Beloved and Beautiful

blank" rel="noopener">](https://faithbarista.com/join-faith-barista-jam-thursdays/)Today I’m writing in response to [Bonnie’s “JamWithMe Thursday” link-up topic discussing the word “Beloved”. Here’s hoping that today, you’ll walk away feeling encouraged, _dearly loved and beautiful!

“My beloved is mine and I am his;” Song of Songs 2:16

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When the media paints a very clear {not realistic} image of what a woman should look like from the time she wakes up, until she goes to bed at night, we sometimes feel pressured to look like the woman we see on TV. Quite frankly, it can get exhausting trying to be achieve that {unrealistic} image {trust me, I’ve tried}. We’re busy with our families, careers, and those last minute thoughts of things we need to jot down to remember later, or actually do before bolting out the door for here or there. I want to speak to that woman. The woman who doesn’t have the time to blow-dry & straighten her hair before she leaves for the office at work, or the school to drop off the kids, so resorts to a ponytail or a clip. The woman who’s roots have grown out two inches because she hasn’t had the time {or money} to go get her hair done. Even the woman who outwardly is adorned to the “T”: hair & makeup perfectly done, nails & clothes polished & pretty; but who still feels unloved, unwanted, or unappreciated.

Did you know, that before you were ever born, Jesus knew you?

Psalm 139:15-16 “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Did you know, Jesus numbered every hair on your beautiful head?

Luke 12:7 “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Did you know, Jesus emphasizes hearts, not appearance?

1 Peter 3:3-4 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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.”

Did you catch that?

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God did NOT say:

“The woman with the prettiest heels, cutest purse, nicest makeup, perfect hair or sexiest outfit is of great worth to me.” Nope! He actually puts the emphasis on the contrary: nothing external-everything internal!

I’m not discounting the need for us women to take care of ourselves, and present ourselves in a way that is nice & neat. However, I want to encourage each of us to spend less time focusing on the woman we see on TV, and instead, focus on the woman God desires us to be: one with “a gentle & quite spirit”.

May we keep in mind what His Word says about us:

How much we are LOVED. How much we are CHERISHED. How much we are WORTH.

If we are radiating Jesus’ love & light, then no matter how little make up we have on, or how fancy our clothes are, His beauty shines through us & we Sparkle! Have you ever met a woman who outwardly was gorgeous, then she opened her mouth & you immediately thought, “Wow! Not what I expected-she’s RUDE!” At that point, what sticks with you more, her outward beauty, or her inner ugly? As the old saying goes, “beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone”. This is why I believe it’s so important to live the scripture above & to focus on having a gentle & a quiet spirit, over having a outward beauty!!

In our workings with the world, may we stop & think before opening our mouth, keeping in mind that we are a reflection of Jesus. If we want to be beautiful, it starts with the heart!

All that said, I want to close with this encouragement:

At the core of who you are, you are BEAUTIFUL!

Flawed & I’m sure, messy like myself sometimes, but God made each of us BEAUTIFUL and He LOVES us!

So wherever you are, take a moment to stop & look in the mirror & remind yourself:

I AM VERY LOVED, VERY CHERISHED & A VERY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OF THE KING!

I love you, beautiful one! Now “go get ’em!” 🙂

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