In 2017 the New York Times announced that we were living in “The Golden Age of Contouring.” I may be a little late to this news, but based on an informal observation of my Instagram explore page, the era is not yet over. If you spend any time on social media, you’ve likely come across women and teens posting makeup tutorials that show how you can use light and shadow to “reshape” your face.
It doesn’t take much for me to get lost in their videos. But as I watch makeup artists and Instagram moms sculpt narrower jaw lines, I’m left with plenty of questions (like, do they also turn their white washcloths orange and brown with highlighter and bronzer?), and I suspect I’m not alone. They often take questions from their viewers, answering with practiced patience.
When it comes down to it, I’m really not that interested in mastering the contouring makeup technique, but I am always curious to see what women are teaching other women. In fifteen-, thirty-, and sixty-second increments, makeup tutorials offer instruction and practical steps that can be applied to daily life. They’re not just sculpting jawlines and cheekbones, they’re carving out routines that are meant to be implemented every day.
Whether or not you wear makeup, spend time on social media, or fill your free time in other ways, you already know that much of the media and activities that fill your days will ultimately be washed down the sink of history. But I’ve discovered that there is a different kind of contouring that will remain with you into eternity.
Conformed to Christ’s Image
When I picture women who have the most defined lines on their faces, it’s godly women who have lived into their seventies, eighties, and nineties. They may not look like they’ve been chiseled with the help of a contouring palette, but their creases are my favorite: laugh lines from decades of joy, wrinkles that come from the weight of carrying burdens of those they’ve loved.
To contour means to fit something into the form of another shape—but it’s not merely physical features that change over time. When I think of the most godly older women I know, I think of those whose hearts have been conformed to look more and more like Christ. They are living proof that Romans 8:29 is at work in the lives of all those who belong to Jesus: “For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
It’s the women who remind us of Romans 8 that we most need to be watching. That’s one of the reasons I’m grateful for Revive Our Hearts and the value placed on learning from godly women in the faith who are a little further down the road than I am.
This month, as the ministry has focused on building the habit of getting into God’s Word, we’ve created a resource page with podcast episodes, articles, videos, and more that will teach you how to study the Bible and grow in spiritual disciplines. This page is an opportunity to learn the Bible from women who have lived it for decades. These are women whose lives have been marked by a passion for God’s Word and who are well-equipped and more than willing to help you practically apply it to your own life.
Tutorials with Lasting Value
Here’s a preview of some of the women and resources you’ll find when you spend time on the How to Study Your Bible page. These women make up a wide range of ages and life stages, and each one is a deep well of wisdom to help you contour your life to Christ:
- Kay Arthur — When Kay Arthur,beloved Bible teacher, was interviewed at True Woman ’22, Bible verse after Bible verse poured out of her. In the podcast series, “How to Study the Word,” she shares how to change Bible reading from a habit to a lifeline. These episodes will inspire you to dig more deeply into the Word and make your daily study richer and more productive.
- Kelly Needham — Kelly has said it herself: “My favorite thing in the world is teaching people how to study their Bibles. This precious book is a bottomless pit of delights, yet so many people struggle to enjoy it.” Does that sound familiar? In her 8-week Bible Study Methods course, Kelly will teach you the skills of inductive Bible study—observation, interpretation, and application—as you study the book of Hosea together.
- Cindy Matson — If you’re a regular reader of the Revive Our Hearts blog, you’ll recognize the name Cindy Matson. She’s a faithful contributor whose writing will help you put into practice biblical principles. If this is the year you want to move from just knowing that you should memorize Scripture to finally doing it, her post “Six Strategies to Make Bible Memory Happen This Year” will help you get started.
- Lori Hatcher — Have you ever found yourself in a situation so overwhelming you didn’t know how to pray about it? Lori has. She understands what it feels like to want to pray but not know where to begin. This blog post provides four suggestions so you can start today, but go ahead and bookmark this one as well: it’s called “10 Powerful Reasons to Keep Praying When You Want to Quit.” You may not need it today, but save it for the day you feel weary.
- Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth — Have you ever wondered what it would be like for Nancy to become your personal Bible study mentor? The How to Study the Bible page has an entire lineup of resources that will make you feel as though she’s truly a friend, one who is there to help you get into the Word and get the Word into You. If you’ve never read A Place of Quiet Rest: Finding Intimacy with God Through a Daily Devotional Life, it will give you the encouragement—and tools—to seek after God for a lifetime.
True Beauty
Long-lasting. Smudge-proof. Non-fading. Those are the promises made on makeup boxes and by beauty influencers online. Industry experts know how women long for that which lasts forever—we’re not immune to that because God has placed eternity in each of our hearts (Ecc. 3:11).
This year, fix your eyes on what will never fade through the guidance of women who want to help you know and love your Bible, trusted mentors who will guide you in the lifelong pursuit of being conformed to Christ.
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