A couple of weeks ago, I asked y’all to send in post topic ideas, and ya’ll delivered! There were lots of good suggestions, but there was one that caught my eye in particular: “how to be pretty.”
There is so much that came to my mind when I read that – fake tan, teeth whitening strips, and carefully tracking my calories, terrified of gaining weight. I so wanted to hear that I was pretty that I got myself into situations that I didn’t need to be in trying to find that affirmation.
This world’s beauty standards are dangerous. They’re literally just trends. (If you don’t believe me, look up “Ideal Body Types Through the Decades”) One decade, petite figures are in, and the next, girls are trying to be “thick.” The truth is, every one of us is beautiful in our own right. I mean, God’s hand-sculpted us in HIS image.
When we make ourselves sick trying to achieve something God never created us to be, we’re essentially telling Him that His work was insufficient. He designed us capable of far more than just being “pretty.” We were made to be intelligent, kind, and bold. He equipped us to be prayer warriors, hug-givers, and the temple of His Holy Spirit.
Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t live a healthy lifestyle or that makeup is evil (I, myself, am a big supporter of tan in a bottle), but I am advising you not to let it be all-consuming. Know your worth and that it doesn’t come from a number on the scale or who you’re “talking” to. You’re already beautiful, darling. Believe it.
Word and Sunshine 