NOT GIVING UP!

Not Giving Up

I took a brave step the other day and entered a contest.

Sounds easy but it was hard.

Hard because...
I was a week behind the over 300 plus women who were jumping at this opportunity to travel to Rwanda in July.

I was - ahem - a little older than most of the girls.

I had other numerous excuses and fears of
"why me?" instead of "why not me?".


On this amazing trip will be a team of incredible advocates, story tellers, bloggers, artist's and others that represent Noonday Collections and International Justice Mission.  I want to join them on this
all expense paid trip that would combine my passion for Fashion and Freedom to create opportunity for the poor, hopeless and hurting. This is not a contest about raising money...but raising votes
 to bring awareness.

Currently I am on page 3 in rankings, and have large gap to get to

 page 1 and in the top 7.

Today they started posting how many votes we actually have.

I am in the 400's...the top 7 are in the 3000's!!  There are 2 days left of
this contest...Today And Tomorrow!

 I'm still not giving up!

It is not about the prize to me, but coming together bringing awareness and advocating for the causes of poverty and sex trafficking.

Whether I am on this trip or not - one of the main reasons
I signed up for this - is for
Freedom
and to reach as many people as possible with this
#StyleForJustice Campaign!

Freeing, Rescuing, Transforming and Supporting the lives affected by sex trafficking has become a cause I support through the sales of some of my own accessories (click here) and Noonday Collections.

I have met people who have been rescued from prostitution and sex trafficking and personally know what it means to be Free from a stronghold. 

 With Gratitude for all the Lord has healed me of and set me Free from - 

 I speak, testify write, volunteer and advocate for others to be free!

I Will Not Giving Up!

Did you realize the major link to this injustice is pornography?
Pornography trains the minds and creates a demand for filth and profit.

Did you know that when girls enter prostitution whether through
kidnapping or being lured that they are often trained through the
watching of pornographic videos to become a slave to sex.
Their strength and inhibitions are broken down and weakened.

WE CANNOT GIVE UP!


I appreciate your votes, support, cheers and kind words that have been offered during this contest.  The discussions have been a gift to share and bring greater awareness to the serious topic of modern day slavery.

Together we can advocate in offering hope and healing
Lets Do This...Together!

 http://www.noondaycollection.com/styleforjustice#view/23056/2115593

Grateful Thanks,
Pinky Vern

Jewel Of Inspiration

BOO To The Lies!

For all the days, weeks, months and years that we have believed and entertained the lies that have led us to compare ourselves to others and think negatively about ourselves and others...I Say BOO!!

For all who struggle over and over again with these exhausting & time wasting and destructive thoughts...I Say BOO!!

BOO to the lies that linger in our heads and hearts!!

BOO to the lies that others have spoken to us or about us!

BOO to the lies that blare at us that we are not pretty enough, skinny enough, tall enough, fit enough, funny enough, smart enough, rich enough!

BOO to the lies that persuade us to thinking that we are a failure as a daughter, mom,  sister, aunt, friend, employee or believer!

BOO to the thoughts that tempt us to sin and cause us fear and shame!

BOO to the thoughts that cause us to doubt that things will ever be different or get better.

All these lies were not ours to receive!

It is time to take them to the trash can and get rid of them!

Many of us have words that were directly spoken to us or about us so very long ago and they are still affecting us to this day.  Memories and lies from words that wounded us, actions others did to us or from choices that we have made ourselves.  They haunt us.  It is time to scare them and bag them up and remove them from our lives!

One wave of a lie can ripple out to many lies and then washes over to hurt many others.

One person can a believe a lie and share it - not knowing the pain & destruction it could bring.

One ugly thought & lie can creatively try to delay or destroy the future steps of a beautiful life.

I know what it feels like to be bullied by the lies.

I understand the battle that goes on within your thoughts.

I have been there and have gratefully experienced freedom from a lot of those lingering lies and pray that for you as well.  It can sometimes be process so do not give up, do not let doubt creep in or fear rise up!

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!
2 Timothy 1:7

It is my prayer that our eyes would be open to recognize the lies that glare at us - when we look in the mirror - telling us that image is everything and you have scars and flaws.

May we realize there is only one mirror that matters and it is the Word of God.
Take a glance at it, Renew Your Mind with it and see a different reflection.  

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  James 1:19-24

Know The Truth - that His Image and Word Are Everything and that is what
we should remember and reflect.
We are image bearers of God.  

"Let us make man in our image"  Genesis 1:26 NASB

Oh and those lies that have slid off our own lips.  Whether or not we meant to say them out of anger, pride, flattery, or for acceptance  - they were all spoken as damaging lies and not encouraging truth.
I pray for forgiveness, healing, wisdom, strength and control to be about us and
truth to become our delight.

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  

Colossians 3:9-10

And finally - may we stop cooperating with the lies and thinking on them so much and instead
think on these things...

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:8-9 NIV

"Our struggle with comparison will always leave us feeling like we're lacking something.
We try to do more and be more, but it's never enough."
"You are worth the work it takes to get to the place of strength and confidence."
~ Renee Swope,  A Confident Heart, Author & Proverbs31 Speaker & Radio Hostess

You Are Loved ~ Be Inspired,

Pinky Vern

PS ~  If you comment here or on my facebook page  - Inspired Looks Ministries & Accessories - or on both places - you will be registered for a drawing to win - A Confident Heart devotional book by my friend, Renee Swope .  Along with the Word of God - this is a great resource to help overcome
the lies and doubt that try to captivate us.  

Jewel Of Inspiration: Choose Not To Fear

Since I was young I struggled with many fears.

The fear of rejection, darkness, failure, disappointing others, pain, speaking, heights, being lost, storms, driving, accidents, dying, etc...

All of these and more distracted me and delayed me and brought along with it other buddies that added to the fearful captivity.

Through faith in God - the Father, Son & Holy Spirit have turned my fears into cheers! Thank You, Lord!!  Through the Word of God (The Bible) He provides strength and wisdom to alert me of crippling fears and false words that only want to
destroy me and destroy the purpose and plan of God in my life.

On the most difficult of days in seasons of sickness and wellness I have to remember what He has provided in the past and pray
and invite Him to be in the midst of today's difficulties. 

Often I seek Him for strength to make the choice to not allow fear to take me away to a place that I need not linger - but instead grab hold of wisdom & courage to trust my Lord to help me face and overcome my fears!

When you have experienced the reduction and removal of fear time and time again - you cannot help but remember how freeing it is and you ache for it once again.

I desire for others to experience this type of freedom!

Today, I pray, if any of this resonates with you,
that you will experience freedom from the area of fears
that are trying to entertain you.

Prayers for you to overcome fears that have held you way to
 long and for other fears that may try to rise up in the days ahead.

Read and remember these scriptures and cover them over your life 

and situation or over a loved one.

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

Psalm 23:4

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Isaiah 41:10

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

Psalm 56:3-4

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

"When we believe that God is Father, we also believe that such a Fathers hand will never cause His child a needless (fear) tear. We may not understand life any better, but we will not resent life any longer."

~ William Barclay

"Do one thing every day that scares you.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I would add to that quote to include Jesus in it and 

He will help you face it and overcome it!

He has helped me overcome - over and over again!

Through Him I have overcome fear of driving. 

Through Him I have overcome fear of my failures.

Through Him I have overcome fear of speaking.

Through Him I have overcome fear of darkness.
Through Him I have overcome
the fears that accompany a cancer diagnosis.
I love to testify of these things
and to give hope to someone who is in their own prison of fear.

The Word of God is alive and active
and is what I cover my mind and life with.
The renewing of my fearful mind with the
promises of the Word of God will break and destroy the root
of the fear and the lingering affects of it.

Because of all the Mighty and Great
healing's He has done in my life - I proclaim & praise Him
for Transforming and Inspiring My Looks - thus my ministry name!

He truly has Changed My Countenance, Heart, Hope and Health!!

Though darkness fills the night it cannot hide the Light.

Whom and what shall we fear?

Let the powerful truths of this Chris Tomlin song sing over you and the truth of the powerful lyrics give you hope and strength today!

The video is from The 2013 Passion Conference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBn6mPjvG0

Increase the knowledge of freedom through faith and reduce the presence of fear!

Be Inspired & Be Free In Jesus Name!

Pinky Vern