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If you were to choose, which gift would you want? A gift in a pretty gold box with a bow or one in a plain paper bag that looks like it's been used. Now be honest...Would you want the pretty package or the brown bag?

I have played the white elephant game before, where everyone brings gifts, and then you get pick one. And sometimes it's hard to decide. Do I pick the big one that I think is maybe going to have something really good in there or do I pick the one that doesn't look as good, but might have something even better? Because you never know!

I think if we would admit it, a lot of us are drawn to the pretty package. A brown bag may not even look like there is hardly anything in there. But what if we found out what was really inside each of these packages?

And let's say that in the pretty gold box, we found a couple rotten brown bananas, a smelly, dirty sock and an apple that's rotting too. All right, so not what we might expect. Right? Here was a pretty package and there was rotten fruit and a stinky sock. Not good! So let's say that what we found in the plain brown paper bag was a bracelet. And that the bracelet is gold and silver and has two hearts connecting with each other. The bag was plain packaging, but it had something really beautiful inside.

And so, as we think about these packages I want us to think about ourselves. Some of us might feel like we are plain Jane, a boring person on the outside. From our outer beauty we may just feel, we're just plain. And yet, we see people in our schools, in our churches, and all around that are in these really pretty packages. However, sometimes those people that seem to have it all together, the movie stars and the rock stars, may look perfect on the outside. But sometimes they might be dying away or rotting away on the inside. I have to admit, I was one of those people. People might have looked at me and said, man she's got it all together. But on the inside I was dying away, and there wasn't true beauty on the inside. It was all outer beauty.

And yet, you may feel today that you are just that plain Jane. That you don't look like anything special, you're not model material. You may not like certain parts of your body. Like me, you may have acne scars, or you might feel overweight, or have other issues. But you know what? On the inside God may be cultivating an inner beauty that radiates out. And you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, that changes your appearance. People are drawn to you because of the love that you have for other people, because of the love of Christ that is in you.

I want to encourage you to cultivate inner beauty; that inner beauty that only comes from spending time with Jesus. It's so hard to have any time in silence, but it's so important to get away. We have our music, we have our T.V., we've friends, cell phones, etc. that it's hard to unplug. I know, because these last few weeks I haven't taken that quality time with Jesus that I've needed. Sure I've spent some time in the morning, but I didn't do the real deep time of prayer and journaling. The time where I spend listening to God. And when I do break away and spend quality time with God, I felt so much different. The last few weeks I've been feeling confused and anxious, not knowing what to do. However, today I feel clarity again. I heard God speaking to me through my journal and I felt His love again.

I want to encourage you to spend quality time in prayer. Not legalistically, not saying we have to do this, this, and this. But spending that time with God so that your inner beauty can shine through. And that your inner beauty shines out, no matter what you look like on the outside. Whether you are the shiny package or the plain package. You can have inner beauty that enhances the outer beauty God has given you.

I encourage you to read over Psalm 139 this week. It talks about how we are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are special, no matter what you look like on the outside, no matter where you are at with your relationship with Jesus. You are special, and He wants you to know that today. I encourage you to cultivate your inner beauty.

According to the dictionary, honey is a sweet yellowish or brownish fluid produced by various bees from the nectar of flowers. Besides using honey as food, did you know that honey is one of the oldest and most effective beauty aids?

Honey contains waxes, sugars, and traces of minerals. It is a natural moisturizer, as well as an anti-irritant making it suitable for sensitive skin types. Honey can be found in many of the beauty products you find in your local drug store or favorite beauty supply store. Some of these products can be very expensive to purchase and many of these products can be made at home.

Try some of the following honey beauty tips below. Please be sure not to use honey on your skin if you are allergic to it!

1. Honey mask: Apply pure honey to your face and allow it to set until dry. This will take about 15 minutes. Once dry, rinse your face with warm water.

2. Body glow bath: To moisturize, smooth, and get an all over body glow, keep a jar of honey next to your bath. Apply honey on your skin and pat dry using both hands. While patting your skin, the honey will get sticky and gently pull up your skin. Rinse away the honey when you are done. The results will be great circulation and beautiful, glowing skin!

3. Honey bath: For sweet smelling and soft skin, add ¼ to ½ cup of honey to your bath water.

4. Honey scrub: Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with a little almond flour into the palm of your hand. Gently apply on your face for a facial scrub. Rinse your face with warm water to remove honey scrub.

5. Daily facial cleanser: Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with a little milk powder into the palm of your hand. Apply on your face to clean away dirt and makeup and then rinse with warm water.

6. Shiny Hair: To add some shine to your hair, mix 1 teaspoon of honey, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and 1 quart of warm water. Shampoo your hair as usual and then pour the honey mixture on your hair. Allow your hair to dry as normal. You do not have to rinse out the honey mixture.

7. Hair conditioner: For healthy hair and scalp, combine ½ cup of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saturate your hair with the honey mixture, put on a shower cap and allow it to remain on hair for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, shampoo and rinse your hair as you normally do.

8. Skin toner: To firm, smooth, and moisturize your skin, combine 1 peeled, cored apple with 1 tablespoon of honey in a blender. Pulse honey mixture until smooth. Gently apply honey mixture on face and allow it to remain for 15 minutes. Rinse your face with warm water to remove the honey mixture.

With the above beauty tips, you can create affordable spa-like products at home. Honey is a wonderful beauty product because it contains naturally occurring enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Be sure your honey is all natural by purchasing only 100% pure honey to create your beauty products.

Hair products, lotions, potions, cosmetics can really put a dent in your wallet. We all want to look our best, but are there ways to invest in our appearance without breaking the bank? If you're looking for some free beauty tips read on - you'll be amazed at some of the things you probably already have in your kitchen that can really boost your beauty quotient.

Salon-quality shampoos and conditioners are expensive, and generally for good reason. They contain high quality ingredients and many are made from organic or natural plant sources. Cheaper brands are certainly an option, but some can dry your hair or strip your colour faster. Do you know you can actually make your own shampoo at home? You need to invest in some liquid castile soap, but other than that, you likely have the rest of the ingredients in your kitchen. A good basic recipe is: ¼ cup castile soap (unscented or choose your favourite scent), ¼ cup distilled water, and half a teaspoon of olive oil. Keep in a plastic bottle and shake before using. If you want to add essential oils, put a few drops in before use. Your hair will feel wonderfully light and soft.

A terrific homemade conditioning treatment is also easily whipped up at home. Scoop out a ripe avocado and add a small jar of real mayonnaise and mix them (use your hands!) until blended. Work it into your hair from root to tip, and cover your head with a shower cap. Putting a warm damp towel over the shower cap intensifies the conditioning. Leave on for about 20 minutes then rinse with warm water. Doing this once a week or so will nourish and strengthen your hair.

Applying honey or plain yogurt directly on your skin makes an excellent anti-bacterial face mask. Rinse gently with warm water and you won't believe how soft and supple your skin feels!

Speaking of water, here's the easiest free beauty tip of all: drink more of it! We all know we should, but it's easy to forget our 8 to 10 glasses a day. I know that it's been said lately that we don't actually need that much, but I really notice a difference when I'm drinking a lot of water. I feel so much better - probably because I'm not reaching for another cup of coffee when I have a glass of water in front of me all the time. Now that bottled water is passé I keep my stainless steel drinking bottle with me all the time. I refill it wherever I go and just having it there helps me remember to drink. I've found it reduces my desire to snack, as it is really filling. My skin feels and looks better, and it also really helps with bloating. Your body doesn't retain water if its getting lots of water, ironically. When you're feeling puffy drain a few glasses. You'll notice the difference.

I hope these free beauty tips help you save a bit of money without skimping on quality treatments for your hair and skin! Treat yourself to organic, natural products that you can easily make yourself, and you can control what goes in and on your body.