As women of God in the 21st century, we have a choice: We either believe what God has said in His Word, or we believe the lies of Satan.

We either believe that God loves us and blesses us, or we believe the lies of the enemy. We either believe that we were made in the image of God for His glorious purposes, or we believe the lies of the enemy.

We can see a miraculous and different outcome when we determine that we will believe the truth of the Father rather than the lies of the enemy. We can live an entirely different life due to the simple fact that we determine to believe that we are, indeed, who God says that we are! If God didn't say it ... then I don't believe it!

God is a genius at everything He does, and He fully expressed His indescribable brilliance when He created you! He created you with three distinct and separate parts—a body, a spirit and a soul. Each of these amazing facets of our being is significant.

Your body is only your packaging, my friend. Your body does not define you, and it does not determine your destiny or your value. The world might base its judgment of you upon your facial features and your body, but that's because it looks only at the outward appearance. The world doesn't see what God sees!

Your spirit is the part of you that reflects the DNA of God, and it is where His blessing is imparted to your extraordinary life. Your spirit is the aspect of you that hears the voice of God and responds willingly to Him. Your spirit is the component of your makeup where the kingdom of God is established, where the fruits of the Spirit are cultivated and where you walk by faith and not by sight. Your spirit should be the most powerful part of your makeup as you travel through life.

The third part of your God-engineered makeup is your soul, which is comprised of your mind, will and emotions. Your soul is empty until you fill it with something. From the beginning of time, it was always God's plan that you would fill up your soul with Him!

It was always His intention that you, who have been made in His divine image, would choose intimacy with Him over intimacy with the world. It was also His heart's desire that you would fill up the hollow places in your soul with all that He has to offer.

True beauty radiates from a woman's soul. The sad news of our existence is that we have filled up our souls with the values of a culture whose priority is not God and His Word, and we have believed the outrageous lie that God isn't enough. We have turned to clothes, men, bank balances, entertainment and addictions to fill up the empty places in our hearts.

You will never understand how God sees you, see the real you, or become the genuine you if you foolishly try to fill your soul with trash rather than with treasure.

God gave you a soul so you would be a woman who walks in divine destiny and confident identity. God gave you a soul so you could lavishly spread joy, hope, peace and righteousness in your world. God gave you a soul that flourishes only when you spend time with Him. Your loveliness was never meant to be determined by your outward appearance; your true beauty was always meant to be a reflection of your relationship with your Father.

You were created for intimacy with Christ. The King of all kings longs to have close and cherished contact with you. Too many women in our culture make the heartbreaking mistake of never living the life of companionship and friendship with God that He has planned for us!

As a woman, if you can comprehend that there is absolutely no one else whom the Father would rather spend time with than you, you will start to choose priorities and activities based upon His pleasure rather than your own. When you understand how precious your very life is to the Creator of the universe, your desires will align with His desires.

This will never happen, however, until you get close enough to Him to see yourself in His loving gaze.

If you struggle with intimacy with the Father and wonder how to make it happen, let me assure you that it is not rocket science. Open your Bible to the Psalms and allow the wonder of His presence to wash over your weary soul. Spend some time in worship every day, and even sing out loud as you become better acquainted with your dad. Expose yourself to powerful and positive Bible teachings through podcasts and books.

Our knowledge of who we are is extracted from the culture of God. Our job description is found in His Word, and we will carry out His plans until we join Him in eternity. While we are here, we walk by faith and not by sight because our eyes are firmly fixed on a different world altogether.

This present world does not issue our identity papers, but they have been issued by a kingdom that is unshakable!

You are exactly who God says you are. Now, believe it!

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical, biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol has written 11 books, including Significant, StormProof and Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman's Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming.

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