Just As It Happened

Dear lovely people,

That morning, it was Joy’s plan to surprise her husband and the lady. She left home early before her husband and telling him she will not be back before 8:00 PM. Off she went and from their bedroom window upstairs, her husband confirmed it. Joy drove on for about 20 minutes, stopping by a bakery to get all what she needed. She branched off and onto a secondary road, stiltedly headed back home. She got to her newly found hideout just opposite their millennium mansion and settled down to wait for the right moment to pounce.

Thirty minutes later, she watched her husband come out of their front door and drove off. As expected, he drove back home being followed by a black sedan about an hour later while Joy was still on the spot munching a chunk of banana cake. The two cars pulled up side by side in front of their main entrance and the long awaited lady stepped out of the black sedan. She had this fluffy hairdo falling to her shoulders and dangling in rhythm to her curvy body. Joy could tell she was quiet a figure to look at. Her husband embraced her and holding hands, they both walked into the house.

Joy gave them no time, she winged into action like an FBI agent and was over to the house in no time. She bummed into the sitting room unannounced and just in time to find her husband still buried in the skintight embrace of the woman. Joy rushed over to them like a thunderbolt to welcome her mother-in-law. What did you expect?

I got you right? What did you expect? That there will be a clash of titans? It must not always be a negative ending dear one. Are you disappointed? Calm your nerves? Maybe it’s time to edit the functioning of your mind such that you just follow the story as it unfolds without jumping ahead to expect a particular line of action on the part of the protagonist. This is exactly what holds down many people from attaining the very success they seek in life.

My Beauty, My Problem

 Dear lovely people,

We all typically know within our communities that beauty opens many more doors. The more a woman is embellished with sculpted cheekbones, ideal firm breast, gorgeous legs with well-molded ankles to go with a generous backside – what some describe as figure 8, the more she gets a red-carpet reception and pulls a crowd wherever she goes.

How inconsistent it is then to imagine that a woman could actually have many more problems in her life just because she’s amazingly beautiful. The Bible lets us to understand that the subject is necessary and legitimate, because beauty is not in fact problem-free.

Rachel’s experience as recorded in Genesis 29-32 elucidates this further. Rachel missed out on some usefully difficult experiences to start with. Anyone in here community would have been thrilled to be her lover and so couldn’t have faced rejection in any serious way in her adult life. Yet, weirdly, it’s often through difficult experiences that we grow to maturity. They’re painful, but necessary. They force us to develop compensating resources: we become stronger, more resilient; we learn compassion; we get more appreciative of small things. It was not Rachel’s fault, but she was a little spoilt.

Let’s take a look at how Heather Creekmore analyzes it further: Beauty lies to us. It deceives us into believing that it will make our lives easier, better. Rachel shows us this isn’t true. Rachel’s beauty was verifiable–her status as “gorgeous” is recorded in the inerrant word of God. And, yet, Rachel struggled. She thought being married to the man who swept her off her feet would make her happy. It didn’t last. She struggled with infertility. Her husband dealt with her harshly. And though she had clearly “won” the beauty contest with her sister, she still eventually found reason to envy her and let jealousy lead her into a bad case of the crazies.

Physical beauty never equates to fewer difficulties. Being physically “perfect” doesn’t guarantee you a pain free marriage (or a wedding ring), an easy family, or a stress-free life. In fact, being physically beautiful gives exactly zero bonus points redeemable for a better life here on earth.

Beauty falls short on all of its promises. If you don’t believe me, just ask any celebrity or model. Ask any woman renowned for her gorgeous looks if she never feels hurt, rejection, or disappointment. Her answers may surprise you.

The truth is: Leah wasn’t cursed by God with dim eyes that ruined the otherwise fabulous trajectory of her Old Testament life. Rather, God used her, weak eyes and all, to accomplish his purpose. He called her, blessed her, loved her, and redeemed her–paying no mind to her perceived physical flaws.

I believe he does the same for us. And, I think that’s what Leah would want us to know: satisfaction doesn’t come from winning the beauty rat race, earning your husband’s love or bearing a house full of children. Instead it comes from finding fulfillment in God’s purpose and embracing his love.Top of FormBottom of Form

Beautiful or Not, It’s God’s Plan

Dear lovely people,

I have written a lot and made videos about self-image and still feel like keeping on. Have you comprehended the desperation in those women who want to be rated top on the beauty scale?

Think of the downright slavery some put themselves through in order to have smashing looks. Go on social media and see the level of anxiety in those who showcase their self-crafted magnificence to the world. Have you asked yourself why God made you the way you came into the world?

When I read Genesis 29:17, I realized God himself dealt with this already but some especially women just refuse to get the lessons. While reflecting on how to put this through, I came across what Heather Creekmore (and author and speaker I admire) wrote with regards to Genesis 29:17 and had nothing more to add but to give you as she wrote it…

Leah married Jacob only because her father pulled a bait and switch on her sister’s would-be groom. And yet, what happens? Leah bears Jacob many sons, one of whom is in the lineage of Jesus Christ. God uses the “uglier” sister, a twisted wedding night deception, and a whole lot of crazy competition between the “sister wives” to establish a home for the eventual twelve tribes of Israel, one of whom was Judah (the forefather of the Messiah).

When Leah names Judah, she says, “This time I will praise the Lord” (what Judah literally means). She reveals to us that her heart is in a different place after this baby’s arrival. The names of her other sons reflect a desire to have her husband see, hear, and pay attention to her, but, when Judah comes along it seems Leah has finally realized that fulfilling God’s purpose is more satisfying than the attention of any man.

God is sovereign (Romans 9). He uses whom he wants, when he wants, according to his purposes. The blind man was born blind to accomplish God’s purpose (John 9:2-3). Leah was born with “weak” eyes also to accomplish God’s purpose.

Isn’t it possible that some are given great physical beauty as a part of God’s plan for their lives and others are not and that doesn’t really matter? Why is it not okay that physical beauty be just another attribute that doesn’t carry the weight of ultimate importance in our lives…just like some are blessed financially or others are given great musical talent or administrative gifts? 

Maybe God doesn’t apologize to us for not making Leah as beautiful as Rachel because it doesn’t really matter what she looks like, he still knows how he will use her to accomplish his purpose and that, alone, will bring great fulfillment.