Beauty Defined

Hair bows, cute shoes, purses... a girl can never have too many accessories. They were meant to enhance the way we look, not to make us beautiful. Having a daughter has made me think on issues of beauty. For a few years, my girl won't have an idea about beauty standards out there, she will just 'be.' Indeed she is beautiful. My daughter is the pure definition of beauty. I am so thankful to God for giving me the responsibility to be a stewart over her life! Making sure she has a healthy view of beauty is part of my awesome responsibility. 

As I walk away from my second gestation, I choose to believe there is true beauty involved the process. I say 'I choose to believe' although it doesn't feel like it some of the time. The people who compliment you on your pregnant looks are kind while having no clue about hemorrhoids, stretch marks, heart burn at 3 a.m. and exhaustion! Yeah, that belly looks nice but the body goes through major changes that affect the mind and the way I view myself. I choose to believe the harshness of these changes in my body adds to the beauty God has given me as a woman. Being imperfect in the eyes of the world draws me nearer to the way God wants me to be.


See, true beauty doesn't come in a container of anti-stretch marks cream. It comes from the inside. A great example of beauty in the Bible is mother Sarah. She was physically beautiful if you remember her story. I think she is now remembered not by her looks but by her 'hidden woman of the heart:'


"Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do." I Peter 3:3-6 (NLT)


As a recap, Unfading Beauty comes from: 
• Trusting God
• Respecting your husband
• Having a gentle and quiet spirit
• Not being afraid 


Sarah was not called beautiful because she went to spinning class at 5 a.m. She was not called beautiful because she wore Ann Taylor and had beautiful hair. She cultivated a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. I choose to believe there is strength and confidence in this gentle and quiet spirit we need to have. God help me.


True beauty comes from fearing the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. With the birth of my daughter I feel like I step up in a new level of responsibility when it comes to teaching my daughter the true meaning of beauty. I pray for wisdom to walk in true beauty as an example to my children.


"Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God." Proverbs 31:30 (The Message)

Please add dark circles to my list. Feeding the little princess at 1:30 a.m. and many times after will cause that. Add highly favored to my list. Being able to birth a daughter will cause that. 

*This is a picture of me burping my daughter. My husband put this flower in my hair. He keeps reminding me of how beautiful I am. I thank God for a man who appreciates me and loves who I have become.