I know fully that what I am about to say will come as a surprise to some of you. You may not even believe me. But right now, what I ask of you is to try and imagine what I see, to visualize what I say.
My dear, you are beautiful.
Look in the mirror. Go on, look. I promise I am doing the same.
What do you see? Freckles? Frizzy hair? Smeared mascara? Dark circles?
No. Look again, just once more.
As I type this, I have a burden...a burden I know that every girl, regardless of her age, shares. I, you, and every girl you have ever met feel shadowed by the smiling blonde starlets that walk the red carpets, hidden by the queens who walk on stage. We feel "unpretty".
Today, society's definition of beauty and the Bible's definition of beauty are vastly different. We see beauty as pearly teeth, straight posture, no belly, flowing hair. We see beauty as success.
Proverbs 31 has a different view:
"A wife of noble character, who can find?...She is worth far more than rubies...She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future...Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all she has done, and let the works of her hands bring her praise at the city gates."
-Proverbs 31: 10, 25, 30-31.
Solomon also defines value by a woman's giving heart, perseverance, and love for the Lord. Nowhere in his acrostic does Solomon define worth as "twenty-one Grammy awards," or "$100 makeup."
I tip my own crown off to artist Colbie Caillat, a singer who I have always seen as gorgeous. Caillat, fed up with Hollywood's definition of beauty took a bold step. In her newest song, "Try", Caillat removed her hair extensions, washed off her makeup, and wore a plain white tank top to emphasize her own raw beauty. In the song, Caillat repeats, "You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing." Caillat encouraged women to relieve themselves of their "beauty routines", and featured their "makeunders" in her music video. The result? Chill bumps, inspiration, and true, gleaming beauty.
Ladies, how can we call someone else beautiful if we cannot even see it in ourselves?
Here is my challenge for you and I both. As you and I primp and pamper this week in preparation to take over the world, let us tell ourselves, "I am beautiful." As cliche as it sounds, it has potential. This is the movement towards confidence, towards realizing our own inner, God-blessed beauty. This is OUR movement.
This is for me.
For my mom. For my grandmother. For my best friend. For my "sister". For the girl in the room down the hall. For my professor. For you.
This, this is for every girl I have ever met.
Take care,
Emily
Check out Colbie Caillat's music video for "Try" here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8
My dear, you are beautiful.
Look in the mirror. Go on, look. I promise I am doing the same.
What do you see? Freckles? Frizzy hair? Smeared mascara? Dark circles?
No. Look again, just once more.
As I type this, I have a burden...a burden I know that every girl, regardless of her age, shares. I, you, and every girl you have ever met feel shadowed by the smiling blonde starlets that walk the red carpets, hidden by the queens who walk on stage. We feel "unpretty".
Today, society's definition of beauty and the Bible's definition of beauty are vastly different. We see beauty as pearly teeth, straight posture, no belly, flowing hair. We see beauty as success.
Proverbs 31 has a different view:
"A wife of noble character, who can find?...She is worth far more than rubies...She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future...Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all she has done, and let the works of her hands bring her praise at the city gates."
-Proverbs 31: 10, 25, 30-31.
Solomon also defines value by a woman's giving heart, perseverance, and love for the Lord. Nowhere in his acrostic does Solomon define worth as "twenty-one Grammy awards," or "$100 makeup."
I tip my own crown off to artist Colbie Caillat, a singer who I have always seen as gorgeous. Caillat, fed up with Hollywood's definition of beauty took a bold step. In her newest song, "Try", Caillat removed her hair extensions, washed off her makeup, and wore a plain white tank top to emphasize her own raw beauty. In the song, Caillat repeats, "You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing." Caillat encouraged women to relieve themselves of their "beauty routines", and featured their "makeunders" in her music video. The result? Chill bumps, inspiration, and true, gleaming beauty.
Ladies, how can we call someone else beautiful if we cannot even see it in ourselves?
Here is my challenge for you and I both. As you and I primp and pamper this week in preparation to take over the world, let us tell ourselves, "I am beautiful." As cliche as it sounds, it has potential. This is the movement towards confidence, towards realizing our own inner, God-blessed beauty. This is OUR movement.
This is for me.
For my mom. For my grandmother. For my best friend. For my "sister". For the girl in the room down the hall. For my professor. For you.
This, this is for every girl I have ever met.
Take care,
Emily
Check out Colbie Caillat's music video for "Try" here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8