Own Your Beauty - LOVING the skin you're in

My face is round. Really round - the kind of round that causes my eyes to sink into oblivion if I smile real big.

I am built "tonka tough". Short and kinda boxy, definitely built to last.

I'm thick through the hips & shoulders with muscles that kind of pile up at the base of my neck; so instead of a long, graceful neck that gently dips to the shoulders there's this... slight hump that threatens to swallow my entire head! I am built a LOT like the woman in this scene with Lucy... 

When I was at the top of my game physically I once had a man tell me I had “the most masculine looking back he's ever seen on a woman - in real life” - and somehow that was supposed to be a compliment to a non-body builder!

For years I fought the way I've been made, believing the lie that I was flawed because I wasn't graceful, sleek and “feminine”.

I did everything shy of cosmetic surgery trying vainly to achieve an unobtainable goal – and *gasp* even worse, the more I worked out, the bulkier I got!

I was sucked into what our culture spins as “beautiful” and thus absorbed, I was 100% unable to see that I am wonderfully, amazingly put together! 

You need spend a mere 5 minutes in the check out line to see how shallow our definition of beauty has become - it seems nearly every cover screams for our comparative attention:

             *Am I busty enough?

             * Is my hiney pleasantly rounded like Jennifer Lopez's?

             * Are my teeth straight enough, my ears even, my belly flat              

               enough, my pants size small enough... 

Argh! When does it end? From our obsession with movie stars to the increasing number of plastic surgeon billboards touting how you should give “mom her old body” for the holidays. (These makes me want to use some very unladylike language!)it seems most of our culture drives us to focus on our perceived imperfections instead of appreciating the glorious reflection of God we're made to be.

God did not make any mistakes when He designed me - “tonka tough”, in fact, I've grown to love it and here's the kicker – so does my husband! Oh, how I love that man!

Honestly, who wouldn't love a man that says things like... “I want you to be healthy, just don't get skinny, ok?”

God didn't make any mistakes in your design either and unless Botox takes over the world, we're all going to age. Our bodies will change, our faces will wrinkle and our definition of beauty will have to change or we'll never be able to develop the character of a genuinely beautiful woman.

I am surrounded by incredible women – young and old - who look little to nothing alike – and yet, I can honestly say they are all stunning. 

Mom, Maw, Maleesa, Jessica, Cassie, Maise, Maiven, Stephi, Noelle, Jen, Jennifer, Kimmy, Becca, Terri, Alex, Chelsea, Marissa, Kayti, Monica, Bekah - Each of you have been made to reflect the creative genius of God & His art work is FLAWLESS.

To all the ladies that read this, I pray that God will do for you as He's done for me. That He would break off the lies our culture has slathered on you, that you will wake up to His delight in you – body, soul & spirit. It's only once you're comfortable in the skin you're in that you can be free to focus on the things that truly matter. 

THIS is the only way to use a scale ;)