Brilliantly YOU: Learning to Live Bold & Freeনমুনা

YOU are uniquely beautiful.

Who holds the copyright to your beauty? The fashion industry? The entertainment industry? The health industry? Your peers? Your social media celebrities? Your family? Your boyfriend? The childhood bully who called you fat or your nose too big or your skin too dark or your teeth too crooked or your hair too messy? Who is it exactly who defines beauty for you? 

It’s time to reclaim your unique beauty. Beauty is not limited to one size or skin color or body type or facial structure. We are magnificent creations, each and every one, molded and fashioned uniquely by the Creator Himself. Beauty is living a life worthy of who we are as children of God- lives of love, grit, courage, hope, joy, peace, and justice. Beauty is not posting the perfect selfie; it’s reminding someone else they are stunning. Beauty is not how much pregnancy weight you’ve shed; it’s how you love your child. Beauty is not wearing the latest fashions; it’s wearing humility and grace to work every day. Beauty is not #hotcouple; it’s how you stay devoted to each other in the difficult times. Beauty is not being on the cover of a magazine; it’s doing what is right when no one is watching. Beauty is not being the sexiest woman in the room; it’s being the kindest, bravest, smartest, and most resilient woman you can be.

You were beautifully made and made to be beautiful. You are the kind of beauty that can’t be defined by a dress size or a skin tone or bra size or a sense of style, that can’t be captured in a photoshoot or a runway or a filtered video, that can’t be compared or replicated or rivaled. You are through and through, altogether, beautiful, and it’s time to reclaim your unique beauty.

It’s so easy to get caught in the comparison trap- comparing her look to yours, envious of her beauty. Instead of letting comparison breed envy, choose to embrace your unique and multi-faceted shimmer while celebrating the beauty in others. Silence the voice of insecurity by thanking Jesus for the masterpiece He made when He formed you - truly beautiful inside and out!

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: What makes you uniquely beautiful? Jot down below a list of traits- from physical attributes to personality and character strengths that make you wonderful. Spend a couple minutes thanking God for each of these traits as you commit to celebrating the beauty that you bring to the world!