I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works;my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14
I agreed at once thinking, Of course I want to do this! How amazing to shout from the internet-rooftops that we ARE fearfully and wonderfully made and beautiful because we are His! Yes!
{Insert fist pump and cheer here}
But then it hit me...wait a second, I look so tired without make up and everyone is going to see this. Oh, it's no big deal. I'm a photographer. I know how to use the light so that it's most flattering, I'll just--
Wait. What was I saying? I'd agreed to do this post in support of showing our natural beauty and I wanted to manipulate it so that I looked better. Ugh. I realized I needed this more than I thought.
Who we are in God
I've written a few posts about this (one titled I Wish was a popular guest post) but that doesn't mean I fully "get" who I am in God all of the time. Sadly, it's entirely too easy to be caught up in what the world says is attractive.
Thin...long hair...short hair...bright eyes...no wrinkles...fit...stylish...tall...short...funny...sarcastic...sweet...caring...
You get the point. There are so many different "standards" that it's amazing we still fall for the lie. The lie that there is a "type of perfection" we need to achieve to be considered beautiful.
God never once says that in the scriptures. In fact, the Bible talks about beauty being vain. And yet we (I'm speaking for women here...sorry fellas can't speak to how you feel about beauty) desire to be called and recognized as beautiful in order to feel beautiful.
I'd say (speaking to the single ladies - can I get a "woot"?) it's especially difficult because we want to hear that we're beautiful from a man. Girlfriends will say we look good and Mom and Day will say we've always been beautiful, but it doesn't feel true because we're thinking, "Hello - if I'm still single I must not be that beautiful." That's another post for another day, but I wanted to validate that we single women (at least some of us) feel this way at times.
BUT, when we dig deeper into what beauty really is, we find that it's more than just our outward appearance. It's more than what others can see on a first meeting. Beauty is a compilation of things. It's who we are, not what we are.
Beauty is...
...fearing the Lord
...a gentle and quiet spirit
...seen from the eyes of those who love us
...made by God
...found in Christ
So, why do we think we can find it elsewhere? Why do we think it's true if someone else says it? There is nothing wrong with putting on makeup up or dressing stylishly, there is something wrong when those things become more important than who we are in Christ.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made. To truly be satisfied with who I am right now, in this moment without makeup on, I need to be satisfied in Him. I won't find rest for my discontented heart until I find my true, beautiful identity in Him. The creator of the universe who cares for the sparrows and clothes the lilies of the field.
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| Me without makeup! |
My challenge to you: Post a makeup-less picture of yourself on your Facebook pages....Dare to show your beauty!
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Check out these other blog participants in the #FACEme challenge blog tour!
Nick Kording: http://nickkording.com/thoughts/
Lindsay Harrel: http://www.lindsayharrel.com
Joseph Courtemanche: http://www.commotioninthepews.com
Gabrielle Meyer: http://www.gabriellemeyer.com
Jaime Wright: http://coffeecupsandcamisoles.blogspot.com
Carrie Wisehart: http://www.carriewisehart.com
Andrea 'Dia' Nell: http://andrea-michelle-wood.blogspot.com/
Sarah Baker: http://godbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/?m=1
KristyCambron: http://www.kristycambron.com
Rachel Britz: http://www.rachelbritz.com
Cara Putman: http://www.caraputman.com
Stacy Monson: http://www.Landof10000words.wordpress.com
Laurie Tomlinson: http://www.laurietomlinson.com
Katherine Blackburn Reay: http://www.katherinereay.com/
Katie Ganshert: http://katieganshert.com/
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