Beauty Uncovered from Prohibition

This weekend I started reading a book which a friend at a women's retreat graciously provided the funds to purchase. It's called "You Matter More Than You Think," by Leslie Parrott. Monday morning I was answering the ponder questions at the end of the second chapter, and I realized that the way I was raised had more of an impact than I thought. For years I've struggled with beauty. I've been told I'm beautiful, and I've even said it myself, but I've never believed it at all. Lately I'm more real with it in that I've been able to be honset and say I don't believe it.

Realizing that inner beauty is more important has also played into it, but I was never able to experience that as truth either. As I answered one of the questions about finding meaning in the little pieces of life, I realized that why I was never able to experience my own inner beauty is that it was not allowed. God made me relationally beautiful, and my heart was not allowed to express that as a child, or
even as an adult because I was still living under the old rules to which I am now in rebellion. Because I've lived my life in hiding where I am beautiful, I've never believed I am, and in pondering this question, I have found freedom and am going to start looking for ways where that beauty shines through.

As I look over the past two paragraphs, which are actually from an email I sent to the friend who purchased the book for me, I realize that this week has been difficult for me in that I am experiencing times of being relationally beautiful, but it still feels like sludge b/c I'm just learning how to relate to others from the viewpoint of having something importnat to offer in order to minster to their lives. I am learning, and much of that through sharing my story of faith and life, as well as simply my time and the very essence of my life, that this is beautiful, and that God sees this beauty as important. I'm learning through the photographs of another good friend that beauty is the essence of experiencing life to the fullest, and without beauty, we never truly learn to appreciate the gift of life given by the Father. I am blessed, and I hope to continue to learn how to experience that fullness as I allow myself to be beautiful as God has created me.

Today, take some time to rest and reflect on the gift of beauty that surrounds you this day. It's there, it just may take some looking. See it, drink it in, and know that God has given that to you as a gift and you are important to Him, more than anything you could ever give to Him or do for Him! You are important.