***If you're unfamiliar with the "Pure Challenge" then definitely check out my Introduction to Pure Challenge Video and blog post from 4/12/16!***
I hope you are really excited for Pure Challenge #2! Last week I had you all wake up every morning and give God your first hour of the day so that you could start to build or continue to maintain a strong relationship with Him. Before I introduce this week's challenge I want you to read the following poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar called We Wear the Mask
We Wear the Mask
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We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
This poem means a lot to me because it was introduced to me in High School during a time that I was "wearing a mask" and trying to keep everything together on the outside despite how bad I was truly feeling on the inside. It's so important that as women we love ourselves, except ourselves, and feel free to let out our emotions so that we can move forward. The enemy can prey on those trapped feelings in our minds! A person that isn't happy on the inside is not a happy person. If you aren't happy then how can you spread God's love and happiness to others? It all starts with you. We were created in his image and our bodies are temples inside and out. Stress does not do a body good and I know from experience that keeping it together on the outside while you fall a part on the inside stifles growth.
The Pure Challenge is to spend time appreciating yourself and working on whatever may be happening on the inside. If you don't focus on yourself and work on loving yourself how will someone else see your worth and value if you don't feel it from within on your own. Feeling good and knowing you're "far more precious than rubies", is sometimes a key in the walk of saving yourself for marriage because you can't be in the habit of letting anyone reduce you to low standards. But if you already reduce yourself mentally then it isn't a hard task.
Some exercises to do and practice on this week that might be hard to do but beneficial in the long run are:
1. Looking in the mirror and pointing out the things you love about yourself/body. 95% of women think about how they hate their body at least once a day. Let's become that 5% and shout out what we love!
2. Give 3 compliments to women that you don't know. Giving genuine compliments to people is prone to increase happiness. Also jealousy can hold us all back, when you see something beautiful about someone else don't feel like it's a competition.
3. Exercise, eat something nutritious, and/or do something that will make your body healthier. Seeing some positive results or just feeling better is a great way to tackle any angst against your body.
4. Get your nails done, splurge on a new outfit, learn a make up tip and/or pamper yourself. Taking time to relax and unwind can help for more productivity the next day. Don't let yourself get burnt out. Everyone needs a break.
5. Get a journal a write out your emotions. Sometimes writing things out on paper and looking at everything helps sort out your thoughts easier and get everything out. Some people even find it therapeutic to write their negative thoughts down and then burn them!
6. Take some time to work on your dreams! If there is a book you want to write, a YouTube channel you wanted to start, a blog to create or a business to jump start then start making it a reality! There is no faith without works, getting started today is the best way to avoid never starting! Once you see your progress and success it will give you the visual opportunity to see how great you are!
7. Talk to the Lord about your pain. Whether that be something physical that you are having trouble accepting, or a battle that you are fighting emotionally it's important to lay your stress on Him. He can put your mind at ease. As I said before we were made in His image. "You are his masterpiece". He made everyone beautiful :) Don't let an Instagram Model make you feel sub-par.
Take off that mask and have your regular spirit be everything you want it to be! I hope this Pure Challenge works wonders for all of you! You have 7 days to complete some of the above suggestions! Definitely tag me on Twitter/ Instagram @PureJess_ or #PureChallege! Also feel free to post to my Facebook page because I want to see every new outfit, hear about all the compliments you gave, and stay in the loop with all the progress! Have a fabulous week Roses!
XOXO Pure Jess
The exercises made me think about how truly awesome I am because God made me.
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