Loving Yourself

   Do you love yourself?  This may seem like an odd question, but I don't mean in a selfish or prideful way.  Do you see yourself as a beautiful, valuable child of God?
   We are called to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.  How can we love others if we have only hatred for ourselves?  If we can't look in the mirror and be happy with what we see, how will we ever look at those around us and see the good in them?
    Do you love yourself enough to realize your shortcomings?  Do you let them discourage you, or do you see them as an opportunity to become better?  Do you love yourself enough to accept love from others?  Do you let God shower you with His love for you, or are you too busy denying your worthiness?
   Focus on the positive.  Like who you are, and be who you like.  Accept constructive criticism and compliments alike.  Love others.  Love yourself.

Just the Way You Are

   I can envision God on the day He created you.  I see Him obsessing over every detail, loving every second.  He makes your nails and your hair and your toes.  And when He gets to your eyes, I imagine the Lord of creation going all Bruno Mars on you, because they outshine the stars in the sky.
   He creates your lips and your smile and perfects your laugh. He gives your hair just the right color and makes it fall just right (without you tryin').  Your fingers, ears, legs and lashes are samples of His best handiwork.  He makes your heart to love and to live and to beat for Him.  He gives you feelings and opinions.  He creates every single part of you in His own image, and when He is done He stands back to watch - and to say that you are good.
   He catches sight of your first smile, and stops and stares for a while.  You are His favorite of all His creations.  Every time He sees your face there is nothing He would change.  He wishes you could see yourself through His eyes, because then you would see your beauty.  You would realize that you're amazing, just the way you are.  You would understand that the God of the universe loves you.

 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

-Psalm 139:13-14

this song :)

Becoming

   I look back on the me of yesteryear, and I surprise myself with who I've become.  I have grown older and perhaps wiser.  I'm a freshman with some kind-of friends and some new friends and some forever friends.  I've grown my hair longer, and I've come to a deeper realization of God's love.
   My life is a string of becoming, each day a pearl slipped onto my necklace.  Some are smaller than others; a few have lost their luster.  Still I strive to become.  To become a better friend, a stronger  athlete, a Proverbs 31 woman.  To become courageous despite my fears, joyful in all things, and loving to all people.
   And in the midst of all this, I hope to become... myself.

You Are Beautiful

      You are beautiful.  God created you in His own image, so how could you not be gorgeous?  He gave you your eyes, your height, your hair, and your personality.  God has given you beauty that far outweighs your faults. You have every right to a beautiful life!

      You are beautiful.  The world will try to tell you otherwise, but you know the truth.  Don’t listen to their lies.  You know you’re gorgeous!  Never change yourself to fit someone else’s idea of pretty.  There could never be a more beautiful you! 

      You are beautiful.  Don’t ever forget it, and don’t let anyone else.  Your friends will beat themselves and others down, but you can end it.  Let your own dazzling beauty shine and help others see theirs.

     

Know the truth.

Live the truth.

Share the truth.

You are beautiful!

Desire...Fulfilled

   That want, that need, that desire in every girl's heart.  To know that someone cares.  To be called beautiful. To hold and be held.  To be chosen.  To be loved.
   We look for it everywhere.  It drives what we say, how we dress, the way we act.  We look to our dads to fill this need, and they fail.  We try to get other boys to fulfill our desire, only to have our hearts broken over again.  Deep down there is a hole in our hearts and we try everything to fill it, falling short every time.
   But there is One who can fix the problem.  One who desires you.  Who will hold you, treasure you, love you.  He fills the void.  He is the only One who will never leave, never fail, never disappoint you.  He is the ultimate Father, the perfect Guy.  He knows who you really are, what you really need.  He says you're beautiful despite it all.  He loves you.

   Turn to God.

Perfect People

   Stop for a second and think about that girl.  Yeah, you know who I'm talking about.  She's popular, fashionable, and quite possibly tall and blonde.  The girl everyone wants to be like.  She's got it all - the beauty, the friends, the guy.  The perfect life.  She's got it all together.  She's happy.
   Right?
   Maybe not so much.  Have you ever thought about what her life is really like? who she really is?  Have you ever cared?  You might be surprised by what you would see.
   That girl's beauty is all a mess of expensive clothes, hair product, and make-up.  She doesn't think she's pretty without it.  She's spent hours in front of the mirror to make herself beautiful, never believing she truly was.  She has spent her life getting people to like her, but she still doesn't know which of her "friends" she can trust.  She feel she must have a boyfriend to be loved and important, always wondering when this one will ditch her.
   That girl wakes up every morning and paints a picture of perfect for everyone to see, hiding what's real underneath.  She pastes on a smile and coats herself with confidence.  On the inside she is crying and falling and failing.
   Will you show her what truth is?  Will you live what's real?  Will you demonstrate true friendship?  Will you you teach her happiness?  Will you tell her she's beautiful?  Will you tell her she's loved?

   Or will you let her live her perfect life?

Check out Perfect People by Natalie Grant.  It's an amazing song!

Why Bother?

   Girls, you may wonder what the point of dressing modestly is.  You may think What's the big deal?  Why should I be modest?  Well, here are five reasons.
   Be modest for you.  You can be modest and still stylish.  Wear clothes that flatter you, and cover you.  This shows others that you know you are worth it, that you know you are valuable.  Dressing modestly sends a clear message that you respect yourself, and also demands respect from others.
   Be modest for the girls.  If you are modest, it shows other girls that it can be done, that you can be modest and still look great.  Dressing modest tells them that it's worth it - that they are worth it.
   Be modest for the guys.  When you wear revealing or provocative clothes, you are a stumbling block for all the males who see you.  Don't even try to tell me "they shouldn't be looking."  If there's something to look at, it is your very own fault.  Don't cause the guys to stumble.  They are those out there who want to stay pure, who aren't looking at girls all the time.  Let's help them out.
   Be modest for Prince Charming.  Be pure for your future husband.  He is waiting for the one and he will notice a girl who respects herself and the guys enough to dress modestly.  Be ready for your Prince Charming - he will love that you waited.  There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty.  -1 Peter 3:2 (the Message)
   Be modest for Him.  God loves you beyond what you could ever imagine, and he understands your full worth.  Your body is the temple of Holy Spirit.  Doesn't it deserve all the respect you can give it?  Your Heavenly Father specifically instructs you to be modest.

And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. 

-1 Timothy 2:9-10 (the Message) 

In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,  but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.  

-1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NKJ)

How Do You See Me?

   You may think I'll like it if you call me "hot." You might think I 'll blush and smile.  You may think "sexy" is a compliment.
   You thought wrong.
   If you greet me with "sexy" I'll turn and walk away. Call me "hot" and I'll want nothing to do with you.  Those words don't flatter me, they disgust me.  They don't attract me, they shove me away.
   "Sexy" and "hot" tell me you see me as an object, not someone to be loved and cherished.  They show me that you only care about what I look like on the outside, not my feelings on the inside.  Those words reveal that you're just looking at my body, not who I really am.
   Is that all you really care about?  Is that really how you think?  Can't you see that there's so much more?
   I don't wanna be sexy or hot.  I want you to love me for me.  I want you to know that I'm gorgeous inside and out.  I want to be the one you would give your life for.  I want you to see who I really am, and still love it.  I wanna be "beautiful."

   How do you see me?

I'd Rather Be a Proverbs 31 Woman

   Think of a Victoria's Secret model.  The picture of "perfection" and sexiness.  She's what every girl dreams of looking like.  What every guy wants to have.  Right?
   Now picture something -someone- better.  Someone valued more than rubies.  Someone a man would rather have than VS model.  A Proverbs 31 woman.
   Who would you rather be?
   A sex object or a woman who has true worth?  A girl wanted for her body or a woman a man can truly fall in love with?  The girl with skin-deep perfection or the woman who's beauty goes deeper and beyond her looks?  A girl who is falling apart on the inside or a woman who know who she is?
   Who will you be?

Inspired by I'd Rather Have a Proverbs 31 Woman Than a Victoria's Secret Model