beau.ti.ful

Sometimes, people need a little motivation push or encouragement, especially us girls. Since school has started, its been really hard to stick out and be that one that is different than anyone else. I decided to start a new devotion series. Its called Redefining Beautiful. Its by Jenna Lucado, of course, the amazing Max Lucado's daughter!

Girls,
Alot of times in school we like to compare ourselves to other girls. Our weight, hair, clothes, beauty, makeup, different styles, shoes...the list goes on and on right? Sometimes we get in the mood where we literally beat ourselves up emotionally. We think we arent good enough, pretty enough, popular enough. Trust me, I know the feeling. Going into this further, I realized that we are all made beautifully. No matter what we think about ourselves, God is looking at us saying you are sooooo beautiful.

A note from Jenna Lucado:

"Some days I like him. Most days I hate him. But I do have to admit, he's honest. He'll always tell me if I have food in my teeth or a booger in my nose. He isn't afraid to let me know if a certain shirt is too tight or if a color doesn't complement my skin. I appreciate the honesty, but he is deceiving all the same. Deceiving because anytime he tells me, "Just get this cute shirt and feel better about yourself" or "Just lose five pounds and be forever happy," it doesn't work. Im never good enough for him. I try not to hang out with him too much, or else I can easily fall into his trap of discouragement--"Jenna, I see that cellulite back there. Your skin is looking pretty oily these days. Those teeth need some whitening!" I try to block out his lies that tell me Im not good enough, that Im not beautiful, but its hard. Im sure youve met him. He tends to pop up in all sorts of places: bathrooms, cars, department stores, gyms. And Im sure youve felt some of these same insecurities when standing in front of him. His name? Mirror."

So I really never thought about this until I read this. And I happen to feel the same way. So the question is....what really is beautiful?

Beautiful: 1. Having attractive qualities that give great delight or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc. 2. Excellent of its kind. 3. Particularly graceful, lovely, or pretty....

Alright. Even though thats the definition of beautiful, I think we always let popular people, tv, magazines, and mirror decide what beautiful is. Let me tell you what beautiful really is....

Beautiful: What God sees when God sees you.

So when you are having one of those days and you are so down, remember God made you beautiful. Dont go off of what guys say, what tv tells us, or what we read in magazines. God has made us unique and soooo beautiful and he does not want us any other way.

Im sure Ill have a lot more to add as I go further in this devotion, but I just wanted to throw this out there tonight.

Sometimes we all need reminded and encouraged. Remeber when God sees you he only sees beautiful. Thats what you are, beautiful.