We know the golden rule is ‘Love your neighbor as yourself, but how can we do that if we don’t love ourself?
i think we forget to love ourselves the way we love our neighbor. our friends. a stranger.
“I don’t want to wear a tank top. I hate my arms. they’re so muscular I get made fun of.” Cami, Age 11.
I love that my arms have always been muscular and strong. I love that I can use them to pick up my friends when they hurt their foot, and they help carry kids with cerebral palsy. I love that I can use them to hug and bring comfort.
i also love confidently asking anyone to arm wrestle. Anytime. Anywhere.
-Cami, Age 19
“my thighs are too big. they won’t fit in these jeans. I should google how to make them look more like that.” -Cami, Age 13
I love my legs and their greatness!! strong and sturdy to take on the weight. they help me run the good race. literally. they’ve chased toddlers and walked with friends through hard times. they’ve been schooled playing soccer in Guatemala and have gotten to run errands for the team while in Asia.
-Cami, Age 19
“I don’t like my feet. They’re not as pretty as hers.”
Cami, Age 10- 17
I love my forever dirty feet. i’ve learned that walking with purpose won’t always be clean or pretty. i’ve stepped in mud more times than I have a paved sidewalk, and wouldn’t take it another way.
-Cami, Age 19
“You should be wearing your retainer more, you won’t look good.” Cami, Age 17
I love my smile. perpetually with some type of seed stuck between my teeth,(thank u @korimoon- true friend)
I love that my smile can bring out joy in others and share God’s life. I love that people feel welcomed and encouraged by my smile.
-Cami, Age 19
“God can you make my hands smaller or more dainty? I always get called man- hands.”
Cami, Age 12
I love my hands. they help me hold my teams hands during shots, give good high fives, and they’re always ready to play goalie. they can wipe tears and can help carry grocery bags. they play the guitar, the cajon, & ukulele-all of which bring me + others joy. especially my mom.
-Cami, Age 19
“I wish my hair could flow better like hers. I’m just going to straighten it everyday.”
-Cami, Age 13
I love my messy hair. If my hair being messy shows my weakness, then let it get crazier! I love that it shows how wild things actually can be, and that i’m not striving for perfection anymore, just resting that I don’t have to be perfect.
Cami, Age 19
“Mommy can I pleaseee have surgery to take this off? I don’t like it, it’s ugly.” -Cami, Age 5
I love my little mole by my mouth. my great grandma had one and it reminds me of my family. when I said this, mom said it made me look like a little model, and she loved it. I love it too.
Cami, Age 19
it’s crazy thinking about the things that I used to say to myself and sometimes still catch myself doing. I would never let the little kids I babysit say these things without feeding and returning proper love for a different perspective. why don’t we treat ourselves with the same sensitivity as we would for others, especially kids?
it seems like we’ve been told that saying what we love about ourselves is selfish, vain, & conceited. almost like it’s weird if you don’t hate an aspect of yourself.
I think that’s to stop the powerhouses we become once there’s confidence in our bones and veins.
this isn’t selfish, because i’m grateful for the Potter and taking up the clay I’ve been given. I know it doesn’t last long, but how could I tell God he did it wrong?
He calls the stars and the moon and the oceans and mountains good, but He called us even better. This is where my worthiness comes from.
I can be confident in my body because I know that my body is not my source of confidence.
I am able to say these things and appreciate what I look like because I know the look isn’t where worthiness lies.
i’m happy I get to take care of myself.
a temple :0
do you know how well they take care of the temples here in Asia? they monitor what goes in and with what, & that’s not even the real deal God.
changing perspective hasn’t been easy. I still monitor myself everyday to make sure that what goes in my mind is words of truth and love.
if right now you resonate with the quotes, I dare you to write words after “I love my ____”
there is power in taking back what’s always been yours. power love self control.
lots of love.
cami
