So I had a little teary breakdown in the dressing room at Ann Taylor the other night. It doesn’t happen often and I only allowed it 10 minutes but it got me to thinking about the concept of beauty. The first Bible verse I memorized as an adult mentions beauty. It was Proverbs 31:30. The verse states: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” What women do I think are worthy of praise?

In no particular order here are 3 women that I think raise the bar:

#1 Elizabeth Eliiot.

In college when anyone mentioned Elizabeth Elliot I think I heard the angels sing. Many of you know her as being the wife of Jim Elliot. Elliot was one of the missionaries killed while bringing the gospel to the Auca people in Ecuador. Lots of people would think that if your husband gets killed in the line of duty that should pretty much give you a free pass to say you’re done and fade away. Instead she went back to Ecuador exhibiting amazing forgiveness and grace. She also went on to write over twenty books and speak all over the world. I was privileged to hear her speak in Auburn. She made a powerful call to a more disciplined life.

Here are a couple quotes from her:

“If we do anything to further the kingdom of God, we may expect to find what Christ found on that road - abuse, indifference, injustice, misunderstanding, trouble of some kind. Take it. Why not? To that you were called. In Latin America someone who feels sorry for himself is said to look like a donkey in a downpour. If we think of the glorious fact that we are on the same path with Jesus, we might see a rainbow.”

“I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God.”

#2 Michelle Duggar.

Jim and Michelle Duggar are a pair of ultra conservative parents in Arkansas who have been featured on TLC, the Discovery Channel, and the Today Show. They have 17 natural born children and are expecting another in January. Whether or not you think I she is nuts for having so many kids there are certain things about her I really respect. When you hear that someone has 17 kids you might think of a disheveld mess of a person. Nothing could be further from the truth. She runs her house like a well oiled machine. There are days I somehow manage not to run my house well at all and I only have two kids! She has an amazing amount of patience and such a godly spirit. When I am having a tough day I think “if Michelle Duggar can do it gracefully so can I!” Her kids seem happy, respectful, industrious, and most importantly they seem to love the Lord. Those things don’t just happen they have to be taught and that’s where she comes in.

And for a little comic relief:

#3 Sandy the Squirrel. If you aren’t familiar with Sandy the Squirrel you must not be watching enough SpongeBob Square Pants. Sandy is a squirrel that lives on the ocean floor by use of a dive suit. She is very brave, very fierce, and very loyal. I like her.

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