Clothed With Strength and Dignity

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31: 26 – 27

Happy Birthday to our daughter, Kelly!

We hope you know how very proud we are of you, Kel! You are such a loving wife and mother, so devoted to your family and their happiness, and we could have never asked for a more wonderful daughter! You have always brought us so much love and joy, and you have especially been such a source of strength these last few years. You have reminded us when we needed it most to stay strong, to not give up on hope, and to not miss out on the joy around us because of anxious worrying.

We are so very grateful for your constant love, support, and encouragement. We can’t tell you enough of how proud we are of the young woman you are and for the role you have taken in your family and church to make God such an important part of your lives. The values you are teaching your boys, the example of faith you are giving and the love you are showing are the greatest gifts you could give your family. You are indeed “clothed in strength and dignity”.

You have such grace and confidence; but yet your laughter and enthusiasm for life adds so much joy to our lives. You are and always have been such a gift and one of our greatest blessings. We love you!

Scripture tells us that each one of us who believes in Jesus Christ and has His Spirit living in us is “clothed with strength and dignity.”

But yet we may not always have the confidence of believing in such a promise. Those around us may try to make us believe that our value depends on our appearance, our success, or our wealth, but to God these things have little significance. Our life experiences may have also left us with little confidence in ourselves, but God did not intend for us to have an insatiable need for affirmation from others or for our hearts to be filled with the insecurity, shame, or guilt that so many of us do.

He longs to cover those hurtful places with His love and grace. He desires that we let Him clothe us with His love, with dignity, with self-worth, and with acceptance and pride in who we are and who He made us to be. When we trust in Him and live in His loving presence, He can transform our hearts to live our lives with integrity, assurance, contentment, and joy.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the gift of life and for the assurance of your loving presence with us. May your Word remind us that you long to fill us with your strength and comfort. May your Spirit empower us to believe in ourselves and to know that we are worthy of respect. May we speak wisdom and instruction to our children and may our lives always glorify you. Amen