::10:25 PM...but worth it!::

Yes,it is 10:25 PM at the moment and I am a little tired,not to bad though,but I am posting again because it is worth it!...and because of the fact that it is the last night of staying up really late before school starts back up again until summer!YAY!I counted the days I have left and I think it is around 35 perhaps.It is going to fly by!I can't wait until summer!This post is something that I would encourage you to read and really ponder!It is my hope and prayer that you all would read all of my posts,but especially this one to this point.

So here it goes...it may be one of the lasts posts that I post for awhile since school is starting up again(I'll do my best to keep it updated at least once a week...maybe more...but no promises!There is just not enough hours in a day!lol!)...but until we cross that bridge I hope you all thouroughly enjoy this post!I just finished The Lost Art of True Beauty by Leslie Ludy and I so enjoyed it,it is definately a reccomendation for young women truly seeking to live a set-apart-womanhood!I am now reading Set-Apart Femininity:God's Sacred Intent for Every Young Woman and I have only read two chapters and already I am in WOW "mode"!Leslie Ludy really knows how to tell you straight foward how to live the set-apartness God desires for all of His daughters to live!Of course Leslie's talent is God given and it is not through her but God through her!Now,you all who have read my last few posts may have noticed how I say "set- apart woman","set-apartness", or something to that effect.All of your curious precious minds can come to a better understanding of what I am talking about if you read this post(this post may be on the longer side...but if you read it,I know you won't be sorry you did,at least I hope not)...I would reccomend reading the book I am now to have an even better understanding...but until then here is what God through me has to offer you...

So, what is set-apart femininity???Set-apart femininity takes place within a set-apart woman.A woman who has been crucified with Christ and it is no longer she who lives, but Christ lives in her!(see Galations 2:20)It is a woman who denies herself,takes up her cross,and follows the Lamb wherever He leads.In other words,letting go of all preoccupations with her self:her comfort,her pleasure,her agenda,her popularity,her ability to gain the world's approval,even her own dreams and desires.Her life is overtaken by the heavenly beauty of Christ and that is the only life truly worth living!Her life my include discomfort,prison,pain,or even death,but it also includes triumph,joy,peace,and fulfillment in their richest and purest forms.This and soooooo much more is what I am talking about when I say set-apart femininity.I am not done yet though for I have more to explain!

Now I am going to be straight foward just as Leslie is in her book.Most of us know about the Proverbs 31 woman and we live in the shadow of that famous standard.She cooks,she cleans,she is tired and eshausted!...so many people just roll their eyes at this type of woman who was in the Bible and think that we certainly aren't supposed to live daily by the message that she portrays to us.Surely we aren't supposed to feel overwhelmed by all of the standards she holds up for us.But that is absoulutely the wrong mindset!This woman not only works but she is virtuous!Virtuos here is masculine and means "strength,might,valor,and power."She valantly pushes away whatever stands in the way of God's purposes.Nothing hinders her.Her life is a living display of triumph,victory,and the glory of God.Such a misunderstanding upon so many is that the Proverbs 31 woman is harried and haggard,never having time to slow down and take care of herself.This is so not true though because it sais her clothing is fine linen and purple...strength and dignity are her clothing,and she smiles at the future(Proverbs 31:22,25 NASB).To me that doesn't sound like a stressed-out,sleep deprived,exhausted woman.But it does sound like a set-apart woman...which is exactly what she was.She truly is a set-apart woman,but the source does not lie within herself.She relies on a power wholly not her own,it comes from God alone.

With all of that being said,we are called to live the set-apart life,to live an existence that other women would never attempt.And we are NOT called to do this in our own strength...because it is impossible....ONLY God's strenght in us will cary us through!Instead of rolling our eyes at a life of being a set-apart woman of God,we are called to embrace the supernatural power of that Christ provides to equip us to live triumphant,victorious,valiant lives...lives that literally shock this world around us!

KEEP GOING....YOU ARE DOING GREAT!!!!!!So yet again I am going to be straight foward.One of the most common "inner beauty" myths is that we are supposed to look within oursleves to find our true beauty.WRONG!!!!And when I say common...I don't just mean within the world...but also within many "Christian" lives as well!!!Suprised...probably not.This myth is everywhere,especially in the churches among other places as well.For example a church Bible study may tell you not to worry about what the model on the front of that magazine looks like...because you are beautiful on the inside.But they never said to stop reading the magazine.The only thing this myth is displaying is keeping self alive.It sais that we can look inward and find worth,beauty,and value with ourselves.It keeps the focus on us;on our feelings;our attributes,and our beauty.Us,us,us!When NO...it should be focused on ,HIM,HIM,HIM!!!"If a soul has any beauty, it is because Christ has endowed that soul with His own, for in ourselves we are deformed and defiled!There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us."It is NOT our beauty that we must discover and embrace...but HIS!!!!The secret in to becoming a set-apart woman it to forget all about oneself and become completely consumed with only one thing...Jesus Christ!

So we must embrace our unworthiness and realize that we are not deserving of God!!We must throw ourselves at His feet and repent and realize those facts of our unworthiness...But remember it is not about our worthiness.It's about His.Come to Him in all of your sin and weakness and let Him wash you clean!If you want true beauty,start by trading in all that you are for all that He is!You'll never regret such a glorious exchange!

Finally...alot of the information I have shared with you is from the book Set-Apart Femininity...just in some of my own words...So consider it a sneek peak at this book.I URGE you to get this book!There is so much more information I know that I didn't tell you...so please get this book if you are ready to live the set-apart life!!!!
Blessings,
Lahni Blair
P.S.-It is now 11:46 PM.haha.LOOONG POST,but I genuinely hope it helped you on your walk with God.Let me hear your comments.I love to hear from you all!Oh yea,and I am ready to continue my life as a set-apart woman!!!Despite what the world thinks of me,I am doing this for God alone!!!!!!!!!!