This post is specially dedicated to all the little girls at Sarah's Covenant Home (SCH) – an orphanage in Ongole, India for special needs children – the awesome place we had the priveledge of serving at this past month. Photos below.
If you’re anything like me… you’ve had these “moments”. Moments when you think your breasts are too small or your hips are too big. Moments when you’re standing in front of the mirror scrutinizing every pore on your face. Moments when you wish you could change your eye, hair or skin color. Moments when you compare yourself to the women around you. Moments when you just feel… ugly.
For years, I grappled to find peace with my appearance. Growing up, I hated my strawberry-blonde hair and pale skin. I wanted to be taller. I wasted hours upon hours reading beauty magazines in hopes of finding a way to make myself prettier. And after all that… I sought to be validated the best way I knew how – through the words and affections of men. The more often I was told I was beautiful, the truer it seemed to be. But words don’t change appearances; they change perspectives. And the words of men can be quite callous when it comes to judging beauty and worth. Words can make even the most beautiful woman feel ugly. But no words capture the true measure of beauty and worth more than these:
“For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14
Our Precious God – in His image – knitted us each together with His gentle, artful hands. Every detail of our bodies and faces and hair planned well in advance, perfectly coordinated and crafted with the finest materials. You and I — each wonderfully made. These words – words not of man but of God – have brought me so much peace, freedom and joy. And what I’ve come to realize — with certainty — is that the world’s measuring stick for sizing up beauty is just too short. It's too narrow. It’s too limited.
To be honest, I've never felt so beautiful in my entire life as I do right now, and it certaintly isn't because my appearance has changed. But rather, His words have become my Truth. His words — like precious, little love notes — are now written upon my heart:
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” Song of Songs 4:7
It doesn’t matter if you're not a size 2. It doesn't matter how old you are or if you've got some wrinkles. It doesn't matter if your own husband doesn't seem to aprpeciate you. It doesn’t even matter if your culture – out of ignorance – tosses you aside and regards you cursed because you have a "disability" (like the children at SCH).
Your precious, Heavenly Father calls you flawless.
Of all the people in the world, YOU – being one of His greatest works of all – are wonderful. YOU – are altogether beautiful.
Do you know that full well?
Praise you, Papa, for we are ALL fearfully and wonderfully made!
My prayer — especially for this New Year — is that you walk boldly in the full knowledge and assurance that you are His treasured possession. You are His queen. You are His beloved. You have been feafully and wonderfully made by the hands of our Awesome God.
