Beautiful Hands with Guest Courtney Joseph

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In chapter two of the book I talk about biblical examples of hospitality: Abigail, Lydia, Dorcas, Boaz, Sarah and Abraham.  They all used what God had given them to reach out to others.

What has he given you?

Hands.

We’ll hear about our hands from today’s guest, my friend Courtney Joseph.

Courtney blogs at WomenLivingWell.org on the topics of faith, marriage, parenting, and homemaking. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 14 years. She homeschools her son and daughter and is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute.

In November 2009, she was featured on the Rachael Ray show on the topic of marriage. Her passion to see “women live well” inspired her in 2010 to start a second blog called GoodMorningGirls.org. There women gather together to dig into their Bibles daily through tech accountability groups and on-line Bible studies.

From her heart:

P.S. Your Hands are Beautiful

The Proverbs 31 Woman has always dazzled me with her amazing ability to do it all!  In the first few verses of Proverbs 31, we learn that this woman is a description of the type of woman King Lemuel’s mother would like her son to marry.

The Proverbs 31 woman rises early, works eagerly, shops wisely, is extremely productive and she uses her evenings to get work done too!

Then, in Proverbs 31:20, there is a feature of this beautiful woman pointed out for the first time – it’s “her hands”.

 “She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20 NKJV

 Previously in the chapter, her hands have been furiously working sewing, planting, cooking and shopping. And here they take center stage as she reaches out to those outside of her home with them.

Look down and examine your hands. Are they young or old? soft or calloused? sun spotted? Do your veins show? Do you think your hands are beautiful?

Often our hands are one of the first places to show our age – they have worked hard serving our husbands, children, and the needy. What a blessing it is to have two hands!

My sister Jennifer, once shared this story with me – (these are her words):

P.S. Your Hands Are Beautiful.”

This was what my in-laws wrote inside my birthday card at the end of their very nice note to me.

A few weeks before my birthday, I was at a family get-together, and something came up about “hands”. I’m not sure how exactly the conversation went, but I know that I made the comment that the one place I have started to see my body aging is in my hands.

When I look down at them, which I realized is frequently during the day, they have begun to look different, older to me.

My mother-in-law said that the one thing she remembered about her own mother was her beautiful hands. I remembered her sharing about this before, and I believe that she meant more than just the outside beauty of beautiful skin with perfectly groomed nails.

Those who had the privilege of knowing her mother, know that her life was one of active service to our Lord and that she did have beautiful hands because they did beautiful things for His glory.

When I read my birthday card with the message, “P.S. Your hands are beautiful”, the full meaning of that small statement touched me.

It reminded me of what Paul said to the church at Thessalonica. I Thessalonians 4:11 says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone.”

These verses should cause us to look at the work that we do as women and ask ourselves, am I working faithfully with my hands in my daily life?

Is my work winning the respect of outsiders?

Am I bringing glory to my Lord with the works of my hands?

Would God think that my hands are beautiful?”

Now……look down and examine your hands now a second time with a new perspective. Do not judge the beauty of your hands by the outside – but rather by lives they have touched.

Walk with the King!

Courtney

 Ps. Your hands are beautiful!

(This post is an excerpt from Courtney’s FREE eBook titled “The Proverbs 31 Woman – One Virtue at a Time.”)

TODAY’S TWO GIVEAWAYS:

In this giveaway – everyone is a winner!

You are all welcome to go to Courtney’s website at www.WomenLivingWell.org and “Subscribe” (find this in the right sidebar)…you will receive a link to her FREE Proverbs 31 eBook at the bottom of the next article sent out via email.

AND:

One of you will receive this “Beautiful Hands” giveaway that includes:

~  Some Organic Olive Oil nail & hand salve

~ A bottle of pale, bubble-gum-pink nail polish for beautiful hands (or toes!)

~ A pair of bath gloves

~ A spring-y oven mitt

~ A Ghiradelli dark chocolate-raspberry bar

Now, to be entered in the random drawing for this giveaway, tell us something you could do with your hands in the near future to bless a family member, friend, co-worker, church member or stranger.

REMEMBER: We are also interacting over at Karen Ehman’s Book Studies on Facebook.Click here to “like” the page & join us. Starting this weekend there will be giveaways there too based on info from the book!

photo credit

329 Comments

  1. At this time I have family and friends that have had surgery or are ill. I believe my hands are best utilized by making dinners for them, cleaning their homes for them, running errands for them, etc……

  2. My daughter-in-law is trying so hard to lose weight. I know she loves macaroni and cheese. I recently found a recipe for “No more Muffin Top Mac and Cheese” and I could make this for her. She and her husband would both love it!

  3. Touch my children. Their soft skin is so beautiful. They appreciate Mommy’s touch and I love being that close. Of course, touch is very good for husbands too. . . .

  4. I can use my hands and often do to give out hugs to coworkers and friends. Sometimes all you need to know is that someone cares enough to reach out and touch you.

  5. I teach 3 year olds at a Mother’s Day Out program and every year (this is my ninth year!) I teach them to put their hands together before we pray at snack & lunch time. So, every day when it’s time, I say “What do we need?” and they all yell out “Praying Hands!” It’s amazing how quickly they learn. I can’t think of hands that would please God more!

  6. A sweet sister at our congregation would paint the nails of an older woman every time she visited with her. When the woman was confined to a a nursing home, she would paint the nails of the woman’s roommate as well. I believe holding the hands of those precious ladies was so beneficial , it said I love you and want to help you feel good about yourself. I believe I will do this too when I get the opportunity.

  7. I made a meal for a couple where the wife is recovering from cancer, but found out it may have returned. Her DH just had cataract surgery. I’m working on a shawl for a church member who can’t get out much any more. I LOVE writing cards and have sent out 6 hand-written ones this weekend. LOVED the article on “beautiful hands.”

  8. My hands can be making quilts for my kids beds. Planting a garden to feed my loved ones. My hands can knit hats for the needy and crochet baby blankets for the hospitals when people give birth to sweet sleeping angels.

    Thank you Lord for both of my hands.

  9. I make this for every family event. It was my mother’s favorite request.

    Cream of Coconut Cake

    1 pkg. white cake mix
    1 can sweetened condensed milk
    1 can cream of coconut
    1 (12 oz.) carton of Cool Whip
    1 small can flaked coconut

    Prepare cake as directed on the package and bake in 9 X 13 inch pan. While cake is still hot, pierce the entire top of the cake with a fork. Mix condensed milk with 1/2 of the can of cream of coconut (use the liquid part of the contents and save the gelled portion for the topping). Pour evenly over the hot cake. Let cake cool completely.
    Fold Cool Whip and remaining cream of coconut with the gelled cream together. Spread over top of the cake. Sprinkle flaked coconut ovr the cake. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
    Try it and see if this does not become your most requested dish.

  10. I like to write notes of appreciation to friends for no specific reason. Just to let them know they are important to me and that I am grateful that God placed them in my life.

    Angie

  11. My husband just had minor surgery and I will help him relax and heal by massaging his back! It is one of his favorite things and I know it will help to soothe him.

  12. I will be making some seasoned pretzels to be auctioned off tomorrow to benefit the missionaries at our church.

  13. Every so often I make something special to take into my staff at work…just because. The line of work I’m in can be, at times, challenging, exhausting yet very rewarding (preschool director!) :) I’ll bring in a coffee cake, muffins, brownies etc to let them know that I care & to thank them for all the work they do!

  14. I could make cookies for my children and grandchildren. Pray with a neighbor who is having a time. Write a note of encouragement to someone the lord has layed on my heart.Thanks for the wonderful thoughts and give away. Denise

  15. I will continue to wipe my two-year-old’s nose every five minutes until her cold goes away! (If it ever does.)

  16. My hands are used to wipe noses…. bottoms…. and everything in between. :) I forget how much I use them to comfort my 5 young kiddos. I was just reminded of this when my 3 year old called from the bathroom…. “I’m DUUUNNN!” May we always remember that in each stage of life God gives us ways to use our hands!

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