Eva Marie Everson - Oasis: A Spa for Body and Soul

2007 by Eva Marie Everson

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 495166287
www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created in 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN: 978-1-4412-4083-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.

Devouring this book is a mercy-drenching, living-water experience. Eva reminds us of how God loves his girls by delighting in our womanhood and our need for rest, comfort, and safety. Throw on your bathrobe, put your feet up, and let these chapters zap the weariness from your journey. Thank you, Eva!

Bonnie Keen, author, recording artist, speaker

In this unique book, author Eva Marie Everson conveys a refreshing perspective: when women take care of their bodies (health, beauty, fashion, etc.) they are also taking care of their souls. After all, God made us in his image! Inspiring Scriptures and down-to-earth quotes from many of todays well-known women make this a volume of practical and spiritual help you wont want to miss. Buy one for a friend too!

Karen OConnor, author, The Beauty of Aging

I love this book! Eva Marie is honest, funny, and practical and has an unusual ability to see right into the heart and mind of womenshe comes right to our front door, gently steps in as a friend, and brings words of hope and wisdom weve been longing to hear. I have not yet met a woman to whom this book does not apply. I highly recommend this bookits great for individual women, and its fabulous for group study!

Jennifer Rothschild, author, Lessons I Learned in the Dark and Lessons I Learned in the Light

For the woman who wants to be beautiful, inside and out, Eva Marie has blended a refreshing tonic of wisdom and wit, biblical and practical insight for every womans soul. Drink from this wonderful fountain, and youll say ahhhh!

Patricia Raybon, author, I Told the Mountain to Move

A book to revitalize you, body and soul! Like a refreshing trip to the spa, Eva Maries book helps women realize that its OK to take care of ourselves, gives practical tools to help us do that, andbest of allreminds us that we truly are beautiful... simply because we belong to God.

Nancy Stafford, actress; speaker; author, Beauty by the Book and The Wonder of His Love

Oasis provides a retreat for women wishing to renew and revive themselves both in body and spirit. This spring of fresh water soothes the soul and provides a source of instruction for meeting all of your beauty needs on a practical level and emphasizing the importance of making God our wellspring.

Jill Krieger Swanson, image stylist, author

Oasis illustrates the Scripture Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. This book covers it all, from manicures and makeup to prayer and praise. During my years as an international Ford fashion model, I pursued outer beauty. Now, as a pastors wife, I desire inner beauty too. Oasis provides the secret to finding a balance between the two and is full of valuable tips on being beautifulinside and out.

Tonya Ruiz, former international Ford fashion model; author,
Beauty Quest: A Models Journey

Many thanks to Eva Marie Everson for offering both practical and inspirational tips on balancing body and soul. This is a difficult dance for all women, and I know Oasis will be an encouragement for the journey.

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, author,
Spa for the Soul: Rejuvenate Your Inner Life

Filled with practical wisdom, inspiring stories, and faithful words, this book is the perfect recipe for beautiful livinginside and out.

Sharon Hanby-Robie, author, speaker, interior designer

At lasta sensible look at merging the body beautiful with the body spiritual! Eva Maries ability to focus on true inner beauty while encouraging healthy (and fun!) attention on pampering our femininity is completely refreshing.

Allison Bottke, author, A Stitch in Time ;
founder, God Allows U-Turns

To my mother,
the most beautiful woman
both in body and spirit
Ive ever known!

Contents

A N OTE FROM THE A UTHOR

I find it completely fascinating that Ive written a book on physical and spiritual beauty. Typically, when one finds a book about womens physical beauty, and its been written by a woman, theres a photo of said woman on the cover, within the flaps of the dust jacket, or on the back of the book. The woman is gorgeous. Shes most definitely a former prom or pageant queen. She owns some famous boutique or has been a model. At the very least, she has developed a makeup line proven to take years off the appearance of a womans face or has discovered an exercise program guaranteed to lift the buns, or your money back.

I am none of those things. I am the girl who grew up with straggly, nondescript brown hair, big brown eyes hidden behind Coke-bottle eyeglasses, funny-looking teeth (even the braces didnt help entirely), pale but freckled skin, and absolutely no sense of style.

But I had dreams of being beautiful. And I had a desire to love God passionately. (I hope you feel the same way about this. We should all strive to love him more dearly than we did the day before. Ill stop now; I feel an old Godspell song coming on...)

What Im trying to say in these few lines where I get to say whatever I want to say however I want to say it is that I am not a beauty queen. But, I am a beautiful woman, simply because I am a woman . Women are beautiful. We were created to be, and we are.

But, even with that said, I must remind you that we women choose how to exercise that beauty. You may or may not use moisturizer, read up on the latest fashions, get your nails done, or exercise regularly. That is totally up to you. If youd rather wear old and tattered blue jeans instead of a Kasper suit any day of the week, well, then, you go, girl! If youd rather deal with wrinkles than schedule application time or budget your income for the latest in a long line of youth serums, thats your prerogative. It wont make you any less beautiful to the One who matters most. In fact, using the best moisturizer in the world has absolutely no effect on Gods view of you. To him, you are beautiful through and through because you are a reflection of his love. Period.

But to be honest with you, if you fall within that category, then part of this book simply is not for you. Yet, that doesnt mean you wont want to keep reading. Heavens, no. Even if you couldnt care less about what some call high maintenance issues... well, you may want to go ahead and read about them anyway. Itll give you something to snicker over. You can call your best girlfriend and say, Can you believe women actually spend their days worrying about stuff like this? Who are these women, anyway? and that will be okay with me and the rest of us who do care about stuff like that.