5 things that make me beautiful

Disclaimer:this is not to offend or condem, simply my own self examination of beauty. 

I saw this trending line on facebook and it stumped me. Post 5 pictures that make you feel beautiful. Facebook became plastered with women posting selfies and glammed out pictures. They tagged their girlfriends asking them to continue on the thread of posting "pictures that make you feel beautiful".

That is until one of my sweet friend really put some thought into the question. She choose not to focus on her beautiful pictures but instead the things in life that make her beautiful.

                              [While at first I avoided this knowing isn't my beauty 

                               I decided to share what I feel is.  I challenge any lady 

                               that would like to show off their beauty]

                                              -keeping her anonymous in case she wants to remain so. 

You know what she shared? 

     God's opinion
      Her church
      Her family
      Time with her daughter
      Sleep

This made me question, what does make us "beautiful" and what is "beauty". How often do we see beauty as this outward appearance- how the world sees us and defines us, rather than who we are? 

I really appreciated her take on this thread and the thought she gave to it. I think we so often times loose sight of what really makes us beautiful and instead get in our heads that our worth is created by our "beauty" and our "beauty" created by our looks. That this outward appearance defines how beautiful we are and thus how valuable we are. 

Because last time I checked I didn't pick out this face. I didn't choose to be born a red head or choose to have freckles, nor can I change having freckles. It has no determining factor on who I am or how I act other than the simple fact of melanin gathered in my skin. Why should my "beauty" be determined by something I didn't determine? 

   

                            

                                    

You know, yesterday I had an amazing evening getting to honor and pray over a sweet 13 year old girl. During this time of sharing with this new woman, the theme of beauty kept flowing in and out of our conversations. The verse was shared that really hit home with me and I hope it will hit home with you too. 

1 Peter 3:3-4

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

Then I went searching with my hand dandy glossary and found this too-

1 Samuel 16:7 

....For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but The Lord looks on the heart.

       

2 Corinthians 4;16 

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

I am one of the worst at worrying about how I look and certainly a personal offender of using more than one filter combined before I post a selfie or two. I'm not saying having pride or self respect is bad. Just thinking that maybe our looks don't really define who we are and what we can do which is our REAL BEAUTY! 

After all, at my funeral they are not going to talk about how pretty I was or stunningly georgeous, instead I hope they will talk about the impact I made and how I made people feel. 

So...What makes me beautiful???


         I am who God says I am. My family makes me a beautiful person.  The impact I may have on others. The the way I make others feel. My ability to laugh constantly {which may often time lead to snorting} 

                    

Until next time, 

   

          -Amanda