Beauty Standards - #012

Culture has a loud opinion on beauty—but God's voice is the one that defines it. In this episode, we're stripping away the lies and getting back to the foundation of true beauty as God designed it. This isn't about perfection, performance, or outward appearance—it's about a transformed heart, a secure identity, and the kind of beauty that never fades. Get ready to realign your perspective and see yourself the way He does

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Welcome back to Pockets of Paradise Podcast. I'm Larson Griffith.

SPEAKER_03 0:17

And I'm Megan Tetter.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

And we are excited to jump in today. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

Yes. Um, so a few weeks ago I put out on Instagram, like, what do you want to hear on the podcast? And a few people reached out and said something along the lines of beauty or aging or how to age well. And I kind of chuckled because I'm like, I'm not that old, but but uh everyone, I am at the age where everyone's starting to talk about Botox. Yeah, it's definitely a topic of conversation right before summer and we're all at the beach. So me and Larson thought it would be a fun and beautiful uh topic to talk about. Yes. So I wanted to start off, Larson. What is the most beautiful place you've been?

SPEAKER_01 1:05

We yeah. So there's a lot of places I feel like I've been that are like really pretty, like beautiful views and stuff. But I feel like what what made it most beautiful is when I was experiencing something with like my family. Um, so like my kids or my husband who passed away, something like that. So I think of um in our first year of marriage, um we got in the car after a Wednesday night service, doing the youth group thing. We got in the car and we were living in Georgia and we drove to Driftwood Beach. Oh I know exactly where that is. Yes, in uh around Deckel. And so um in Georgia, and we drove and I I didn't know where we were going. He's like, get in the car. I'm like, okay, where I don't have a car, so I have to get in your car.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

Um, but do I have a choice?

SPEAKER_01 1:55

I'm like, where are we going? Are we going out to eat with everyone? And he was like, no, I was like, okay, because this was very abnormal for us not to. So I'm like, okay, I'm like, how like an hour in, I'm like, how long is this gonna take to get there? And I'm still like so clueless. And then we end up at sunrise at uh Drifwood Beach, and it was just it was beautiful to experience it with him and just to see God's beauty in it. I love that so much. Yeah, so a lot of my stuff definitely has to do with like nature. Yeah. Either that or my kids.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

Yes, and I feel like absolutely. I love that. I love sunrises, they have a special place in my heart uh for a lot of reasons that we can talk about another day. Yes, we can do a whole podcast just on that. Well, my middle name is Dawn. And like there's so much that the Lord has like healed in me through sunrises, which I and I and I feel like it, yeah, you just there's something about it that makes you it's easy to believe in something bigger than yourself when you're sitting on the beach watching the sunrise. Yes. Um and and that's adventure, that's connection, that's so many things tied up in one little moment. And um, that's kind of what we're talking about today is how beauty God is the source of all beauty.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:15

And I think the world, again, takes it and turns it into something it's not. And so today I wanted to kind of talk about God's design for beauty. Um and some things that um are hot topics in the world right now about self-image and like how we feel about our bodies and ourselves and things like that. So um obviously God's beauty is um he is the source of beauty, but he also looks at the heart. Um the Bible says he looks at our heart and not her outward appearance. And so when you think about someone's heart or someone's spirit or someone's presence, like being around someone, who is the most beautiful person you've ever met?

SPEAKER_01 4:02

I would definitely have to say my grandmother. She's kind of been like my mentor my whole life, though, with that. Um, but like she had so much junk in life thrown at her. Um, and I feel like she's she's the type of person that like she's like, God's still working in me, like I'm not done yet. And um, she's always one of those people who loves to continue to learn what the Lord is trying to say, and she's not like really like set in her ways.

SPEAKER_03 4:32

She's never done learning.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Yes. And I I think that is beautiful. And you know, with her heart with you know, so many other things in ministry and stuff, I just it's definitely gotta be she's one that's been like almost my whole life that I've realized. Yeah. Yeah. What about you?

SPEAKER_03 4:49

Oh, um, not not ready for the question to come back. Sorry. I'm just kidding. Um, I have I'm so blessed to have several men and women that are just beautiful human beings in my life. Um and it's funny because almost none of them are the world's beauty standards. Like they don't care about that. Yeah. Um so it's it's just beautiful, like their presence and being near them, and and you just feel closer to Jesus. It feels like a little piece of heaven just hanging out with him. Um, and so I would say the first one that comes to my mind is my grandmother. Um she um man. She um was I would say my grandmother and my mother. Um my grandmother was diagnosed with a super rare autoimmune disorder. Um, there's only a handful of cases in the whole world on top of ovarian cancer. So she went in to have ovarian cancer removed and she never walked again when she came back out. And after that, her autoimmune system attacked her cerebellum, like part of the brain, and her mind was always sharp as attack, but her body reverted back to like an eight or ninth month, nine month old. So my mom, who was around my age, when I think about that, I'm like, that is wild to think about. She had me at a time, and then a few years later, she had my brother. That's why we were homeschooled. So we moved in with Mimi um Monday through Friday and were her caretakers. And so I at a very young age got to watch what that looked like, you know, feeding someone. And I was often helping. Like I was painting her nails, I was brushing her hair, I was feed feeding her with my mom. I was covering her up in a blanket, like just but it was normal for me. Like she and she was talking, and every morning I would wake up and I'd say, I want to go talk to Mimi, and we would always have our special time together, and we'd talk about God, and we talked about all kinds of things, we'd laugh together, like just precious. But this woman had for seven years was like this bedridden for seven years, and um me and my mom talk about that all the time. Like, there is not a day or a moment where she was negative, which is so much. Which is astounding, right? Like, she had every reason to be upset, to be angry. She was joyful, she was funny. She had she was and we would joke for like, Mimi, how do you know what's going on in town more than we do? Like, what is going on here? Like, she was in the know. But like, she was just amazingly beautiful. And I have vivid memories. I was like um seven, eight years old, and I remember some of the conversations we had about God, and especially towards the end, because she was seeing visitors and she was hearing the river of life, and just really cool, just talking about heaven and asking her, you know, are you afraid? And she's like, No, I'm so excited, and I'll be there when you get there. And um, just such a beautiful human being. And the older I get, the more I realize how beautiful she was.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Yeah, and then just to have that time, it's a very sweet time.

SPEAKER_03 8:12

Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, it formed me in ways that I'm still realizing. Right. And then I got to watch my mom in that season too, and ever since. Like my mom is the most servant-hearted, thoughtful, um warm, funny presence. Like she, oh my gosh, my guide to Megan. I know, but she um is everything I hope to be one day, and just and she does it for anyone and everyone. Her gift is hospitality. So she just creates these little cocoons where people just snuggle up and just feel safe and loved and wanted and seen, and um, and that is just incredibly beautiful to me.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

And that is something that you've learned from her because you do the same for others.

SPEAKER_03 9:04

I try to, but I feel you do God's working on me too. God's working on me, but I just like my heart is my heart is to help. I want people to feel the way that feels. Yeah. And a lot of people don't know what that feels like. And it's just like a hug from the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_01 9:18

Yeah, it's not a normal a normal thing, it seems like anymore.

SPEAKER_03 9:21

No, no, and but it's everything Christians have access to. Right. Our little pockets paradise and creating them, right? Yes. Um, so yeah, so we were talking about beauty standards in the world, and we got curious about like how big the beauty industry is. And didn't we say it was almost five billion dollars?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

So much. Yeah. So so many different things you can do and take. And I know if you just do these three moves for 14 weeks, like you'll be summer ready. I sound like the virgils.

SPEAKER_03 9:51

Well, didn't you just buy the Iron Man mask?

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Okay, so she caught me off guard sharing this on here.

SPEAKER_03 9:57

Um, so I which I I hear great things about the red lighting. I'm not vague, yeah, bashing you, but I just thought that was really funny.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

There are people who are making good money right now off of things. But yes, okay, so I had that little handheld red light thing that you can do to your face or whatever once you put like your serum on. So like I started doing that. Um, and I felt like I saw a difference. I truly don't know if it's just in my head or not, but I did. I was I gave in and I bought one. I haven't tried it yet. I just put it on charge last night. I know once my mom hears it, she's gonna be like, when I come down, I'm trying it. I need to know if I need one. So funny. So yeah, we'll see. I'll let you know. Results to be continued. I just have to make the time to do it. Yeah. I'll be walking around and my kids are probably gonna be scared. But it's gonna be fine.

SPEAKER_03 10:49

We're gonna turn it out that I see a mom's like just chilling on the couch on the couch with her kids in their whole costume, and she has her Iron Man.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

Yes, or the husband comes on and they're like, What is happening?

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Yeah. Um, but no, like we when I think about all the beauty trends and all the diets and the hair and the nails that not it let me start by saying this not all of it is bad. Right, right. Like it's fun being a girl, it's fun being pretty, it's fun using makeup to enhance our God-given beauty, it's fun to do all of these things, and it's not bad unless it becomes an idol, correct? Right. Like I was talking about Dolly Parton, like she jokes about being more plastic than flesh. Yeah. But that woman has brought more people to Jesus than some pastors have. Like, God knows the heart, and she has a generous heart, and she has a, you know, so it's like God looks at the heart. Yeah. Because this body is getting old and decaying and dying, right? Whether you like it or not, even though people are playing billions of dollars to try not to get old. We're all getting old and we're all gonna die. It's a part of it. Yes. But even that is evidence that the truth is the truth, right? Yeah. Everything in our nature says growing old is wrong. This is wrong. Like death is wrong. Yeah, this is bad. And so everyone is trying to slow it down or stop it because we were never meant to age and die. Yeah. That was a product of sin in the fall, right? The beautiful news is that we are all going to get new bodies and God is making everything new. Um, but in the meantime, our spirits are becoming more Christ-like to match those glorified bodies. Right. And so that's why God is so much more concerned about your heart and your character than he is about your outward appearance. Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Yeah. It's injured, like growing up, I'm pretty sure I think this has been a thing since I was a young, like, teenager, because if I had money, like my sister would spend it on like clothes and stuff like that, and I'd be buying all the like things for the bathroom. Like it like skincare different, yeah, like skincare, different things that I could try. Or what I always bought food.

unknown 12:56

Food, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:58

Like, what restaurant am I going to? Well, I gotta have to buy all my French coffee. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

That's nice. How nice of you to share that money.

SPEAKER_03 13:06

I'm like, if I get it for them, I can have it too and not feel bad about it.

SPEAKER_01 13:10

But yeah, it's so interesting though how like you're definit when you really lean in lean into like a relationship with the Lord, like you start seeing things differently. Like your beauty has a different definition than you thought it did. Oh yeah. You know, and what definitely what culture says, like, yeah, just throw that out the window. But yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

And and it's it's funny. So my Mimi, the one I was talking about earlier, she always says or said, uh, beauty is as b or pretty as is pretty does. Yeah. Right. And so she's like, Megan, you could be real cute, but if your heart's rotten, that ain't pretty. Right. Or like, I don't know if this is a southern thing, but my family, if we if I was acting sassy or rude or something, my mom would say, Don't be ugly. Yeah. Oh yeah. That's don't be ugly. I've heard that. Quit being ugly. Quit being ugly. Because we associate ugly to the character. Yeah. Not the physical. And I never thought about that until I was older thinking about this. Yeah. And I'm like, that's actually very helpful because your heart is what's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Because there could be someone who's done all the things. Yeah. And then you're like, what'd you just say? Yeah. Like, or what? No, that's not from Jesus. Like, you really gotta Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:21

And give grace. Gotta see it. Yeah. And love people where they are, but also encourage people to so the world tells you that beauty is something that is achieved, it's something that's earned, it's something that you have to do X, Y, and Z. You have to be the certain weight on the scale. You have to have these certain clothes, you have to have the certain status. You have to like, it's something that you have to earn. That's actually not the case at all. God is beauty, right? He is the source of beauty. And when you realize what that means, like beauty is healing. Beauty comes from intimacy with the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:57

Um, and beauty is something you embody and reflect.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

And I think of that as a sense of like that's holy. Yes. You know, it's different because it's not just, I mean, we kind of said that it's not like appearance, but like it's a holy thing. Yes. Um, and holiness is something we don't seem to talk about a whole lot, but it, I mean, just in general, but I do think of that when I think of being like that as a holy thing. Like, even I think Pastor Jack said on stage one time, um, I think he was talking about like your kid running up and hugging you or something like that. And he said he referenced it to holiness, and I was like, and and what do you say when you see something like that?

SPEAKER_03 15:38

Like when you're at a airport and you see a soldier reuniting with his family, you don't say, Oh my gosh, that's so pretty. You say that's beautiful. Yeah. That moment feels deeper. It's deeper than something surface level. Isn't that cool? Yeah. So so I was studying on beauty, and there's a book called Behind the Purple Veil, if you ever want to study about like God's design for beauty, and it's amazing. Um, but I was writing some notes about it, and it was talking about how God is the source of beauty, you can't earn, perform, or manufacture beauty. Um that's right. And but it says beauty is something you receive, like grace, and it's something you reflect. So, for example, I think about the sun and the moon. The sun is the source of light, right? God is the source of beauty. Yeah. But then you have the moon, who is also beautiful in its own way, but it's just reflecting the light that the sun shines on it. And so beauty comes from knowing who you are to God and how he sees you, and he calls us his beloved. And I think about my daughter, and like she loves makeup right now, and she looks like she came out looking like an avatar the other night. She has blue all over her face, and like feeling herself, and she came out, and you could tell she's just like looking to see if my dad and my husband will say something. Yeah. And as soon as they said, Oh wow, Lena, you're so beautiful, or my dad always says, Lena, you make my day, you know. And she lights up. Yeah. Because she beholds being beloved, and then she's radiant and reflects it into the world. Yeah. And when you understand how the Lord sees you as his beloved daughter or son, you embody beauty and you reflect it. I think about Moses when he went and God's like, my glory's gonna pass by, and he came back down and his face was glowing. Yeah. Like he was literally reflecting the glory of God. Yeah. That's what beauty should be. And it's just it's amazing to me when you think about it. Yeah. Oh. And another thing I wrote from the book, it says, um, beauty is revealed through intimacy. So being seen, known, loved, vulnerability, and closeness, which is also the mystery of, I'm gonna try to keep this G-rated, but like intimacy between a husband and a wife.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

Yeah, like what God brought together.

SPEAKER_03 18:11

Like and behind the veil.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 18:13

Right? Like when it's when that is holy and pure, beauty is supposed to be the removal of the veil between two souls, so I can fully see you and you're naked and unashamed, like you were in the garden.

SPEAKER_02 18:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

I fully see your heart and I love you there.

SPEAKER_02 18:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:30

Like that is intimacy, and it's also intimacy the same but different between God and the bride of the church.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Yeah. And I I believe that you can only experience that deep of an intimacy if it is how scripture talks about a man and a woman being married and experiencing that together because it's it's it's so deep. There's a covenant.

SPEAKER_03 18:55

It's a it's a yeah, it's a deep covenant security.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

Yeah. It is. And I I just don't you don't get that from doing X, Y, and Z with whomever. You really don't. You get it from what God ordained.

SPEAKER_03 19:12

Yeah, and the and it's that's why the Lord doesn't make rules about things to suck the fun out of them. Right. Like He makes guidelines and tells you the best way because He wants you to live life to the absolute fullest. Right. He designed that. Yeah. He designed intimacy and He knows how it's supposed to work and how to get the most out of it. And there's a reason.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

And it is beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 19:32

It is beautiful when it's done his way. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

Um, so um the world defines beauty as appearance, perfection, and performance. But God defines beauty as surrender, humility, healing, and authenticity, and it all is a part of the transforming beauty that you're becoming more Christ-like to match your future body. If that makes sense. Yeah. Like one day we're gonna get new bodies. And and I have precious clients who have um illnesses that they're gonna have their whole life, that have um disabilities that they're gonna have their whole life. And I think about the verse when Jesus is like, You're just gonna suffer for a little while. Yeah, and then I'm gonna come and renew your strength.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:18

Even if it feels like it's feels like forever, but this life is like a vapor in the wind, the Bible says it's so short. The days are long, but the years are short.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

Yeah. That reminds me of my mom whenever she went through uh cancer. Like she, when she was going through it as well, she took it. I mean, yes, it was hard and it was tough. And there were things that happened that I didn't see that she was in this in suffering for that. But one of the beautiful things that I remember is she was like, it's gonna be okay, because one way or the other, God's gonna heal me from this, whether it's on this side or the other side. And and so she took that mindset and she then started like going to the cancer center treatment, and she would talk to other people and she would she had like formed this her own community within the cancer centered treatment um center or whatever. And it was just it was it was beauty and it was the Lord working through her. Yes. And it was really cool to see and watch and just sit by and listen to her talk to those people and encourage them.

SPEAKER_03 21:25

And that's what the truth does, is it it helps you see the beauty in all things.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:30

And it helps you see the purpose in all things. Um and and sometimes we don't have the full picture, we don't know why things happen. God doesn't always cause everything to happen that happens, but He does promise to make all things beautiful in His time for those who love Him. Yes. That's a promise that you can hang on to Yeah, in His time. In His time. But but I love that He chose the word beautiful. Yeah. Like Yeah, you know, because there's some ugly things that we have to deal with. In this world, but he promises to make he's gonna make it okay again one day. Yeah. And that's something you can hang on to in all things.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

Yeah, it brings the hope.

SPEAKER_03 22:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Yeah. Agreed. Mm-hmm. Track him with you. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 22:13

Um let's talk a little bit about. Is there anything you want to add to that before we go on to talking about our future bodies?

SPEAKER_01 22:21

Um, looking, I was just looking at some of your notes. Yeah. And I loved how um in First Peter 3, 3 through 4, it does say your beauty should not come from outward adornment. Rather, it should be that your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. So it's like it's unfading and spiritual and it's and it's not physical because it's so much deeper than that. I just I don't know. I just feel like it really aligns, like everything we're saying is aligning with scripture. I mean, I hope it always does, but yes. We try to, but yeah, we try. Yeah, but it is, it's just it's good to see it there as well.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

Yeah. And I love it's funny because I'm like, why did he use gentle and quiet spirit? Because I am neither one of those things. Um but but I know what he means. And I'm working on it. He's working on it in me, I know. Um, but no, your beauty should not come out from outward adornment, rather, it should be that your inner inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Yeah. It's unfading, it's eternal, and it's your spirit catching up to who God made you to be, right? And it's a process, and it and it's funny because in the fall in the garden, when they bit the whatever fruit it was, the first sin, right? Right. First the spirit died and then the body.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Right.

SPEAKER_03 23:46

Or the soul died and then the body. Spirit, soul, body. I'm trying to think of what order. But then God redeemed it in reverse. So when you get saved, he redeems your spirit and your soul. And then the last thing he's gonna redeem is your body. He undoes everything Satan did.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:08

But it's a process to walk it out.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

Yeah. Um sorry, I was thinking of all the songs. I'm like, why are you laughing? Like, what's going on? No, what you're saying is you, I just what whatever you worded that a second ago, it made me think of like these songs I grew up listening to that were not the best songs to listen to, but like a reverse it. Like, I don't I can't even remember like all the songs. Yeah, yeah. But it did, like he put his own.

SPEAKER_03 24:36

But yeah, so Satan is trying to decreate and God is reversing everything he's doing in real time, which is and using it, yes, yeah. Um, I so when my dad passed away and came back, we shared a little bit about this. I feel like it comes up all the time, but this is also relevant for this. I asked him, you know, what did dying feel like? And he was like, It was wild. He's like, it didn't hurt. He said, I just stood up out of my body and I looked back and I saw myself.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

I'm always curious of that.

SPEAKER_03 25:08

Yeah, and he and he was like for everyone. Yeah, and so and what's amazing is they've been sharing their testimony all over the country, and every where they go, someone has a similar story. Yeah, like it said then. Yeah, and and I used to be so kind of weird about like I went through a deep dive of near death experiences, and there are thousands upon thousands of accounts of this for heaven and hell. It's like wild, but I digress. So he but he said it felt like taking off a glove. He was like, it's like my body was a glove or a costume, and I just took it off and I stood up and I looked at myself and I knew it wasn't me. And when you think about that, like it changes the way you see your body. Yes, you take care of your temple, like our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and us, and it's it's our vehicle to be in this world and do God's work, but it's not who we are. And we have to separate the two. Yeah. We are eternal beings wearing these little costumes around, like it's just a visual for me of like, oh wow, yeah, maybe I do put too much emphasis on this.

SPEAKER_01 26:17

Um, I think about you said the glove thing, it reminds me like if you have gloves on, like eventually your hands start to get all like sweaty and dirty and nasty. I think of like softball gloves or like when you're cleaning something, like they get all sweaty and this rubber, they're awful. Yeah. Um, and so just like coming out of that and freaking breathe. You know, like I think of that kind of like yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

I can definitely see that. Yeah, he knows he said it was like instant love, instant relief. He didn't want to come back, but right. He said it was just so wild because you knew this body so well. And then you just step out of it. It's like, oh, okay. Like a like a jacket. Yeah. Like, well, okay. Um that's it's just wild. But um, so yeah, so focus on what that inner beauty and allowing God to transform you into something that is truly beautiful and not manufactured shallow, beautiful doesn't mean you can't take care of your temple.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

Yeah, you know. But it's not, it's also not putting on a mask, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:22

And it's not hiding behind beauty or finding your worth in it.

SPEAKER_01 27:25

Right.

SPEAKER_03 27:26

Or idolizing it. I need to have this X, Y, and Z to be beautiful. No, actually, the most beautiful people I know are the ones who people remember the way you make them feel.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

They remember the love that radiates from you. How you act, if you're snobby or not. Yeah. But like you you remember God's love in people. Yeah. Like I've been there's Christians that I could name right now that I'm like, I felt Jesus through you.

SPEAKER_01 27:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:55

And that was a beautiful place to be. You just want to linger.

SPEAKER_01 27:58

Yeah. In the prayer that we pray on the way to school every morning, I always end it with Lord, just let um Judah and Izzy's light that you have put in them shine. Yes. And I feel like that's that's that. It's when you radiate. You radiate, you reflect the source. Reflect, yeah, like that. More reflection.

SPEAKER_03 28:17

Yeah, which we radiate is biblical biblical too, but I think you radiate because the source is in you. Right. He lives within you. Yeah. Yeah. So it's so so cool. Um, and I love you, Psalm. I love you, Larson. Love you too, Megan. I love Psalms 139, 14. It says, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Um there's intentional design in the bodies we are given. We were not accidents. Um, and God wove us together. So we're not just, I I say, yeah, we're just a costume, and we are, but he still took the time to dream you up.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:55

And to create you because he wanted you.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Yeah. He didn't make a mistake. No. And what he gave you.

SPEAKER_03 29:01

No. And if the world or sin or health issues have corrupted your body in this life, he's going to make that new and redeem it. Yeah. Right? And so it's like going back to what is true and fo fixing your eyes on what is true. Um, yeah. So I could go on, but I need to I need to keep moving. Okay, 1 Corinthians 15, 42 through 44. It says, This body that is sown is perishable. It is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Um so we go from decay to incorruptible, weakness to power, earthly to spiritual. Right. Um, and then which one is this? First Corinthians 15, 52 through 53 says, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. The mortal must clothe itself with immorality. Um, so we'll we won't just be improved, we'll be completely transformed inside and out. Um and then Philippians 3, 20 through 21, it says, He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Um, so our future bodies will be like Jesus' resurrected body, recognizable yet glorified. And then 1 John 3, 2 says, We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And there's there's mystery here, but the promises we will be like Christ, we will be beautiful in its fullest form. Um, and then Matthew 13, 43, then the righteous will shine like the sun and the kingdom of their father. Um, and this points back to radiance and glory, not just health, but light, like we are the light of the world, which is there's you can meditate on that for a very long time. There's so much there, so much depth. Um, and then Daniel 12, 3 says, Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens. So there's just an eternal brilliance and honor. So I feel like I've been praying and debating about sharing about this vision that I had, but I feel like it goes really well with this. Okay. So um also I'd like to preface with I don't have visions every day. Um, this is yeah, so but when I do, they're very impactful. Um I can speak to that. They are. Yeah. And so this was um after Melina, my daughter, was born. Um, I had baby blues really bad with both of my kids. And life happened really fast. They were born back to back in two C-sections. I wasn't healed from the first C-section before you had the second one. Before I had the second one. Yeah. And my hormones were absolutely whack. And it was just all over the place. So I um had baby blues really bad for about six months, where I just, from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed, I was uncontrollably crying. And I knew I was okay, logically. I just was like, this is just my body releasing something. I just gotta let it flow and let it happen. But I just became a recluse because I couldn't be around anyone because I was just crying all the time. You're like, get it all out, get it out. When's it gonna stop? So, um yeah, there's some funny stories about that, but for time I'll I won't. But um, but yeah, so I just remember I was very hard on myself about my body. And I remember I mean, it had just given me two beautiful babies, but it had been through the ringer, and I did not recognize the woman in the mirror, and I um did not feel beautiful, just was so mean to myself. Like the things I said about my body and my mind were just terrible. Yeah. And finally I was like, all right, this is enough. I'm done. Like, no. Um, so I was like, I'm gonna do something to honor my body and and reconnect with the Lord and like be thankful for what I have, right? I'm I have I have so much to be thankful for.

SPEAKER_04 33:11

Right.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

And so I booked myself a facial and I was like, I'm gonna do something to take care of my body. And while I'm getting the facial, I'm gonna pray on the table, like for an hour. I'm gonna dedicate an hour of prayer to just thanking God, not thinking anything of it. I was just trying to get out of the funk I was in, right? So I go to this place. This poor girl was not a Christian at all. She's super sweet, but she probably thinks I am crazy. But I went in there and I was like, listen, I'm probably gonna cry the entire time you're rubbing my face. I said, but I'm okay. I'm just postpartum and I just and she's like, actually, that's really normal. It's okay. Like, get it out. Like there's no telling what all she's experiencing. Oh my gosh, yeah. And so she's like, it's fine, just get it out. And I'm like, okay, just rub the sawdone with the face mask. It's fine. Extra nutrients. Yeah. So I'm laying on the table. I don't know how far we're into this facial, but probably I would say like 20-ish minutes of me just like in my head saying, Lord, thank you for my body, thank you for my babies, thank you for being a God who has a plan. Thank you for letting me be a mom. Thank you, like just thinking of all the things. I got down to like, thank you for running water. Like I was like thanking for all the things. And so, and in the middle of praying, I had this vivid vision, is what it was. My eyes were closed, but it was like I was in a different place. And I was, it was me. I was standing in front of a mirror, and I it was this giant, massive, like gold-gilded mirror, and I was standing there looking at my reflection. And this sounds silly, but I um was so beautiful. Like, and I the best way I can describe it is I was fully alive, fully healthy, glowing, like from the inside out. I was wearing a white linen, pretty dress. To the left, there's like an open window with like a breeze blowing, with like, and it was golden hour, is what it looked like. Everything was just gold and beautiful. And then outside I could hear rushing water like a river. And then on my right, there was a doorway with a bright light. It was like a warm light, but it was bright, and it was coming from the right side into the room. So I'm looking at myself, I'm glowing. The room is, and I and I had this like knowing that the room was for me. I'm I was just in shock, honestly. I'm just standing there, like blinking at myself. And is this real? Yes. But when I saw the vision when it came up, I gasped and realized I was like, like this. And the girl rubbing my face is like, Are you okay? And I'm like, Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm so sorry. Like, because it literally took my breath away. Yeah. And so I'm like, What am I looking at? What is this? This is the most vivid daydream. This isn't a dream daydream. Like, what is this? And so I'm trying to like calculate what's happening because it was the first time this has ever happened to me. And I looked down and there was a crown um made of wildflowers, but it was gold, and the flowers were made of like little jewels, which if anyone knows me, there's a very sp like that's how God brought me back to himself was through wildflowers. So that was very like intimate and special and significant and specific. And I looked down and I was like, that's my crown. No, but it was so pretty, it was so beautiful, and I was like, That's my crown. And I'm like, This is my room, and I'm looking, and I'm looking at myself from almost don't recognize this beautiful woman looking back at me, but I know it's me. And I'm like, and then I just had the dawning of this is my heavenly body. And as soon as I had that thought, I look over, and Jesus is in the doorway, and he has his arms propped, like crossed across his chest, and he's like propped in the doorway with this like sweet, playful smirk on his face. And I'm just like, hello. Yes, I look over there and and I'm I'm looking at myself and I'm looking at him, and I'm just like waiting for him to say something. What is this? What is going on? And he goes, So, do you like it? And I was like, Do I like it? And then like I went and I hugged him and he kissed me on the forehead, and he said, This is your forever. This is how I see you.

SPEAKER_00 37:24

And then it ended. And I didn't want to leave. Yeah, I wouldn't want to see me there. I didn't want to leave.

SPEAKER_03 37:32

But I I never struggled with hating my body again. And I was reminded that this is temporary, yeah, and I was an eternal focus, and it shifted my mind to the eternal of who I really am and how he really sees me and what my eternity is. And yes, this body is stretched and it's been broken and bruised and cut open, and like but it is good and it has given me so much, and it is beautiful because of the woman I'm becoming in it.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

Right. I'm glad you shared this.

SPEAKER_03 38:13

Yeah, I wasn't going to.

SPEAKER_01 38:15

I know. I'm glad you did. She shared it with me the other week and maybe one time before that, but I didn't remember all the details.

SPEAKER_03 38:22

Yeah. Um it's a beautiful picture. It's such a beautiful picture, and it's true for all of us. Yeah. And that's why I share it, not to say, oh, I had this moment. No, like if you are a child of God, this is your truth. Yeah. This is your reality. Yeah, your body might be getting wrinkled and it might be aching and cracking and snapping and popping, and things aren't every morning doing everything they're supposed to do. But you are in a dying and decaying world and a dying and decaying body, but your soul is being transformed every day to the likeness of Christ. And one day you will put on your new body and it will match.

SPEAKER_01 39:02

I'm excited.

SPEAKER_03 39:03

Isn't that so exciting? It's so exciting. And then to add on to that, a few months. This was no, this is like almost two years later. I told you this part, right? The confirmation.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

I don't remember. Okay. So I'm really bad. Every time Megan tells me something, she's like, Dad tell you, I was like, maybe I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 39:25

I don't know. Um, so like there's a my so right after everything happened with dad, it was around Christmas time, I was asked to speak at this little college-age young adult gathering at someone's house. And it was actually at my friend's mom's house, and she is an artist, and she loves to paint faith type. Oh, yes, you told me this. Yes, so she paints like all kinds of things, but a lot of it is faith-based, right? Yeah. And so she came down, she was asking me questions about dad, and like, because he met the Lord and she was like, What did he look like? And I was I told her what he told me, and we were talking about it. And she's like, you know, I um am not done with this yet, but I feel like I need to show you. And I was like, Okay. So I'm like, sure, yeah, show me what is it? And so she took me upstairs and she's painting this huge canvas of and it is a doorway with Jesus propped up in it with his arms cross across across his chest with the same smirk on his face. And Larson, when I tell you, my I hit the floor. Yeah, I could not speak. It like it took my breath away. Um, and I and this poor lady's like, Are you okay? And I'm like, I prom I just need a minute. I was like, I need to process what's happening right now. I was like, give me a second, I'll tell you the story. And I'm like crying, and I'm just thanked the Lord again for the fire he had just walked me through with my dad. But it was the same smirk of like, I got you. Right. Just in case you doubt it. Just in case you let me doubt you know, let me remind you who you are to me. I love that, and how I see you, and and I got you. Like, but it was playful, like it was almost like, oh my gosh, like how, and that was a sweet, intimate thing between me and him that no one else knew. Right. This lady had no clue. She had no idea, and hence her reaction to me hitting my knee. She's like, Wow, I thought it was good. I don't think I'm done. I'm not even done yet. You know, I need to call 911. Are you okay? I feel like I would ask you. And I was like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. And so it was just amazing. But that's God. He's so intimate. He's so like, he's so wonderful. I love him.

SPEAKER_01 41:35

He I love how he whispers or shows reminders of like, well, wait, don't let go of that promise that I made you. Yeah. Like, keep holding out. I'm still here. There's still hope.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 41:47

And it's so, and he does it for you too, Larson. Because I've been walking with you too. And like, yeah, he does it for his kids. And and that's why it's so important to look for him in your everyday life. Look for the beauty in your everyday life.

SPEAKER_01 41:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:58

It is if it is true beauty, it is God.

SPEAKER_01 42:01

Right.

SPEAKER_03 42:02

He is the source.

SPEAKER_01 42:03

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:04

And so, yeah, he gives you the the eyes to see beauty in all things and all people. Like, I think, yeah. Oh, I could get on a roll. Oh man. So many good things. Is there anything you want to add or summarize before we go?

SPEAKER_01 42:22

No, I I might have even said this at the last one. I have no idea, but like if you, you know, don't have this relationship with the Lord, like take advantage of it right now. Yeah. Like I I just don't want anyone to miss the opportunity to to know him. Yes. And to repent from any sin and to come to him. Um, and you can do that by just asking him into your life to be your Lord and Savior. Like it's as simple as that. And then dive into the word and figure out what he uh calls us to. And and he will guide every little step of that.

SPEAKER_03 43:01

Yes. And when you do, you see the beauty, but you also become the reflective beauty of his love into this world.

SPEAKER_01 43:08

Right.

SPEAKER_03 43:09

And it is such a life-giving thing to do. It is totally worth it. Yep. Beauty is not something you can earn or achieve, it's something you behold and reflect. It's spiritual. Yes, and it's eternal. Yes. It's something that can't be taken from you.

SPEAKER_01 43:25

I love it. I love it. Good job on whoever sent this in. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:29

Thanks for thanks for the we needed the reminder. Yeah. Yes. So remember who you are and how God sees you. And we'll talk to you next time. See you next time.