Do You Really Believe That?

"Do you really believe that?" I turned and held the eyes of the precious woman asking me that question. Do I really believe that?Hmmm....that's a tough question. I don't know, do I? We were making booklets for our Hope Girlz small group the following evening. These devotionals happened to be on the meaning of true beauty. As this lady was looking at the words I had typed for the girls to read, she read one statement in particular: "True beauty comes from within, not without. Do you really believe that statement?" She turned and asked me the very question I was challenging my girls with! I knew the "right" answer to that question: "It is something that we need to turn to God with every day. We are constantly bombarded with images of what true beauty is and it is hard to walk away from magazines untouched by their messages. But if we get our confidence from Jesus then we can believe those words." Is this statement true? Absolutely. Do I believe it? I want to.


So I am standing in Barnes'n'Nobles, Starbucks in hand, staring sheepishly at the beautiful, glossy faces in front of me. They all smile back perfectly. I bet they didn't need to go through surgery to get their smiles to look like that. Not a hair is out of place. Their abs are as flat as my front lawn and their legs are as long and spidery as spaghetti noodles. Their eyes confidently sparkle as they model their designer clothes. No breakouts. No scars. Just drop-dead gorgeous. Wow. I walk away discouraged, reminded of all of my flaws. I don't have a perfect smile. My hair has its days. My abs are...well...they're there! My legs aren't long and spidery. I don't have designer clothes. I am flawed according to their standards; however, according to the maker of the galaxy, I am perfect--flaws and all. Natalie Lloyd so perfectly says, "Fall desperately in love with the One who thinks you're more beautiful than a galaxy of stars." Resolution #1: STOP LOOKING AT FASHION MAGAZINES! Beauty is more than just skin deep. Beauty is a reflection of your heart.


Have you ever seen a girl walk by and exclaimed, "She is it!" C'mon, you know exactly what I'm talking about! You can probably picture that girl in the school hallway right now! But, have you ever seen this gorgeous girl and then been able to get to know her and her attitude was just horrible? Did that change your entire outlook towards this girl? You know it does! She doesn't seem as pretty any more. This is just one example of how beauty is so much more than skin deep! What is true beauty and how can we embrace and believe in it?




Beauty begins where our focus is. In the video above, Hannah taught us that beauty begins with our focus. Matthew 6:22 tells us that what we focus on is what we will ultimately become. Hannah also pointed out that if we are so focused on our outer beauty, we are simply focused on ourselves--not Christ. Ouch! So, what are some characteristics of true beauty?

1. True Beauty is UNIQUE. (Romans 12:1-2) Be you! You were born to stand out...so stop trying to hard to fit in!
2. True Beauty is RADIANT. (Psalms 34:5) Let Jesus' light shine through you.
3. True Beauty is LOVED. (John 3:16, Psalms 16:9-11) Walk like a woman that is filled with love. God loved you so much that He sent His Son to die for you. Stop taking this fact lightly! Embrace it! It is true....not a boring history lesson! This truth has the power to change your life if you let it.
4. True Beauty is LASTING. (Proverbs 31:30) Beauty fades. That is a concrete fact. Who you are stays the same. Cultivate a heart that respects the Lord.
5. True Beauty is CONFIDENT. (Romans 12:4-6) God-confidence stays with you no matter what situation you are in. We all have "off" days, but with Jesus you can still make a beautiful impact. Walk with your head held high. You are a daughter of the King.
6. True Beauty is CAPTIVATING. (1 Peter 3:1-4) Beauty that comes from Jesus shines to those around you....trust me, with Jesus shining through you, you will be breathtaking!

Are these truths easy to wrap your mind around? Nope. Will you fully believe them in a split-second. Probably not. It's an everyday commitment to wake up, stand in front of the mirror and thank God for making you fearfully and wonderfully. Now that's something that I believe it.

My Journey Towards This Thing We Call Beautiful (Part Two)

Beauty is pain. No. Beauty is growth. I believe that true beauty radiates from within and spreads throughout. A fire is sparked by one tiny flame that engulfs everything it can lay it's hands on. I believe what our Mom's told us when they said that beauty is about the "inner you." Beauty isn't all in what you see.

My daily routine goes something like this: I get up and get ready for school. It doesn't take me too long. After I am dressed, I spend time reading my Bible. This year I am reading through the entire Bible! It has been amazing so far. I am really learning new things every day! I eat a bowl of honey nut cheerios and then head off to school. At school I do my best in my classes so that I can not only make good grades, but so I can also bring glory to God. After school I head to the gym to workout. It is extremely important to me that I stay healthy. I want to honor God with my body. Later I do my homework and hang out with my family. I thank God for every day that He blesses me with--even the rainy ones!


I have heard it said that "beauty is happiness," but I don't totally agree with that statement. I watch the "pretty" girls at school and they honestly don't seem all that happy. They strive so much for perfection in their appearance that they are missing out on some great opportunities. I don't think it is wrong to want to be beautiful. I enjoy looking my best too! But, I have learned that beauty alone cannot be my sole focus. I think that you do need to focus on how you are following Jesus and pointing others to Him. Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised." You see, human beauty doesn't last for forever. It fades away. Character lasts a lifetime and is remembered. Now, do I ever have days when I feel inferior? Absolutely! I am living in the same world that you are in. I see the cover of magazines and wonder what kind of response I would get if I spent more time doing my make-up and had the right hair style. But then, in those moments when I wonder about how people would respond to me if I changed how I looked, I also take the time to ask if they really would care about me. Would I be popular simply because of how I looked? Probably. I like my personality. I love who I am in Christ. I don't want that to change. I have really prayed about this whole thing and I only have one solution--God-confidence. I must get my confidence from Christ alone. It doesn't matter how I look, who I hang out with, or what my GPA is. The only thing that matters is my relationship with the God of the universe. The God who created the sand on the seashore created me and says that I am beautiful.


In this two-part series, we have looked at two very different approaches to this thing we call beautiful. In part one, beauty was defined as one's outward appearance. Part two, however, took a very different approach. Which girl sounds familiar to you? Do you seem more like the girl in the first segment or the second? Please hear my heart, beauty begins within you. The most beautiful girl in the entire world could be drop-dead gorgeous, but if she has a rotten character, her beauty isn't too gorgeous anymore. Ask yourself a couple questions:

1. Do you have a relationship with God? The only way that you can ever be satisfied along this journey is if you find your confidence in Christ alone. Proverbs 31:30 is so true. All you have to do is ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour. I would love to talk with you. Send me an email at emilybc91@yahoo.com.
   
2. Which girl are you? Why?
   
3. Is there anything you need to change? How will you do it?

I am right there with you. I am on this exact same journey. If you have questions or want to talk further on this issue please email me at emilybc91@yahoo.com.

My Journey Towards This Thing We Call Beautiful (Part One)

Beauty is pain. Definitely. But it is certainly worth it. I mean, a little pain on the front-end awards me the approval of others, right? Beauty today isn't about the "inner you" like our Mom's try to preach to us. No, beauty is all in what you see.

My daily routine goes something like this: I wake up about two hours before I need to leave for school. Yes, I am tired, but it is more important to look drop-dead gorgeous than to sleep. Come on! That's what Starbucks is for! Anyways, I shower, blow dry and straighten my hair, pick out my outfit, and put on my make-up. No time for breakfast....I don't need the calories anyways. I am already around 115--yikes! I totally need to hit the gym after school for like a three hour work out!

Someone once said that "beauty is the promise of happiness." I believe that. Well, I think I do. You see, I am beautiful. That's what everyone says. I work for my beauty. I make sure I eat the right foods and buy all the right products. I live by the words of my magazines and covet the advice of popular celebrities. As far as I am concerned, I am on the journey towards this thing we call beautiful, but lately I have been having doubts. If beauty is the promise of happiness, then why am I not happy? Why am I not satisfied with the attention that my appearance demands? I have been so focused on how I appear on the outside, that I don't even know who I am on the inside. I know that when people see me, they only see my face. No one truly sees me for who I am. I actually enjoy photography, but no one knows that because they are too busy judging my appearance. I guess I have fallen into the same trap. I don't know who I am either. I let go of the things I want to do because I am obsessed with being perfect. I want to be flawless. And so far it seems as if I have done a pretty good job masking my imperfections, but that is really all that I have done. I have covered my imperfections so that no one can see my weaknesses. I am not really happy. If beauty is supposed to guarantee happiness, then why do I feel this way?

I am beautiful. It is time to put up the facade one more time. The prom queen never cries, right?

Thanks for reading part one of "My Journey Towards This Thing We Call Beautiful." Please note that while this is a fictional scenario, many young woman have this view of what beauty looks like. Throughout the next several posts, we will be discussing what true beauty is and what it really means to be considered "beautiful." Please keep your mind open to any new ideas that God may be putting in your heart. Many of us do have skewed views on this thing we call beauty. As I have been praying, God has shown me that there is only one way to successfully walk along life's "beauty trail." Stay tuned to learn more!

Becoming An Empowered Traditionalist

Christa Taylor is one inspiring woman--or should I say ET?! According to Christa, an ET (Empowered Traditionalist) is "one who confidently stands on traditional values of modesty, and femininity in the face of opposition."


In January of 2007, Christa and her family launched something that may be unheard of: a modest clothing line. Since then, the line has grown tremendously and reached thousands of girls worldwide. To shop check out Christa-Taylor.


Alongside her blooming fashion market, Christa also created her blog launching the "ET" idea. On her blog, Christa gives advice about how to be modest from the inside-out while radiating Jesus' love.


Empowered Traditionalists are defined as follows:
~An ET strives to break the lie that states that to be modest you must compromise beauty and attractiveness.
~An ET embraces beauty and femininity and kills frumpiness.
~An ET is smart, because she purchases timeless styles and rejects the trends to purchase cheap new fashions every season, saving bundles of money.
~An ET is a trend-setter, in the best sense of the word.
~An ET stands out. Since she does not let the winds of fashion effect her decisions, she actually wears cuter apparel- she stands out compared to what every one else is wearing. (those Captivated Modernists).
~An ET is one who loves to dress well
~An ET is wise. She understands that character vs. immodesty attracts the best men.
~An ET is attractive in all the right ways.An ET has clothes that fit her personality and her body type
~An ET loves to surprise people with her style
~An ET sets the trend in modest style yet without succumbing to the pressures to buy apparel that compromises your convictions.
~An ET will show you what beautiful is.



Learn more about what it means to be an ET by visiting Empowered Traditionalist today.

Could There Ever Be A More Beautiful Me?

No. You were made to fill a purpose that only you can do. There could never be a more beautiful you. Don't buy into the lie that beauty comes in the form of an air-brushed model who fights against hunger pains to stay "in shape." Culture wants you to believe that there could be a more beautiful you; however, God says that there could never be a more beautiful you. The world says that beauty is determined by appearance, weight, height, and style. God says that beauty is determined in the hands of the One who created you--the One who created the sunsets, beaches, mountains, and rivers. The God who does not make mistakes and says that you are perfect exactly the way you are--without make-up! He thinks you are the most beautiful when you are content in Him alone.

Check out this music video by Jonny Diaz. His brand new release, "More Beautiful You," honestly speaks the truth to girls of all ages.......there could never be a more beautiful you!

Beauty From the Heart

Check out this video....what is true beauty? The girls from Beauty from the Heart are doing some AMAZING things! To learn more about Hannah and Lindsey check out Beauty from the Heart.

Homecoming Beauty Queen

Last night I joined a group of my closest girlfriends (and two guys!) and headed to my senior homecoming dance. Before the dance my friends came over and we got ready, ate a fabulous dinner, and posed for about a million pictures. We seriously felt like princesses, beauty queens, divas--you name it! We were just ourselves--wearing dresses that we were comfortable in (and had even worn to previous dances!), not loading on the make-up, and even just wearing our hair how we normally wear it! We went to the dance being ourselves! How else would you go, right? (Honestly I spent more time cleaning out and washing the car in preparation for the night than on grooming myself!)



Once we arrived at the dance, however, it was heartbreaking to run into girls that I didn't even recognize! Girls had spent so much time primping and prepping to "make" themselves beautiful when they already were gorgeous!



My girlfriends and I went to the dance to enjoy each other's company. We did just that! In the middle of the dance floor we did the goofiest dance moves seen all night! But we had fun with it! We were comfortable in our own skin and in just making memories with each other. We were not worried about impressing certain guys and seeing how many boys we could dance with.



It makes me so sad to think that the majority of the girls at my high school homecoming dance didn't think that they were beautiful enough to say "no." To say "no" to changing who they really are. To say "no" to wearing a dress that disclosed every secret thing about her. To say "no" to that boy's movements up and down her body. To say "no" to disrespecting herself in that way.



If we really believed that we were beautiful would we have to worry in advance if our hair turned out "just right"? What is "just right" anyways? To be honest, my hair didn't turn out exactly how I had planned it for the dance, but I ended up enjoying how I wore it much more than what I had hoped for! But seriously, why do we try so hard to fit the mold of a certain image that no one really remembers anyways? I do not remember one single dress or hairstyle from the dance--and it was just last night!



When we as women finally stand up for ourselves and declare, "Yes, I am beautiful" then we stand confidently in who we are and be fine with or without a date, with or without the latest dress, and with or without the perfect hair.



You are gorgeous. Will you have enough respect for yourself to believe it? God thinks that you are the most beautiful girl on the dance floor. He loves you with an unending love. Song of Songs even says "All beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you." Did you get that--you are beautiful, you are flawless! God, the Creator of the entire universe, thinks that you are beautiful! Shouldn't that mean a whole lot more than some guy's perception of you?



"Mirror, Mirror on the wall; am I there yet? Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am. I’m finding It’s not easy to be perfect. So Sorry you won’t define me. Sorry you don’t own me. Who are you to tell me that I’m less than what I should be? Who are you ,Who are you? I don’t need to listen to the list of things I should do. I won’t try - I won’t try. You don’t define me, you don’t define me. Mirror I am seeing a new reflection. I’m looking into the eyes of He who made me. To Him I have beauty beyond compare I know He defines me."
~Barlowgirl, "Mirror"

YOU are beautiful.

YOU are gorgeous.

YOU are flawless.

YOU are loved..........

by Jesus Christ.

Don't You Know You're Beautiful?

Prom night. Pressure. The power of peers. It just isn't easy to say "no" isn't it? It's alright because everyone else is doing "it," right? Wrong. Not everyone around you is having sex. While some forms of media would suggest otherwise, some positive role models are stepping out and showing girls the power of saying no.



Country singer Kellie Pickler is one of those positive role models. In her latest single, "Don't You Know You're Beautiful," Pickler proclaims, "Hey there little homecoming queen in that back seat. I’ll bet his brown eyes are promising you everything! And I know you want to be just like your friends, but he’ll still love you if you don’t give in. But if those girls were being honest that have been where you're at, I’d bet they’d tell you they wish they had their innocence back." Kellie is so right! Right now it's summertime--time to hang loose and have fun with your friends. I know that it isn't easy to walk away from peer pressure. It is not easy to walk away from a party invitation that you know will have alcohol involved. I know that it is not easy to walk away from that guy who says, "I love you" because he just wants one little thing. That one little thing is not all that little. Sex has the power to change the course of your entire life. It is not some walk in the park as Hollywood would like to portray it. Save the intimacy of sex for marriage. That is what God designed it for! Get to know guys for who they are as people! Right now simply enjoy being friends. God will show you the right time to begin walking down the dating trail. For some of you that may be right now. Hold Jesus' hand as you walk beside another. God will guide you. For others of us, God has told us to wait. His perfect man is not on the scene yet. Why would we waste our "I love yous" on someone that they weren't meant for? Sexual purity is not only about physical sex. Sexual purity includes our hearts and minds as well. Protect yourself. It is way too easy to fall into the "crush" pit. Once you begin to think it, it is extremely hard to change your thoughts. Ask God to guide you through this process of growing up. He will. Make a list of what you are looking for in a guy. This will definitely help you as you think about dating. For example, my list looks a little something like this (I won't give you all of the characteristics I am looking for because that would take a couple entries just to fill them all out!):

• Strong Christ-follower: He puts Jesus first in everything and obviously loves Him with all of his heart.
• Strong leader: He can lead me in the right direction.
• Obvious integrity.
• Intuitive and discerning.
• Wise.
• Athletic/healthy: he needs to help me stay motivated to be active!
• Driven and inspired to accomplish his dreams and goals.
• Good listener.
• Appreciates different cultures and countries.
• Thinks with the end in mind.
• Good with finances.

While these are just a couple of characteristics, they definitely put things in perspective! Right now, have fun. Be friends with guys without that pressure of being attached to one. God will bless you when you wait on His timing.

What God does in you while you wait is just as important as what you are waiting for.

Run to Jesus and look to see who is trying to catch up with you.

Check out my post, Boys Are Like Pancakes, for some more insights on guys!

The Beauty Bias Part 3

My life is so different already and it has only been two months since I gave my life to Jesus Christ!

I now weigh a whopping 110 pounds. I eat three meals a day and boy does that feel good. I have also started giving away some of my designer stuff. I don't really need all of that. Now I know that my beauty doesn't come from the outside, but from the inside.

But I have made so much progress. My grades are going up. I now have As and Bs and it is only because I have actually been paying attention and doing my homework! I am actually smart!!!

I broke up with my boyfriend and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would have been. He just walked away and said that I was a waste anyway. That did hurt, but I know that he doesn't love me the same way that Jesus does, so my heart doesn't hurt as much. I still regret the choices that I made while I was dating, but I am slowly learning that God can restore me. For now I am choosing to not date. Crazy, right?!

I talked with my parents and told them how I feel. They even listened to me! They apologized for what they had missed in my life. They might even go to church with me. It isn't perfect, but at least we are trying to be a family.

My "friends" completely ignore me now. I guess I know now that we were never really friends to begin with. But I have gained an amazing friend that I would never trade for one million popular girls. Allie and I really connect. I feel like I have known her my entire life.

You would think I would be depressed by my change of lifestyle: popular to unpopular, but I am actually happier than I have ever been. Now I have eternal love. I have an eternal beauty living inside my heart. There is nothing biased about that.

I feel like I finally know the real me. I have dreams and goals that I never knew I had. I want to study and do well. I want to be a good friend. But most of all I want to know Jesus better than anyone else.

Thanks for reading this three-part story. While the characters and situations were fictional, this story does represent how many girls feel. Just as Laura learned in the story, Jesus really does love you for you. He can give you an eternal beauty--not a biased beauty. If you need anything or any help down this journey of life-change, just send me an e-mail at emilybc91@yahoo.com.

The Beauty Bias Part 2

So maybe there is a God out there somewhere. Today as I was walking down the hall at school this girl named Allie stopped me at my locker.
"Hey Laura. How are you?" Now I was a little bit taken back by her question because, you see, I have never even talked to Allie before. I know that she goes to this church in town, but that's about it--I mean, I have seen her before at school, but we have never connected.
"I'm fine." I replied.
"Well, I don't know if you are doing anything this Wednesday night, but my youth group is having a pizza party and I thought you might want to come."
"I don't eat pizza and why do you think I would even want to come to a youth group with you?" I smartly replied, although I really did want to go and I really wanted some pizza right about now!
"Well, God has just really placed you on my heart this past week and I thought you could uses a friend--you know if you ever need someone to talk to I am here for you. And we could go out for a salad before youth group so you don't have to eat the pizza if you want." She said this so kindly--and she was right, I really did want a friend.
"Well, actually I am not doing anything on Wednesday. How about we meet at that salad bar on 39th Street."
"Alright. I can't wait."

So, I was actually really nervous for my time with Allie. I had never talked to this chick before, but she treated me like we had been friends for such a long time. At first I thought that there had to be a catch, but once we started talking over our salads I learned some really cool stuff about her. Like she had just moved here last year from Montana. She actually used to be a lot like me until this past summer when her parents made her go on the youth group camping trip. She didn't want to go because she was worried that she would lose her popularity and mess up her designer pajamas (Hmmm....that sounds like me!). But over the camping trip she said that she met this guy named Jesus Christ who loved her for who she was. This guy said she was beautiful--even without make-up and designer jewelry. She gave her life to Him over that trip and she has changed ever since. Well, our conversation really had me thinking, if this worked for Allie then maybe it could work for me too.

After our salad dinner, we headed to youth group and the youth pastor talked about what Allie had said too. And when he was talking, everything just made so much sense. That hole in my heart that I have been trying so hard to fill just seemed a little bit smaller. He said that the Jesus guy actually died for me because he loved me so much. I don't know of anyone who would do that for me. The pastor said that Jesus loved me even though He knew everything about me. He knows my thoughts and what I really want. Then the pastor said that if anyone wanted to invite Jesus into their hearts to follow this prayer that He said. I felt this tugging at my chest to say the prayer, so I did. Then I felt so peaceful. Like everything was finally falling into place.

After youth group was over, I asked Allie if we could go out for some ice-cream (I think she was a bit surprised by that!). So we headed to the ice-cream parlor and I ordered the largest ice-cream sundae they had with the most chocolate sauce and whip cream that they could put on it! (I think Allie's eyes grew pretty wide at this too!) But then it's like she saw me. She saw that my entire countenance had changed. That night I shared everything with her. I shared what my life was like and how everything tonight just made sense. I told her that I became a Christian and I thanked her for seeing me for who I really was.

Maybe I don't have to live this beauty biased life anymore. I wonder how my "friends" will react.

The Beauty Bias Part 1

I am beautiful...at least according to the world around me. I am tall and slender. I weigh under 100 pounds. I barely eat at all. I have long blonde hair and golden olive eyes. I wear designer clothes. I never walk out of my room without wearing my Chanel earrings and pink, Prada tote. I model after school for all of the right clothing companies. My boss says that I can make it big soon, only if I lose another five pounds. My nails are always done with the perfect French tips and rhinestones.

I am popular at school because of my appearance and I drive my own mustang convertible. But no one every really cares to get to know me. I mean really know me. I am invited to all of the parties, but I think I am only invited to get used. I always feel so ashamed. On the outside I look perfect, but on the inside I feel broken to pieces. I am failing most of my classes because I just don't have the energy to study or do the work. Besides, I wouldn't want to be considered a nerd, right? Plus when will I ever have to use Trigonometry in modeling?

My boyfriend loves me when I make him happy, but the second it looks like I have gained even a half a pound or not worn something that he likes, he gets mad at me. The only way I can get him to love me is if I sleep with him. He says we'll be together forever and that he really loves me. But I am not really sure. And I can't break up with him because he is the captain of the football team and the best quarterback in the entire state. He is being drafted by all of the right schools. It would be social suicide if I said good-bye. I guess I will just keep trying to make him happy.

My parents just don't care. My Dad is always at work and my Mom just wants to sit by the pool all day and go shopping. They don't know me and they don't want to know me. I am just the "kid" they created.

I see other girls at school--you know, the average-looking ones (according to the world around me) and they just look so happy. They aren't drop-dead gorgeous and they don't have designer clothes. They don't even have boyfriends. But they are happy. Why? How can they have nothing that I have and be so much happier than I am? I hear they go to this youth group in town. It sounds like fun, but I just don't think I would be accepted there. When they look at me I know they just see a superficial blonde who gets whatver she wants. I wish one of them would talk to me, try to get to know me.

I have heard about that Jesus guy before, but how could he be real? Why would life be like this if there really was a God? Why would the Christians be so mean? Besides, what has this Jesus ever done for me?

Is there anything more to this life? Probably not. This must be my fate. Now I have to go get ready for my date and the party this weekend. My beauty biased life must go on.

God-Confidence

What is God-confidence? I mean, I have heard of "confidence", but God-confidence? What is that all about?

God-confidence is a complete and total contentment with who you are in Christ no matter what the world around you thinks. A girl who has God-confidence is content with who she is even if the world hates her. She cherishes her relationship with God more than anything else, after all she is His princess. She spends time with God daily, all day in fact. The very second that she takes her eyes off Him, she loses confidence and quickly tries to get back on track. She walks with her head held high because she knows that she is loved by her King and that He has a plan for her life. She doesn't let the "little things" of this world get in her way because her eyes are fixated on Jesus. She is so humbled by Jesus' love for her that she can't help but live for Him. When she smiles, she lights up the room. It doesn't matter if she has a million friends or no friends at all because she is here to glorify Christ alone. She dresses with class and style; she stands out in a crowd. She utilizes her gifts to honor God, not herself. She chooses wisely when and whom she dates because she knows that God has a prince charming saved just for her. She doesn't make the head-calls; she obeys His calls. She isn't afraid to be different--that is what she was born to be. She is a princess who stands out from the crowd and is satisfied with who God created her to be. She loves the skin she is in! ("Bien des la peau!") She is feminine and sassy, yet doesn't advertise the wrong signals. She trusts Jesus with all of her heart...He did give up His very life for her. She is not proud or conceited. She is who she is...and loves it!

"Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?"

Christa Taylor

I just discovered a blog that I absolutely love! Not only does it incorporate great fashion, but Christa Taylor also effectively promotes modesty and the value of inner beauty. Check out her series "Becoming bien des la peau"~comfortable in your own skin!

http://www.christa-taylor.com/blog/

Christa Taylor's website also offers great fashion tips! Enjoy---I sure have!

In This Skin

I'm the No. 1 model

The headlines say so
Every girl's dream.
My picture plastered

On countless walls.

I'm the latest fashion.

I'm the No. 1 model

The headlines say so

At 6,

I won my first beauty pageant.

At 16,

I had a nose job.

At 18,

I had breast augmentation.

I'm the No. 1 model

The headlines say so

I work out two hours a day.

Every day.

I count calories,

Every calorie.

Hunger is my constant companion.

I work long hours

To get every photo just right;

then,

Professional airbrush

My best friend.

I'm the No. 1 model

I don't know how to stop...

The money,

The fame,

The pace,

Like a race,

If I stop,

I might drop,

On my face.
The show.

It's all I know.

I pass by John's Pizza Shop

And see people laughing and eating

And I wonder

What that would be like.

I pass by the park

And notice an old couple

Holding hands;

Slow pace,

No race,

I see how he

Touches her face.

I do not want to be the No. 1 model

I need to be the me that lives inside this skin.

Can God see my soul?

Will He want to go in?

I heard a man say that

God does not look on the outside,

But He looks in.

He said that God

Does not care what you look like,

Your hair,

Your nails,

Your weight,

Perfect skin or

If you fit in.

I do not want to be the No. 1 model
Oh, please...God, come in.

I want to be the me that is

supposed to be in this skin.

(Adapted from In This Skin by Nancy K. Talbot feautured in the May 2007 issue of Brio Magazine.)