One day while I was perusing the Christian literature shelves at Chapters, a book called "I'm No Angel" by Kyle Bisutti caught my eye. On the cover there was a photo of a gorgeous woman who seemed to absolutely glow with the love of Christ. After further inspection of the book, I realized that it was a memoir written by the woman on the cover, Kylie Bisutti, about her journey from being a Victoria's Secret Runway Angel to quitting that career so that she could be a "Proverbs 31 wife". I felt compelled to buy the book, and as I'm sitting here reading it, I also feel compelled to write a blog post about the first couple of chapters that I've already read. I've decided that this woman is officially one of my role models now. After spending years building up her modeling career and finally reaching the pinnacle with becoming a Victoria's Secret Angel – which by society's standards is probably the high point of any modeling career – she felt convicted by the Lord to stop modeling lingerie and focus on her relationship with Him and with her husband. This was met by a flurry of media attention – everyone was shocked with her decision to end her multi-million dollar career of being a VS model because she couldn't live out her Christian life while modeling skimpy lingerie and bathing suits. The book begins with her telling about all of the interviews and the ridicule that she received from many of the interviewers on her new stance for modesty. Throughout it all, her eyes remained focused on God, knowing that He had brought her there so that He could use her to make a difference in peoples' lives. He was going to use her story to change young girls' perspectives of what beauty really is – that beauty isn't what's on the outside, but what's on the inside.
She begins to tell about how she began modeling. It came easily to her, and she soon found herself being asked by her modeling agency at the young age of 14 if she would be willing to go overseas to Thailand so that she could get some experience under her belt. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was how she talked about the power of words. While sitting in a Pizza Hut in the middle of Bangkok, Thailand, she and her mother watched while a skeezy man spoke to two young girls, saying things like "you're both so beautiful" and "you stand out in a crowd". He obviously knew what he was doing and everyone could see the affect his words were having on the girls – Kylie says that she "could see the girls' faces light up with every flattering remark". Kylie and her mother were fully aware that sex trafficking was a major problem in Thailand, but Kylie says that it's one thing to read about it – it's another thing to see it right before your eyes. The power that words have over a human being is huge, particularly flattering words said to young girls.
Girls grow up seeing society's idea of what beauty is "supposed" to look like – beauty comes in the image of Victoria's Secret models strutting down the runway in skimpy outfits with their flawless hair and perfectly toned bodies. Do people realize the affect that this ideal has on young girls? Kylie never knew what happened to those two girls in the Pizza Hut in Thailand, but she never forgot about them and the way that man's words were luring them in to a trap. Those girls live in a world where beauty is all about your outward appearance, and they were loving every minute of flattery coming from the man who would say anything to make some money off of them in the sex trafficking world.
I am so thankful for the way God is using Kylie Bisutti to influence girls and women all over the world in a way that changes their perspective of beauty and shows them how the Lord really sees them and loves them. She has decided to become a Proverbs 31 wife, to live her life in a way that no longer glorifies "self", but instead glorifies Christ. God is using her story to teach people all over the world what true beauty is, and that self-worth shouldn't come from flattering remarks and finding acceptance from other people – it should come from who you are in Christ.
"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. she makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts fo the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her saying: 'many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:10-31)
