by Debra Weiss, RTF Staff Writer

DW: On your site, you state that femininity isn’t dead, it just needs to be reclaimed. What is the Biblical definition of femininity and how can we as young women reclaim it?

Hannah: Whew! What a question! Biblical womanhood is a controversial issue these days, and it’s difficult to define it in a single paragraph. A bare bones definition of “femininity” is simply “womanly-ness.” For us, that means being the women God calls us to be through His Word.

It means knowing that we’re equal in worth to the guys, but differ in our design and role. (Think of it like harmony and melody; they’re both different, but work together to make a more beautiful sound than either could alone.) But by “role,” I don’t mean that women are held captive to one specific cookie-cutter pattern. Our God-given talents cannot contradict our God-given femininity.

We’re meant to use all of our gifts–though our talents might not be displayed in the way the world generally expects women to use them. At the same time, obedience to God brings true freedom; the girl who submits to God’s role for women finds more joy than she could’ve ever concocted for herself.

DW: I have three younger sisters. One of them is nine and I’ve always wondered how do you leave behind a legacy not of physical beauty but of spiritual beauty, a beauty that does indeed come from the heart. Any thoughts on how we as girls can influence our younger sisters?

Lindsey: Oh, that’s a convicting one. I have two younger sisters also (ages 12 and 8), so this question really resonates with me; I’m always asking it too.

As the oldest, it’s been so important for me to recognize just how much our younger sisters do imitate us. We even have the potential to set the mood of a day by our example!

I’ve found that it also means a lot to my sisters when I spend one-on-one “sister time” with them. Sometimes that involves chats in our beds (we’ll share a room), delirious late-night fits of giggling, and serious conversations with probing questions to get beneath the surface. (Spilling my own guts makes it easier for them to show the same vulnerability, too.)

We can take initiative with prayer, reading the Bible aloud, discussing biblical truths and principles throughout the day, encouraging them for fruit in their lives, sharing new truths that God is teaching us, listening to them, and– this one has proved so important with my sisters and I– being quick to acknowledge personal failure. It’s humbling when I have to apologize to my eight-year-old sister– but it’s so necessary, and the softening results I’ve witnessed are immediate.

Our younger sisters don’t expect us to be perfect or want us to pretend we are. Actually, on the contrary, I think it’s a far greater, more influential witness to the power of the Cross for them to see our reliance on God’s grace slowly transforming us more into His image. The main thing, I believe, is simply to live with obvious, genuine, consuming passion for Christ and the Gospel.

Our family members are the ones who can really tell who (or what) we love the most, and it won’t escape our sisters’ notice if they see us delighting in God more than anything else. We won’t be able to keep it from keep from spilling out into our conversations.

DW: While we’re talking about older siblings, what about guys? What is their role in this beauty crisis and how can they encourage lasting spiritual beauty in their sisters?

Hannah: Guys do have a definite role in this issue, not only in regards to their influence on girls and sisters, but because they often feel the pressure too. I truly believe that our society encourages guys to be image conscious just as much as girls and the inner beauty issue cross-applies.

Guys have to understand that their coolness factor will disappear with time. Their muscles will get flabby and they won’t always be able to chug hotdogs without noticing it on the bathroom scale. So focus on what will last. Focus on what matters. And guys ought to help the girls out.

An appeal to any guys reading this interview: Make an effort and train yourself to be willing to talk to everyone–not just those girls who first strike you as attractive. If you want to encourage your sisters to have a healthy view of beauty, be conscious of the pressure they may feel. Don’t be afraid to speak up lovingly when you see them obsessing over appearances. Seriously. It means a lot when a brother encourages his sister in this way, because to the sister it’s a “guy’s opinion,” but from a safe, brotherly source.

DW: Beauty from the Heart holds one-day conference around the United States. What benefit can girls get from attending them?

Hannah: We’re not just about beauty. We talk about what it means to be pure, and how that plays out practically in our lives. We talk about what it means to be a woman according to God’s Word, and how that plays out during young adulthood and into the college years.

The conferences can be best summarized as an event about the issues that are most relevant to young women’s lives, and how to bring each one of those issues under Christ’s lordship. It’s about surrendering every aspect of our lives to His wisdom.

DW: Where can readers go if they’re interested in attending one of Beauty from the Heart’s conferences?

Hannah: Our website! We have all the info on http://www.beautyfromtheheart.org. That’s our blog address, as well as the source for all our conference info.

DW: For the girl reading this that realizes she needs to redefine her definition of beauty, what first step can she take? How can she begin pursuing true Godly beauty?

Lindsey: By loving Christ. Godliness is simply the by-product of a deep, abiding, all-consuming relationship with God. Trying to reverse that order, and seek “godliness” first, is fruitless. Delve into the Word to know God, commune with Him in prayer- and love for God will result. Jesus said that all the Law and the Prophets hangs on the command “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength”– it’s so simple, yet so easy to forget. We simply need to concentrate on Him.

DW: How can other teens get involved in Beauty from the Heart’s ministry? What resources does Beauty from the Heart need in order to continue of that other Christians might be able to provide?

Hannah: Right now, we’re scheduling conferences for next year, so we’re looking also for churches that are willing to host a Beauty from the Heart conference; and of course, we could always use help spreading the word about our current conferences and volunteers to help with the events themselves.

While you might not realize it, just a simple email forward or setting up a poster on a church bulletin really helps us let more people know about this cause; because ultimately, we don’t see Beauty from the Heart as “our thing.” If Christ is the obsession of your life and you want to help other people chase Him harder, then it’s your thing too. It’s God’s cause– because He wants every single one of us to push off everything that hinders us from knowing Him intimately.