"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin ..." Romans 6:6 (NIV)

Girls' weekend was finally here! I was so excited to be going away with my two girls and their friends, that when someone hollered, "Selfie!" I nudged my way into the picture just in time.

The selfie is a spontaneous picture taken to capture ...

To capture what?

Sometimes, like our road-trip shot, it's to capture a moment we're enjoying and people we're loving. Other times, I wonder if it's more than that.

"Mom, you always find a way to get in there!" one of my girls lovingly laughed from the back seat.

My daughter's tease got me thinking ...

Do I always find a way to get in on what is going on? If so, why?

Do I turn selfie moments into opportunities to make the moment about me? Shift the attention toward me?

Shouldn't I be past this?

Sometimes the young girl we once were, the one who wanted to be noticed, the one who sought after a boy's attention or longed for her parents' approval, is not completely gone.

Maybe there's a side of me still wanting acceptance and attention. This possibility makes me uncomfortable. I don't want to be an insecure woman.

I want to be a woman who reflects love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). I want to have selfless attributes of a heart that reflects Christ in me, the fruit of His Spirit on display. A lasting grace that isn't about getting attention, but about serving and loving others more than I love myself.

I want that kind of beauty for me, and for my daughters as well.

But to gain it, I have to give something up. I'm going to have to die first.

Die to the me who is all about me.

Die to my selfie.

Because, when I die to me, another woman can emerge. A woman whose character is found in the love she gives, the joy she lives and the peace when she forgives.

A woman who doesn't make her life about gaining attention, but giving it.

Today's key verse reminds me that Jesus' work on the cross makes it possible for me to become this kind of woman: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6).

Christ died so I don't have to struggle with the sin of self-centeredness, the pull to make life about me. Christ's new life in me means I no longer have to be a slave to needing attention. I can confidently put the spotlight on Him and others.

And here is the intriguing twist: A woman who possesses this type of beauty, who chooses others above herself is hard to find, yet she is easy to spot.

Jesus, I want to be beautiful the way You define beautiful. A woman whose life reflects Your life inside of me. Help me to die to myself so that You might daily live strong in me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Do you know a girl who longs to grow in confidence and live in the fullness of her God-given potential? If so, Lynn Cowell's new book Magnetic: Becoming the Girl He Wants is for her.

Visit Lynn's blog where she is giving away over $50 worth of FREE downloadable resources including e-books, inspiring messages and printables. Plus she's hosting a series of giveaways that include pedicures, gift cards, an all-expense-paid girls' get-away weekend and more! Find out more, and enter to win here.

In celebration of the release of her new book, Magnetic: Becoming the Girl He Wants, Lynn's publisher is giving away 10 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment on our website, letting us know why you'd like a copy for yourself OR to whom you would give a book, if you won. {We'll randomly select 10 winners and send email notifications to each one on September 23.}

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Reflect on the past 24 hours. Can you spot a moment when you needed to "die to your selfie"?

In that moment, were you able to recognize this difficult choice you were facing of choosing others over yourself?

Today, ask the Father to help you recognize when you need to choose others over yourself.

© 2014 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.