Turning Your Ashes into Beauty... Being a Woman of Character

by Debra Ann Elliott
(Birmingham, AL, USA)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:1-4 NIV

The past few months I have talked with you about your "beauty" and what God expects from you. The qualities we studied make your character.

Faith, knowledge, encouragemant, compassion, strength, wisdom and hope are your "character builders."

Faith is the beginning of your character building. It has seen you through many storms and built up your resistance to suffering. You are justified through faith and have peace with the Lord.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 NIV

With knowledge you have built up self-control in your character.

And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. II Peter 1:6 NIV

Encouragement built up your self-esteem. It weaves faith and knowledge into the remaining builders of character. Without encouragement you would have drown in self-pity.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope. II Thessalonians 2:16 NIV

Without faith, knowledge and encouragement you could not have compassion. Compassion holds your character together. A good message from the bible to follow regarding your character of compassion is Philippians 5:1-5(1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion 2 Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves 4 Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had) NIV

Strength is your character. You persevered, you did not falter in defeat. Your character grew from weakness into strength through your faith,knowledge, encouragement, and compassion. You have stayed strong in the Lord and through your beliefs.

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord be empowered through your union with Him; draw your strength from Him that strength which His boundless might provides. Ephesians 6:10 AMP

Wisdom is another important builder of your character. You must have wisdom to move forward in all you do. Two verses to remember is James 1:5 and Ephesians 1:8. Both verses tell us turn to God to find our character of wisdom. You cannot move in your character without it.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 NIV

That he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:8 NIV

Hope is one of the most important builders of character. Without hope you are an absent soul. Without hope you have no future.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Take your faith add to it knowledge, encouragement, compassion, strength, wisdom, and hope and build your character from the “ashes” into the “beauty” of a woman of character.

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Revelation 2:19 NIV

You have survived many journeys, you have walked through the fire, you have been brought out of ashes into beauty for a purpose. God has a grand purpose for you.

The New Year is aproaching fast and you will have a new beginning, a new life and a new purpose all with the love of God.

In the New Year I will share God's purpose for you in a three part series related to your journeys and your beauty.

May you be blessed in the New Year.

Many blessings,

Debra