What if this week, every time we look in the mirror and think … “Uggh, I need to ______ {lose weight, do something about these wrinkles, get rid of those dark circles under my eyes, etc.} you say this out loud:
“He calls me Beautiful.”
Because it’s true. He does!
What if we surrounded our hearts with truth seekers and truth-speakers, who told us these truths again and again? Friends who point us back to the One who calls us Beloved, Known and Valuable.
This week I’m honored to be joining a community of women that do just that, everyday. Speaking courage, truth and Hope into the hearts of women around the world through their words, blog posts, community groups and more. Oh how I’d love for you to join (me) there as I join the contributing writers team of:
Perhaps (in)courage is a place you already know? Or maybe it’s a community waiting for you? I’ll be sharing more in the weeks to come. But I hope you’ll hop on over this week, and find out more about (in)courage, see me with bed-head (in my favorite place on earth), and meet the other new writers here. BUT BEFORE YOU GO be sure to ENTER TO WIN (Sorry, the giveaway is over, but would still love to hear from you)!
To celebrate the (in)courage-ment, and the fact that this week will be different because we’re going to tell ourselves the truth every time we look in the mirror… I’m giving away Love Idol: Letting Go of Your Need for Approval and Seeing Yourself through God’s Eyes, by my friend Jennifer Dukes Lee. Jennifer is also a newbie (in)courage writer along with several others and me who joined the (in)courage team today!
Jennifer wrote “Love Idol” for women like us—who’ve had “enough of the not-enoughs.” This book is her journey toward freedom from the approval-seeking-cycle where she invites us to a place where we can lay down every mirror, every tally sheet, every report card — everything that tells us we aren’t (____) enough.
ENTER TO WIN by leaving a comment sharing one area of your life where you would love to see yourself as God sees you: loved and pre approved. (Sorry, the giveaway is over, but would still love to hear from you)
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I am struggling right now with self esteem. I’ve always had a little issue with self esteem but it’s gotten
worse since I lost my job. I am starting to think that I can’t do anything right. It’s not a good feeling.
Boy, did I need to hear this! Such a struggle for me……..How I wish I could
rest in this fact!!! I have never measured up! Grew up with 3 sister’s who always
had the “advantage” over me…..better student, better personality, more friends, better
child, no matter what it was, they always seemed to excel where I always struggled!
Still feel as if God surely loves them more than he loves me!!!
I love the idea of this blog. I am a writer and I struggle with a low self image. I am so happy to be a part of this.
Wow, what a powerful message. I am so good at encouraging and uplifting others but so quick to put myself down. I can relate to so much of what everyone wrote. When I leave my house I feel good about myself, but then I see someone and think her outfit is cuter, her hair looks better, ooh her nails her done and mine aren’t, why didn’t I workout before I left for the day. I feel guilty if I eat something bad, I worry about my kids, my husband, did I do enough, did I encourage enough, and then I start planning for the next day. I never think about God loving me more than I love myself or my sweet family. I think it will be amazing if I can commit and actually tell myself this every time I look in the mirror. I have so much to be thankful and appreciative for – it is a shame that I let Satan steal my happiness by buying into his lies. Thank you for the message. So inspiring!
Worthy to stand before other women and share with them the LOVE of Jesus. To let them know they are not alone, that they are wonderfully and fearfully made!!!
Oh and my one area would be my self image! I would love to see myself as God sees me for once.
I have a sign on my mirror in my bathroom: “You are Chosen!” Every morning I flip flop into the bathroom with cup of coffee in hand and then, as I take a sip of that coffee, my eyes catch that sign. My heart picks up tempo, a smile crosses my face, and it’s then I am reminded…He loves me…He has chosen me. My day couldn’t begin any better. Thank you for all of the other warm reminders. I am nowhere near beautiful…but your words make me feel beautiful. I am pre-approved…how great is that…no need to fill out an application, or wait for acceptance; I am already proven. And loved. And chosen. Renee, you do great work. I love the emails that I receive and I always look forward to them. And I always receive a blessing. Thank you for your faithfulness. (P.S. I did not write this to win a book, you can pass that on to someone else…I just wanted to let you know the part you played in my day today. God Bless.)
There are so many areas in my life where I’d love to see me, the way He sees me. I’ve struggled most of my life, and have just recently really come to terms with having a relationship with God. I need to hear, see, feel, His love, forever.
Definitely enjoy positive words that reaffirm truth!
I would love to see how God sees my beauty and talents. To have him speak to me and tell me what he thinks about me. To feel his arms around me. The struggles have gone on so long. I need his healing. Deeply.
God does speak to you about how He sees you ……the Bible. In Ephesians He tells you that you are His Masterpiece. There are soooooooooo many times He tells you how wonderful. There is a wonderful list of all these statements from God in a book by Josh McDowell called See Yourself as God Sees You. I understand fully your struggle but He can change that ! Just listen to Him. He changed me from seeing me as a mistake to now seeing me as a Masterpiece. And He wants to and will do the same for you, His Masterpiece.
I want to see myself as a daughter of the King not as what my past keeps telling me I am.
I’ll have to work on changing what I say to the image I see in the mirror and to my self-loathing heart, to say it so much that it will finally change my default mode of self-condemnation to seeing my identity in Jesus.
I’m so grateful you are one of the women joining (In)courage’s group of writers, Renee. God led me to it towards the end of last year, and it is an Elim in the wilderness of this world, a place to refresh our souls with hope and courage.
Love this reminder of this truth that is often hard to keep in my heart.
I struggle with feeling like I am a good mother and wife. I compare myself to others and feel so inadequate. This is a great message! Thank you for sharing!
wow! I thank God for this wonderful encouragement. I often feel and think negatively about who I am and never stop comparing myself to other women around me. I just need to think positively the way my God created me in his own image saying, I am his child no matter how I look, rich or poor! God bless this ministry
Weight…yep I said it. I lost over 25 lbs. and gained it and more back. Tend to stay away from mirrors and pictures which is ironic since I am a photographer mom. I would love to receive this book.
I am a recovering alcoholic. I wasted 10 years of my life drinking to self medicate myself through my depression . I know God loves me and forgives me, but I have such regret. 🙁
I have been struggling with my worth. As a child and now as an adult. It is so strange how “things” creep into our minds and zap us of our beauty….looks, weight, education, being a good wife, even our worth as a mother and grandmother. Thank you for reminding me to try and look through God’s eyes.
The more I study the Bible and learn about God’s unfailing love, grace, mercy, the more sure that I am loved just as I am, with my strengths and my many weaknesses. Instead of being a timid person not feeling worthwhile so often, now I am much bolder at times and can reach out to others, encouraging them. I am an overcomer through Christ Jesus who loves me unconditionally.
I am working on this very thing in my life! My husband pointed out to me that I was envious of others & of course it made me mad at first. After I thought about it though he is right, not to the point that I do not want others to be blessed but I was evaluating my worth by their blessings & not measuring up in my eyes. I have been praying to be filled with God & let that be enough, to count my blessings & not the blessings of others, to find my worth in Him:-)
Thank you for the reminder that I am pre-approved! I needed that especially today! This is a constant struggle for me to see myself as God sees me. I constantly put myself down every minute of every day. it’s hard to see the beautiful, approved, loving, good mom, good wife, good friend, etc side of me when all I think about are the negatives. Thank you for this!!!