See Yourself as Beautiful

God thinks you're beautiful. He doesn't just think you are, he knows you are. You want to know why? Because He created you. He formed you in His hands...each cell, each hair, every single part of you, He created.

God never creates something that is ugle, imperfect, or disgusting.

In this day and age, women walk around in this, "Barbie-styled" world. The idea that is pushed on women is to be skinny (anorexic really), make-up marred face and to have a look that isn't really them. Everything has to be fake. Before I give the wrong impression; I'm not against wearing make-up, being stylish, or even wanting to have an outfit that you saw in a magazine. But I wish women and girls would realize that they can be themselves with make-up, being stylish and wearing that outfit they saw.

But another thing that I see often times, not only in others, but quite often in myself, is how I want to "impress" people, because I feel like they won't accept me if I'm not "up to par" or "dressed to their standards." It's called peer pressure. Yes, even women of my age, with 2 kids and one on the way fall under the influence of peer pressure. I honestly think it's something people deal with their whole life, unless they can master this: If they can master the thought that they are beautiful. They are accepted. They are loved. They don't have to do anything to win any approval from God. God accepts them for who they are.

I have people in my life that I run into occasionally that sorta "shame" me, because they're so nicely dressed, so skinny, so....beautiful. When I run into these people, I'm always smoothing my shirt out, wishing I'd remembered to shave my legs, and wishing I'd dashed a little bit of make-up on. I don't know if they notice that I'm not "up to par" but I feel scrutinized. I feel like they look down on me because I'm not rich like they are.

But the other day, when I ran into these people, I was in a stained shirt, wrinkled denim shorts that had stains on them, my hair was a gigantic mess and I felt completely disheveled. I felt like crying. But then as I was standing there trying to focus on them, instead of how horrible I felt about myself, I looked up to see a sign on the wall, "You ARE Beautiful."

Wow. Timely word, right?

I paused, gathered myself and actually soaked in the comfort of those words. I finished my short conversation with these people and was able to go my own way. As I walked along, I felt God's comforting voice show me who I really am, and what really matters about me. He told me HE didn't care about the stains on my clothes, or how my hair was like a huge frizz ball from the rain. He told me HE didn't care that I was a bit disheveled. He just reminded me that I am a mom, a wife, and that He had created me. He reminded me that image meant nothing. He reminded me that HE created my hair...didn't He know that it would get to be a huge fizz  ball in the rain and humidity? Yes. He knew...and He thinks it's beautiful. He thinks that my freckles are beautiful. He knew I'd gain weight with my two kids and wasn't going to be a skinny rake. He likes it. He created my babies, and He created me to be curvy. He thinks that is beautiful.

So why is that us as women think less of ourselves? Why don't we start looking at ourselves through God's eyes and not worry about what others think of us. I want to get a bracelet that says, "God made me beautiful." Don't down yourself for being you. Be thankful that you are created by the most Awesome God who took time to knit you in your mothers' womb. He didn't rush to make you. He takes a full 9 months (or as some women like to say, 10 months in all reality) to create you. He takes His time to create every aspect of your body. So embrace it. Love it. Take care of it. Be thankful for it.

See yourself as Beautiful!