Nuggets of Wisdom

Here are a few gems that I've run across recently. All of these come from a book I just finished reading and highly recommend: A Jewel in His Crown: Rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence by Priscilla Shirer.

• "Often we worship and praise the creation and forget about the Creator. In fact, that’s exactly what we do when we consider others’ opinions more important than God’s. We know we are idolizing others when we concentrate on them more than we concentrate on God."
• "Satan’s goal is to get us to forget that God made us the way we are for a reason. He knows that if we get focused enough on our weaknesses, we’ll never get around to using our strengths for the kingdom of God. He knows that if we are smothered in self-pity, we’ll never get up and proclaim the praises of God. He knows that if we are always envying others, we will never learn to love them with Christ’s love."
• "Sometimes the Lord has to shake us up a bit to move us off a collision course with disaster. He is the control tower, and He is the only One who has a full view of our lives. There may be something that you were desperate to do, be, or have that He did not allow for you. The sudden bump that He used to shake up your life may have been very uncomfortable for you, but I’m sure you would prefer a minor disruption to a major crash."
• "If we are afraid to wait on God to give us the best, then we don’t really believe that He’ll do what He says He will do."
• "Never settle for less than your Father’s best for you. And here’s another important reminder: Don’t be surprised if He gives you His best gift wrapped in a package you weren’t expecting."

I don't know about you, but the world (and the Enemy) has a way of beating me down. I compare myself to others. I don't have the same gifts, talents, abilities, looks, relationships, ______ (fill in the blank)...

I really appreciate how God used Priscilla to write this book and show me and other women that we are extremely valuable in the sight of God, exactly as He made us. And, in light of that, we should never settle for second best when God has The Best in mind for us. Settling for second best means we don't believe we deserve The Best. God has a different opinion about us and the only way to know that is to be in the Word, chowing down on The Truth.

For the record, this is not a book review. 

I purchased this book for my personal reading 

and have not been compensated to write this piece.