Being the Best

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It started with this prayer, “Lord, I want to be the best Daddy in the world, but first I need to be the best husband in the world, and before I can do either of those, I’ve gotta be the best man in the world.” Immediately, God stopped me (He responds when we listen) and said, “No. You don’t have to be the best at each of those. You just focus on being the best YOU and I will take care of the rest.”

What a beautiful picture of His grace! He loves me enough to speak to me personally, but He also loves me enough to say, “Hey dude–slow your roll! Show yourself some of that messy grace you’re always preaching to others. Roll around in it. Get covered up in it. And realize that your perfectionistic expectations of your self are often quite different than Mine.”

I love how God reminded me this morning to focus on grace, not goodness. He wants me to be me–just the best I can be at it. He’s got everything else handled.

He covers the shortcomings.

His strength is made perfect in my own weakness. His strength is His grace.

It’s more about redemption than regulation.

ATTIC,
Steve

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. (Galatians 5:25, 26 MSG)

Our New Site: iSpyBeauty.org

see the beauty

Do you know what beauty really is?

Is it just a pretty face or a perfect hour-glass figure? A buff body with a set of epic abs?

No, it’s more?

Exactly.

What else is it? How can you define something so personal and so subject to the interpreter?

Join us as we launch our brand-new site www.ispybeauty.org !

Definitions of BEAUTY:

  • the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit : loveliness
  • a beautiful person or thing; especially : a beautiful woman
  • a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality
  • a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance s start

“The King is enthralled (completely fascinated with, captivated, giving complete attention to..) with YOUR, yep, YOUR BEAUTY.” –Psalm 45:11

So what does that mean exactly, beyond being a sweet anecdote from the Most High?

Let’s start a Beauty Quest…

Every time, every DAY that you see beauty, let’s talk about, post it, capture it on film..whatever you want to do to commemorate-celebrate what God made.

We want to share in the beauty you find.

Beauty

Image by Rickydavid via Flickr

Is it your sweet next door neighbor going out to get his paper with his collie?

Is it the girl in your history class, who’s in a word, hot?

Is it your grandma rocking one of your baby cousins to sleep?

Is it the nice barista at Starbucks who knows your order and has your drink made before you have a chance to get into the door?

Is it your best friend’s gap-toothed smile? (Hey, that’s mine, you can’t have that one! -Sarah)

Is it your parents still in love after 16 (or whatever) years of marriage?

Is it your big sister, first thing in the morning, pouring coffee and telling you about her crazy dreams she had last night?

Got one of your own?

Share it on our Facebook page!

Tweet us the pic!

Email it to us at beautyispowerful@gmail.com. We want to put the beauty you capture on iSpyBeauty!

Join us as we honor beauty!

ATTIC,

Linz, Steve, Gigi, & Sarah

New Year’s Photo Safari!

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A quick howdy-do from Mentone, Alabama!

Linz and I had planned a tech-free weekend, but we are having a blast here today and thought we’d share our fun with Instagram!

 

Come follow my new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/iamsteveaustin to check out our fun!! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
–Steve and Lindsey