THE SEDUCTION OF BEAUTY

The Cleansing of Ugliness

Isaiah 43:18-19: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye now know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and even rivers in the desert.”

I have a life-long love of things related to the realm of beauty, both in nature and in human form. Symmetry, presentation, heart, dignity, divine order, these things draw me. It seems to me that in 2025 and on, beauty is being pummeled into something I find not so beautiful...like bent and misshapen, a shadow. I retain a quiet reserve of observation on all this disruption. I see that the spirit of beauty is becoming subject to a dark seducing spirit, one element of the debased modern age that attempts to change the core of what beauty represents. This is not a race, an ethnicity, nor a culture, this is the darkness incarnate that tries to overshadow, and the handprint of the devil all over it. Our natural beauty and humanity is being shoved down and spat upon.

I have gradually become somewhat more...emotionally reserved around men.I never formally married. From the youthful days of being promiscuous and quite bold, my persona has changed. Part of this is the pressures of Elder age and as Elder women particularly feel invisible… and part of this is my digging deep into the war between men and women, the deepening sorrows between the two core tribes of humanity. Without the balance between male and female, life will fade.

This is not a simplistic statement, nor an easy path to tread.

For me, beauty is a mystery that can feed my soul, a warrior empath and sensitive person. The essence of beauty moves quietly, with subtlety, with dignity and with deep respect for the Creator, Who made things beautiful. God is a great lover of the realm of beauty. Look at the sky!! Look at the Earth!! Beauty abounding!!

There is a huge pressure on women, especially the young. It is an immense spirit of condemnation, that we are just "no darn good" unless we are in a narrow line of presentation: thin, no flaws, no worries, no stresses, no concerns, no failures, flawless skin and hair, 6 feet tall...and we dare not be UNAVAILABLE for sex!

I was recently in the pharmacy and store called CVS, doing a bit of shampoo shopping. As a lifelong lover of beauty and makeup, I usually do a quick walk through of the cosmetic section, briefly perusing the various displays. Well...at one lip color display, I was shocked.

Lipsticks have long had cheeky names attached to colors...but these names were, from my well-traveled position, crass and plain old vulgar. I will not share the names...but suffice to say, there was no doubt in my mind as to the raw intent, unsubtle blatant sexual seduction. I stood there shaking my head. I remember long ago, in the early 1950’s, one lip color was called "Fire and Ice " and that was supposed to be racy! We have now provoked ourselves into “slut " territory.

"Slut " used to be a pejorative, and judgment on females who actually had sexual desires. Now some women embrace the term as a rebellion against male domination. I read in some fashion magazine several years ago, that women should basically always be available for sex, ready and willing, ( and a French woman in the article used a profane word that began with "F" and I won't say further. )

As a woman who was extremely promiscuous in my own Boomer youth, age 18 to 28, I had sex with at least 50 people over that time period. I am most certainly not proud of that record. I have been in the trenches, so to speak. I have followed the devil's marketing gig and I will scream, “this is not something to emulate!” I was seduced by evil. I am here to tell you, evil is NOT a party.

Let me tell you from unpleasant direct experience, it is not remotely the "sexual freedom " it is spoken to be. It is smashed hearts and emotions, having any vulnerability be pummeled, multiple sexually transmitted DISEASES ( not remotely sexy,) and two unplanned pregnancies that ended in abortion in summer and fall of 1973. Slut, indeed. Freedom is not free, correct?

Stark definitions of beauty and ugliness are in a constant battle and clash.

May I gently remind the fighting cores on both sides, GOD CREATED SEX. He made it for two purposes: keeping the human race going, and intimate fellowship and enjoyment between husband and wife. Is it easy? Not even close.

I failed at it. I can, at the very least, in my Elder years, be a conduit for the support of young women struggling to find their way through the shoals of a raging river of lust. I am not a prude. I am not repressed. I am not shameful or shamed. I am as practical as can be, after crossing the sea of lust in a tiny boat full of leaks. May I suggest directly from the Blunt Oregon Girl's handy-dandy volume 999,999, don't follow that path! Please consider removing your dear self from this maelstrom and humbly asking for better! God absolutely has better for you, if you will listen to Him and actually follow His counsel day by day. It is not instantaneous…but it does happen!

Ugliness is also relative to cultural tomes and pronouncements. I am speaking not of physical ugliness, but rather ugliness of soul, which is a direct follow-up of a broken heart. Sorrow breaks the lovely lines of the face and body, ages one prematurely and savages the spirit.

God is the Great Physician of all things, both temporal and Eternal.

Only His immense mercy can truly, step by step, cleanse the sadness that threatens to overtake the soul. I have lived in "sneer-ville" and do not recommend it. I am one who is a sometimes-raw work in progress with all this, so I speak from painful experience…staying on the narrow path with Papa will save you an ocean of tears…even if difficult.

The scary step to take is, with trembling hand, simply admit you have lost your way and ASK Papa God for help. Yes, the great “sexually free”…have fallen into ditches and muddy places (I certainly did!) and need help to get out (and stay out!) The ugliness begins to be cleansed from within, with repentance, which is a simple step by step turning away from what caught and tormented you, body, mind, soul and spirit. Gradually, to not overwhelm you, God can and will gently and tenderly restore the natural beauty that once reigned in your life. Despite my sorrows, this is exactly what Papa God and His Son Jesus Christ are doing for me, even in my Elder years (73 in November 2025). It is NEVER too late and He can make all things new!

Wendy Elizabeth Williams, Friday, July 11, 2025

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—Consider donating any amount from $1 up, to my Ko-fi page, https://Ko-fi.com/wendyelizabethwilliams. You can donate one time only, periodically or monthly as you feel guided. Also on my Ko-fi page, I am, at the guidance of Holy Spirit, writing one shorter piece per week, focusing on my lifelong love of beauty, including fabric, garments and “style”. I place each shorter piece up on Notes as well, on Friday nights, after I have my weekly longer piece up on Substack. This week’s piece speaks of my reaction to the sometimes more sober look of men’s garments, as opposite to women’s decorative and “display” looks and how I am drawn to some of men’s garments. I love being female and I also am drawn to more dignified garments, that are not frilly and some element of that is included in some men’s garments.

—Consider hiring me to do a bit of writing for you! I am very good at what I call “emotional-descriptive” writing. I am a deep empathic type, I feel things very much from emotion and am drawn to certain products that affect my sensitivity and feelings. I write in an authentic style and I write as if I myself were drawn to buy something! I am not easy to impress…but I do feel drawn to at least some products out there. Very affordable, no long-term commitment. Contact me on Substack Notes via a Direct Message or on Ko-fi with a message there on my page.

—Finally, please pray for me, that I clearly hear the still, small voice of Holy Spirit, as He is my writing coach! Thank you, Wendy