Women of Standard Dec 2013 | Page 8

Missing the Exit by: Tonya Dallas “We are God’s greatest creation. In God, our mess becomes success!” I f you’ve ever been driving on the freeway, you know there is nothing worse than missing your exit. At first, you’re frustrated. But then, a sense of nervousness and anxiety takes over. After all, your time is valuable and you surely don’t have any to waste. Your mind goes into overload. The same is true of everyday life. Many people are not enjoying the full benefits of life. They are missing the exit! I’ve met numerous people who have no purpose, no drive and no set destination for their life. They are moving, but they’re not going anywhere at all! These people have yet to capture the essence of who they are or what they want out of life. Many of them travel through life fast-paced like a race car driver, ignoring the signs of the spiritual GPS trying to reroute them to the right path. Contrary to popular belief, failure is not always bad and mistakes are not always taboo. But there is an enormous difference in a person who has no direction and a person who keeps missing the same exit. The person who keeps missing the exit will eventually find their way. To them, life’s mistakes are merely pit stops on the way to their destiny. Have you ever thought how many times Will Smith was turned down before someone 8 DECEMBER 2013 ­ • picked him up? How many baskets has Lebron James missed in his career? We are God’s greatest creation. In God, our mess becomes success! So, don’t drive away from your dreams; drive to them! We all make mistakes and sometimes get lost in life. But instead of breaking down on the side of the road, use those mistakes as spare tires to get you to your next endeavor. Experience is the best teacher. Be creative. Have courage. Motives and mistakes are the keys to leaving your mental rest stop. Here are a few key steps to overcome missing the exit: • Accentuate the positive. • Eliminate pessimism and adopt optimism. • Remember you deserve the best and never stop dreaming. • Celebrate the small, simple successes on the way to the big goals. • When you get lost in life, be obedient to the spiritual GPS. Put it in gear and drive to your God-given destiny! WWW.WOMENOFSTANDARD.ORG GROW YOUR Business AD VER TISE HERE [email protected] SINGLE, SAVED & FABULOUS potential boyfriends. I love how Solomon describes the attraction of woman’s body. Song of Solomon chapter 7:8-9 says “… Your stature is like a palm tree,  and your breasts are like its clusters. I say I will climb the palm tree and lay hold of its fruit. Oh may your breasts be like  clusters of the vine,  and the scent of your breath like apples...” When you can, read the book of Solomon because he talks about how sex is to be an exciting part of a marriage, which God honors and has ordained this type of intimacy. To be desired by a Godly-man for marriage, let him admire your inner and outer beauty through Christ. Growing up, I shopped with my mother and she always said to me, “Neka leave some things for the imagination.” So if you are struggling with your image, ask God to show you why you dislike yourself. Your goodies are not for the world to see. I recently had to accept this truth for myself. The past few years of going through deliverance from low self- “ I~M~A~G~E “ | Inspiration Self-perception is very important because no one sees everything the way someone else does. By: Dr. Lorneka Joseph W e live in a world where image and reputation is everything. From the magazine to the music videos to the glorified social media pictures, we are all tempted to change image. Now I am not saying that we should neglect our bodies but it must be aligned with the Word of God. The word self-image in the Webster’s dictionary is defined as one’s own idea or self-perception. Self-perception is very important because no one sees everything the way someone else does. Hence the statement, “we can agree to disagree.” As single women, we must first love the skin we are in and also seek God’s approval on what it means to be holy and acceptable. Holiness is a way of life which includes the way we think, behave and dress. Let’s be honest; there are things we do and say that draw certain attention from men. For example, I have a small body but my breasts cup size runneth over. Yes, I’m comical. So as a single woman, it’s not wise of me to wear clothes that expose my cleavage and cause men to lust after