Project 31 Day 15: Encouragement

Day 15.  Write to encourage a friend.  Inspire her beauty.

Well hello blogging world.  I know, I know I have been absent.  To be honest, I have just not been feeling very creative lately.  The words don't flow, the ideas don't come easily, and so here I am, post-less.  As a way to start back into blogging I am going back to a trusty friend, Project 31.  I kind of put Project 31 on the back burner and I really want to finish it.  I truly believe that writing about beauty, in its truest sense is so crucial for young women.  Working with middle school girls, I see the demented idea of beauty that flows into these girls' eyes and heart.  I also wholeheartedly believe that we as women need to encourage one another.  I have not always had friends that poured into me and encouraged me, but I do not want to carry that into my current relationships.  I love this topic of encouragement.  I truly feel it is one of my spiritual gifts and I want to serve as a source of encouragement for young women, older women, and women my age.  I not only want to pour out encouragement, but I need to receive it as well.  

When I read this topic "encourage a friend" I didn't think of a friend, but I thought of another young woman in my life who I would love to encourage, my sister-in-law, Brittany.  She is six years younger than me, but I am so proud of her.  She just finished her first year of college and I can see the amazingly beautiful young woman she is becoming.  She is not only beautiful on the outside, but equally lovely on the inside.  She is fun, loving, and a beautiful example as a young woman.  She is sold out for Christ and I have seen her grow in her faith tremendously since we came into each others' lives.  She has managed to find a pod of faith filled people on a college campus full of temptation and opinions.  Her faith radiates and I know the Lord has amazing things in store for her.  I am so blessed to have her as a sister in my life and as a sister in Christ.  

I pray that each of us, as women, can reach out and encourage someone this week.  We are bombarded with expectations on what beauty looks like, how beauty feels, and the definition of a beautiful woman.  I hope that we can see beauty on an individual basis and when we see something that screams beauty that we won't hesitate to point it out and use our words to encourage another woman.  You and I both know we could all use words of encouragement, so be the one overflowing with encouragement and I promise you will be refilled.