Imago Dei.
Made in the image of Christ. What does it really mean? It sounds great. It’s desirable. It almost seems unreal, something from a fairytale. You mean, out of everything in the world… all the earth’s beauty, only one creation is made in HIS image? You, me. People. That’s a bold statement. We’re obviously beautiful creations then, right?
Going into this race, one of my main goals was to truly understand what that meant. What it really means to be “made in the image of Christ.” Again, it’s one of those things that’s been head knowledge for years. Things I was told, but it’s time to start wholeheartedly believing them. It’s time to believe those truths to my core.
I was discouraged a couple weeks ago. Just discouraged with everything. Discouraged with the World Race; discouraged with teammates; discouraged with ministry; discouraged with wearing the same clothes day in and day out with no creativity; discouraged with my acne; discouraged with my knee giving me problems and not being able to workout because of it. I had no joy, and I wanted to throw in the towel. I wanted to go home. I’ve been stripped of every comfort I can possibly think of.
So, God revealed a few things to me since then. Either through prayer, through people affirming me in areas, or through Captivating, a book I recently finished reading. Some of these have been revealed to me multiple times, and my stubborn self just didn’t want to see them.
- First truth: beauty. Beaty is the essence of God. Look around you. There is so much beauty on this earth it’s almost overwhelming. God loves beauty and he IS beautiful. And he has made me beautiful in his image. I’ve always known I’m beautiful, my dad always told me since I was a little girl. I’ve never struggled knowing I was beautiful before. But, here I am on the race. My comforts quickly stripped from me. I don’t have my selection of clothes, slim choice of shoes, no heals, makeup is rarely worn, hair is usually a crazy hot mess, jewelry is basic, and acne is at times out of control from moving so much. I’ve been told it before. “Jasmine, you’re beautiful on the inside,” but in the states it’s easy to believe it when you’re also wearing some cute clothes and some pretty makeup. It’s easy to believe it when you also feel physically beautiful as well.
The other day my teammates prophesied over me. It sounds “mystical.” It sounds other worldly, but really it’s not. It’s just a way of blessing each other, speaking life into each other. One of my teammates shared with me how she saw me standing in front of a mirror looking at myself not happy with what I’m seeing. She saw Jesus standing behind me, smiling. Happy with everything he’s seeing, He made me this way for a reason and it’s time for me to fully believe it… not just when I also feel it.
In, Captivating, the book I just finished reading there’s a section that talks about Satan. It gave me a better understanding for his hate towards beauty. Satan was first named Lucifer, or ‘Son of the Morning.’ It infers a brightness or radiance unique to him. He was perfect in beauty, and it was his ruin. Pride entered his heart. Satan fell because of his beauty! Now, his heart for revenge is to assault beauty. He destroys it in nature whenever he can, but he especially hates Eve (women). She’s captivating and glorious and he cannot be. More than anything else in all creation, she’s the incarnation of the beauty of God. She also gives life and Satan hates life and anything that nourishes it. He brings death.
No wonder women are attacked and treated so harshly all over the world! I’m tired of letting him attack me here. I’m on the path to knowing in my core where God dwells, that he finds me beautiful, has deemed me worthy, and in Him, I am enough. Period. - Second truth: I love adventure. I’ve always known that about myself. I love taking risks. I love being daring. I love flipping off things and jumping off bridges. I love taking long, strenuous hikes to beautiful views and kayaking through marshes and rivers spotting alligators, fish, and birds. I love traveling around the world with just a backpack and 38 other crazy people. For some reason I had this impression that seeking God with all my heart would be anything but adventurous. I was wrong.
After praying over me in Costa Rica, a squad mate shared how she saw me in a cave. The cave was completely pitch black and there were many paths to take. All I had was a headlamp. I was searching for a treasure. It was thrilling, it was adventurous, it was risky. The treasure is the Holy Spirit, and the head lamp the word of God leading me. This adventure I’m on. To enter into the presence of the Holy Spirit, to find Him and seek Him will be a daring adventure… just like I love. He created me to love adventure, and He will give me a lifetime of adventure where there’s a role only I can play. - Third truth: relationships. My deep desire for relationships and to be in a relationship is an image of Christ, and His desire for relationships. As stated in Captivating, “The vast desire and capacity a woman has for intimate relationships tells us of God’s vast desire and capacity for intimate relationships.” He put that desire deep within our souls for a reason. Because He deeply desires that from us. I always thought it a weakness, something that made me seem needy. Sometimes if I found myself thinking about it too much I’d feel shameful. I’d tell myself, “Jasmine, you should be directing that energy into your relationship with God instead of worrying about not having relationships with other people.” But that desire simply shows a glimpse of God’s desire. God wants to be pursued. It’s no mistake that I desire that as well. I don’t need to be ashamed of it or try to act as though I don’t care about it. Instead I need to embrace it. Appreciate that God made me that way. That I’m capable and desiring of deep relationships with men and women alike.
- Fourth truth: I grew up with a lot of boys. Yes, I have a stunning sister, and a gorgeous mother who influenced me greatly, but this one’s specifically for the men in my life. I preferred playing with my brothers in the woods, on the trampoline, or at the ski resort. My dad taught me how to replace windows, redo a roof, completely renovate the interior of a rental property. He taught me how to do flips, kick a soccer ball with my non dominate foot, shoot a basketball, and have basic knowledge of pretty much every sport out there. He taught me how to check my oil in my car, change a tire, how to drive stick shift. He’s taught me so much, and I absolutely love him and look up to him for all the endless wisdom that man has. But, one thing I’ve realized is how much it’s made me feel like I don’t need a man. Possibly my biggest pet peeve is when someone says “We need a man to come over here and lift this.” or “We need a man to use these power tools.” My initial reaction is “Woah, what makes you think I can’t do it myself?!” Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t lift this heavy object, use this hand saw, or put oil in my car. Not that I ever hated being a woman, but I was left in this confusing limbo. This area where I wanted to be in a relationship with a man, I wanted to be pursued, but I didn’t want the man to do everything for me. I didn’t want to be weak. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be nonemotional. I never wanted to be that girl who was a “damsel in distress.” I wanted to prove that I could do all the things a woman does as well as all the things a man does.
I’m finally beginning to understand my role as a woman… in the image of Christ. Being a woman doesn’t mean being weak. Being a woman doesn’t mean I have to be a damsel in distress. Being a woman doesn’t mean I have to be a bad driver, or not know how to use power tools. It doesn’t mean I have to be super emotional. I can do all those things my dad has taught me, while also appreciating the masculine strength a man offers. While appreciating the roles God has created us to fill. Each unique by design, but each EQUALLY important. After all, I am the “Crown of Creation” (Captivating). God’s creation was not complete in entirety until woman was created. We are his finishing touch. Now that’s not saying we’re better than anyone else, but we play an equally important role. And that role is unique to ME.
God’s still got some revealing to do. He’s got some walls to break down. Some more weeding of lies, and planting of truths, but I’m liking this. I’m satisfied with this rest I’m experiencing as a result of knowing who I am in Christ’s image. I know I have something to offer this world, and it’s something only I can bring. I don’t exactly know what that something is, but I’m sure God’ll show me when the time is right.
*As a side note… women, I encourage all of you to read Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge. So many truths can be revealed in that book that completely destroy the lies of Satan that have targeted women for years. Also, a book I haven’t read yet, but will read is Wild at Heart by the same authors. It’s the male version.
*Also, friends and family, the time is nearing for me to be fully funded. I am currently at $12,723 out of $16,254. In order to finish the race in entirety, I have to be fully funded by March 1st. Please prayerfully consider financially contributing to this journey, and tell your friends if you’d like. Any little bit helps!!
With much love,
Jaz
