JOHN 15:12-13

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

In our daily lives, we may not be asked to lay down our lives but we can go out of our way to help people in practical ways.

How can you help girls in your community? 

1 in 5 girls experience period poverty and may even miss school due to not having what they need. Every woman understand the fear of not having menstrual products when they need them. While there are many things that make us different as females, because we are unique and wonderfully made...having a period is one thing that we share in common. This is something for us as woman to explore, the thing that connects us and how we can help each other.
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17

"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My history and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62: 5-8 (New Living Translation)

For many of us, our days are filled with things to do, noise and a constant go go go. It takes great intentionality to "wait quietly before God".

Have you ever felt empty? Maybe you feel as if you have nothing to give and alone. I get that way when I haven't spent time with the Lord and in the Bible. It is amazing how refreshed my soul is when slow down, sit down with Him and wait. I breathe, I listen, I move into reading the holy scriptures and then I feel my heart begin to fill with newness.  

Try it. Find an app that can help you or just make space in your day to sit, listen, read and reflect. It will only do you good.

LMS

You Are Beautiful!

Let me start by saying, Don't compare yourself to other girls! You are at an age when so much is changing and I know it is easy to look around and want to be like someone else. Trust me, they feel the same way too! Be you, the beautiful you that God created you to be.

How does that look?
1. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself "You are beautiful".
2. Take care of yourself.
3. Don't let negative thoughts rest in your mind. Think on what is good and true. Philippians 4:8
4. Be kind to others and tell them they are beautiful too. Don't get caught up in putting other people down to make yourself feel better. It never works because you will end up feeling yucky inside.
5. Journal and answer these questions. What makes me unique? What do I like about myself? How can I take care of me?
6. Affirm yourself everyday!
7. Pray and thank God for making your beautiful and unique. 

Monday Memory Verse of the week:
“With His love, He will calm all your fears.”
Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
As you experience the love of God, your trust in God will grow. This trust brings a calmness that puts your fears into perspective. Let God love you today and may your mind find a sweet calmness surrounding it as you move forward in trust. You are love and you can trust God. Amen. 

Be Kind!
Our memory verse this week is short and sweet. "Be kind to one another" Ephesians 4:32
And while this may be short and sweet, it isn't always easy to be kind. It takes intentionality and practice, especially when we must be kind to those who have not been kind to us.

What are 10 ways to can show kindness this week? Write them down and review them next week to see if you showed kindness. Miss one or two or three....try again.

Here are some ideas:
1. Hold the door open for someone.
2. Give someone a sincere compliment.
3. Say something nice about someone to someone else. (This replaces gossiping)
4. Stand up for someone who is being bullied.
5. Be helpful at home, even if you do not feel like it.
6. Say thank you to your parents or caregivers.

Be Kind my friends!
LM Shafer 

This week, we will focus on friendship. True godly friendship truly is a gift from God. It strengthens us and challenges us at the same time.

Our memory Verse this week is:
The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Proverbs 12:26

Whether your circle of friends is big or small, make sure those closest to you are ones that will push you closer to God and not pull you away.

I encourage you to spend time in prayer, evaluating your friendships and making sure you have friends who will beneficial to your whole self. Throughout this week, think on who you are as a friend. Where is there room for improvement?

Last but not least, do acts of kindness for those friends in your life who are true gifts from God. This is my challenge to you this week. We want to bless all of our friends but  this week focus in on those who really bless your souls.

Keep Thinking PINK,
LM Shafer 

Centering Sunday, what's it all about?

Each Sunday afternoon, I take a nap and then I look ahead to the fresh new week before me. Our weeks get busy but our hearts do not have to. We can slow down, remove that which does not bring God's goodness and be filled with his truth, grace and love.

Today, I encourage you to find a quiet place, take some deep breaths, read the memory verse for the week and then just sit. In your time of sitting, let this little nugget of goodness (God's Word) wash over you and ultimately land in your heart. This verse is an easy one to memorize. It has 3 parts. 

Look to the Lord
and his strength;
seek his face always. 
Psalm 105:4

It is easy to look for wisdom and strength in many places but where we should be looking is to the Lord, leaning on His strength and seeing his face. ALWAYS! We can do this by slowing down, praying, listening, asking God for help and returning to do these things over and over again.

In what ways do you need God's strength this week? How can you seek him always? What can you do to remind you to LOOK TO THE LORD?

Say this again aloud, write it down and revisit it each day this week.

Look to the Lord
and his strength;
seek his face always. 
Psalm 105:4


Thinking Pink,
LM Shafer 

Hi friends! It’s time for a life update. Many of you have messaged me and asked for an update, so here it goes.

Almost a year ago, my step dad who was basically my dad unexpectedly died. I was just getting over covid, missed a visit with him and then woke up on a Tuesday morning to that dreaded phone call from his HR and then from the police. My world turned upside down that day and at times it felt like an out of body experience as guilt, sadness and anger swirled inside my mind. Life was too busy to grieve, well grieving was happening but i wasn’t grieving well. I was in my first year of marriage, super busy at work and now responsible for cleaning out my childhood home while wrestling with “was it my fault?”
and then came the burnout. i felt paralyzed, anxious, depressed and lacking trust. It didn’t get better, even after i began my 3 month sabbatical…it wasn’t until earlier this month that i felt like i was getting back to myself.

So now the life update that I mentioned earlier. Where have I been and  where I am going?

Jeremy and I love our neighbors and our little spring branch bubble. We are staying. He took a new job closer to home and man- it has been an awesome move. We got a new cat. Jeremy gave in and said yes, he couldn’t say no to his sad wife.

I have a part time afternoon gig and the rest of my day is filled with PINK. in a big step of faith, I am putting all of my creative and spiritual energy into the organization that I founded 20 years ago. Think Pink. It’s a ministry for girls. I will be thinking pink, wearing pink, writing about pink, speaking about pink… and no it has nothing to do with a certain recent movie.

Soon, we will be launching online Bible studies for girls and moms. We will be working towards a Modeling and Modesty Course in the Spring, offering online resources so more groups can start across the US and the world. We will continue our Podcasts, our Think Pink App and  create more safe circles of sharing.

We even have a dignity ministry that provides sanitary products to girls in need.

So, how can you support me and think pink as we move into this super big relaunch in October?

1. Pray- for our next steps, the girls who will be ministered to and for the right leaders to rise up.
2. Download the APP
3. Share- tell others about Think Pink.
4. Shop our Etsy Store for all your pink items.
5. Check out our amazon wishlist
6. Give  - We have a goal to raise $10,000 by the end of the year. I am not paid by think pink and because I am now just a part time employee, I need your help in funding this ministry.Visit our website girlsthinkpink.org to give or open up the app.
7. Visit our website, check out our needs list, listen to our podcasts and learn more about Think Pink and its ministry to girls and parents. girlsthinkpink.org

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Who doesn’t want straight path? And deep down, we truly want to trust but it isn’t always easy. Our understanding of God and our circumstances are limited.
How can you lean in to trusting God more this week and surrendering your paths to him?
Spend some time in prayer and thoughtfully write down intentional ways of moving forward in trusting God this week.
We pray that  you trust is increased, that your understanding grows and that your path leads you to peace.
Thinking PINK,
LM 

Where is your lamp? 

As you prepare for the new week ahead or recover from last week, where is your lamp?
"Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105.

Whether you read your Bible once a week, a day or it's currently covered in a little layer of dust; now is the time to open it up. Highlight this verse and read all of Psalm 119.

Where is your lamp, His Word guiding you this week? What is your focus? What will you be seeking? 

Write Psalm 119:105 on a post it note and memorize it this week.

Have a PINK week! <>< LM