Desensitization of women

Not a popular subject, I know! Especially this day and time.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately and exploring about being a woman of God and what that means for us as individuals and what it means for our daughters. More than anything I want to be a well rounded mommy who teaches my girls the importance not of getting men's attention with negative behavior but with positive behavior. I remember something my dad told me when I was a teenager and it still sticks with me. He said, "Julia, there is something beautiful about a girl who can just wear a t-shirt and jeans. A girl that doesn't try too hard to get a guy's attention can be so much more beautiful than a girl that tries too hard." I've often gone back to that over the years. In a book I'm reading right now called, "Your Girl; Raising a Godly daughter in an ungodly world" I came across this, "As Christians, we find ourselves in a sad and desperate state when it comes to the godless influence in our culture. Though Christians are the majority in this country, I fear that many have become apathetic concerning the times and many more appear to have adopted the attitude that says, 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em' Over the last several decades, Christians have become more and more desensitized to our worldly culture." I've got to admit, I've been one of the people for a couple years now. When I was younger, I was very sensitive to this and hated to see women degraded in any way. But, as I got older and was in the world more, I thought I was becoming a cooler girl by not caring quite so much and letting girls be strong and independent women, even if that meant they wanted to dress more provocatively or whatever they may do. Honestly, it's just easier to join 'em then to sit there and really think about how messed up our world is toward women. It's so much easier to buy into thinking it's ok for a woman to act however she wants regardless of it's how God designed us. It's funny to me how women want to be indepenant and do their own thing and not listen or follow men....except when it comes to getting men's attention. They will do anything to get as many men's attention as they can. They totally fall for anything a man may want, not just in relationships, but how they represent themselves. They will give a man whatever he wants, when it comes to sexuality and relationships. I have to say, I bought into this, hook, line and sinker for awhile. It meant a lot to me to get men's attention, even after I was married. It gave me self worth that other people thought I was attractive. I didn't need anything more for someone then their attention. I realize now that this sent a terrible message to my dear daughters. This should not be on the top of their list. What should matter most to them is being the girl that sticks out, not blends in with all the other girls, trying to get attention. Girls that flaunt their beauty are a dime a dozen...a girl who's beauty is used by God and who's beauty flows from God, is much harder to find and much more beautiful. I think what most of us are looking for but don't understand is the acceptance from God. Our hearts will never be filled with getting attention from men or from other women...we'll always want more, crave more. Never to find fulfillment. But, when we let God be the lover of our soul, when we realize he is pursuing us, it changes us, changes our hearts. His flowers and chocolates, his attention and pursuing of us are in the form of stars, sunrises, sunsets, the ocean, intricate parts of nature that take our breath away. He created those things for us, to show us how much he loves us, he takes such delight when he takes our breath away. Just as there is a place in our hearts that only God can fulfill, so there is a place in his heart that only I..only you...only each of us as individuals can fill. I can tell you from experiance that even on my journey to find intimacy with God and realizing that he is the one who truly can fulfill the attention I want, it is so much more fulfilling and wonderful then the worldly attention I craved. It means so much to me, when I notice a deer or flower that no one else sees. I've realized that was God, romancing me. When I see a beautiful sunrise, I realize he knows how much that means to me and it's another way of him pursuing my heart. The romance between us and God is amazing and much more than we could ever ask for.

"He longs for you. You are the one that overwhelms his heart with just one glance of your eyes. You are the one he sings over with delight and longs to dance with across mountain tops and ballroom floors. You are the one who takes his breath away by your beautiful heart that, against all odds, hopes in him." - Captivating