Soooo I’m sitting here watching America’s next top model.. I don’t know why, it’s just one of those shows I need to watch every week. [can you say addict?!]  ANYWAY.. one of the girls is apparently “gaining weight” on the show and Tyra Banks is quite upset.  I look at this girl and laughed. Not because she is overweight, but because she is, guaranteed, still a size 2 and she’s worried!!  (haha kinda funny cause I’m sitting in my ‘chair n’ a half’ with a big bag of chips…to myself!)  but not the point…

The definition of a ‘nice body’ varies for everyone.  Everybody wants to look a certain way because it gives them confidence.  Everyone wants or has wanted to rock a “hot bod”.   But in reality what does a ‘hot bod’ get you?  The sad thing is, that’s the top thing media idolizes: girls who force themselves to fit into a size double 0, who only wear XS and who you can lift with one hand.  It’s hard for us!

1 Corinthians 6:10: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is IN you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”

Girls, you are already RADIANT!  Did you just read that? The Holy Spirit, - the same one that sent Jesus, who forgives every single day, gives us life - is inside of you!  He is dying to shine through to the outside!  Your body doesn’t even belong to you because it is a temple for Him.  We shouldn’t be worrying about weighing 100 pounds or having the most recent fashion.  We should be worrying about what Jesus sees.  But because of the stuff we see everyday, it’s so hard to turn away from wanting those things.  If we strive to let Jesus shine through, could you imagine how gorgeous our world would be? We would blow those top models away.

We are all still human and all of us have our days when we don’t feel beautiful and do give in to media’s standards.  But, I have a challenge for all you amazing women of God out there:

Every morning before you leave your house, look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment. You owe it to yourself! You’re insulting God if you don’t because God CREATED you! You are His blessing, so give Him credit for what he created.  Tell yourself how beautiful your eyes are, how smooth your lips are, how your smile can brighten up a room, how your legs are muscular and ready to play a sport…whatever!

But most importantly; tell yourself that you are captivating.  Let God tell you that you are captivating

Captivating.  It is my favourite word ever spoken.  Be captivating for yourself; inside and out.  But top priority…be captivating for Jesus.  He is the only one that matters in the end.

Oh, and one more thing…you are:
beautiful
healthy
wonderfully made
created by the One and only
precious
radiant
courageous
strong

C.A.P.T.I.V.A.T.I.N.G

Before anyone else believes it, you must first believe it yourself.

I love you all

-Steph