the unsafe question

Are you pregnant?

The question caught her off guard. Was her friend joking? She looked down. She knew her uniform was a little tight-it had been a year since she last had to wear it-but did she really look pregnant?

No, of course not, she told her friend.

credit

The seemingly harmless question plagued her all day. Feelings of insecurity, shame, guilt, and ugliness flooded her. With no one to turn to, she had to bear this burden all alone.

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This is a true story. The girl that told me this could not tell it without crying. We barely know each other, yet it was tearing her apart so much she just had to get it out; it didn't matter who, she needed someone to listen.

It is surprising just how many women struggle with insecurity and the "shame" of not being pretty.

Everyone is beautiful. We look at man's standards of beauty, but what about God's standards? Shouldn't we be looking at ourselves (and others!) through God's eyes?

Below are favorite posts on the subject

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Come Away With Me at SimplyHis.

A Love Letter to My Body at Joy in this Journey

As God Sees at Faith and Simplicity

beauty that cannot be captured in ESPN magazines at To Overflowing

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{devotion} Ugly lies or Beautiful truth?

"I just want to work on my abs."

"I just want to lose X inches."

"I really need to work on my thighs."

"I need to get back to how I used to be."

All day long I hear this. All day long I see unhappiness written across faces. All day long I watch women struggle with self-image. It's my job to "fix" them and make them happy again.

These ladies are some of the most beautiful ladies I have known. Yet, Satan plagues them with ugly lies. I get it. I know the battles they face. I took it to the extreme once.

But now I know the truth. and I want to scream at them, "You are beautifully and wonderfully made!"

I love how Paul put it in Romans. He basically says who are we to question HIS work??

Romans 9:20
     But indeed, O man [or woman], who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

When Satan plagues you with lies, whether it's about physical, spiritual, or mental image, exchange those lies for the Lord's healing truth!

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
    He has made everything beautiful in its time.