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)
I would love to be able to see myself TRUELY as a daughter of God! We worship and here how me have an inheritance and I am excited and sometimes I am homesick for heaven! I do not always believe I am deserving to be his daughter!!
Chosen. Treasured. Redeemed. Loved. Cherished. Enough. Pre-Approved!! Wow! I needed to see & read that today.
Where I need to see God’s perspective is in the “but” areas – I’m a good worker but…; I was a good mother but…; I’m active in ministry but…: I’m trying to eat better and exercise more but…; and etc. Like many others who posted, I struggle with low self-image and esteem. Grew up believing I was fat & ugly and couldn’t do anything right.
Thank you, for reminding me that, to my Father, I am beautiful and chosen.
One area I need to see myself as God sees me is my weight. I always feel fat when I look at myself in the mirror. I am pre -approved by Christ. Thank you Renee.
Thank you! I needed this today. I continue to struggle with not being _______ enough. This post helped me today – I am pre-approved by Christ and covered in his grace!
This looks like just the book for me! I have spent my whole life seeking approval and I just want to be able to live my life being the person God created me to be and not worrying about what people think….and being confident in that.
I would love to see myself as God sees me in the area of my redemption. I always end up feeling that I am not good enough. That I must need to do something for God to love me. I would love to see that I am pre approved by God and need nothing else.
I would like to see my body as Christ see’s it! I have struggled all of my life and I am 52. Thank you!
I needed this reminder that I’m pre-approved. Self esteem is my area.
One of the many, many things I struggle with is despairing over how other moms seem to “have it all together,” even though I know this is a lie that satan wants me to believe to make myself feel more and more like a failure! It’s easy to compare myself to the little bits of life I see other moms around me living when I LIVE in the chaos of my own life every day. With 5 kids ages 7 and under (that I’m also homeschooling) I’m often at a loss for how to get through each day with sanity in tact. More often than not I feel overwhelmed and ashamed at my lack of patience and organization – telling myself that “if only… I could get up earlier, take better care of myself, have more patience, be more organized, get rid of half the stuff in my house that contributes to the clutter that never ends…” and it’s hard to sometimes enjoy the moments with my kids that are passing me by so quickly.
I would like to see myself as His beloved.
I want to accept myself as pre-approved by God. Even though I am a tall woman, I want to believe that I am not a mistake. That He sees me as beautiful.
This is something I need. I have very low self esteem at times. I don’t like to look in the mirror because I don’t like what looks back at me. So, yes, I would love to find out what God thinks of me.
The one area in my life I need to hear that is in being a mom. I want to raise our children to love God and having faith in Him to get us through anything. I want to be a better example to them. That we don’t need to take all our blessings for granted. Thanks for this reminder today!
Loved and pre approved in rest, not having to do more but focus and be at peace with resting more.
I always felt all my life I wasn’t worthy always thinking I deserved bad things but now I thank God that he is showing me is that I am worthy and I deserve everything he has for me.
My ministry.
I know I need this book. I can’t think of an area in my life where I don’t struggle with this. Lately it’s the worst when it comes to my gifts and talents. When someone asks me to do something, the first thing that pops into my mind is, “Who me?”
I’d like see how God sees my heart. I feel so unworthy so many times (as I’m sure others do also) And satin likes to bring up my past to make me feel guilty. I’ve learned consequences do not equal un-forgiven.
Thank You For Reminding Us We Are Chosen. The Lord Had Plans For Our Lives And We Are doing His Work And He Is pleased.
I would love to see myself as God sees me!!
Hi Renee! This book sounds like just what I need. I was raised in a home with conditional love, if you were just thin enough, smart enough…This led to an eating disorder in high school and then into a verbally abusive marriage. But God is so good and loved me in spite of myself. I am now married for the second time and the Lord has Blessed me with a wonderful husband. I have two sons, 18 and 21 months old and what I have taught daily is I love you no matter what, but God loves you even more. But the devil is always lurking around the corner with words of doubt. Even after all the years I wish I could finally lay that to rest and see my as God sees me, LOVED! Blessings
I’d love to see myself Pre-approved by God in all areas. I desire for every part of my being to bring Him glory & honor & praise & to see me the way He sees me. I ask for a divine perspective on life. Yet the world bombards us with not good enough images, comparison traps, which are all lies the enemy uses to keep us from being all who God created us to be in Him. It’s hard to guard our hearts from these false ideologies. If you are not careful those negative behaviors & thinking can sink in and grow roots which are what Satan the liar uses to keep us from being all who Christ created us to be. I pray that He will sift my thinking & beliefs through His thoughts, His ways, His Word. Until I am so completely molded into His image So others may know the hope to which He’s called us to be in Him. Which ultimately glorifies Him. In Jesus Name. Amen. My prayer for all.
Like so many have said, my head and my heart argue…going thru a divorce really causes the devil to play a Mira of mind games. I praise the Lord I am fearfully and wonderfully made, but my human side is trying to break me with feelings of what ifs. Thank you for the encouragement to all!
I would love this book! preapproved is a great reminder. Thank you!
Timely reminder, thank you. My self-comparison to others always leaves me feeling less. Why do they have and I do not……. I am focusing this year on remembering that I have exactly the gifts God want me to have and need no others; that I am exactly who He wants me to be and that is enough for me.
The main area I wish I were able to see myself as God does is definitely my role as a wife & mom. I feel like a failure in those areas more than any other.
I believe that God sees me beautiful I am His daughter, it is hard to accept it but still praying. One thing that I would like to do now that I moved into a new community is share with my new neighbors about the love of God and how God sees them, I am encourage by this blog to join you in encouraging others about how God sees us. God bless you.
Please pray for my new journey.
Rosalba
Thank you God for accepting us just as we are, trying my best to remind myself of this each time I feel I’m not enough.
I could use this book! I have struggled with this my whole life! Good to know that we are not alone in this-huh? 😉
Thanks for the reminder that no matter what the world or other people say, we are already approved by God, the only One Who matters. I’ve suffered from the need for people approval for a long time and am just now becoming able to realize that I’m pre-approved.
We do need to be reminded daily probably every second of the day that God says: we are all those fabulous things and so Approved of! I am pretty good and reminding others of how wonderful they are so now I just need to say them back to myself. We are so blessed that God has gifted women like you all to share these truths with us daily.
Hi Renee,
Jennifer’s book ‘Love Idols’ would be an encouraging and truth-telling book I’m sure. I would just love to feel ‘loved for who I am and what I do’. I want to be an encouraging wife, mother and grandmother as well as an encouraging friend. But I must come across much differently than I mean to. I just want to share God’s Word and truths and promises with those around me…
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book.
Thank you for this sweet reminder. Now that I’m divorcing and finding out I can not have children makes me feel unwanted and ugly. It’s a tough being 31 and having a full hysterectomy. It’s even harder for your husband to stop loving you and walk away from the marriage. I feel less of a woman and like something is wrong with me. I need to remember that God will get the glory, no matter what the situation is.
An area in my life where I want to me as God sees me loved and pre-approved is in my spiritual walk/ relationship with. I desire to fully walk in my purpose and set out to help those he desires for me to help. Though in every other area I need him as well but this one is the top. Thank you and I will be joining in(courage) because I daily bed to be encouraged and I know others that can use encouragement as well. God bless
I needed the reminder as I have struggled the past two years with finding my confidence that I am approved by God. Ending a marriage from a husband that was mentally and verbally abusive, moving to another state, trying to get my diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis under control and having to place my 24 year old special needs son has been a challenge indeed. I do see the blessings everyday and know He will see me through it all.
I would love to see myself as God sees me. He sees me as beautiful, capable and full of purpose and promise. I have a hard time believing that. It is a slow process.
I too have thoughts of not being good enough, thin enough. I’m thankful for this reminder that I am pre-approved, worthy, and loved. Thank you so much for this timely reminder.
I don’t feel beautiful or that I’m skinny enough or good enough. I purchased The Confident Heart and am about to start reading it. Would love to win this book! I need encouraging. Thank you! And please pray for me.
Looks like a great book. I def need the reminder.
Wow – what a powerful message. I f I do not win I believe this will go on my BUY list.
My area is my parenting I’m pretty happy with the rest of except my parenting I always feel I’m failing at the most important job. I know God has my back but I fail anyway . Thank you for the blog it does help some days.
I would like this book because I would like to see myself as a woman that is positive about herselk. I am always wondering if people like me for me or are saying hello just to be courtiest to me. In my heart I know that God loves me how I am suppose to be. It is hard for me to see this in myself.
Thank you for listening to me. God Bless You
I’ve struggled with low self esteem since I was young in school. I finally conquered it for a while after my divorce back in 1989. I’d lost 100 lbs. in the year after that at age 40 and started a new life.Keeping the weight off was always a struggle, I gained 50 lbs. back and then took it off again, but I have osteo arthritis in my knees and was unable to walk on one of them until I finally had a replacement done last Dec. Now I’m trying to get that 50 lbs. off again. At 66, I do have lots of wrinkles and sags and bags that I didn’t have when I was younger. I always looked about 10 yrs. younger than I was, so I look in the mirror and don’t like what I see. This book would be a good self confidence builder for me, I’m single and live with my dog. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without a mate to share good experiences with.
Thank you, Carol
Every area of my life, I often feel not… skinny enough, pretty enough, smart enough, compassionate enough, not good enough to be loved… if I had to pick one are, it would be strong enough to be confident in God’s love, to know I am enough in all those area’s because I am enough in his eyes to be, do and achieve what he has always had planned for me.
I would love to see me as God sees me in a lot of places in my life. Recently I learned something that really knocked my self-confidence and how I see myself. If I were more this, if I was more that would this have happened. It has been really hard but I know that I am a good person but at times I feel that I am not worthy of His love if no one here loves me.
I’ve had the priveledge and honor of being one of the three organists for the churhc that I attend. I usually play 2 times a month and I am know as the “Hymna’s Lady” I am 59 years old, and used to play for my Mom and Dad. They had adopted me at 3 1/2 months old, and they were in their 40’s. So I learned to play many of the older hymns. When I would play “Leaning on The Everlasting Arms”, my Dad would get out his fiddle and play with me. We would play it many times as it sounded so neat. My Mom who dies 6 years ago at 95- loved all sorts but really liked “Trust and Obey.” So I have used them in my list of songs for the services. My Parents were so good to me, and I just loved them so much…I feel first when I play – I play for the Lord, and then, I play for my Parents. I have had difficulty with depression and am bipolar- which constantly challengey older parents to keep trying to learn and keep on loving me. I really miss them now. I figure that if I “foul up” once-in-a-while- I keep the Lord helping me and probably my parents ar sitting right beside Him saying …be sure to tell her “We love her.” The final hymn I played for each of the funerals was the song..”Victory In Jesus!” What a glorious life, memories, my life now, and I am so excited what heaven shall be like when Iget to see my Mom and Dad again. I do feel pre-approved!
I would love to learn to let go of the need to please others by always remembering that I only need to please One, and that One, our Lord, will always love me and accept me know matter what. Thank you for always sharing such positive messages.
This is something I tell others quite often yet lately I’ve forgotten this. I’ve been focusing on the weight I’ve put on and not how my God see’s me. I don’t share this because I’m a minister and feel others would not understand my struggle and judge me. Crazy I know. That’s for the wonderful reminder. For such a perfect timingin my life.
I can’t wait to read this book. It is just what I need.
Although I am a guy, I struggle with body image too. I need to always keep in mind that I am beautiful, because HE is beauty, and HIS opinion is the only one that counts!