Purity Isn’t All Its Cracked Up To Be…

Hello Ladies,

Let’s talk purity. As young women we are often told we need to be sexually pure which is well…a nice idea…but it’s time to be honest. Is sexual purity even possible? Is this even an attainable goal? You may be thinking that I am crazy by this point but lets just think out loud here for a bit. Grab a nice cup of coffee, a blanket, curl up and lets chat. As women, we are told we lose our purity when we lose our virginity but is it possible that we never actually lose our purity through our virginity. To lose something requires that we had it at some point prior. This leads to the question of, were we ever truly pure? Going back to the beginning we can see we are born sons and daughters of Adam therefore we are born sinners. We will always be tempted by sexual impurity and that doesn’t just mean premarital sex or homosexuality. Sexual impurity can be as simple as lusting after a man, thinking a little too much about that guy, or even fantasizing about a future with a man that is not even yours. No matter how much we like to think we can be completely pure…thats not possible as human beings in a fallen world. If we look at the word pure it means…

-Free of Contamination

-Wholesome

-Untainted by Immorality

-Perfectly in Tune

-Clean

-Irreproachable

…I don’t know about you but I don’t think this fits any of us. How could it? Now, to be clear, I am not saying, do whatever you want and don’t worry about being pure. This is a virtue we are to be constantly working on. Key word here though is WORKING. We will never be perfect at this but if we are truly calling ourselves followers of Jesus then we should be constantly focusing on becoming more like Him. This is not going to be easy. The Bible says to put to death these types of sin. Put to death is a serious action that takes effort. Something doesn’t just die from being looked at but rather we have to be constantly fighting this idol with truth.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

Colossians 3:5

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

So maybe you have some friends that don’t struggle with the same type of sexual impurity that you do…that does not mean God doesn’t love them or you any less. The amazing thing about God is that if you truly believe in Him, when He sees you…He doesn’t see that sin…He sees His Son. Your sexual sins does not define who you are. God defines who you are by what He sees.

So if all you think of when you think of sexual purity is not having premarital sex…I hope this opens your perspective. To the women who have already “lost their purity” …there is hope and restoration through Jesus Christ and we are all working towards purity through Christ. Wherever you are at…don’t forget God has a plan for your life and desires to be near to you…so lets be near.

 

Much Love, Bible and the Bean

Lies Women Tell Themselves

I am not pretty enough. I am the only one that feels this way. I am not good enough. I am a failure. I am too quiet/loud. I am not worthy. Nobody cares what I have to say. I am too young.

LIES! LIES! LIES!

Ladies! Please stop telling yourself these horrible lies. So often we can find ourselves making these excuses up in our heads when we don’t feel adequate to do something. I can’t be involved in that because I won’t fit in. I can’t help with this because I am too quiet and shy. I can’t go to that event because I wasn’t personally invited (even though it was on the bulletin addressed to all women). No man will ever marry me because I am not pretty enough or I am not a “strong enough Christian”. Are you kidding me? God has created you a masterpiece. God has created you to be a helper. And no this doesn’t mean some second hand, do as I tell you robot, but rather God calls women helpers as a complement. God refers to women with this term as He also refers to the Holy Spirit as being to us. Now I don’t know about you ladies but if God is calling me by a term that He is willing to use for Himself, I should feel more than honored to take that title when my Creator gave it to me. God has created you for good works.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10 

God created you knowing everything about you and yet still wanting a relationship with you (Psalm 139).  So I urge you do not be discouraged and do not continue to tell yourself these lies. Stop fearing man and start fearing God. For you have a God who is strong, and will carry you. You have a God who has already walked through the battle before you even see the battle.

“Cast your burdens on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” 

Psalm 55:22

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Philippians 4:6-7 

I urge you don’t be content with just believing you will fight these lies when they come but instead prepare ahead of time so that you may battle well against these lies. Don’t be afraid to write down these lies when you think of them and search Scripture for answers. I still have a piece of scrapbook paper in my Bible from a few years ago that has lies that I have believed and Scripture that combats those lies…as I look at the paper today, many of the verses used to fight these lies I have memorized due from quoting them so often to myself and it has truly been a blessing in my life to be able to quote back Scripture as these lies enter my thoughts.

I am a child of God — John 1:12

I am a friend of Jesus — John 15:15

I am made righteous — 2 Corinthians 5:21

I have been justified — Romans 5:1

I have been redeemed — Ephesians 1:7

I am loved — John 15:9

I am a masterpiece — Ephesians 2:10

I am a new creation — 2 Corinthians 5:17

I am created in God’s image — Genesis 1:27

I am free from sin — Ephesians 3:12

I am a co-heir with Christ — James 2:5

I am called — 2 Timothy 1:9

I am victorious through Christ — John 16:33

I am bought with a price — 1 Corinthians 7:23

I am who God says I am.

 

~Much Love, Bible and the Bean

Book Bucket List

Hello Ladies,

So many times I have been in a conversation with someone and they are talking about a topic and a book comes to mind. “OOOOOH, Have you read xyz?!?” Is always my reaction. So I decided to make a running list of books on my book bucket list as well as add in books I have read and have loved. So get comfy in a warm oversized sweater in front of a window with the fall leaves falling outside and grab a good book to read!

• Through Gates of Splendor- Elisabeth Elliot
• Path of Loneliness- Elisabeth Elliot
• Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis
• The Attributes of God- A.W. Tozer
• Crazy Love- Francis Chan
• Follow Me- David Platt
• Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world- Joanna Weaver
• When God writes your love story- Eric and Leslie Ludy
• Desiring God- John Piper
• I kissed dating goodbye- Joshua Harris
• Getting Honest with God- Mark Littleton
• CounterCulture- David Platt
• Jesus>Religion- Jefferson Bethke
• It’s not what you think: Why Christianity is about so much more than going to heaven when you die- Jefferson Bethke
• Thou Shall Prosper- Zabbi Daniel Lapin
• A return to modesty- Wendy Shalit
• The lost art of true beauty- Leslie Ludy
• Authentic Beauty- Leslie Ludy
• Reimagine- Brent Crowe
• 12 Ordinary Men- John MacArthur
• Habits of Grace- David Mathis
• Fifty reasons why Jesus came to die- John Piper
• Love does- Bob Goff

Hope this helps when you go to reach for your next book on that perfect fall day!

Much love,

Bible and the Bean

Walking the Path of Singleness

Hello Ladies,

Today’s society puts a bad twist on singleness. So often when we are not in a relationship, we think we are behind on the agenda and could even feel the need to fill that position just to fill it. It is so hard to be satisfied with being in this stage of life. It is so hard to rejoice with others that are not in the stage of singleness.

The great thing about this topic is that we can ultimately know that God has a plan. He has a perfect plan and if we are seeking His will for our life, it will all work out. As for me, I have been doing the single life for the past 3 years and its real hard. I often question God, asking Him “Why are you putting all these people around me that are in relationships? God, you are giving me these desires so why can’t you just fulfill them now?” I have found myself praying for God to take these desires away if He is not going to fulfill them. After praying this for a while I started looking at what I was really praying. I wasn’t just praying for God to take away the desires He gave me but I was praying for Him to change His plans for my life. Who am I to know the perfect plans He has created for my life! God is worthy of so much praise, why would I think that I could plan my life better than the Creator of the whole universe. After looking at where I am in life right now, I have come to the realization that it is probably not the best idea for me to be dating someone at this point. Being a sophomore in college

After looking at where I am in life right now, I am starting to see the plans God has made for me. If you had asked me a year ago what I would be doing in 10 years it would be completely different from what I would say now. Looking back on different situations in my life, God has provided the perfect path. He has opened doors He has wanted to open and He has closed doors He has wanted to close. Everything in my life is to point to Christ. All of the fruit that is produced on these branches of mine are only possible because of the vine I am connected to. Without the Vine, I would never be able to bear fruit…I would not even exist. When I start dating I want the man to encourage me in my walk with the Lord but before I can be at that point, I believe God has a bit more work to do in my life to mold my heart into a heart desiring Him. Over these last 2 years specifically, God has been teaching me about the concept of rejoicing and mourning.

Romans 12:15

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.”

So if you are in the boat of singleness focus on rejoicing with those who are in that other stage of life but also realize that God has a plan for you.   Don’t waste the season of life you are in now because you want the next one to come. Continue to produce fruit but also continue to point back to the Vine that made it possible. Focus on today and what God has for you to learn today. Spend this time of singleness to find your God-given passions, make new friends, go on adventures, and continue to fall deeply in love with Jesus. God created you for one purpose, and that purpose is to worship Him for how amazing, how good, how loving, how gracious, and how beautiful He is. Whatever God’s plan is for my life, I will use it to grow closer to God, share the good news and praise Him.

God is faithful and you can trust Him…even with your love life.

Much love,

Bible and the Bean