Hey whats up everyone! How have you all been during this season of quarantine?

During this time, I’ve been thinking about what “beauty” means to me. Now traditionally when we hear the term “beauty,” we think of the whole works— makeup, lashes, skincare and of course our overall physical appearance. Now ladies, this blog is especially for you. Yes, YOU!

I guess the first question I’ve been asking myself is—when do we start believing we are beautiful?

Is it the first time someone calls us “beautiful”? Or do people constantly need to remind us?

My entire life, I’ve been struggling to grasp this concept. But the most important thing I need to remember to believe is the truth. The truth is what God says about me.

This very simple verse strengthens me in understanding beauty:

“Under His wings you will find refuge.”

— Psalm 91:1

One of the most important things I’ve come to understand is that I am constantly covered under HIS refuge. No matter what. Even now when I don’t have my nails done. When I don’t have my signature lash extensions anymore. When everything looks like the T-Rex chasing the Jeep in Jurassic Park—“Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Way too close for comfort. They’re magnified x1000!

Not gonna lie to you guys, I was the one that came up with this brilliant idea to take my lashes off. I’ve been wanting to do it for a while but it’s been a serious fear for me because I would have to see myself every single day. And it’s so uncomfortable. As I write this, we are currently in day 1 of no lash extensions. On the real—I’m strugglin! I came downstairs after having them removed and every single person in my family stopped me saying “whoa you have no lashes!” I was like “ughhh come on guys!” I feel like I can’t get mad at anyone because they’re just reacting to something new. I can’t control what other people say about the way I look or how I feel when they have the right to an opinion. Girl, that’s the TRUTH! However, what I CAN change is the way that I decide to view myself. I want to see myself as being under His Refuge, carried in His arms, and bathed in His wrap around presence. Honestly there are some days I feel so incredibly beautiful and other days I don’t but the fact remains that Jesus created me in His image and my eternal journey is to believe what he says about me. That’s where beauty comes from. Ladies, I ask you this—“What does beauty mean to you?”

I’ve posed this question to a few of my friends.

My friend Siai said this:

“What is true beauty?

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male & female He created them.

Beauty exists not because of what we wear, the brand of make up we put on or the talent we have. Beauty exists because of WHO we represent- God the Creator. If you read in Genesis, you will see that after EVERY creation, God stepped back and said IT IS GOOD!

He didn’t say “let me redo that one or oops I made a mistake.” He approved of EVERYTHING&EVERYONE He made and called us GOOD!

I pray that the next time we define beauty, we would know that WE are the image of beauty because we are the image of God! May every insecurity be put on the shelf, may every negative voice of the enemy be silenced and may we find our confidence in God alone because it is HE that we represent!”

She’s the pastor of Great Life Church in LV with her husband and I love her perspective!

Also some words from my lovely friend

Jazzy. She has the most beautiful heart—here’s what she had to say:

“Beauty in my eyes is a quality that is in EVERY man & woman because of the fact of what Gods word says in Genesis 1:27, we were made in His image. It is not defined by material things or physical appearance, but it starts in your heart, mind, and spirit. It is a joyful, graceful, humble, & confident state. It is LOVE. It is God in our hearts because He is love, and by knowing our creator is knowing we are his masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10. We are all definitions of beauty. ✨”

Now for my other dear Friend some know her as Channy boo cakes from her instagram but I call her my belly laugh buddy! Here are her words here! Love her so much! Enjoy!

“Growing up, I’ve always been conditioned to believe that beauty was the way that something looked. Everything needed to appear ‘put together.’ A great outfit. Flawless skin. Healthy hair that shines in the sun. While those things are still aesthetically pleasing, how is beauty truly defined?

The biggest struggle I’ve had with beauty is viewing myself as beautiful no matter what. That struggle has mostly been with my weight. It’s something I deal with every single day. The argument that being the biggest girl in the group means I won’t get noticed by guys as anything more than ‘the cool girl’ or ‘the funny girl’ and not as a girl who’s beautiful. But you know what? I’ve come to understand that beauty is reflected in the way something shines below the surface of our skin and the way we carry ourselves. It’s displayed in the way we love. It reflects in the condition of our hearts. If Jesus lives there, what could be more beautiful?! He is the very definition of love, and beauty will shine through our hearts without us needing to put in an ounce of effort. Has it always been easy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I still deal with arguments on the daily, but I always strive to come back to the heart of the matter—and that’s beauty.

Xoxo Channy”

What can you take away about what’s written here?

What I took away is…

God always looks at us and says “hmmm it is good” from Siai he says we are good and we are loved it’s deeper for Him then just the surface and the root to that simple fact is this he created you and he creates what is pleasing to Him!

Second take away from Jazzy is the beauty being something that comes from the inside not the outside. Having an incredible time in the presence of God and soaking there! I believe that’s what she’s been doing and I can see that’s all over her because she glows!

Third person, and third take away from Channy is this… being someone who has also struggled with my weight I heavily relied on my face being the thing that people liked. My dimple in my face my lashes and having the nice outfit even if I was bigger. What I see Is the Love of God she hears and that’s the first opinion she goes to and it’s not Cocky like yeah I’m pretty and whatever I don’t care but it’s a freedom that comes from Jesus daily and that’s what I believe Channy was talking about!

So this encouraged me and I pray and hope it encourages you too!!!!