"It's Okay To Be Beautiful"

My Dad and I have had a lot of really good conversations. He has really taught me a lot. In fact many times when I’m talking to people I find his words coming out of my mouth. He’s given me a lot of great, godly advice. One of the most life changing things he has ever told me though is that “It’s okay to be beautiful.” I thought there may be some others out there who need to hear this as well. It’s okay to be a girl, to show our feminine side. It’s okay to be who God made us to be. And on top of that… we have value, we are treasures, we are daughters of the almighty, holy God.

I know there are others out there who for their own reasons and struggles have shoved that part away. In my case growing up, I felt that to be a girl I wouldn’t be accepted, because it seemed that it was the boys who always got the attention I craved from my biological father. So I tried to be like them. I separated myself from anything "girly" that would be a reason for him to not accept me. I don’t ever remember my father looking at me and telling me I was beautiful or precious to him just for who I was. For being his daughter There were days I wanted to dress up, I wanted to twirl around and be his little princess. I begged for him to notice me, to accept me, and as I grew up I realized that’s not how things worked. I learned well that to want to be pretty or to show a feminine side was vain, conceited and sinful. For years I believed that, never realizing what a big lie it was. I believed that I had less value. I was abused mentally, emotionally, physically and sexually by several different men in my life and it crushed me. It has greatly affected my life even to this day on how I see men and how hard it is for me to trust them. It’s something I will be working through for a long time to come. It really gave me a twisted idea of what beautiful is.

So, we know what the lie is but what about the truth? The truth is that I’m made in the image of the holy God. I am a precious beautiful daughter in the eyes of my heavenly Father as well as the Daddy that he sent into my life. I have value. I am worth it, because Jesus says I am. That is the truth we have to realize, believe and live out. No it won’t be easy but most things that are worth it aren’t. So I challenge my fellow sisters in Christ, today when you stand in front of the mirror, when you find all your flaws tell yourself that Christ made you beautiful. He doesn’t make junk. Tell Satan that his lies aren’t welcome in your life and start believing your heavenly Father.

Satan likes to silence us with secrets and bind us with lies. We must refuse to surrender. The day that we let him silence us and our stories is the day that he wins. We must use our stories, our brokenness to let the light of God shine through for others to see. I will never stay silent. May God be glorified in and through me forever. ~KrissElise