The longer I am a Christian the more I am convinced I spend too much time thinking about myself. Each day, how much time do I give to thinking about my clothes, my hair, my make-up, my body? Oh how much time is wasted on feeling dissatisfied with my body! And then there is my reputation–what do other people think …
The Myth of Effortless Perfection
This week I attended the Willow Creek Association’s Global Leadership Summit, and I will confess that I began the conference with a skeptical attitude. Lately I’ve found myself re-evaluating a lot of the leadership rhetoric that so pervades the evangelical church, wondering how much of it is even based on Christ. That is a post for another day, but suffice …
Looking Good For Your Man
Well it’s almost mid-May in Chicago which, I am learning, means that Spring is finally starting to peek out from under the frozen tundra. It’s not in full bloom, mind you, but there are some flowers here and there and I finally put away my down coat until next winter. In case you were wondering, I really miss North Carolina. …
The Mirror Effect
Right now a friend of mine is reading a book called The Mirror Effect: How Celebrity Narcissism is Seducing America by Drew Pinksky, and it sounds fascinating. The book examines the narcissistic behaviors of modern day celebrities, and the ways in which “the rest of us, especially young people, are mirroring these dangerous traits in our own behavior.” (From the …
True Sisterhood Podcast
In my last post I told you about an interview I had scheduled for this this week on the True Sisterhood Podcast. Today I want to fill you in on how it went! The podcast format is like a Christian, radio version of The View. The podcast features four women of different ages and gifts who get together each week …
America the Beautiful
About a month and a half ago I posted an entry called Taking Off Your Makeup, and this past week a version of it was re-posted on Christianity Today’s blog for women, Her.meneutics. Surprisingly, Christianity Today has a wider readership than my personal blog (please note sarcasm) and I received a lot of wonderful feedback as a result! For example, …
Taking Off Your Makeup
When it comes to makeup, I’m the kind of girl who has managed to get by with the most meager knowledge of how to wear it. I know the basics, but anything venturing near the realm of real makeup competence is beyond my skill level. I wear just enough to cover up the circles under my eyes without flirting with …
Just the Way You Are
All you hopeless romantics out there are probably familiar with the plot-twisting scene from Bridget Jones’ Diary in which Bridget–the insecure, unlucky-in-love heroine of the film–hears something quite shocking from a man in her life, words so unusual that even her friends are stunned to hear them: “I like you very much. Just as you are.” Just as you are. It’s …
All Glamour, No Substance
There is a Psalm that captures my imagination every time I read it. It’s Psalm 115, and in verses 4-8 we read about the consequences of looking to idols instead of God: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes but do not see. They have ears but do …
Preoccupied with Beauty
The other day I was looking for a book at a Christian bookstore, and whenever I go I like to swing by the “Women’s Interest” section just to see what women are writing about these days. On this most recent visit, I noticed how many of the books dealt with the topic of beauty. A surprisingly large percentage of the …