Hi Ladies,

The Boy Scout motto has always been “Be Prepared”. Bishop TD Jakes famously exhorts “Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready!” And Proverbs 30: 25 notes “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer…” Proverbs 24: 27 advises “Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field, and afterward build your house.” 30 – 32: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding, and there it was all overgrown with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.”

The instructions indicated are to prepare yourself for upcoming events by caring for what God has given you. Are you ready to receive your mate? Or if a man showed up in your life today, would your reaction be…”But I don’t know if I’m ready yet!”?

What exactly are you waiting for in order to be “ready”? Presumably for the “right guy”, but are you even clear on what that is? Do you have an attitude of expectation? Being prepared to receive from The LORD is essential to actually receiving His blessings!

As women of God, we strive to uphold Our Father’s standards, spiritually, mentally, and physically. And as Believers, our thoughts and behaviors are vital components in allowing His plans to manifest in our lives. No place can be given to old hindrances and excuses that keep us from displaying our best self. It’s time to discard any wrong words or attitudes deposited within us, from ourselves or from individuals who may have mislabeled or devalued us in years past.

Thanks to Jesus Christ, our past is over and gone. God is a giver of life, and we must not contradict Him by speaking negativity either about ourselves or the situations we face. Instead we can make a conscious choice to think and speak life, not death. Psalm 139: 4 says “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” That’s a great scripture to claim! We ladies are wonderfully made in the image of The LORD, and we are a reflection of His Glory.

Self-esteem, self-confidence, self-worth, self-respect are our blessings to claim, and these are not ungodly concepts. When a woman projects an attitude of self-respect, it generates respect for her in others. And true godly self-esteem, as opposed to human pride, comes from an understanding of how valuable we are in the sight of Almighty God.

But we are also physically visible to other people, and they do notice us. The person we believe ourselves to be, and the one we truly are, both show up. She manifests not only in how we behave, but also in our speech, our dress, and our grooming. Caring for our appearance is crucial for conveying a positive, confident image. And making an effort to be as attractive as possible sends a strong message about our mental state.

God actually supports our efforts in this. Sarah, Esther, Ruth, Rachel, Abigail, and most of the Bible’s ladies are described as being beautiful, not just in spirit but also in body. Esther not only was the fairest in the land, but prepared herself for a year before being ready to be presented to the king. Regardless of our individual attributes, we present ourselves not only to Our Father and our own self, but to potential partners in life, friendship or business every time we step outside our door. Looking and being our best is wisdom.

I Corinthians 6: 20 directs “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” A key way to glorify God in our body is to keep our temples healthy and attractive, in order to manifest our true excellence. The goal here is not to entice a mate, but to be everything that Our Father intends for us to be. The glory is His, but the benefits are all ours.

Value yourself, Beautiful Woman of God, as The LORD’s loveliest, feminine creation, and the mate He has chosen for you will too!

Joy and Shalom~