Independent Beauty 14-day Challenge

Being a teenage girl, I've struggled so much with self-image issues. There are so many lies that Satan has told me that I've actually believed, stuff like "you're ugly if you don't have perfect skin." or "you're not skinny enough." Ever since middle school, I've never really felt pretty (at least, not without the help of makeup and my straightener). Some days were better than others, but back in 7th and 8th grade, I was ALWAYS comparing myself to other girls. I was never satisfied. I would look in the mirror and pick out every little detail about myself that I just hated. yeah... it was bad.

But the summer before my 9th grade year, I REALLY met Jesus. He changed my life. It finally sunk in... Jesus Christ died on the cross for ME. All those times I compared myself to others and hated how God made me? Yeah, Jesus died for that. Whenever I was unsatisfied with the "fearfully and wonderfully made" being that I am? Yeah, He died for that too.

Over the course of the next few years, I got better about how I felt about myself. I don't turn down compliments like I used to. I'm a little more confident. But it's been a long and grueling process, and I'm still not there yet. But I want to be. I desperately want to be the woman God calls me to be. And to do that I need to rely on Him only.

So for the next 14 days, I will wear no makeup and style my hair without heat (as in, no straighteners, curling irons or blow dryers). My only beauty tools will be my acne medication, chapstick, and hair brushes and hair excessories (hairbands, pins, etc...). Every day I will post one totally unedited picture on here with thoughts about what I've been learning through this experience.

The reason for this is that I want to learn to see myself as beautiful without makeup or hair products. I'm tired of being so dependent on these "beauty" tools to make me feel pretty. My worth is found in Christ, not in looks. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says "Do not let your adorning be external -- the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-- but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." A question I asked myself recently was, if I spent just as much time as I do on my face and hair on striving to be a gentle and quiet spirit, how much closer would I be to God?

So the time I would normally spend putting on my makeup and styling my hair, I will try to spend in prayer and in the Word. I'm relying on Christ to satisfy me. I pray that He will reshape my distorted view of beauty and of myself to one that is true and encouraging. I am in no way saying makeup and hair products are bad or sinful, but I've been choosing to make them a god in my life, something that's distracted me from focusing on God and who He wants me to be.

I invite you to join me on this journey. Lock away the foundation, eye liner, and mascara. Pack up the straightener or curling iron, and look to Jesus for what true beauty is. He is where it is found.

Psalm 139:14 "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."