It's Okay To Love Yourself

A few weeks ago I was at a lake with some friends, rocking my two piece. I was feeling pretty confident in my skin, as hairy as it was (got those Italian jeans in me) when my friend asked me, "What are those marks on your side?" I glanced down to check out the web of stretch marks she was pointing out. "Oh ah, those are stretch marks."

It was no big deal. But, it made me feel kind of awkward. Yes, people, Shelby has stretch marks. I also don't shave my armpits because IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE, OKAY? I'm also short, as people have told me more times than I can count. I might seem gross to some, weird, or even "overweight" according to what the BMI chart told me. But, you know what? I'm perfectly fine with it.

if i had a dollar for every time someone called me short

I've battled with my skin and its imperfections for long enough to the point I can safely (it was definitely not safe) say I had a mixture of all those nasty eating disorders. I made war against my own body, my own precious body. Did you know God calls our body a temple? We are precious vessels made by the very breath of God. He formed us with love, with art. We are his art, his workmanship.

Isn't that freaking awesome?

And this is why stretch marks are also freaking awesome: they tell your story. Every scar, mark, roll, and spot of cellulite shape you to be you. Your body has been through so much and protected you through things you didn't even know you needed protection from.

Did you know Jesus wasn't extraordinarily handsome? The Bible says in Isaiah 53:2, "For he grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately formor majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him."

Jesus could have taken on any form he wanted when he came into the world to save us. He could have become the most handsome person this world has ever know. But, instead he took on the form of a lowly man. Instead of being born in a kingdom surrounded by servants, he was born in a stable surrounded by animals.

We seem to have it backwards in this world. We think the best people are those that are young, beautiful, funny, rich, and successful. But, God tells us the first shall be last. The one who loves others and puts the needs of others before our own are the one who deserve the praise.

You know what else? The ones who also love themselves. Not the hippy way the world views it where you only focus on you and just believe in yourself. No. We love ourselves fully and completely how we are right here and now because God made this body. We love ourselves now and until we die. We love the young us and the old us with all its wrinkles and changes.

It is not wrong to love yourself. Loving yourself means being thankful for the art and creation God has made. It's not only the heavens that declare the glory of God! We were made in his IMAGE which I think is even better than what the radiant sky with the thousands of colors it displays.

Just like the details on the petal of a lily, the details on your skin, in the colors of your hair and eyes, the shape of your lips, all of it is a beautiful masterpiece.

I have made peace with my body.

Lord, thank you for this skin that is a home for my soul. Thank you for making me a wildflower. Thank you for making my legs strong so I can run and dance and my voice loud so I can sing and yell and laugh. Thank you for my fingers so I can type these words that will hopefully touch hearts and minds with comfort and hope. But, most of all Lord, thank you for washing this body in your forgiveness.

We are beautiful in you.