seeing beauty in yourself

Growing up I read the latest magazines. Teen Vogue. CosmoGirl. And of course, Seventeen, way before my age matched the number. With two older sisters, it was easy. I watched all the teen movies and did a great job at comparing myself to everyone on the screen or magazine page. I wanted to have hair like her. Make up like that one. Outfit like hers over there. No not that one. The other one. My hair never fit the bill for me. My unruly, wavy hair never held a light to the silky smooth straight hair in the ads. It always seemed to mock me. No matter how hard I tried.

I always kept make up simple. The feel of cover up on my skin was an easy aversion and my freckles were never covered up no matter how hard I tried, anyway. Mascara, eye liner and eye shadow were my go to with some sort of lip gloss to tie it all together.

About six months before my wedding, I started having issues with my contacts. And then a sudden onset of makeup allergy to boot. Bulging red, stinging eyes are not fun or pretty.

I tried different brands of makeup. Made sure my brushes were clean. Still nothing but red, swollen and stinging eyes. Then one day I stopped. When I say me, rather it was God who answered a prayer he put in my heart months earlier. When I looked in the mirror he allowed me to see me in his beauty and light, the way he sees me and the way he created me to be. I did not need makeup or contacts to feel beautiful or secure in my looks.

I tried the contact route a few weeks ago. There are new brands and types out these days, so I thought I'd give them a whirl for fun and some change but the stinging eyes and redness returned with them. My glasses are great, any who, and less hassle and maintenance. And they serve as a little reminder of God's continued faithfulness to answered prayers.

Beauty is not found in magazines. That is where Photoshop is found, along with air brushed cheeks and shiny skin.

For you are God’s masterpiece. He has created you anew in Christ Jesus, so you can do the good things he planned for you long ago. Ephesians 2:10

He made you. He made you perfectly. You are beautiful and full of the life that God has so carefully breathed in to your lungs to do amazing things. You have more potential than you know. Makeup is only skin deep but truly loving who God made you to be and embracing the skin you are in is a blessing.

I pray that you would embrace the uniqueness that is found in the dimples on your cheeks and the wrinkles that are starting to form around your nose and the hairs that constantly fall out of place no matter how hard you try to train them to go the opposite direction. I pray that you would see yourself as God created you. Past the imperfections. Past the scars and comparisons. To the child he made you. You were made perfectly.

Here's to true beauty and more smiles. Less time looking in the mirror and more time spent looking at who God is and who he created you to be.