The Insatiable Quest for Beauty: Book Review

Our society is obsessed with "beauty". It's easy to get caught up in all the media and advertisements that seem to say that if you don't have star-worthy features, you just need more products, and if you don't have the body of a model, you need to starve yourself. Tiffany Dawn shares her struggles with body image, eating disorders, and true beauty in her book The Insatiable Quest for Beauty.

When You Don't Feel Beautiful

GFG reader Courtney R. shares her thoughts on weight, makeup, and finding your worth in God's eyes.

Beauty Unmasked

GFG reader Heather Wood shares her thoughts on self-esteem, the media, and true beauty through poetry.

Faith Friday: Dealing with Insecurity

Deni Kiara shares her struggle with body image and reveals how God turned it around.

A Guy's View: What Guys Want in a Girl

Zachary, 21, reveals what guys really want in a future wife.

           

 I was asked recently what a Godly man finds attractive, or rather what he looks for as he seeks a wife. This is obviously a loaded question because we are all so very different; both men and women. There are, however, a few things that hold true for everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ. Here is what the Bible has given us, as men, to qualify “an excellent wife.” This list is pretty crazy but it is so true.

Extreme Makeover: Heart Edition

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone saw your beauty the way God sees it? As crazy as it sounds, you really can display your beauty for all to see, but you can’t do it on your own. It’s not going to happen overnight, and it certainly won’t be easy. Get ready for the biggest beauty renovation of your life! It’s Extreme Makeover: Heart Edition.

This amazing new series we’re launching into will put everything on the table – the way you see yourself, the way others see you, and the way God sees you. We’re going to talk about some pretty serious stuff, but the final result is something beautiful.

Are you ready? Here’s what you’ve got to do:
- VOTE. If you are going to participate in our Extreme Makeover, select “YES” on the poll to the right.
- SUBSCRIBE. Check out GFG’s Facebook page here for updates on the Extreme Makeover and as a place where you can chat about your journey.
- EMAIL. Email me at girlsforgodblog@yahoo.com and tell me about why your heart needs a makeover, plus keep me updated on how your makeover is going.
- READ. Every few days, I will post new stuff about our EMHE.
- SHARE. Tell your friends about Girls for God, give them a link, and share the GFG Facebook page with them. We want every preteen and teen girl we can get to participate in this inner beauty renovation.
- PRAY. Ask God to prepare your heart for this and ask Him to speak to you and the other girls for God through my words.

A Message for YOU

This is a message for all you girls who want to be beautiful.
This is a message to all of you young women who want to be accepted. Loved. Cherished.
I write this to the girl who hopes to find her worth in the wrong places -- in her boyfriend, in her peers, in her job, in her money, in the way she dresses. Your worth is not found in these. No matter how hard you search, if you look to worldly things, you'll never find what you're looking for.
Your worth is found in Jesus Christ and Him alone.
JESUS defines you.
JESUS loves you.
JESUS values you.
JESUS gives you value.
JESUS is what you've been looking for.
It's all Jesus. It's not you. It's not any guy. It's not anything the media will tell you. It's all Jesus.
Only Jesus can add to your worth.
And only Jesus can help you discover it.

What Real Beauty Looks Like

I went to a funeral for my Aunt Shana today. It got me thinking about death, but also about our souls, spirit, and even our beauty.

Aunt Shana was a beautiful woman, God's closest thing to perfect. She was in love with family, friends, God, even strangers. Everyone she met was touched by her, and even those who had only heard about her cancer story but had never met her said they were inspired to live better, brighter lives because of her life. Yesterday, her husband said that when they were dating and he was wondering whether or not he should get serious about their relationship, he concluded that every time Shana walked into a room, it was as if she brought the sunshine with her. She really did light up the room -- and everyone's hearts.

Back to her beauty. My aunt was "famous" for her good looks. She was a striking blonde who never had a bad hair day. She had bright, intelligent eyes and a slim figure. No 50-year-old woman could come close to looking as gorgeous as she did. She had always been full of life and adventure and hospitality.

Today when I looked in her casket, it was almost like the person lying in the box was only a shadow of my aunt. Her closed eyes were dusted blue, her lips a pink coral, her hair impeccable as usual. In her hand was a crucifix and what I think were rosary beads. Yet it didn't seem like she was all there. She was cold, too -- stone cold and stiff. A thought overwhelmed me -- this wasn't my aunt anymore. She wasn't here.

A beautiful funeral poem contains a verse that reminds me of what I thought earlier today. "Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep."

Our outward beauty doesn't last. Aunt Shana's age didn't make her any less beautiful, but her death made her empty body lifeless as she lay in the coffin. Makeup can enhance or hide things, but it can't hide the fact that it's just makeup. Beauty without life is nothing. Life fuels beauty.

Our lives make us beautiful. Our experiences, the way we react, the people who change us, the love we share, the peace of God...that is what makes us beautiful. Our personality, character, life, joy...that's how beauty is really defined. Aunt Shana was beautiful and full of life, but today she wasn't the same. Because it wasn't her in that coffin.

We are made in God's image. He breathed life into us. When we begin our second life in Heaven and our souls leave our earthly bodies, our earthly bodies are empty. Lifeless. Dead.

This is perhaps the biggest revelation I have come to with beauty. My aunt was beautiful in her life because of the beautiful woman God made her to be. When that woman left us and went to wait for us with God, her old, broken body is just a shadow of her old self, a shadow of her life. Imagine how she looks now! She was beautiful on earth, and now, with the light of Jesus on her face, how will she look when I see her in heaven someday?

And how will you look when we get to meet each other in Heaven, both of us shining and filled with the joy and love of Christ?

Your beauty isn't measured by just your outward appearance. It's your life that really shines through.

The First-Rate You

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of
somebody else." – Judy Garland

I think all of us have tried – or will try – to be someone else, at least once in our life. It starts with, "I love the way she does her hair" or "I want to try to dress my jeans up like her", which is harmless. If you see something you like, go for it. But this becomes dangerous when we move on from one thing to another, eventually copying that girl’s style, look, actions, and even her personality. We become another version of her – but the problem is, she’s better at being herself than you are at being her mini-me.
It’s a dangerous trap and we fall into it so many times. Ever heard the phrase "get a life"? Well, maybe there’s something in that we should listen to. Instead of trying to live somebody else’s life, live your own! Because no one is better at being you than you are.
Jesus was a first-rate version of himself. Instead of trying to fit in and be just another nice guy, he stood out by being the Savior of the world! He didn’t compromise his beliefs or any part of him to become someone He’s not. He remained true to himself. And the result? His faith was strong; His heart was big; He worked miracles; and He is the most remembered person in the history of the world. No one can top that!
Realize your worth in God’s eyes. You are unique (say it with me: YOU-nique!) You are made in God’s image. God planned out every little detail about you – from the color of your eyes to the way your heart reaches out to the hurting. When we try to be someone else, we’re saying, "God, I know you made me, but it’s just not good enough. I think if I’m less like you and more like Ashley, I’ll be better off." Uh, no way! Can you imagine saying that to God? But the truth is: if you have ever tried to be someone other than who God made you to be, you already have said that to the All-Powerful Creator of the Universe (and You!)
Be the best you can be, don’t be the empty version of someone else. Love who God made you to be and follow the path He’s made for you. When you see something you like, go for it. If you see a model with short, choppy hair, get your hair cut. If you see a woman with a love for God, bring that into your life. No one else is quite like you, so embrace the unique beauty and character God has given you!

GuyTalk: Appearance & Character

GFG: What qualities do you look for in a girl?

"Godliness first of all; a basic knowledge of who God is, and a basic understanding that He is pretty much The Boss. Beyond that, nothing physical matters especially to me except that they take care of themselves... shower, try to dress at least slightly flattering (No ugly sweatpants or baggy t-shirts, girls! Even I don't wear that!)... I mean, nothing on the outside is all that important, except I don't want to feel like I need to shower and shave every time I hug and kiss my hunny. [smile]" - Jacob