Most Popular Posts on Lady Grace

Hello, friends! I'm sorry my posting has been a little sporadic again. I have some new life updates, and hope to do a blog post about that very soon! *smiles*

For now, I wanted to share about a few posts from my Lady Grace blog that are generating the most interest.

If you read follow Lady Grace (or even if you don't), feel free to comment below and let me know what topics you'd like me to write about!

What Am I Feeding My Mind?

Continuing the Modesty Conversation

Church a Light?

Submissive Women?

I'm an INFJ - Embracing Your God-Given Personality

My God is Good

I Was Created For ...

What is Beauty?

Idols and Sin

Finding Joy in the Lover of my Soul

Book Review: Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird

Purchase HERE

Title: Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity

Author: Kristen Clark & Bethany Baird

Series: Standalone

Genre: Christian Living

Audience: Teen - Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a Culture of Distortions, Discover God-Defined Womanhood and Beauty

In a culture where airbrushed models and career-driven women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. Our impossible standards place an incredible burden of stress on the backs of women and girls of all ages, resulting in anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. One question we often forget to ask is this: What is God's design for womanhood?

In Girl Defined, sisters and popular bloggers Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird offer women a countercultural view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for their lives, this book helps women rethink what true success and beauty look like. It invites them on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity that ends with the discovery of the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment they've been yearning for.

Girl Defined helps readers 

- discover God's design for femininity and his definition of a successful woman 

- uncover the secrets of lasting worth, purpose, and fulfillment

- be equipped and empowered to live out a radically better vision for womanhood 

- gain personal insight through the chapter-by-chapter study guide

~ MY REVIEW ~

**5 stars**

Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird is a book I think every woman (teen+) can benefit from reading! For one, it's very easy and enjoyable to read - I continually wanted to return to its pages. And it truly speaks to the heart! Girl Defined explores issues we as women are facing everyday, and gives Biblical advice, eye-opening truths, and encouraging/challenging stories.

It speaks to younger girls (around teen years) as well as married women, or even middle-age/older woman. There are stories about teens, young moms, 30-year-old singles, and older widows. I can't wait to share this book with my younger sisters (14 and 16)! I loved it! Girl Defined speaks to WOMEN and calls for us to find our identity in Christ and embrace God's plan for womanhood.

As with every Christian Living/Self-Help book I read, I didn't agree with absolutely everything said in Girl Defined ... word for word. Some things I thought, "Well, I wouldn't exactly say it that way."

But this book really hits the nail on the head when talking about Biblical womanhood. Sisters Kristen and Bethany have the Word of God, life experience, statistics, and well-known Christian speakers/writers (such as Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth, Dannah Gresh, and Mary A. Kassian) to back up what they're teaching.

So many things clicked for me when reading this book. It just makes sense, what they're saying. Even if it is TOTALLY against the cultural norm, totally against what the world tells us to do/be ... when you read about femininity, beauty, and identity the way Kristen and Bethany see it, it makes sense when you think about how God designed us. Men and women were created to be equal, but different, for specific purposes. This book embraces that, and I LOVE it! Ladies, we are going to be so much happier and fulfilled if we embrace GOD'S DESIGN! If we embrace femininity. If we embrace womanhood and the "nurturing", "helping", and "life-giving" that comes with that role.

Girl Defined also talks about living purposefully, with eternity in mind, which is a message for ALL Christians, no matter where you are in life. It was both challenging and encouraging! Exciting, even! ^_^ Let's live, my friends! Let's live a life that we can look back on and not regret. A life of fulfillment. A life of honoring God.

I really liked how Kristen and Bethany quote authors like Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth in this book. They have such powerful things to say! One of my favorites from Mrs. Wolgemuth is: "Being created "for someone" indicates that God created the female to be a highly relational creature. In contrast to the male, her identity isn't based on work nearly as much as on how well she connects and relates to others. Forming deep relational bonds is at the core of what it means to be a woman." (pg. 91)

And from Mary A. Kassian: "A wimpy woman gives up on biblical femininity when life gets hard. A wimpy woman quits when she has to stand alone. A wimpy woman caves in when the culture pressures her." (pg. 169)

They also share thoughts from some of the past top models in the industry, such as Kylie Bisutti. She say that models are some of the most insecure women she's ever met! Have you ever thought about that? We simply cannot place our identity in our outward appearance, because we'll never measure up.

Yes. Overall, I feel Girl Defined is full of Biblical truth and has the potential to make a big impact on women today. I want to share this book with all the women I know - young and old! It reminds us of our beautiful identity, purpose, and femininity. This is so much more freeing than what the culture is telling us! So priceless! I would strongly encourage you to read Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity, women! *smiles*

Find Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird on their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/girldefined 

And their website: https://www.girldefined.com/

Movie Review: Cinderella



My Review (5 stars):

I could just swoon. *Big grin* This movie brought on all the fluttery feelings and happy sighs that a really good fairytale romance does!

It was just a good, old-fashioned Cinderella tale through and through. I was delighted with how true the movie producers stayed to the classic fairytale! From the cool, horrid stepmother, to the tittering, outlandish stepsisters, to Ella’s own sweet self; this movie was like watching the animated version come to life in a much more beautiful, bright, emotional version! I enjoy varied adaptions of fairytales ... but following the original is just the best! So happy! Cinderella (2015) is classic yet its own. Stunning.

Lily James (whom I first met as Lady Rose in Downton Abbey (2010—) *smiles*), played Cinderella. She did a lovely job! I have to mention again how sweet, gentle, and good this character was! Also spirited, passionate, and full of life! I so appreciate when the leading lady characters have such a lovely, tender demeanor paired with a striking inner strength! Loved this version of Ella! Beautiful inside and out!

[Lily James as Cinderella]

The wicked stepmother was played by Cate Blanchett. I’m used of seeing Cate as an ethereal wizardess in white from Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003) and The Hobbit (2012, 2013, 2014)! But she did an amazing job as the cold stepmother in this fairytale. …Appearing quite different with insensitive laughter, extravagant gowns and hats, and a sorrowful past. She's by far the best of Cinderella's stepmother that I've seen/read about. There was a depth to her character beyond just heedless cruelty.

Sophie McShera (also from Downton Abbey (2010—), as a maid) and Holliday Grainger portrayed Drisella and Anastasia quite perfectly. I had to laugh time and again, even though they were so spoiled and snobbish! The horrible singing. The flamboyant outfits. The overeager attitudes. *Shakes heads* Very true to the original animated version of Cinderella! And yet it wasn't overdone at all.

[Sophie McShera as Drisella; Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine; Holliday Grainger as Anastasia] 

Oh, and just a quick mention of the Prince (Richard Madden) and the Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter). Both characters were lovely! The fairy godmother … eccentric, funny, and sweet. The Prince … what a wonderful young man, *smiles*!! He’s such a thoughtful, charming, gentle person. A perfect match for Cinderella!

 [Richard Madden as the Prince]

[Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother]

The colors, the gowns, the detail— I could go on and on! It was all so exquisite and beautiful!! Cinderella’s blue ball-gown has to be one of the loveliest dresses I have ever seen! The way it rippled and sparkled when she ran. The way it flounced and flew as she danced. And those shoes!! Even the stepmother and her daughters’ outfits are enough to be gushed over. The costumes of Cinderella (2015) were just perfectly glamorous. You have to watch it for yourself to feel the affect!

[Cinderella's ball-gown]

[Glass slippers]

[Amazing dancing!]

So much emotion too! Absolutely enthralling to watch familiar scenes from the animated movie come about with so much feeling and detail. Ah! *Sighs and smiles*! It was so lovely. And poignant. There were little moments and things added that gave moving profoundness. You simply must watch this grand new version of our beloved fairytale, Cinderella. You can never get enough of that rags to riches story for the mistreated serving girl. Of a considerate young prince who falls in love with a lowly, sweet-hearted maiden. Believe me, its swoon-worthy … ! *smiles* Every woman loves a good fairytale deep down inside, right?

Cinderella (2015) is true to its PG rating. The only downer would be the low-cut gowns worn by Ella and her stepmother and stepsisters. Otherwise, there’s dancing where a man puts his hand on the woman’s waist; several scenes of slipping a shoe on a woman’s foot; and a sweet kiss. Two girls also dance around in their corsets and hoopskirts, snickering.

Otherwise, I can’t say enough good things. A classic fairytale. A poignant story. An ardent romance. Gorgeous film. I loved it.

I could go on about so many other things that I liked and scenes I adored ... But you really just need to experience it for yourself! I won’t give anymore away …

Musings ... Am I Beautiful Enough?

To all women… have you ever looked into the mirror and thought: “I’m ugly. I’m fat. I’m worthless. Not good enough. Have to be better, have to look more beautiful, stylish, thin, so people will like me.”

Have you ever listened to those lies?

(Found on Pixabay.com)

I have. And they are lies. Lies from the Enemy. And when you listen to them like they’re “logic” and feel bad about/for yourself, you’re only letting the Enemy win.

So I think it’s time to stand up. Fight back. Why are we letting the Father of lies have a hold on us, when he has no right at all?

Who ever said that beautiful meant ONLY blonde, blue-eyed, and thin? Probably the same kind of people who once said a real lady must have a waist abnormally and unhealthily tiny and thus wear a corset day and night. Or the ones who said that red hair was really the best, so that all women basically shaved off their own unique locks to don red wigs.

Why must we all look the same? Our Creator probably looks down and shakes His head, wondering why all of His daughters whom He specially crafted each unique and beautiful and exactly the way they should be, are running around half crazed trying to look like some photo-shopped model on the pages of a magazine.

It’s time to realize that YOU are “fearfully and wonderfully made”, created in the image of God, lovingly crafted by the Creator Himself. Do you think you know better than Him that you believe you should be changed in this way or that?

Why do you want to look like a magazine model who is not only photo-shopped, but probably has a whole different shape/make-up than you?

No matter what anyone says, you should look like you. And shine as your own, unique self. Don’t hide your natural beauty under tons of makeup, don’t run yourself sick to try to look like that petite girl next door.

Just be happy and content as the way God made you. And if you like dressing up with makeup, feeling feminine with jewelry, or exercising for better health, that’s great. Just don’t do it like you have to “better” yourself.

You are not just an image. You have a heart and a soul! Your outward appearance doesn’t make you who you are, but your inward.

MIRROR, MIRROR by Tricia Brock

TRY by Colbie Caillat