More Beautiful You

Like I promised, I am going to blog my thoughts on a study I've been reading called "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz.  I'm only halfway through and it's so good.  (When I quote the book it'll say MBY)

How do you define BEAUTY?

We are bombarded on a daily basis of what the world thinks is beautiful.  It's in the magazines, movies, and all over the Internet.  Those girls and boys are beautiful and look absolutely flawless.  What we don't see though are all the "touch-ups" they do on each photo to make it look so perfect.  They wipe away every blemish and bump with the click of the mouse.  Their teeth are whiter than white and their hair is perfection.

So what's the problem???

"The problem is we have been conditioned to judge beauty according to the same standards the world uses.  But the truth is the world's standards are completely distorted."

-MBY

I'm so guilty of this...

Of course I want the rockin' body, those pearly whites, and that flawless complexion.

Who doesn't?

I often find myself only inches away from the mirror inspecting every flaw on my face and comparing myself to others.  Wishing I could change some things about me.

But WHY??  Why would I want to change anything about myself when I am made in God's image??

"He purposely planned and precisely created every intricate detail of our beings.  That means nothing about our physical design is a mistake." -MBY

Let me share with you God's description of beauty:

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

1 Peter 3:3-4

"God places far more value on our inner beauty that He does on our external appearance." -MBY

I've always said a person's personality can make or break them.  I've seen beautiful people with zero personality and also some average looking people with the best personality in the world.  It's true that looks are the first thing you see but it's the personality that keeps you there.

"True beauty, as seen through God's eyes, has nothing to do with the number that comes up on the scale, what size bra we wear, how pouty our lips are, or the way we look in a pair of designer jeans.  True beauty becomes evident when we happily accept the attributes He has so precisely crafted into us and strive to use the abilities He has so generously gifted us with to bring Him glory and share His love in this world." -MBY

My challenge for you and for myself is to think about beauty apart from what the world defines it.  I want to enhance my inner beauty so that it will shine brighter than my outer appearance.

According to MBY:

We must include three basic steps in our beauty regimen if we want our lives to display the true beauty God has created inside each of us:

1.  True beauty comes from spending time with God.  All His beauty secrets are written for us in the Bible.  If we want to discover them, we need to read it every day.

2.  We need to spend time praying - sharing our fears with Him and allowing Him to place His peace in our lives.

3.  We need to learn from other Christians who can help us develop godly priorities and grow in our faith.

Read the Bible daily, pray, and surround yourself with those who will encourage you in your walk with Christ

So, you think we can do it?  I DO!

SMILE :)

You are beautiful just the way you are.

Believe that and you will shine brighter than ever before.

"Instead of searching for what the world calls beautiful, we should look at the One who created beauty in the first place." -MBY