2014 MAR | APR Set Apart Girl Issue by Ellerslie

setapartgirl LESLIE LUDY’S

MAGAZINE

Beyond theSearch FOR MR. RIGHT, p. 8

SHARING THE GOSPEL IN EVERY DAY LIFE, p 40

KEEPING YOUR MARRIAGE STRONG AFTER KIDS, p 80

ESTHER AHN KIM SUFFERING WELL FOR CHRIST, p 20

MEET SYLVIA Sister of the Common Life p. 70

MAR/APR 2014

setapartgirl CONFERENCE

the 2014 ANNUAL

with bestselling author LESLIE LUDY & other guest speakers

IN Windsor, Colorado or by LIVE simulcast

Come Away JUNE 6-8, 2014

WITH JESUS

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make some summer plans!

FOUNDER’S letter

Isn’t it truly amazing

to realize that

no problem in our lives is too great or small to take to our Lord, and that He has promised never to leave or forsake us? One of the most comforting verses to me is Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” As we remember all that took place on Resurrection Sunday, may we be awed and amazed afresh by the wonder of His death, burial, and resurrection! Not only did His incredible sacrifice make a way for us to spend eternity with Him, but also to live as daughters of the King right now. He is ready and waiting to offer grace, strength, and help for any and every challenge we may face - all we must do is ask. No matter what you are walking through, I pray that these articles will freshly inspire you to take hold of all that was purchased for you on the Cross - to walk daily in the joy, freedom, victory, and hope that God offers you, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Leslie

© 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl®.

IN THIS issue

SET APART FEMININITY

SET APART WALK

40 l Sharing the Gospel in Everyday Life Applying Wisdom to the Course of Life

Explore God’s Sacred Intent for Your Life l Beyond the Search for Mr. Right Using Your Single Years Well

20 l Set-Apart Women in History Esther Ahn Kim: The Power of Suffering Well for Christ

Cultivate Your Daily Romance with Christ

A Set-Apart Girl Team Article

50 l Be Still And Know that He is God

SET APART RELATIONSHIPS

SET APART LIFESTYLE

32 l The Heart

60 l Creativity’s Creative Deception

Honoring God in Love and Romance

by an Anonymous Warrior-Poet

Applying the Gospel to Everday Life God’s Glory vs. Self’s Glory in the Arts

50 80

SET APART FAMILY

ineveryissue

80 l Keeping Your Marriage Strong After Kids

setapartgirl® playlist

Devotionals

Sister of the Common Life

Leslie’s Kiddo Spot

Recommendations

Discovering God’s Heart for Home and Family

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version.

setapartgirl PLAYLIST

LESLIE’S PICK: O SACRED HEAD NOW WOUNDED is a classic hymn that I’ve recommended before - but it’s so beautiful, powerful, and perfect for Resurrection Day that it’s worth mentioning again! I really like the version by Fernando Ortega - a great meditation of the sacrifice of the Cross!

ANNIE’S PICK:

FALL AFRESH by Bethel Music & Jeremy Riddle MANDY’S PICK:

RUSHING WIND by Bobby & Rachel Taylor GRACE’S PICK:

MAY THE WORDS by Ellie Holcomb LAUREN’S PICK:

ALWAYS by Steve Green HEATHER’S PICK:

CROSS OF CHRIST by Scott Krippayne ELSJE’S PICK:

THE SOLID ROCK by Joshua Ricker © 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl®.

All of these songs can be found on iTunes!

ABOUT THE

founder

LESLIE LUDY is a bestselling author and speaker with a passion for reaching her generation with the hope of Christ. She and her husband Eric have been writing and speaking together for the past eighteen years. Widely known for their bestselling classic, When God Writes Your Love Story, Eric and Leslie have become foremost voices on some of the most poignant issues facing the Church today, such as relationships, purity, holiness, and living a fully consecrated life for Christ. Together, they are the authors of eighteen books that have been translated into over a dozen languages around the world. For more about Leslieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books, click here. Leslie and Eric are the founders and directors of Ellerslie Leadership Training based in Windsor, Colorado â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an intensive discipleship training program that prepares future leaders for worldimpacting Christian service, and draws men and women of all ages from around the world.

Beyond the search for

MR. RIGHT Using your single years well. (Part One)

by LESLIE LUDY

ÂŠ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl â&#x201E;˘.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to let you in on a little-known

secret: If you are single, God has a much higher calling upon your life than spending all your time and energy trying to snag a husband. (Shocking, I know.)

SET APART

While such a statement may seem obvious when it’s written out in black and white, in real life it can easily become blurry. You’ve probably noticed that in our modern culture, especially the Christian culture, single women are often under tremendous pressure to “hurry up and get married so your life can start.” Of course, no one actually says that out loud, but there is a common, subtle, underlying message that a woman isn’t truly “complete” until she finally marries and settles down. The result is a generation of single young women who put their lives and happiness “on hold” until they finally meet the right guy and get a ring on their finger. And in this era when social media and Internet dating provide quick and easy ways to connect with the opposite sex, the temptation to build your single years around the pursuit of a relationship is stronger than ever. Certainly God puts a very high value on marriage. It was, in fact, His idea in the first place! The vast majority of us are called to be married. And there is certainly nothing wrong with desiring to be married, preparing practically for marriage, or taking steps toward a romantic relationship with someone as God leads. The problem comes when we overlook the amazing opportunity God has given us in our single years, letting that season

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go to waste because we are desperately seeking marriage above all else. Corrie ten Boom wrote, “Marriage is not the answer to unhappiness. Happiness can only be found in a balanced relationship with Jesus Christ. When you belong to Christ, you can be happy with or without a husband, secure in Christ alone.”

“MARRIAGE IS NOT THE ANSWER TO UNHAPPINESS. HAPPINESS CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.” I can’t count the number of single young women I’ve met over the past ten years who build their entire lives, thoughts, and emotions around the pursuit of a guy, instead of the pursuit of Jesus Christ. They think that once they find a husband, they’ll find the inner peace and fulfillment they long for - overlooking the fact that Jesus

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Christ alone can meet the deepest desires of their heart. When we are in relationship with Christ, we have everything we need for happiness right now - whether married or single. (And if we expect marriage to solve the deepest needs within our soul, we’ll only be placing unhealthy, unrealistic expectations upon our future husband from the very beginning.) So how should we use our single years? If you feel called to be married someday but God hasn’t scripted your love story yet, it can be extremely confusing to know how you should be spending your time and energies during this season of waiting and preparing for marriage. When my sister-in-law, Kristina, was in her late twenties and single, someone asked her, “Krissy, are you called to singleness?” Kristina longed to be married and have a family, but God had not yet brought her husband into her life. She didn’t feel called to a lifetime of singleness, but she knew that until God unfolded His plan for marriage in her life, He had called her to live out her single years well...for His glory. She thought for a moment about that question, “are you called to singleness?” and then replied, “Today I am.” If you are single today, don’t worry about the next two, five, or twenty years - or

whether you are called to a lifetime of singleness and how you would ever be able to handle that. Simply rest in the fact that if God has not yet brought your husband into your life, He has a plan for you as a single woman today. And He will give you the grace and strength to bring Him glory through your singleness today. Kristina spent her single years well - pouring her life out on the mission field, ministering to orphans and widows, and sharing the Gospel with those in need. Now, she is married to a wonderful Christian man and they have a growing family - and she doesn’t look back on her single years with regret. They were just as fruitful for God’s kingdom as her years of marriage have been.

SIMPLY REST IN THE FACT THAT IF GOD HAS NOT YET BROUGHT YOUR HUSBAND INTO YOUR LIFE, HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOU AS A SINGLE WOMAN TODAY. As Paul wrote, being unmarried is an amazing opportunity to serve the Lord without distraction:

“Are you called to singleness?”

“Today I am.”

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“The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.” (1 Cor. 7:34) In your single years, more than ever, you have the ability to pour out your time, your energy, your love, and your resources to those who are in desperate need of the Gospel. Are you taking advantage of this amazing opportunity? There are many Christ-built, warrior-poet men out there who are praying and hoping for a set-apart young women – one who is not following after the trends of the culture, one who is not wallowing around in discontentment or on the prowl for a guy. Nothing would thrill a true warriorpoet’s heart more than to know that his future bride was spilling her life out for the sake of the Gospel. Want to find a godly guy? Focus on pouring your life out for Jesus Christ, and leave the rest to Him. As it says in Psalm 57:2, He will be more than faithful to fulfill His purposes for you.

A SHIFT IN FOCUS If you are ready to make a shift in your focus and begin dedicating your life, not to the pursuit of a guy, but to pouring out your life for Jesus Christ, then simply come to Him and tell Him so. Get alone with Your King and consecrate Your body as a living sacrifice unto His purposes, from this day forward. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, and supernaturally equip you to shift your focus from finding an earthly romance to being so caught up in Him that nothing else matters. Ask Him to reveal to you any activities or habits in your life that are not glorifying to Him. Ask Him to show you anything in your life, as harmless as it might seem, that is distracting you from having a single-minded focus upon your Savior. And then, by His grace, remove

IN YOUR SINGLE YEARS, MORE THAN EVER, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO POUR OUT YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR LOVE, AND YOUR RESOURCES... © 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl ™.

each and every one of those stumbling blocks from your existence. Next, take some time to prayerfully consider the direction and focus of your life. What is God calling you to? How can you respond to the sacred claim He has upon your existence? How can you practically become His hands and feet to this lost and dying world? Ask Him to open your eyes and show you what next steps to take. And remember, it might be necessary to make a complete shift in your life direction. American mentalities train us that this life is all about our dreams, our goals, and our ambitions. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not true Christianity. How might God be asking you to forsake all, take up your cross and follow Him?

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There is desperate need all around us. Millions and millions of people around the world are facing unspeakable suffering. They are living without hope and even worse, dying without knowing Jesus. Ask God to shift your passions and desires from marriage to His sacred calling upon your life. You will never regret the glorious exchange. And if God’s purpose for your life is marriage, you can trust that even your difficult steps of obedience to Jesus Christ will lead you closer to your earthly prince. That’s the beauty of our Lord’s ways. You don’t have to be amazingly gifted or highly educated to pour your life out for Jesus Christ and dedicate your single years to the “least of these”. You don’t have to have been seminary educated or groomed at Bible college. You just need a heart fully surrendered to Him. Gladys Aylward was an uneducated parlor maid when she set off, against the advice of the Christian system, to give her life to the people of China. Amy Carmichael was merely one simple girl in feeble health and with very few supporters when she left it all to rescue endangered children in India. Corrie ten Boom traveled the globe well into her elderly years, preaching the Gospel of Christ with passion and conviction.

These single women changed the world for Christ, and not because of their own abilities - they were merely vessels willing to lay down everything for the Kingdom of God.

YOU JUST NEED TO BE FULLY SURRENDERED TO HIM. Not every single woman is called to travel the world or live full-time on the mission field. This may not be the calling God has for you during your single years - but that doesn’t make your calling less significant. God may desire these years to be spent on your knees, wrestling in prayer for the unsaved in your family or community. He may want you to spend a season in diligent training; gaining education and practical skills for what lies ahead in your future. He may ask you to pour out your life for your family - selflessly serving your parents and siblings and communicating the Gospel through your joyful givenness at home. Maybe He desires you to shine His light in your church or hometown - ministering to children, the elderly, or the sick. Or it could be a combination of many different things.

...they were merely vessels willing to lay down everything for the Kingdom of God.

If you aren’t sure where to begin - spend focused time in prayer and seeking Him through His Word. Look at the opportunities that are sitting in front of you - even if they seem small and insignificant. Do you have a neighbor who needs the hope of the Gospel? Are there elderly in your town who need encouragement? Does your family need practical help and sacrificial love? Even if you don’t have a “huge opportunity” sitting in your lap, take the small steps of obedience that He calls you to take - and He will be faithful to lead and guide you at every point of the journey. If you are faithful with little, He will entrust You with more. It is vital to remember that what you are doing with your life during these years is far less important than why you are doing it. Whether you are caring for a hundred orphans in Africa or changing diapers in the nursery at church, whether you are cooking meals for your family or pouring over your studies in college - if your actions are an outflow of your love for Jesus Christ, they will make an eternal difference in the Kingdom of God.

Stay Tuned for Part Two: What Does God Say about Single Women and Ministry?

...an outflow

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w of your love for Jesus Christ... ÂŠ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl â&#x201E;˘.

set-apart women FROM CHRISTIAN HISTORY

A NOTE FROM LESLIE:

Christian history is filled with inspiring examples of women who gave their lives fully to Jesus Christ and changed the world as a result. In this series, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited to share glimpses of their stories and explore the powerful truths that we can learn through their examples!

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Esther Ahn Kim THE POWER OF SUFFERING WELL FOR CHRIST by LESLIE LUDY ÂŠ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart GirlÂŽ.

KOREA 1939 Esther Ahn Kim walked slowly up the hill to the shrine, with her students following silently behind her. The young teacher knew that when she arrived at the place of worship she would be forced to make a life-altering choice. The Japanese, who had taken control of Korea, were forcing everyone to bow at the shrine of their “sun god.” The punishment for refusing was imprisonment, torture and possibly even death. Fearing for their lives, many Christians had already given in to the Japanese soldier’s demands. And now it was Esther’s turn to make her decision. She fixed her eyes on the vast sky beyond the hills and thought of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, when they were commanded to bow to the statue of the

Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. The three young men had decided that even if God did not choose to save them from the burning fire, they would die honoring Him. At that moment, Esther knew what she would do. Even though so many other Christians had decided that outwardly bowing to the idol was acceptable as long as they continued to worship Christ in their hearts, Esther could make no such compromise. She would not bow to any other but the one true God. Defying the Japanese warlords would most likely mean torture and imprisonment, but Esther decided that she would not live her youthful life for herself. She would offer it fully to her Prince, Jesus Christ. She said a silent prayer to Him. Today on the mountain, before the large crowd, I will proclaim that there is no other god but You, she declared.

SET APART Esther’s group was the last to arrive at the shrine. A huge crowd had gathered, standing in straight, respectful lines, afraid to move because of the cruel gazes of the Japanese policemen. A few of the authorities eyed Esther and her students with disapproval as they joined the rest of the worshipers. Esther’s heart began to pound with dread for what she was about to do. A sense of uneasiness swept over her, and she silently repeated the Lord’s Prayer over and over. Lord, she prayed, I am so weak! Please help me do this— watch over me as I stand for You.

Esther decided that she would not live her youthful life for herself. “Attention!” came the commanding voice of one of the officials. The crowd stood in silence and submission. “Our profoundest bow to Amaterasu Omikami!” As he shouted the words, the entire group bent the upper half of their bodies, bowing solemnly before the shrine. Esther was the only one who remained standing, looking up at the sky. The fear and uncertainty that had gripped her just moments before had vanished. Calmness and peace flooded her. She had done what she knew God wanted her to do. On the long walk back to the school, Esther continued her dialogue

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with God. I have done what I should have done, she told Him. Now, I commit the rest to You. I died today on that mountain—now it is only You who lives through me. I leave everything in Your hands. For several months, Esther lived in hiding. She knew it was only a matter of time before she was found and imprisoned for the stand that she had taken against the Japanese. But instead of cowering in fear and worry about what her future held, she decided to prepare her heart and her body to suffer for Christ. Just as Paul said, “I buffet my body and make it my servant,” (1 Cor 9:27) Esther decided to train for prison life, just as an athlete might train for competitive sports. She counted it a great honor to suffer for Christ, but she also knew she was weak and unready for all that lay ahead. “I knew it would be impossible for me to keep my faith in my own power,” Esther wrote later. “God would have to work through me if I was to stand firm. I decided to fast.” Many times before, Esther had fasted for three days without difficulty. Now, she was determined to go without food or drink while she prayed for an entire week. The fast was extremely difficult. By the sixth and seventh day Esther’s lips were dry and her chest was in an iron vise, causing her to fight to breathe. But when the fast was finally over and water

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was poured into her mouth, she raised her hands in victory, thanking God for being with her. “Although I had not expected it, after the fast I was able to understand the Scriptures better and I felt a new power in my prayer. Now I felt I could leave the fear of torture in the Lord’s hands.” More time went by and more fearful news of prison life reached Esther’s ears. As anxiety crept back in, she fasted once more – this time for ten days.

“I knew it would be impossible for me to keep my faith in my own power...” “Again I found a peace I had never known before,” she wrote. “I read the Bible earnestly and had a new concern to memorize important chapters against the day when I would be in prison without my Bible.” Esther also began sleeping on the floor, learning to live in a state of poverty, and going without all the comforts she had grown up with, so that she would

be prepared for the harsh conditions of prison. When she went to the market to buy produce, she bought ripe fruit for her family members but rotten fruit for herself. When her mother and sister saw the decaying food she selected for herself, they cried, but soon they understood. This was the kind of food Esther would be forced to eat in prison. Months of faithful, diligent preparation fasting, memorizing Scripture, tirelessly praying, and training to endure harsh conditions – transformed Esther from a weak, frail, faltering young woman to a bold and confident ambassador for Christ. Instead of fearing torture, she now faced it boldly in the power and grace of God. Esther felt God calling her to come out of hiding and boldly proclaim the truth of the Gospel among the Japanese. She knew that this would likely lead to her death, but she was determined to follow the Lamb wherever He led her. Her courageous stand for Christ led to six harrowing years in Japanese prisons. During that time, though her body grew week with suffering, she shone with supernatural love toward her persecutors and fellow prisoners. Even through torture, she refused to deny the name of Christ. Her astounding example of “suffering hardship

as a good solider for Christ” brought many into the Kingdom who would never have heard the Gospel otherwise. After she was released, the story of her imprisonment and unwavering faith became the all-time religious bestseller in Korea, inspiring countless thousands to stand strong in their faith.

GLEANING FROM ESTHER’S EXAMPLE Modern Christianity often encourages us to chase after achievements and accolades; to develop skills and pursue accomplishments that will be applauded and esteemed by this world. Some even go so far as to say that the more impressive we are to pop-culture, the greater our witness for Christ will be. The hip, trendy, pop-culture style of many modern worship services illustrate how far we have come from the days of the apostles, when Paul proclaimed, “If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.” (2 Cor. 11:20) Though Paul had plenty of human skills and achievements he could have emphasized or built upon, he chose to treat those things as “rubbish.” (Phil 3:8) His greatest accomplishments; his most powerful witness, came from the incredible suffering

he endured for Christ’s sake: “Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…” (2 Cor. 11:27-29). And so it was in the life of Esther Ahn Kim. It wasn’t her accomplishments, personality, money, or skills that caused the nation of Korea to be forever changed. It was her shining example of suffering well for Christ’s sake.

One time in prison, her arms were handcuffed behind her back for days until she passed out from the relentless pain. The intent was to torture her until she finally denied Christ. But even though her mind and body were broken, her spirit remained strong, rooted and grounded in Truth. She would not relent, no matter how horrible the pain became. She emerged from the torture victorious in her faith. Another time, she gave up her meager prison food for several days to a woman who was filthy, insane, and sentenced to death for murdering her husband. Instead of being repulsed by the woman as all the other prisoners were, Esther prayed relentlessly for her, sacrificing her own comforts to reach the woman’s heart. The

SET APART woman died in her right mind, knowing Jesus Christ, with a hope and a future. Such sacrifice and personal suffering for Christ’s sake is only possible through the supernatural grace of God. Only one who has truly given up everything to follow Jesus can exude such grace in the face of such hardship. Esther’s story challenges me to ask the question - am I prepared to suffer well for Jesus Christ? In the midst of our comfortable American lifestyles, it’s easy to think, “Of course, if persecution came, I would never deny the name of Christ. Of course if I were thrown into prison, I’d remain strong in my faith.” But we must ask ourselves - are we truly “dying to self” daily, as Esther did, or are we more concerned with protecting our own comforts and interests than in consecrating our lives fully to Jesus Christ? The only way to be a true follower of Christ is to willingly give up everything; to take up our cross and follow Him (Matt. 10:38, Lk. 9:23). When we are more concerned with how many friends we have on Facebook than with what priority Jesus Christ has in our daily life, we are not preparing to suffer well for Christ. When we are more preocupied with having enough time to

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go to Starbucks than with having enough time to spend in God’s presence, we are not preparing to suffer well for Christ. When we are reluctant to give of our time, resources, and energy to others in order to preserve our own comforts, we are not preparing to suffer well for Christ.

Such sacrifice and personal suffering for Christ’s sake is only possible through the supernatural grace of God. We will never gain Esther Ahn Kim’s version of supernatural boldness and sacrificial love by coddling our own self interests and protecting our own comforts. Certainly there is nothing wrong with having Facebook friends, Starbucks drinks, or material comforts, but when these kinds of temporal things become more important to us than Jesus Christ, we are not walking the narrow way of the cross anymore. We are merely living selfish lives with a “Christian label” over them. Esther Ahn Kim counted the cost of following Jesus - not only on the day when she refused to bow at the shrine,

but every day thereafter. She counted the cost when she willingly and gladly gave up comforts and trained her body to endure hardship for the sake of Christ. She counted the cost when she came out of hiding and boldly proclaimed the Gospel among the Japanese who had the power to torture and kill her. She counted the cost when, in prison, she endured horrible misery rather than deny her faith in Christ. She counted the cost when she sacficially loved a filthy, repulsive woman and gave of what little she had in order to win her to Christ. Esther’s life was no longer her own - and every outward decision she made reflected that inner reality.

“I knew it would be impossible for me to keep my faith in my own power...”

If you desire to do “big things” for God ask yourself today whether you have truly counted the cost of following Christ. Many of us think that in order to prepare for an effective ministry, we must gain a large following, write a book, gain worldly accolades, or make a lot of money. But the best way to prepare for a world-changing ministry is to die - so that Christ may live through us. Remember that Paul had every reason to boast in his earthly accomplishments, and yet he threw them aside as worthless and counted his suffering for Christ’s sake as his greatest, most important acheivments. (See 2 Cor. 11:30 and Phil. 3:8.) When self is at the center of our lives, the only impact we will have on this world will be shallow and human-scripted rather than eternal and God-scripted. We may

SET APART make a temporary splash, but if we do not take up our cross and truly follow Him, we will never reflect the supernatural radiance and grace of Heaven.

TAKING UP OUR CROSS Ian Thomas once wrote, “The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you – your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything – then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it.” When you woke up this morning, did you think of your day as belonging to you, or Him? Did you live as if your time and decisions were your own, or His? Did you allow the distractions and allurements of this world to turn your head, to occupy your thoughts, or to dictate your choices? Or was He your sole pursuit? How did you spend your free time? Doing what you felt like doing? Or pouring out your life for Him? I encourage you to spend some focused time in prayer and waiting on God, allowing Him to gently reveal those areas of your life that need His transforming touch. Allow His Spirit to open your eyes to any

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part of your daily existence in which you typically yield to your selfish whims and desires. You may find it helpful to write down anything that He brings to mind. Then, pray specifically for the grace to silence your selfish side in each of these areas, and begin putting it into practice in your everyday life. (For example, choosing to joyfully respond when your alarm clock goes off, instead of lazily pushing the snooze button or angrily hurling it across the room.) It may take a few days, weeks, or months for those old habits to fully die. But if you allow Him to re-train your daily decisions and enable you to “deny yourself, pick up your Cross, and follow Him” you will soon understand from firsthand experience what Paul meant when he said, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20) This world needs more young women like Esther Ahn Kim - young women who unreservedly take up their cross and follow Him, no matter what the cost. May it be our greatest desire to follow such a path, and joyfully suffer any hardship for the One who gave everything to us. The world will never be the same when they encounter such a life. *Story of Esther Ahn Kim taken from If I Perish by Esther Ahn Kim

Esther Ahn Kim ESTHER’S LIFE WAS NO LONGER HER OWN - AND EVERY OUTWARD DECISION REFLECTED THAT REALITY.

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The HEART. | BY AN ANONYMOUS WARRIOR-POET |

If we were to look up the basic definition, we would find things like: your inner self, the center of your thoughts and emotions, your gut feelings. Think of common phrases like, “I know it by heart,” “he has a heart of stone,” “they lost heart,” or “I love you from the bottom of my heart.” These phrases reference human nature, human will, memory, and emotions. The heart is the place from which our thoughts emerge, our will engages, and our emotions pour forth. “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.”

THE HEART: IT’S YOU. Did you know that the concept of the heart surfaces over one thousand times in Scripture? Something that reoccurs that many times is incredibly significant. We can call it a mega theme. Though it is of high importance, I think there is much misunderstanding about this particular subject. So, let’s define the heart.

In speaking of the heart, scripture tells us that from it flow the springs of life. In Proverbs alone we find that the heart is the origin of understanding, faith, obedience, rebellion, lust, joy, pride, speech, the imagination and much more. Jesus confirmed this when he said “…those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man…” In short, the heart is the very core and essence of who you are.

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THE LIE: “FOLLOW YOUR HEART.” The heart is not only a mega theme in scripture but also in the world! Because the heart is the core of human beings, that is exactly what Satan is after. He has packaged his lie in a phrase most of us will quickly recognize: “follow your heart.” It’s no wonder we find this lie showing up in such diverse settings as religion, business, education, art and the ideals of humanistic truth and happiness. For example, what do you think of when you hear the phrase, “follow your heart?” Sounds like a Disney film, huh? Well, that’s because it is. You don’t have to look hard to find that that is one of the dominant teachings of the timeless Disney classics. The very line finds its place in thousands of films… as well as in music, marketing of every kind, psychology, and religion. The world will teach, “There is no need to reach high for the stars. They are already within you - just reach deep into yourself!” These types of statements aren’t only in cartoon movies for kids. This is the teaching of the world’s most influential people and religions! Religious leaders teach that we ought to look deep within

ourselves to find tranquility and peace; to give ourselves fully to following our inner instinct. A Hindu monk said, “You cannot believe in god until you believe in yourself.” Along the same premises we find Buddha teaching to “Look into your heart. Follow your nature.”

Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple said, “have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” Oprah Winfrey, the media icon and self-made billionaire said, “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” And actress Kirsten Dunst oh-so eloquently expounded that, “the real secret to total gorgeousness is to believe in yourself, have self-confidence, and try to be secure in you decisions and thoughts.” Other famous people have said similar things. Clearly, this idea is incredibly prevalent. It is so deceptive and charming that it has crept into so-called Christianity. The famous and highly acclaimed Joel Osteen teaches “You have to learn to follow your heart. You can’t let other people pressure you into being something that you’re not…You can’t let outside expectations keep you from following your own heart.” Another pastor preaches, “I want to talk to you today about the power of BELIEVING IN YOURSELF. Even more specific, I want to talk about what God has uniquely given you to help you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF… We need to have a confidence, nearly a cocky-confidence in our own self.” You get the point. The Bible teaches something very different to what we read above. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Solomon wrote, “He

that trusts in his own heart is a fool.” You see, the concept of following your heart is absolutely antithesis to the doctrine of the word of God. Let God be true and every man a liar!

THE REALITY: SEEING FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE. What is reality? It is “the state of things as they actually exist.” God is reality; God’s truth is reality; God see’s things as they actually are. Therefore, we too must see things from God’s perspective. Jeremiah writes the reality about the human heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick [wicked]; who can understand it?” (Jer. 28:26 ESV) True reality shows us the seriousness of the problem. We need change and healing. However, this can’t simply come by alterations in our actions; it goes far deeper than that. Any time we are going to address how to change actions we must address the heart. Otherwise we’ll be trying to correct the fruit instead of the root. We need new hearts not new habits! Though Jeremiah gives us a clear picture of the darkness and depravity of the human heart, we find hope among these same pages. Jeremiah

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Because of Jesus and His work on the cross we get to experience these scriptures fulfilled! Those who surrender their lives to Christ and follow Him have been born again and are new creations in Christ; given new hearts and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Therefore, “You have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you are committed.” (Rom. 6:17 ESV) Now, “let us draw near [unto God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.” (Heb.10:22 ESV)

himself prophesies, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make… I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.” (Jer. 31:33) Ezekiel also speaks of the coming hope: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone… and give you a heart of flesh.” (Eze. 36:26 ESV)

The New Testament speaks of our hearts in a more positive way then the Old because the prophesies have been fulfilled. A result of this regeneration is a goodness in our new hearts that needs to be continually guarded, renewed, and transformed by truth. Furthermore, in James, we see warnings about the danger of not guarding these new hearts. He says, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers… But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth…Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” From these passages we see that even with new hearts, sin still remains having the ability to deceive us. Though our hearts

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are genuinely new they are not perfect, though changed they are not fully mature, though a citizen of heaven, for a season, we remain walking on the dirt of the earth. Yes, God is bringing us from dust to glory, but it doesn’t happen overnight. We need not only what is internal - the new heart and new Spirit - but we need that which is external: the living and active word of God both in text and Person.

Give me

YOUR HE

THE BIG IDEA: WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? This is the big idea I want to get across: don’t look to change your actions, go for the root of the issue - your heart! When you share the Gospel, disciple others, or discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness you must look to see the heart changed, not just the actions modified. If you make behavior the focus, all that will be accomplished is behavior modification, a rearranging of the flesh, but no lasting change will occur.

THE CALL: GIVE, HIDE, DIRECT, & GUARD Here are some practical steps to help you address heart issues.

Give the Father your heart for instruction. This is to surrender your heart and listen to His instruction. He is your Father and you’re his child. “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” (Prov. 23:26 ESV)

2. Hide the Father’s instruction in your heart. Meditate on and memorize his instruction so as to not lose sight of his will. “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear

EART. to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.” (Prov. 4:20-21 ESV)

3. Direct your heart in the Father’s way. Obey His instruction, lead your heart in the way, truth, and life that is Christ Himself. “Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.” (Prov. 23:19)

4. Guard your heart from pollution. Keep your heart unpolluted from both your inside and outside enemies, the flesh

and demonic powers, by guarding it with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23) God’s call to you is to surrender your heart to the Father, lead your heart in the way of His Son, guard your heart from the pollution that is in the world, and allow Christ to dwell in you heart with unhindered access to all you are.

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Sharing the

GOSPEL in Every Day Life

A TEAM ARTICLE I ntro b y H E AT HE R C OF E R

WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS, “SHARING THE GOSPEL”? What comes to your mind when you hear the words, “sharing the Gospel”? Some may think of it as approaching someone with a checklist of “Yes or No” questions about Jesus and the Bible, and praying a prayer to “ask Jesus into your heart.” But it isn’t that simple. There is so much more to the Gospel than this! Others may think of it as someone with Bible in hand, a list of verses marked and ready to read about Jesus being our Savior, and a time frame of several hours to go through this with them. This is most definitely a good and valid way of sharing the Gospel, but often in our everyday interaction with people we don’t have that kind of opportunity. So how do we share the Gospel when we only have a few minutes of passing conversation with someone? How do you display the life of Christ in any circumstance you may find yourself in?

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s k a e p S e f i L Your The answer is found all throughout the New Testament: We are not only to share the Gospel with words, but with actions, attitudes, mind-sets - every aspect of who we are. Jesus says in Luke 6:45, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil heart produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” And Paul says in his epistle to the Philippians, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” It is the way in which we live our lives that will back up the words we speak. Here are some ways we on the Set Apart Girl® team have found we can share the Gospel through the way we live out our everyday lives.

“I T I S T HE WAY I N WH IC H W E L I V E OUR L I V ES T HAT W I L L BAC K UP T H E WO R D S W E S P EA K .”

MANDY SAYS: On a warm and quiet evening last May, I browsed a small store. I had been the only client in the shop for some time and easily talked with the woman working from time to time. Our chitter chatter naturally progressed as I continued to the cash register and she rang up my purchase. With peaked interest, she asked about my job and I briefly told her about my work with the ministry of Set Apart Girl. I didn’t have a clue, but apparently in our interactions throughout my time in the store, she had a sense about me and was trying to figure me out. It was as though her mind finally “clicked” as she emphatically replied, “You work in ministry, that’s why you’re radiant!”

in Every Day Life

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As I left the store and walked back to my car in the parking lot, I praised God. Even through a browse in a store and a brief conversation, I was amazed at God’s faithful working through my life. I knew that the radiance that this woman saw was not my own, but was His and I was left hungering for even greater revelations of Jesus in my life. Though I didn’t outrightly preach the Gospel to the store clerk that day, she had sensed something that was different in my life through our interactions. And through my simple yielded life, Jesus was preached. Through this experience, I was brought to a greater awareness of the reality of the Scripture that says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (2 Cor 2:14) Have you remembered today? Have you reckoned afresh? Your life is not your own, you have been bought with a price! (1 Cor 6:19-20) It is no longer you who lives, but Christ who lives in you! (Gal 2:20) As we walk with the triumphant gait of Jesus Christ, His joy bellowing aloud in our hearts, His peace radiating from our faces, His words of life and love flowing from our lips. . . the Gospel is preached! Sometimes it is with straight-forward sharing of God’s Truth, other times through the fragrance of Christ that we bear, without a word but with reverent lives! (2 Cor 2:14-16 , 1 Pet 3:1-4) Through and through, what joy - what honor - what glory - to house the Life of Jesus, carry His Name in this earth, and see His Kingdom come!

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“ S O MET I M ES I T I S T HR OUG H S T R AI G HTF O RWAR D S HAR I N G OF G O D ’S T RUTH , OT HER TIM ES T HR O U G H TH E F R AG R ANC E OF C HR I ST TH AT W E BEAR.”

HEATHER SAYS:

“...WE DETERM INE D TO S H OW PATI EN CE A ND GR ATEFULNE S S TO THO S E W E SPOK E TO INSTEA D O F BECO M ING IMPATI E NT O R FR USTRATE D.”

Just over a year ago, I was rear-ended while sitting at a stoplight. Our car was totaled, and I was pretty banged up. Just after it happened and I got out of the car, I clearly remember having two thoughts; One, “I hope my baby is ok (I was 5-1/2 months pregnant at the time),” and two, “I have to let the lady who hit me know she is forgiven.” Even in my very shaken state, I knew that the Lord wanted me to use this as an opportunity to display His unconditional love and forgiveness toward this woman. As she came up to me, I could tell she was very panicky, and was apologizing over and over as she tried to explain what had happened. I put my arms around her and told her I forgave her and it was ok. Throughout the course of working out the situation, I continued to reiterate this forgiveness, being very deliberate about putting my hand on her arm and looking into her eyes so she could see the genuineness of my words. This lady ended up being the first of many we had the opportunity to display Christ to. On the way to the hospital, the paramedic asked if my husband was a minister, because he had prayed for me before I left in the ambulance. He was amazed at Judah’s quiet boldness, and he also commented on how calm I was (at first he thought it was because I might have a concussion, which made me smile). We both tried to be very intentional about thanking the medical personnel who cared for me, and maintaining a joyful attitude through it all. In the days that followed, Judah and I talked about the platform we’d been given to be a witness as we

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anticipated the months ahead of sorting out insurance claims and medical bills. We determined to show patience and gratefulness to those we spoke to instead of becoming impatient or frustrated. By God’s grace, it was a time of significant growth, and has made me more aware of how I treat others on a daily basis in everyday circumstances. Sometimes that is thanking the cleaning ladies in airports or being especially kind to the flustered or grumpy store clerk. Paul says Philippians 1:27a, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” When we are deliberate about displaying the love, patience, and joy of Christ in situations when most would be unloving, impatient, and cross, you can be sure it won’t go unnoticed.

ELSJE SAYS: Imagine for a moment that everybody around you lost the ability to read. Within a second they are unable to read newspapers, recipes, emails, lyrics to Sunday worship and, most importantly, the Bible. What would those around you know about the character and nature of Jesus from just observing your life? If you were the only sermon they ever read again, what would they understand of the Gospel? Or, to put it another way, if your life was a sermon, what would people hear? The Bible says that we always need to be ready to give an answer to everyone that asks us a reason for the hope within us ( 1Pet 3:15). I think we should often ask ourselves, “Am I living in a way to make them ask?”

“I F YO U R LIF E WAS A SER M ON, W H AT WOULD P EO P L E H EA R ?”

“...MAY W E A LWAYS B E MIND F UL O F TH E O PPORT UNITY TO SHOW CA S E C HRIS T A ND SHA R E TH E G OSPEL , B OTH IN WORD A ND I N D E E D.”

When we choose patience over losing our temper, forgiveness over bitterness, peace over anxiety and faith over fear, our actions will open the door for us to share the Gospel with our words. Our words and actions go hand-in-hand and the one needs to reinforce the other to most effectively share the glorious Gospel of Christ. We often think of sharing the Gospel to the masses, and overlook those God has placed within our very near range. As a new mother, I have often been challenged by the thought of what my little girl will understand of the Gospel by my example to her. Am I teaching her, doing laundry, washing dishes, cooking meals, etc. all in a way that adorns the Gospel? As a student, is your college/school work of a nature that showcases the life of Christ? As a daughter, could your parents articulate what Christ’s life and death accomplished just through witnessing your life and hearing your words? It cannot be stressed enough, words and actions must be intermingled. A person that preaches Christ and fails to live Christ is a hypocrite, and a person that tries to live out Christ without boldly standing for Him at every opportunity is a coward. In our quiet moments alone, those we share with our friends and in the company of family, may we always be mindful of the opportunity to showcase Christ and share the Gospel, both in word and in deed.

+ © 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl®.

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Words + Actions

Always be mindful

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BE STILL

And know that He is God.

by HEATHER COFER

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BE STILL AND KNOW. We

live in a world of two extremes. On one side, people are constantly doing. They work and think and strive for their own personal gain. On the other side, there is an epidemic of people who are given to laziness. The Bible has scores of verses on laziness, and it is undeniably sin. Diligence and hard work are a very necessary part of a Believer’s life, but they are not for our own personal gain; they are for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The Bible also talks about something that goes hand-in-hand with diligence and is very different from laziness; it is called stillness. And, it is absolutely critical in our pursuit of knowing and loving Jesus.

Psalm 46:10a is a verse you have probably heard before: “Be still and know that I am God…” This is in reference to what Moses told the people of Israel in Exodus 14. They had just left Egypt and were encamped by the Red Sea. The Pharaoh was pursuing them with his army to bring them back to Egypt; the Israelites were panicking, and this is what Moses said to them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent (vv 13-14).” Wow, what a statement! Here they were, trapped between a body of water

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and an army of soldiers ready to take them back into captivity. What would the natural instinct be? For some, it would be to do whatever they could to fight back, and for others it would be to simply give up hope. But what was the command? To be still, and watch what the Lord was going to do. And true to His word, the Lord displayed His power by parting the sea, and after the Israelites passed through on dry land, the sea closed in over the Egyptians, never to be seen again. As Christians, we are called to live lives that display the power and glory and majesty of God. We have been freed from

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the power of sin, and are enabled by the Holy Spirit to live supernaturally - in a way that unbelievers cannot.

The Bible also talks about something that goes hand-in-hand with diligence and it is very different from laziness; it is called stillness.

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BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. Take this scenario: It’s a fairly normal day nothing out of the ordinary is going on. And then, you receive news that completely changes the course of your day. Maybe it’s that there are insufficient funds in your account, or that the venue for the event you’ve been planning can no longer take you… two days before the event! Maybe it’s something worse than that; you’ve lost your job, or a family member is seriously ill. What is the response? As a Christian, it should always be one founded upon unwavering calm and unshakeable trust in the Lord. But sadly, all too often we respond in a manner that does not display the life of Christ within us. Our natural reaction

of anxiety or hopelessness overtakes us, and we look back on it, wishing we had responded very differently.

So, how is it that we cultivate this kind of resolutely peaceful and trusting countenance? So, how is it that we cultivate this kind of resolutely peaceful and trusting countenance? The answer is being with God in stillness; removing distractions and

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fully focusing on Him, allowing Him to reveal more of Himself to you through His Word and through prayer. Some religions practice a skewed form of this, in which they “meditate” to clear the mind of all things. As a Believer, the reason we are to be still and remove distraction is not to totally empty our minds, but to fill our minds with Him in order to know Him more. This is easier said than done. There are countless distractions we encounter daily from the moment we open our eyes: emails to write, phone calls to make, dishes to wash, laundry to fold, meals to make… then there are other ones like Facebook,

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Pinterest, and other social media sites, as well as television shows and movies. If we choose to turn to any of these first instead of to God, we have made them our idols. And when our focus is on them instead of God, we become anxious and discontent and lazy. We have to deliberately choose to put God first, spending time with Him in order to know His heart and to love Him more. It is always good to begin the day with this kind of focus, because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. When we have that undistracted time with God first, as other situations arise throughout that day that

BE STILL.

could potentially cause panic or frustration, we are more prepared to turn to Him for the strength and wisdom we need to walk through it in a way that glorifies Him. I recently experienced this first hand. I had woken early and spent a very precious, undistracted time with the Lord. Later that morning, I received an email that immediately caused me to feel somewhat panicky. My mind began hastily thinking up a response. But shortly into this line of thinking a realization washed over me: I needed to still my anxious heart and mind and lay this before the Lord. I took my hands away from the keyboard,

and prayed that the Lord would give me wisdom and peace, and that this email would be composed in a manner that was pleasing to Him. When I went back to writing, there was no longer turmoil, but clarity and calm. I sent the response knowing that it was honoring the Lord. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting, but I have heard and read more and more of non-Christians realizing the benefits of taking time in the day to remove distraction and simply be still. They recognize that this helps them become more productive, successful, sharp, and ready for the stresses of the day.

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It goes far beyond this for a Christian. Yes, He promises in Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” But It is not ultimately for our well-being or success that we come before God in stillness and quietness of heart and mind: it is so that His beauty and glory and majesty will grow brighter and brighter before us, and that we will be ready to boldly proclaim His love to this world that so desperately needs Him. So, dear sisters, join me and “Be still and know that [He is] God.”

He is God.

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GETTING TO THE HEART OF SET APART

THE LATEST: COMING AWAY WITH OUR BELOVED BY LESLIE LUDY

When I married Eric, I took on his name. I became Mrs. Eric Ludy. I took on Eric’s name to solidify my marriage covenant with him. It wasn’t just accepting the title “Mrs. Eric Ludy” - it was a total change of focus and lifestyle. Bearing Eric’s name meant building my life around my new name. To truly bear the name of my husband not just in title, but in my daily reality - I had to leave my own life behind and join my groom in a new life. I had to become one with him...

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Creativity’s

CREATIVE DECEPTION GOD’S GLORY vs. SELF’S GLORY IN THE ARTS

by ELSJE ZORNES

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GROWING UP

with a mom who has more creativity in the tip of her little finger than most people have in their whole body, meant an early and constant exposure to all things “artsy.” Oil pastels, watercolor, decoupage, silk painting, chalk drawings, pencil sketches, furniture refinishing, batik...you name it, she’s done it. I very distinctly remember being the only one of my friends with a painted and decoupaged freezer in their house. Yes, you read right. Painted and decoupaged. And matching kitchen cupboards to boot. That being said, I can appreciate the craftsmanship and patience that goes into any art form, and I greatly admire the artistry required to produce one-of-a-kind masterpieces. If you look around in a Hobby-Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabric, or any similar store, it becomes readily apparent that women have a magnetic pull to all things that allow us an opportunity to be creative. One look at a sunset resting on the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, or a glance at the crashing waves of the ocean, and there’s no denying that God is indeed the Master and Author of creativity, and every one of our attempts to “create” pale in comparison with His creative genius on display in all creation. All our talents to make beautiful music, our skills to write poetic pieces, and our abilities to design and decorate a home--they all flow from Him, and were given to us by Him, to glorify Him.

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lifestyle Creativity is a gift--it’s good. Yet, as with most things given and good in this world, the enemy loves to put a polluted and poisoned twist on it, and he loves it even more when he can get it right into the majority of our modern churches. More and more I have seen a disturbing number of “ministries” surface focused primarily on assisting willing and eager participants “find themselves” and “express their own individuality” through all different forms of art. They have made Christianity about self-expression, instead of a surrendered life that expresses Christ. They seem to forget that arts, music, drama, etc, all exist as a means to glorify Jesus, and not as an avenue to self-exaltation. This dangerous deception is so very subtle, yet so harmful when taken hold of. Too many ministries focused on the “arts” have sprung up, and it would appear as if they worship creativity, not God. The pursuit of our individuality and expressing ourselves can never dethrone the pursuit of Christ and the expression of His nature within our lives. Our uniqueness becomes an assassin bent on dethroning Christ and taking His glory as the entire focus of our lives. We use Christianity as a means to express our unique talents, instead of using our unique talents as a means to express Christ. Your creativity is not the end, Christ is.

THEY HAVE MADE CHRISTIANITY ABOUT SELF-EXPRESSION, INSTEAD

OF A SURRENDERED LIFE THAT EXPRESSES CHRIST. © 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl®.

I recently watched a promotional video of one of these arts ministries, and was left wondering where Christ fits into all that they do and teach. This leader argued that during worship we uncover our own identity, and that we begin to love and value ourselves. That seems to be making us the whole point of worship, and directing it toward us and not to God, the only One worthy of our worship and adoration. Such a mindset places the creation and the ability to create above the Creator. Scripture is very clear on this--Isaiah 2:8 says: “Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.”

HE HAS SET US FREE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON. God did not purchase us with the blood of His own Son, to be “free to be who we want to be.” He has set us free to be conformed to the image of His Son. God desires us to be more like Jesus, not more like ourselves. The Bible says that He must increase, and we must decrease (Jn. 3:33). Our talents, creativity, skills, and abilities must all be surrendered unto God, to be tools used to glorify Him, and not draw attention to ourselves. The human heart is such that we don’t need any help learning how to worship. We are always worshipping. © 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart Girl®.

SET APART The question that we as believers must ask ourselves is this, “What am I worshipping?” Tozer is one of the clearest voices in Christian history on this matter, and he drives home the point that “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” The swift current of the modern movement to encourage the church to be more expressive, creative, and learn to live in community are all, perhaps, swell ideas. However, simply because the current is swift does not mean we should enjoy the ride. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, creativity is indeed a glorious angel, but if it refuses to submit to God’s purpose for it, it becomes the most fierce of devils. The greater the tool, the worse the weapon if used improperly. True worship of the Living God is not a momentary surge of creative expression, nor is it the warm fuzzies of being with a bunch of friends swaying to some mushy worship song, nor is it an opportunity to do whatsoever you please; it is walking with a continual persuasion of the worth and preciousness of Christ the Lord. Also, modern creativity is largely an exercise in vanity and inanity. I recently heard of a modern art exhibit where a rotund woman danced to tribal music on sticks of butter. We have no rule for beauty, because we live in a generation where anything goes and our feet are therefore firmly planted in mid-air! Study the art of ages past, and what you learn is that true beauty flows out of the orderliness and wisdom of our Creator. For instance, I did a little study on Fibbonaci, a mathematician in the 1200s. His mathematical formula gives a

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lifestyle series of numbers that when used as the dimensions in artwork are most appealing to the human eye. Here is where we go a little nerdy. What I found most incredible, is that as mathematicians, artists, and scientists began applying this sequence of numbers, they found that the number of petals on a flower are always one of the numbers in the sequence. This is a little hard to explain, but they also discovered that the dimensions of the spirals found in seashells, pinecones, sunflower seeds, and even galaxies were in some way derived from this sequence of numbers. Our modern artistic and creative world wants to turn inward and just merely let the brushstrokes fall where they land. However, creation points to the fact that God has perfectly ordered this universe to be a place of beauty, light, and glory. Rather than pitching out the order and authority of God and His word, true creativity embraces the orderliness of our God. And ultimately, true creativity bows before the Creator of all things, and finds in Him the source of all beauty and loveliness. I think of the old hymn, and remember that we would do well to echo these words : Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee. Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King. Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

+ ÂŠ 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This magazine contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from Leslie Ludy and Set Apart GirlÂŽ.

SISTER OF THE COMMON LIFE:LIFE SISTER OF THE COMMON SYLVIA Meet Sylvia SOUTH AFRICA INTERVIEWED BY

ELSJE ZORNES

AN INTRO BY ELSJE: It was when Sylvia walked into our house, 10 years ago, that I had my first encounter with what I now would call: Gospel-powered femininity. She came to work as a maid in my parent’s home, but challenged and changed us all on a far deeper level. Although Sylvia and her husband, especially by Western standards, have very little, as 2 Corinthians 6:10 says she “possesses all things;” for Christ is her highest treasure and supreme delight. This woman truly is clothed with dignity and strength, even amidst trials and difficulties she walks with a joy that cannot be shaken. I have had the privilege to watch Sylvia over the years as she faithfully and selflessly serves her family: her husband, Frans and their seven biological children. Even though that might sound like a very full house already, Sylvia and Frans live with a pre-decided “yes” to the needy and destitute God might ask them to care for. Indeed, they often “adopt” young men and women–who are spiritually and physically in need–into their home, to live with them for a season. Sylvia exemplifies what it looks like to have a tender heart for the weak and vulnerable, and she will often go without, so that others (even those who aren’t a part of her family) might have. I praise God for Sylvia and have no doubt that this woman will inspire us all to greater giveness to the cause of Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom upon this earth. Sylvia is one of what C.T. Studd would call “God’s Etceteras;” those who serve unnoticed, and often unappreciated, and yet are some of the clearest displays of Christ-like selflessness and devotion this world will see. So, though the Hollywood gossip magazines, and news networks will likely never run a primetime story on Sylvia, we here at Set Apart Girl would simply like to honor this precious saint and say on behalf of the body of Christ at large, “Well done!”

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SYLVIA, HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW CHRIST, ESPECIALLY IN A CULTURE WHERE ANCESTRAL WORSHIP IS SO PREVALENT?

Many people in my culture do not believe that Christ is enough--He is the full package. I came to understand that Christ is life, and that we can’t mix our faith with all kinds of strange beliefs--like cultural and ancestral worship. I hold on to this promise in Matt 28:20: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world.” Amen. It gives me courage to be bold and speak out against the things that the people in my culture are turning to instead of trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

CAN YOU GIVE US A LITLE GLIMPSE INTO YOUR DAILY LIFE? I’m a domestic worker, and I see that as one of the many gifts that God has blessed me with because I get to give Him glory and praise through it! I’m also able to lift up my voice in a song of praise anytime during the day in the home of Elsje’s parents, the Bothas. My morning starts out with my quiet time of prayer with the Lord-I’m not a very fond lover of sleep and do like to rise early. After that,

I get my little ones ready to take the public transport to school and get myself ready for work. There is a lady on my way to work who is H.I.V. positive, and she has a 12 year old son. I typically stop by her house in the morning, to just encourage her, share Scriptures with her that bring hope, and take a meal if she needs it. My afternoons differ from day to day. Some days I visit those who are sick or have lost loved ones, or encouraging those who have questions or are struggling in their walk with the Lord. I love to do some gardening when I get the chance! Women’s Bible Study, helping the little ones with their homework and cooking also fill up my time! On weekends, I really enjoy spending time on our farm, and having early morning prayer outside in the beauty of God’s creation!

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE GREATEST JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF RAISING 8 BIOLOGICAL AND FOSTER CHILDREN? I see children as a blessings and an evidence of God’s love for me! One of the greatest joys is seeing my children teaching and encouraging one another from the Word. It has been somewhat of a challenge to teach the older kids the same manner my biological children were raised with. But in it all, God does give the grace I need to be a mother!

YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS, YET I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU GLOOMY OR DEPRESSED...

WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME TO SHARE WITH OTHERS IS ENOUGH, AND HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL ADD TO IT.

...WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SECRET TO YOUR CONTENTMENT? [Eze 34:15 KJV] “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.” God promises to take care of us and feed us, and I trust Him to do that, and have seen Him provide! I choose not to be anxious or worry about anything, and to accept the situation I am in. This comes through prayer. Prayer is the weapon that God has given us, and Jesus taught us. Without prayer there is no victory!

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED AND CHALLENGED BY YOUR WILLINGNESS TO GIVE OUT OF THE LITTLE YOU HAVE. HOW HAVE YOU COME TO THE PLACE OF ABSOLUTE TRUST IN THE LORD’S PROVISION, TO THE POINT OF GOING WITHOUT SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE? The Bible says that no one can give unto God as if He needed anything. I understand that God does not need what I have; and He can use me even when I have very little. It’s not about how much we have, but that we have Christ inside of us. I’ve also realized that what God has given me to share with others, is enough--and He is the One who will add to it. I have seen God provide even when we’ve given away our last meal; the secret is to never complain or grumble, but to be cheerful givers as the Bible commands.

YOU HAVE TO LEAVE VERY EARLY IN THE MORNINGS TO GET TO WORK ON TIME. HOW DO YOU PROTECT AND GUARD YOUR TIME WITH THE LORD? Personally, I’ve found that scheduling my prayer time is the best way to protect it. I rise early for morning, but also make sure I take moments during the day to stop and lift up a prayer and some praise! Before the day ends, I quiet myself again for prayer. It is important to discipline yourself to rise early and stay up late for prayer, and not just try and squeeze it in where you can.

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“ MANY PEOPLE IN MY CULTURE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS ENOUGHHE IS THE WHOLE PACKAGE.

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KEEPING YOUR MARRIAGE

STRONG

after kids.

by LESLIE LUDY

ERIC AND I HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR TEN YEARS BEFORE WE HAD CHILDREN. Then God in His providence (and divine sense of humor) blessed us with four kids in four years (via two adoptions and two biological children). Since we’d been in public ministry for most of our married life, we thought we were seasoned at handling challenges. But the pressures of speaking in front of large crowds, meeting book deadlines, and leading an international ministry paled in comparison to the pressures of parenting four children.

Three of our kids were in diapers at the same time, and the youngest two had only seven months between them due to an adoption and surprise pregnancy that happened simultaneously. (I still have flashbacks of diaper blowouts, baby-spitup on the carpet, ear-splitting tantrums, and chaos and constant commotion … not unlike that scene from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, when all the Who’s down in Whoville are making all their “noise, noise, noise, noise”.)

SET APART Now that my kids are a bit older (9, 7, 5, and 4 currently) things are a little less chaotic in our home, and we have gotten past the diaper blowouts, for which I am thankful! But the noise level is about the same, as are the constant demands of raising four young children so close in age. Amid the intensity of raising young children, I’ve found it is all too easy for our marriage to slip to the back burner, while we give all our time and energy to our little ones. But kids quickly start feeling insecure when they sense a lack of unity and affection between their mom and dad. For a family to thrive, a husband and wife’s relationship must be healthy and strong. When we make our marriage a priority, our child-training and family life gets stronger. This is much easier said than done in most homes, ours included! But I have found that applying a few simple principles to our weekly routine can make a world of difference in the health of our marriage. I’d like to share them with you.

1. ) TURN THE MASTER

BEDROOM INTO A MARRIAGE SANCTUARY

One of the best ways to make your marriage a priority during the child-raising years is to turn your bedroom into a sacred retreat,

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where you and your husband can go to be alone, talk, pray, and cultivate your relationship together. It’s all too easy to allow kid-clutter to spill over into the master bedroom, but I have found that making the bedroom a private “parents only” retreat has strengthened our marriage, even during seasons of child-raising intensity. Whenever the kids have felt the freedom to adorn our master bedroom with their toys, books, artwork, and other treasures, or to hang out there anytime they want, Eric and I lose focus, priority, and privacy in our relationship. So it has become my goal to keep the bedroom set-apart for our marriage, and to quarantine the kids’ belongings and activities to other areas of the house. Even if you are a single mom, you will benefit from making your bedroom a private retreat where you can take time to be alone and refresh and re-focus. Our bedroom is the one quiet place in our house where I can journal, pray, or read without constant interruption. Without that quiet retreat, it would be far more challenging to handle the noise and intensity of life with four little kids. This doesn’t mean we never allow the kids into our room. Sometimes we let them pile up on our king-sized bed to read them stories or to watch an edifying movie

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together as a family. We nearly always let them sleep on the couch in our room when they are sick or if they wake up in the night with a bad dream. But for the most part, we keep our bedroom purposed for a marriage retreat, instead of letting it be the kids’ adventure land or dumping ground. Our bedroom has taken on many different looks over the years, but here are some of the basic guidelines I follow when it comes to setting up the master bedroom as a marriage sanctuary:

CONSIDER HIS TASTES. When you are single, your bedroom can be as girly as you prefer, but once you are married it’s important to make the bedroom a place that captures both feminine and masculine preferences. Choose colors and décor that both you and your spouse like, something neutral instead of frilly and feminine. Sure, you can have a few flowers and feminine touches around the master bedroom, but be careful not to make it look like a rose garden or trendy “diva’s hangout.” Even if your husband doesn’t have an opinion about colors and decorating, you can still try to incorporate his likes, tastes, and unique personality as you are choosing the décor for the bedroom. Make the bedroom feel like his retreat just as much as it is yours.

KEEP IT CLEAN. Make your bed everyday, as soon as you wake up. Let this become just as much a habit as brushing your teeth. An un-made bed makes the whole room feel sloppy and unromantic. Keep attractive baskets in strategic locations so that you can easily stash random items that might have migrated in from other areas of the house. Don’t let clutter remain on the dressers or nightstands. If you don’t have time to put everything in its proper place each day, keep a “catch all” basket that you clean out once a week so that mail, magazines, and mismatched socks don’t pile up.

REMOVE DISTRACTIONS. Don’t allow television, computers, video games, work projects, or other distractions into your bedroom. We don’t have a television in our house at all (except for the monitor we use to watch edifying movies with our kids every once in a while) and the atmosphere in our home is much healthier and more peaceful as a result. Instead of using media or the Internet to help you and your spouse “unwind” after a long day, turn to spiritually edifying and relationship-building activities such as praying, talking, or reading a great book together.

SANCTUARY

you spend time in your private retreat. Otherwise, the bedroom will become just another room in the house.

2. ) MAKE DATE NIGHTS

A PRIORITY

DATE NIGHT Eric and I keep a supply of spiritually-enriching books and Christian biographies in our room, which makes it that much easier to read together in the evenings. Reading these kinds of books, as well as praying and talking together about what God is doing in our lives, keeps our marriage relationship strong, thriving, and built upon the right foundation. Do your best to keep distractions out of the bedroom so that you and your husband can focus on God and each other whenever

While I was pregnant with our first child, Hudson, Eric and I attended a multi-week child-birth education class (not the most pleasant experience, but that is another story!) There were about six other couples in the class. About seven months after everyone’s babies were born, we all got back together for a “child birth class reunion” to meet the little ones and see how everyone was doing. All of us were first-time parents, and we were all adjusting to the newness of parenthood. Most of the other couples said that the most difficult part of becoming parents was never having any alone time with their spouse anymore. Many of them said that they had not so much as had a meal together without their baby for the past six months. When Eric and I mentioned that we had started doing weekly “date nights” right after our son was born, the other couples seemed shocked. “How can you possibly leave your baby with a someone else for two whole hours to go out to dinner with your husband?” one of the women asked me reproachfully.

SET APART The belief system among these new parents was simple - baby comes first, and marriage falls into a distant second-place. But as Eric and I studied Scripture on this point, we saw clearly that a strong family could only flow out of a strong marriage. Even though we were called to invest much of our time, energy, and resources into our child, we were not to disregard our marriage under the banner of “good parenting.” We knew that following that pattern would only breed disaster and breakdown in our home. Though it was difficult to leave our newborn son with a family member or babysitter while we went out to spend time together each week, we found that making time for each other was essential to remaining strong and unified in our parenting decisions. Ever since then, we have done our best to preserve a regular date night. There have been seasons when it hasn’t been possible to go out alone together every week, but whenever possible, we’ve made it a regular routine. Taking time together each week to debrief, process, dream, hope, and plan has kept our marriage strong and thriving - and our children benefit from that strength. Even if it is not possible for you and your spouse to get away together every week, try to find a regular time in your schedule

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(weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc) where you can steal away for some valuable time alone. Your marriage, your children, and your home life will be all the stronger when you make time together a high priority.

3. ) CULTIVATE HONOR IN

YOUR HOME

In our book The First 90 Days of Marriage, Eric and I discussed a common lie many young married couples have fallen prey to – that marriage is the time when you can finally “let it all hang out.” There are plenty of jokes about men who burp, tell obnoxious jokes, and pack on the pounds, and women who let their appearance go once the wedding vows are spoken. Sadly, in many marriages this is all too true. Many people assume that once you have “locked in” your spouse’s commitment to you, you no longer need to work to win his or her heart, that you can now be sloppy and careless, throwing all dignity and honor to the wind. This approach disregards the value of guiding a home, caring for a family, and cultivating a marriage. If a woman dresses nicely when she’s going out into public but dresses like a slob at home, she sends the message to her husband and children that they are not as important to her as

a stranger at the mall. If a man is polite when he’s around his friends and business associates, but is consistently rude and crude in his home, he sends a message of disrespect toward his wife and children. Dishonorable behavior in the home can erode the beauty and romance of a marriage relationship faster than almost anything else. Eric and I have made it a high priority to set an example for our children by building honor into our marriage and home life. How do we do that? We try to speak only words that edify each other. We don’t put each other down or joke about each other’s faults. We seek to be quick to ask forgiveness for wrongs. We treat each other with respect by listening when the other person is talking, showing interest in what each other is saying, and looking for ways to encourage each other. We don’t “let it all hang out” and allow crudeness into our behavior patterns, even when it’s just the two of us alone together. We protect each other’s privacy. We take time to look nice for each other. These are all simple habits that that can have a profound and lasting impact upon a marriage relationship and home.

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STRONG Ephesians 5:33 says, “...let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” And Hebrews 13:4 says, “marriage is to be held in honor among all.”

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MARRIAGE, STRONG FAMILY. Guarding the sacredness of marriage is a high calling, and it takes focus, dedication, and dependence upon the enabling grace of God - especially when you are raising small children. But when we follow Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pattern for marriage and honor His priorities, we can rest confidently

in the fact that our homes, families, and parenting will thrive as a result. Truly, His ways are perfect!

O D KID T SPO

CUTE THINGS THE LUDY KIDDOS ARE SAYING AND DOING

Avonlea

(aka Avy, age 4) somehow picked up the phrase, “Mrs. Smarty-Pants.” She and Harper have been calling each other Mrs. “Smarty-Pants” when they are goofing around and being silly. The other day, after Avy and Harper had been jokingly calling each other by this name, Avy looked at me very seriously and asked, “Mama, who is the real Mrs. Smarty-Pants and where does she live?” Avy decided she wanted to meet this intriguing and “very smart” person who was out there somewhere, and she wondered if I happened to know “Mrs. Smarty-Pants” personally!

Our little model: Avonlea Ludy Photos by: Mandy Saeler

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Kipling (aka Dubber, age 5) was Hudson

drifting off to sleep the other night, when suddenly he thought of two very important questions he wanted to ask me. “Mama,” he said sleepily, “I need to know two things. First of all, do rockets still exist?” Before I had a chance to answer that question, he fired off the next one, “When spiders spin webs, where does the sticky stuff come from?” It’s hilarious to see how his mind works and what he’s thinking about as he’s falling asleep - rockets and spiders! Is he a little boy, or what?!

Harper (age 7) has started a journal

in which she writes down observations, thoughts, and notes. Most of the pages have something to do with Gracie, her beloved canine friend! She has many elaborate drawings of herself and Gracie together, usually with big hearts above them and the words “Harper loves Gracie.” I have never seen a kid so much in love with a doggy!

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(age 9): His annual Valentine’s party came around again recently! It all started several years ago, when he saw “Valentine’s plush snakes” in an Oriental Trading catalog. He knew he just had to have a party so he could give those snakes out as party favors! He even saved his own allowance money to be able to do it! And then the next year, it was Valentine’s pigs, and the year after that, Valentine’s lions. This year, he chose... drumroll please...Valentine’s elephants! He’s already planned out the animal for Valentine’s Day 2015, but I can’t tell you what it is - it’s top secret!

listen + read TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS

LeslieRecommends:

The God of All Comfort by Hannah Whitall Smith

This is a powerful Christian book that is spiritually rich and beautifully written - it always reminds me to trust in God’s promises as unchanging fact, rather than allowing my experience or emotion to define my view of who He is!

ElsjeRecommends:

The Gospel Engine by Ben Zornes This sermon has challenged me, time and again, to find strength and rest in Christ alone! It has been especially encouraging to me during the busiest seasons of my life; when the desire for reprieve is at its greatest. Ben reminds us that the way to find rejuvenation is to look to Jesus, and rest in Him. When we allow Him to live this life through us, we will come to see that we have all the strength, energy, resources, time, rest and peace that we need to triumph! This sermon will give you a deeper understanding into living a “Gospel-Powered” life.

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE: Set Apart Women in History, Catherine Booth Single Women in Ministry, Part 2 The Truth About Flirting : A Set Apart Girl Team Article The Beauty of Christ-Centered Mothering:

Leslie shares insights from her new book!

“YOU MUST GROW DOWNWARDS, THAT YOU MAY GROW UPWARDS...WHETHER IT BE PRAYER OR PRAISE, WHETHER IT BE WORK OR SUFFERING, THE GENUINE SALT OF HUMILITY CANNOT BE USED IN EXCESS.” - Charles Spurgeon