hand milking the last drop), the 40 to 45 cows. I was now doing the entire three hours of the morning milking alone.

But that wasn't the extent of the jobs I adapted to.

Other chores included feeding, watering, repairs, mending fences, shoveling silage, shoveling you-know-what, treating feet, treating injured cows, inoculating, medicating, castrating, deworming, dehorning, assisting calving, haying. I’ve participated in breeding, chasing, catching, shipping, trailering and leading cows, calves and bulls.

Once in a while, I even drove a piece equipment.

 Buffalo, an Angus/cross bull calf I raised.

Mother rented the house for five years and in those years, I continued to work at the farm. But, there was a consequence none of us realized. Somewhere in those years, the Farmer and I had fallen in love. I went off to other places, but often I returned to the farm and sometimes the Farmer would come to where I was.

It wasn't until both of us came to know Jesus as our Savior did we figure out we needed to be married.

When that happened, God showered blessing on us so much we wondered why we hadn't married sooner.

God made me just the way He wanted me designed. And part of that design had me growing into be on a farm. Praise the Lord.

 

 The Farm Buildings

 The Barn was 150 feet long.

The Blue HARVESTORE Silo is 65 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter.

   

Poor Man's Chocolate Cake

A recipe that supplies the right dish for any occasion is the best recipe.

• *Poor Man's Chocolate Cake

• Dump Cake

• Crazy Cake

• Wacky Cocoa Cake

• Depression Cake

• Eggless Cake

• One Bowl Cake

  (*See recipe below)

I grew up making Poor Man's Chocolate Cake. As time went by, I learned I was making all these others as well. I would exchange favorite recipes with someone and we would laugh because it would be the same cake, only under a different name.


From the mid 60s through the 70s, my family was on the lower end of the economic scale in our town. Father struggled to make ends meet and he slipped into alcohol troubles pretty quickly, which led to more troubles in our family. He always seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, doing the wrong things.

But Father was a very good engineer, and machinist, designing gadgets that would enhance our lives, yet they never quite came to fruition. He could draw a 3-D plan of an engine, or a machine, or some mechanism, and do it from several angles and cut-away drawings. I regret that none of his drawings were saved.

We lived without electricity for 11 years of my life  (Age 4 - 15) The power lines stopped a half mile from us on the east side and a mile from us on the west side. We were the only house on this 'power-less' stretch of road and the power company wouldn't connect the lines just for one household. There was no way we could afford to pay to have them put in.


We were poor, and without electricity. We had a hand pump in the kitchen and a convenient little building at the end of the shed. We used kerosine lanterns and lamps. We had battery operated everything; radios, tape players, record players and even a Television.

Father began machining the blades for a windmill, using the IT lab at the High School during Adult Education classes. He didn't need the classes, just the tools. But it never was finished and the huge blades rusted in the shed over the years. He drew the entire structure in detail and those drawings fascinated me.

One convenience Father did rig was a gravity-fed system that brought the oil to the furnace in the basement and the oil/gas stove in the kitchen.

One of the things we children got from living 'off the grid' so to speak was an immense amount of freedom. Mother and Father liked to go dancing, fishing, and out to play card games 83 or cribbage with friends, leaving us kids home for the evening or the night and sometimes the whole weekend. I suppose that would be frowned on today but we children loved it.

Amid our wild, crazy nights of freedom, I learned to cook.

It wasn't so much of a need, for Mother saw we had something to eat; I did it because there were no restrictions against it while we had the run of the house. For a time there were five if us children, then my oldest brother left at age 12 to live with a family near where he worked and my older sister, at age 17, went to live with friends in Massachusetts. That left three of us, my next oldest brother, myself and our little sister. We had a lot of fun. It's great when your best friends are your siblings.

I began simply with eggs, toast, fried potatoes, and all sorts of canned food before age 7. Before my eighth birthday, I was making cookies, cornbread and muffins, biscuits and bread puddings. When

Mother and Father discovered I could cook, the kitchen was available for me any time. Before age 9, I was up to American Chop Suey, potato salad and meatloaf. Fish from the lake nearby our house, I would fry or bake. I made stews and soups, rice and pasta dishes.I learned to bake chicken, turkey, and roasts before age eleven. I was baking pies at age 12.

And somewhere in there, I learned how to make Poor Man's Chocolate Cake. It is still my favorite go-to recipe if an occasion calls for cake. It is a simple recipe, easily enlarged or reduced. It can be layered or single, as cupcakes or minis.

There is another aspect to simple recipes and detailed drawings. God designed intricately for the salvation of everyone and described it to us throughout the entire Bible.We also have the simplicity of it in that Jesus death on the cross and His ressurection is the absolute best recipe for salvation. 

I learned God loves me

My salvation is easily the best recipe.

 "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17. (NKJV)

 Jesus crucified once = eternal salvation

 That's a good presentation for eternity.

* Poor Man's Chocolate Cake

Grease an 8 x 8 cake pan. Preheat oven to 350.

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 Tablespoons vegetable/canola oil
2 Tablespoons white or cider vinager
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water

In medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (You may sift dry ingredients but it is not necessary) Add remaining ingredients. It is best if the vinegar is the final addition as it tends to work fast. Mix quickly, beating or whisking until the batter is smooth and creamy. Pour into cake pan and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. I usually cook it between 27 & 28 minutes.

Cool cake and frost with your favorite icing.

Mini cakes with peanut butter frosting