Beauty within...

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." -First Peter 3:3-4

Yes, I know another post on Beauty but I truly feel every woman needs to know and feel the meaning of TRUE Beauty!

A dear friend of mine talked to me last night. She is a wife and a mama of two young children. She told me she has been struggling with her image and how she feels about herself. She wants to feel beautiful and feel like her husband sees her as beautiful.  Every mama; whether young or older carries many different titles and must fulfill a multitude of roles in any given day. 

Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. 

As we shift from personality to personality, it can be hard to remember who we really are- at the center of our heart, our core.  Life changes and we continue to grow and learn along the way. We often stumble and get lost among the chaos of life and lose who we are. 

In a everyday world, where women are so often JUDGED on there appearance we often judge ourselves. When we look in the mirror we see what we want to change, we see what the world so calls "BEAUTY" and often want that for ourself. I over heard a woman saying how she wishes she could hide her wrinkles, and I sat there and thought about it. Why hide the map of your life!?! Our body, our FACE shows the map of our life. It tells a story and a history. A story and history that will be shared, loved, and cherished. Yes, aging is hard. For most people, getting older means losing your youthful beauty and experiencing the breakdown of our bodies. But God tells us there is LOVELINESS that comes from maturity. Growing as a child of God does not mean feeling useless or ugly. It means growing up and maturing into a person who's TRUE Beauty becomes more apparent. Growing as a child of God means growing to look like God- exhibiting his qualities of compassion, abounding love and mercy. 

God promises to adorn us with his glory, to encircle our bowed and tired heads with this Magnificent crown: His presence. In reality, we've all beaten our selves up on our image at some point in our day or week. When you are feeling discouraged or oppressed, picture God's presence, like a beautiful crown of jewels, resting on your head and strengthening you.