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)
This books sounds great. I heard Jennifer being interviewed on the God Centered Mom podcast. I would love to learn that I am pre approved as a Mom. I am the Mom God chose for my kiddos.
Just not being “good enough” falling short in most any area of my life.
I’ve been thinking about this. It’s funny, I was asked what I thought my best trait was earlier on another site. I said that I strive for excellence in most every thing I do. It’s true. I’m highly competitive, put 125% into most any task and yet I feel that I never quite do as well as I should. I’m caught in a loop, striving for something I don’t really believe I can attain. Would like to just find rest in Him but not sure how together off this treadmill!
This book sounds amazing! I am so bad at trying to avoid people when I am grocery shopping , etc., because I think I don’t look as good as they do. They have aged so much better. People actually tell me that I look younger than my age but I don’t see that. I guess we all see ourselves differently than others see us.
The main area I have issues with is reminding myself to love myself where I am & I don’t have to “be” any stronger, smaller or better at anything else to be loved by Him! I always have room to grow but I don’t need to get to that certain place to love myself! I can love myself exactly where I am right now!
I worry too much about what other people think about me when it should only matter how God sees me. I finf myself seeking approval from others, even family, only to be left disappointed and hurt. This is a constant struggle for me. This is a bondage that I need God to rescue me from.
I would love to remember in my soul that Im enough just being me, no strings!
I know that God sees me as a work of art. Created in his image and beautiful in every way. I dream of being able to look at myself in the mirror and zee myself as God does. Not shy away and tell myself I’m fat or out of shape.
Ready to break the approval seeking cycle–no way I can have enough “done” to keep the aging process from happening–its okay to be my age and enjoy this season in my life. I want to be an asset and valuable to the Kingdom, seeing myself as God sees me.
I love this thought and like so many others here have daily struggles with my self worth and if only’s….
One area I would like is knowing that I matter and my opinions matter. I don ‘t want to over analyze everything I say anymore. That it’s okay to be me.
I would like to see myself as He does…I’d like to know what that is….who am I in Him?
As a working wife I feel very inadequate at home.
Motherhood! I never feel good enough, but I know God thinks I AM good enough.
As I daily inch closer to 60, I look at myself and wonder who that is in the mirror. I don’t recognize that person looking back at me. I don’t feel almost 60! How has this happened?! I see my Mom looking back at me and find it rather disturbing. We did not have a good relationship. I was the 5th child of 7. I was the child she didn’t want. I was the child that took away her freedom from all that having a baby in the house again entails. I was in my early 30’s when she told me how much she didn’t want me and how much she cried because she was pregnant again. That was when I understood why I felt unloved, unwanted and in the way growing up. My poor younger brother and sister had it even worse. It took me quite a few years before I realized that God wanted me here!!! It didn’t matter that she didn’t! He loves me, cherishes me and died for me! It is very hard some days to not go back to feeling unloved, unwanted, unappreciated but with His help and knowing that I was “pre-approved” I don’t stay there long. Thanks for the chance to own this book.
On mornings when I’m not loving anything about myself…it could be my look, my job, my thoughts. Anything. Life has been rough and I’d like to think more like Christ in the midst of everything.
I need to see myself how God sees me in so many areas; the biggest ones would be weight, not being able to do as much as I used to due to pain and chronic illness and the accompanying fatigue, but most of all I “have the guilts” as the mom of 2 great young men, 21 and 25. No matter how well they do and are turning out, I still blame myself for long-forgotten failings as a mom when they were younger, and esp. when I couldn’t take good enough care of them due to my illnesses. I would love to see myself as God sees me.
I am SOooo ready to break the approval-seeking cycle. You name it, I’ve probably felt inadequate at it. My latest “not-enough” is my Christian walk. I find myself spending lots of time wondering just what God’s purpose is for me. So much that I end up not doing anything for fear that it’s not the right thing. I’ve truely had enough.
I never feel I’m good enough
One situation where I struggle with remembering that I am loved and pre-approved by God is when I am around mothers of children whom do not like and are unkind to my children. I do not know why I feel uncomfortable, but I want to end those struggles so that I can be fully present for my children to be able to help and guide them.
Popping my head through your cyber-door here, Renee, to thank you — from the bottom of my preapproved heart — for sharing about Love Idol on your blog this week. You are so generous to share your beautiful space with my book.
And to all of you sisters sharing here in the comments … I wrote this book for you … for any of you who needs to know that you are ALREADY loved and approved. You have nothing to prove to anyone. You are preapproved. That’s the love language of God.
God bless you, each and every one.
~ Jennifer Dukes Lee
Knowing that I am per approved and loved what a great reminder!
Pre-Approved by God! I need to be enough to myself
Everyday I pray the Lord would transform me by the renewing of my mind. With everyday living out ‘life’, running this race Heavenward here on earth as a wife, daughter, mom, grandma and friend. What a wonderful reminder I am pre-approved by my Heavenly Father and that He chose me and loves me. I am one of The King’s kids. I am so thankful for His amazing grace, mercy and love. His promises do endure forever.
Treasured.
Dear Renee,
Do you ever feel like you just want to never go home because you have no one to share your disappointments with. That is how I feel tonight. I have been accused unjustly, completely left out of something our unit did, at our event, failed at getting anyone to be a friend and come with me to my event, and my husband says don’t come home and tell me anything I don’t want to hear it. I feel like there’s no other person I can trust but God right now. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I know God loves me but I can’t stop crying. Maybe that’s a good thing. He’s the only one I can turn to now. I worry about my disabled daughter because I don’t think my husband cares. I needed to hear that I have been pre approved by God to be loved. I’m sorry! LOL
Janet
Each time I feel as if I have overcome my need for approval;something will be said and the cycle begins again! I have noticed that I continue to be drawn to people who challenge me in this area! I have come to see that God is using them as a reminder that I need no man’s approval.I am His beloved child!
Knowing God sees me as worthy & pre-approved when I don’t
weight been battling my weight for years and i love the the way god see me thank you for reminding me my word for the week will be pre-approved
I think the one area I would love to see myself as God does is “My Heart”…I love God so much and aim to please him in the things I do and say, however, I feel like I fall short so many times…I think it would be awesome/scary to know what he sees when he looks at my heart.
I need the reminder that I’m pre-approved by God even before I DO anything for him. He loves me first, not after all the work. Sometimes this is hard to remember!
I would love to receive this book……I grew up always being told I wasn’t wanted and
I wasn’t good enough. I am learning to rely on God’s promises that I am wanted and that I am special!
Knowing I’m accepted by God, knowing He made me the way I am, is what encourages me daily. I am learning to disregard others disapproval & striving to please only Him. I follow you, (in)courage & many others in your ministry on twitter. Thank you for the many encouraging words & resources!
I need reminders in my daily life everywhere. As women we are so critical of ourselves and I don’t think it’s easy to see ourselves as our Father does.
Positive self talk and affirmation. God doesn’t want us beating ourselves up. He made a masterpiece with each of us.
Funny… In Church on Sunday Jesus took me to the portion in 1 Peter to remind me that He has chosen me & then You send this as another much needed reminder. I struggle with rejection issues & not feeling good enough in so many areas. I love how He takes time to remind me that He has already chosen me and won’t ever reject me or abandon me or fail me & that His love for me is never-ending.
Blessings to you & thank you SO much for being the voice of confirmation to me!!
I struggle every day with feeling loved, adequate, and chosen. I know God is faithful and there to walk my family and my through some extremely difficult times. Yet I often feel alone, isolated and unsupported caring for 2 young adult children who are medically fragile, technology dependent and doing my best to support our son who is currently incarcerated awaiting trial for a crime with no evidence to support the accusations. Missing our son and granddaughter (who we rarely see now while her daddy awaits trial). Fully relying on God and faithful prayer warriors as we walk this challenging journey
I would just like to be joyful again. Somewhere over the years I have lost it and am struggling to have the deep joy. Not sure how that fits here, but I want to see myself as God does, and that includes joyful.
Rachel,
I wanted to share a story with you, I used to allow negative things to enter my life (others words, circumstances, etc.) and it changed how I saw myself. One day my son came into the room where I was and said something negative about himself. It broke my heart, as I turned to him fighting back the tears, I said “no you’re not, you are beautiful” and as I said it, I could hear God say “And so are you”…it took seeing my son hurt, to understand how God must feel when we hurt. As God’s child we have access to his fruit which includes: Love, JOY, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. Galatians 5:22-23….Grab hold of what he’s already given you. And don’t forget, you are a child of the one true King!!
Being chosen, valued, pe-approved by God is such powerful wording to my ears….
Loved by my Heavenly Father forever and ever…
Blessings!
I know God sees me as a beautiful, confident,strong, and loving daughter. I really need to really take it as he sees me but I am struggling because of my weight and being more outgoing. I am grateful he sees me as I am no matter what I think.
I was in an abusive marriage for 34 years before I got out. Through wonderful Christian counselors and friends I have torn down the horrible words that were spoken to me but sometimes they come back out of nowhere and bring me to a place of insecurity and fear. Thanks for the reminder “pre-approved” no matter what has happened to me, my Father loves me.
Needed this! Thanks so much.
Needed to hear this today. I need a constant reminder that I am the mother that God chose for my daughter. I feel like a failure in that area every day.
I constantly deal with the struggle of finding fault with myself. Whether it may be with my physical apperance or comparing myself to others telling myself I am not as good as others. I was one of few in my family who did not obtain a 4 year degree in my family, and was told as a teenager that I needed to be something like my cousins. My goal was to get married and be a mother. I have such a precious Christian family and would not change what I have today, although those cousins I was compared to do not have the spirital life that I do today. Even though I know I am so loved and treasured by Christ, I continue to struggle with self worth and confidence.
Approved: Heidi talked about God being a Virtuiso it reminds me of the Song by Julie True she states over and over how God is a Paint Brush and in spite of what I and others have found in themselves to be flaws, His word states that we are created in His Image Genesis 1:27and likeness and sealed with a treasure 2 Corithians 4:7. May the Spirit of Truth enlighten our hearts of who Christ is and reveal His Love to each of us and who we are in Him!!
There are many areas…but working on it.
I wish I could see me as God sees His daughter who loves Him. I feel a sort of disconnect that I know is of my own making not His.
Mostly in my mothering
Thank you for this. I need to know this in the area of who I am and that I am worthy of good things and to be loved. Thank you again. I look forward to reading more.
I have a hard time feeling beautiful because of my weight. I look forward to seeing myself as God sees me.
Faith and Trust. I know God is who He says He is. I’m struggling with being stuck in lies of the enemy.