Man vs. Woman

Today Luke and I were sitting on the couch together.  He was playing a game of NCAA football on the PlayStation and I was feeding Halle a bottle and we were just hanging out partaking in some pretty enriching and oh-so-interesting small talk lol. I caught a glimpse of Erin Andrews on the screen and started the topic of how she is like the playgirl of sports.. (for those of you who don't know she is a reporter for ESPN knows her stuff and seems to be a sweet girl) which then leads to the topic of Satan's attack on men and women.  Bottom line is this... Satan preys on the God-given attraction that men have for women with the intention of twisting it into a perverted lust declaring to all men that they cant get enough... that desire is always there.. wanting more...
He preys on woman's desire to be desired... to be loved... to be wanted... to hold the eye of her man... to feel like the only woman in the world to her man..  He is constantly lying to men telling them that they need more.. what they have isn't enough... and he lies to women by telling them they aren't enough... will never be good enough... if only I looked like her.. then maybe I could hold his attention and he wouldn't notice the other women... Here is the truth: Men if you truly want to live a godly life.. to honor God with your thoughts.. to honor your woman.. or future woman... you are gonna be attracted to women... but it is possible to take every thought captive and through much prayer and practice of self-control overcome the bondage of lust.. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a husband that is open and trusts me enough to share his struggles... don't get me wrong ladies.. the first few conversations we had about his struggles as a man were not easy for me to swallow.. especially seeing as though I was deeply insecure at the time... but through these conversations.. God used Luke's openness to heal a lot of the insecurities that I had... as well as make us stronger because instead of him fighting this battle alone.. I stand beside him in support.. and I protect him as much as I can by being careful what is on our t.v. and what catalogs i leave laying around (ahem Victoria Secret)..  The first time we had this conversation as far as I can remember I didn't handle it very well ... but with more explanation God opened my eyes and I understand a lot better what goes on in the mind of a man... and I cant tell you how precious it is that my husband trusts me to share that intimate part with me... I cant tell you how overcome with gratitude I am that my husband loves God and me more than his flesh... He loves and cares about honoring us.. He will attest to the say that God has brought him to a place where he sees women as sisters.. and that is by PRAYER and taking captive many thoughts... so young men be encouraged!!! If that is something you truly want to overcome and get control of... if the Holy Spirit resides in you, you have everything you need to live a holy and godly life!  2 Tim 1:7
Now ladies... on to you... the truth is... you will never be good enough... that's right.. there is always going to be someone more beautiful... thinner... younger... better dressed.. stop trying to look like that magazine cover because it isn't going to happen.. and just so you know.. the people on the magazine cover don't even look like the magazine cover... they may as well be looking at a comic strip of wonder woman BC it is fake... your beauty needs to come from Jesus.  That desire to captivate your man... well I want to share with you that you do captivate someone.. and his name is Jesus... you are God's beautiful creation and you captivate him... stop trying to fill that void by attaining some status that doesn't even exist..
I have battled insecurity for so long on my appearance... mainly weight.. it was never enough.. "If i could just lose 5 more pounds.. then maybe I would feel desirable"... 5 more would go... and nope... still feel sucky.. it wasn't until I started praying that the Lord would let me see myself through his eyes that I began to truly "feel" beautiful... and I do.. I feel beautiful.. I am a "soft and jiggly" 111 lbs... 5 foot 4 (on a good day) with a pair of saggy boobies that have definitely seen better days thanks to breast feeding.. my work out used to consist of running 5 miles every day coupled with weight training.. and now it consists of running after a precious 3 year old little boy who is bursting with life coupled with lifting a 17 pound bundle of preciousness named Halle Noelle who has me enchanted.. and I feel more beautiful than I ever have.. because I have my Lord's attention.. He completes every empty part of me.. He is all I need... He made me.. and loves me.. and beloved sister.. He sees you the same.. so quit listening to that lie... let the Lord come in and fill that void you are chasing to fill with the latest diet... He is all you need.. and there is healing in Him.. He is all that can complete you. (1 Tim 2:9-10 Proverbs 31:30)
If you are married and reading this... I would encourage you to talk to your spouse about this with caution.. everyone is at different places.. he or she may not feel comfortable talking at first.. but make sure if they do open up about it you respond gently and be encouraging!!! if you get defensive your spouse more than likely wont feel safe to talk to about it anymore.. and that is not what you want.  For anyone who knows me knows that I am feisty and when I am stung by the insecurity bug my first reaction is goes like this (hand on the hip) oh uh uh hunny... i get mad.. and defensive.. not good.. please ladies take my word for it.. before you bring this up.. it would be a good idea to get "prayed up" and be prepared to hear some things that may sting a little... and Men... word of advise.. don't EVER use the word "hot" to describe anything but southern summers... spicy crawfish.. or YOUR wife...  just a tip ;)