Friday, May 1, 2009

God Thinks You're Beautiful

I am delighted to welcome Holley Gerth as a guest blogger at our Virtual Spa Weekend! Holley is an award-winning writer and editorial director for DaySpring (check the first link tomorrow morning for a great give-away from DaySpring) with more than ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Her first devotional book, Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times, is now available online and in bookstores. She’s also the author of over 2,000 cards, as well as several devotionals, articles, journals, and books. Holley is receiving a masters degree in counseling, and she’s passionate about bringing hope to the hearts of women. You’re invited to visit her online at Heart to Heart with Holley at holley.dayspring.com

Just flip through a few television channels and it’s easy to see that our culture is obsessed with beauty. Stars get plastic surgery before they grace the red carpet. Makeover shows transform lives and faces. Miss America crowns one girl the fairest of them all. From the time we are young girls we wonder how we fit into all of this fuss about beauty.

I clearly remember changing outfits at least ten times the evening before the first day of school in fourth grade. I would put one on, parade in front of my parents, and then rush back to my room to stare in the mirror. None of them seemed quite right. I was a wallflower who got few compliments.

The next morning I woke up to find a note beside my bed. It said, “The outfit looks great and so do you. Love, Dad.” I don’t even think he knew which outfit I ended up choosing. It didn’t matter. I belonged to him and that made me beautiful in his eyes no matter what I was wearing.

Our Heavenly Father feels the same way about us. He created us and regardless of what the world may try to tell us, He thinks we’re beautiful. I attended a conference taught by writer and women’s ministry leader Bekah Mulvaney. She talked about women’s search for acceptance and how she is learning to embrace God’s view of her.

Then she said something I'll never forget, “When I look in the mirror I see my imperfections. When God looks at me He probably thinks I’m adorable! After all, he made this nose, these eyes, and my heart.”

The biblical book of Song of Solomon is thought by most scholars to be a picture of Christ and His relationship with us. Over and over the lover he says words to his beloved like, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me” (Song of Solomon 2:10).

Angela Thomas explores this more in depth through her book, Do You Think I’m Beautiful? The Question Every Woman Asks. She also shares how we can respond to our desire for beauty. She says:
“If the question, ‘Do you think I’m beautiful?’ came attached to my soul, then maybe the answer wasn’t ever meant to fully come from this world. Maybe the purpose of the question is to take me by the hand and walk me into the presence of the Creator. My soul cries out and asks me the questions meant to lead me to God. Maybe all that really matters is what He thinks of me.”

Whether we obsess about it or ignore it, we’re made to know we’re beautiful. That truth can ultimately only come from God. He’s waiting to speak to our hearts the words we’ve always longed to hear…
You are beautiful.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

How interesting that I was at our local Christian book store last week and picked up her devotional. It was probably one of 15 devotionals I looked at that day, but decided to get her book. I didn't even realize that she had experienced infertility herself until I got home and read her prologue. And now she is featured here on your blog. I call that a God thing for sure!

Danelle
jdsergent05@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

Wow. Very powerful thoughts. Sometimes I feel beautiful, other times not, but I cant say I have stopped to think about if I am beautiful to God. I know there are times where Im not to beautiful on the inside.

Erica

erica_meyer2003@yahoo.com

Dana Arcuri said...

I think that what speaks to my heart the most is the fact that God calls me beautiful regardless of whether I am short or tall, overweight or thin, whether I am fair or dark and even if I am having a bad hair day or break out in menopausal acne! Girls, our God is an AWESOME God and each of us are the apple of His eyes! All glory to Jesus!

Blessings,
Dana

Dana Arcuri said...

Sorry, I forgot to include my email so here it is:
dana122163@comcast.net

Also, I added a message to my Twitter profile to post your spa weekend!

http://twitter.com/girlygirlsguide

PS. Just between you and me, I loved your youtube video and I think that you did a fantastic job!

Blessings,
Dana

Anonymous said...

Those are encouraging words. I loved the part about how when God looks at us he probably thinks we are adorable since he made us.

Adrienne

Anonymous said...

I have always been told how "cute" I am but I have only seen the imperfections. I'll remember God thinks I'm adorable when I look in the mirror...

Terri
bumbelpiller@yahoo.com

Holley said...

Thanks so much for letting me be a guest on your blog, Jenni! And thank you to all of you for your kind comments! Praying God reveals how truly beautiful each of you are to Him in a new way today...

JennGB said...

thanks for that message! I'm definitely one that finds flaws first, when I look in the mirror.

jenn_brennan@hotmail.com

Kristine said...

What an interesting perspective from the "Do You Think I'm Beautiful?" book, that I had never heard put that way before. Also, as a people pleaser, this is a really good reminder that it really only matters what He thinks of me.

Kristine
autumnrains_blog@yahoo.com

rebecca O said...

Something I think we all need to remind ourselves and those around us. So many women are so focused on the outside they forget their value.

Dakotabluebaby@yahoo.com

C Killingsworth said...

I know God thinks I am beautiful, but I am still working on that thought process myself. Thanks Angela!

-Christa

Anonymous said...

Great post... I wrote a little story about this idea.

http://tysonkinzle.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/evelyn/

Anonymous said...

I'm impressed, I have to admit. Rarely do I come across a blog that's both equally educative and entertaining, and let
me tell you, you've hit the nail on the head. The problem is something which too few folks are speaking intelligently about. Now i'm very happy that I found
this in my hunt for something regarding this.

My web site :: diets that work fast for women
Also see my web site: diets that work