Authentic Beauty: Chapter Nine

Here is the ninth chapter to the book Authentic Beauty....

Chapter Nine

Confident Sparkle

It is fear that keeps us from changing the world. It is fear that keeps our mouths shut when we know we need to speak. It is fear that keeps us sitting when we know we need to stand. And it is fear that keeps us from giving everything when we wonder if we will ever get it back. We fear what might happen, we fear what might not happen, we fear what people think, and we even fear what we think. We are locked within a cage of trepidation, but our Prince provides us with the key that finally frees us from the tyranny of social approval, the despotism of evil foreboding, and the dictatorship of insecurity-He provides us with Himself.

A set-apart young woman is marked by the imprint of Christ. She possesses a placid calmness. Like an oak tree in the midst of a raging storm, she remains unruffled by life's cares. She possesses a confidence that is otherworldly. She smiles at trials, laughs at challenges, and is undaunted by the thought of dying. She cares not whether the world applauds her life; her ears are attuned heavenward as she listens for her Prince's cheers.

As set-apart ones, our sole passion in every moment of every day is delighting in our Prince. The moon could turn to blood and the mountains could crumble into the sea, but nothing can separate us from the One who loves us. The world may fear, but we always rest in the knowledge that even our death is a doorway into His presence.