I hope you are doing marvellously well!
Let me share an encouraging "secret" that we all know is true: perfection and beauty are not one in the same. I saw this picture of a perfectly beautiful woman and thought, "Gosh, I'll never be that beautiful". Although we all know that almost all of the pictures we see are retouched and/or Photoshopped, we still strive to be as perfect as possible outwardly in order to be deemed beautiful enough to be accepted by our peers. But what is real "beauty"? Is it being perfect on the outside?
"You'll never be beautiful"
I learned early on that my lot in life was to accept my "imperfectious" fate and give up on ever being beautiful. I once had a boyfriend that graciously informed me, when I was in high school, that I was "sort of cute" but I'd "never be beautiful". I had students that called out my crooked nose (damaged in a car wreck)and I am well aware of the fact that I was born with big saddle bags under my eyes. For years I was ashamed, and shy because I wasn't perfectly beautiful.
That kind of thinking boxed me in and made me unproductive. It effectively killed networking. It put up invisible hinderances between me and everyone around me. Because I didn't like my appearance, I crawled back into my shell and wallowed in a pity party more or less.
This feeling of "I'll never be beautiful" was like a nagging prod in my side keeping me from being selfless and hindering me from freely loving others until I understood what real beauty really is - God's love. His love is more beautiful than the shape of a face or the colour of our hair. His love never fades. It reaches you and me where we are and frees us to be who we were meant to be even when we don't deserve forgiveness. (Grace)
Unconditional Love
When I embraced God's unconditional love for me, I found that I became beautiful despite my imperfections. That unconditional love, shining though my baggy eyes, wrinkles, greying hairs and crooked nose has made people ask me who God is. They see a beauty, a love, a light and a peace shining through me that is truly beautiful despite my physical imperfections. The love of God is uniquely beautiful no matter what body or face it permeates.
The most beautiful thing in the world has nothing to do with a pretty face or a sexy body. The most beautiful thing is to love people unselfishly and unconditionally - something that is only fully possible when you understand how you have been unconditionally loved by the perfect God who made the universe despite your imperfections.
Update
I have now written over 30,000 words in my book Change My Mind- a journey from stress to rest. (it is to come out shortly after the album I am working on with 12 songs about the same journey).
Here's the first sketch of the cover - unedited and with no shame for my imperfections. I have the bags under my eyes but the expectation, love and joy shine through them all the same. God's love clothes me with beauty.
So, if you are not perfect, that's o.k. It's what is inside of you that counts. Let the love of God fall into you and change your mind about who you are. You are already loved, already forgiven, already valuable in His eyes no matter your imperfections. He will make your heart perfectly beautiful so you can love perfectly. He changed my mind about what beauty really is and freed me to love. Let Him do that in your life, too!
You'll never be the same.
Until next time.......
- Liz