"Beautiful"
The days will come when you don't have the strength
When all you hear is you're not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
And praying that you have the heart to find
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you've held inside so long
And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
Before you ever took a breath
Long before the world began
Of all the wonders He possessed
There was one more precious
Of all the earth and skies above
You're the one He madly loves
Enough to death
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
In His eyes
You're beautiful
You were meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
When all you hear is you're not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
And praying that you have the heart to find
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you've held inside so long
And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
Before you ever took a breath
Long before the world began
Of all the wonders He possessed
There was one more precious
Of all the earth and skies above
You're the one He madly loves
Enough to death
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
In His eyes
You're beautiful
You were meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
I lived for too many years in this world... where I felt like I wasn't worth anything and could never truly be loved. I am well aware that this was likely more an internal then external thing...meaning I am sure this more perceived by me then it was intended by others. But the fact is that it was what I felt and I know is how so many others feel...especially teenage girls.
I have worked really hard in the last 18 months to really explore this, to try to understand where my feelings of self loathing began and why I made the choices...oh so many choices...that I did (and that I regret so much now). I just wish so much that I had 'met' Jesus when I was an impressionable young teenager. At an age where I was feeling so self conscious, where I wanted so much to be loved and approved of, I just wish I had known that someone did think I was absolutely beautiful, treasured and sacred.
I have worked really hard in the last 18 months to really explore this, to try to understand where my feelings of self loathing began and why I made the choices...oh so many choices...that I did (and that I regret so much now). I just wish so much that I had 'met' Jesus when I was an impressionable young teenager. At an age where I was feeling so self conscious, where I wanted so much to be loved and approved of, I just wish I had known that someone did think I was absolutely beautiful, treasured and sacred.
Does it ever amaze you to go back in time and marvel at how you processed things...and from there what you did with those feelings? I have touched on this a bit before but it kind of came back to me in a few discussions this weekend and some wise words were shared with me that I will share and expand on in later. When I was growing up I had a strong sense of not fitting in, of not being 'good enough', of not measuring up...and those feelings come back to bite me in the butt too often. Sometimes it was with my family. I was the only girl and that made it hard to find my place all on it's own. I was chubby as a kid and well on my way to overweight when I was a pre-teen and teenager. I know now that I ate for lots of stupid reasons but the biggest one was that if I didn't feel like I fit in, like I measured up, then I might as well look like it too. When I got old enough to date that began to impact the guys I sought out (and oh did I seek at times). I just wanted to feel accepted and loved, just wanted to feel appreciated, special, treasured...like I belonged to someone. And so I picked people who I think likely struggled themselves to fit in and who didn't always treat me the way I should have been treated....but that was ok because they were 'mine' and I was 'theirs'. They didn't think too highly of themselves so they wouldn't seek anyone 'better then me'...right???
This behaviour damaged me, I know this now and I think deep down I knew it then. But what I didn't know then and have only just learned in the last 18 months was that these were all lies that the enemy wanted me to believe. I wasn't any of the negative things I thought I was. I was loved and treasured. Maybe those who did loved and treasure me also carried around lies about themselves and that affected how they treated me. Wow, what a vicious circle this is!
But I am working at breaking this circle. This weekend I spoke to a wise friend who told me that if I was seeking out the approval of a certain individual that I should just walk away from it...that it just might not ever happen. And that it was ok that it didn't because I was loved for who I am, I was treasured for what I have to offer, approved for what I have done and for the choices I have made by enough people that it didn't matter. And there were many who had unconditional love for me.
I left that person's house with the courage to stand up for myself...and I did. But I also left there with a thought burning in my mind, with words that I should have said to the wise friend but also should have said, should say... when I need to stand up for myself. Those thoughts...'it doesn't really matter what earthly person approves of me, my choices, my actions or the actions of those I love... the only being whose approval I need I already have and I have had since the moment He created me. Before I ever took a breath, long before the world began I was the one He madly loved enough to death.
This behaviour damaged me, I know this now and I think deep down I knew it then. But what I didn't know then and have only just learned in the last 18 months was that these were all lies that the enemy wanted me to believe. I wasn't any of the negative things I thought I was. I was loved and treasured. Maybe those who did loved and treasure me also carried around lies about themselves and that affected how they treated me. Wow, what a vicious circle this is!
But I am working at breaking this circle. This weekend I spoke to a wise friend who told me that if I was seeking out the approval of a certain individual that I should just walk away from it...that it just might not ever happen. And that it was ok that it didn't because I was loved for who I am, I was treasured for what I have to offer, approved for what I have done and for the choices I have made by enough people that it didn't matter. And there were many who had unconditional love for me.
I left that person's house with the courage to stand up for myself...and I did. But I also left there with a thought burning in my mind, with words that I should have said to the wise friend but also should have said, should say... when I need to stand up for myself. Those thoughts...'it doesn't really matter what earthly person approves of me, my choices, my actions or the actions of those I love... the only being whose approval I need I already have and I have had since the moment He created me. Before I ever took a breath, long before the world began I was the one He madly loved enough to death.
I am treasured, I am sacred, I am His... I am beautiful..and so are you.
Please know that He loves you just the way you are.
And if you are involved with a child or teen who is coming into their own...especially a girl... make sure they know this and make sure they never feel that your love has conditions...because His certainly doesn't so why should yours.
Please know that He loves you just the way you are.
And if you are involved with a child or teen who is coming into their own...especially a girl... make sure they know this and make sure they never feel that your love has conditions...because His certainly doesn't so why should yours.
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