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You Are Beautiful by Nicole Johnson
There is no beauty in makeup. Expensive clothes will not make you beautiful. The secret lies in being an alive, awake woman with something to offer the world. Namely, yourself. Beauty is less about your face and more about your smile. Less about the shape of your eyebrows, more about the light in your eyes. Less about the length of your legs, more about the bounce in your step. Real beauty is being a viable, vital human being. As you participate in your life with a warm smile and a generous spirit, you are beautiful.
Living your life will bring out the beauty in you because it is uncovering you. It is revealing more of the authentic you that is beautiful. Because life is a living, breathing work of art, you are a painting as you go. Be a masterpiece. Drink in life. Laugh too loud. Compliment others constantly.
Cultivate beauty all around you. Plant a garden. Embrace beauty wherever you find it—in the fall leaves, in the spring flowers. This will help you embrace it in yourself. When you appreciate a sunset or your child’s clay candlestick or a beautiful piece of music, you are saying yes to beauty. You are saying yes to God.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” –Proverbs 31:30 NIV
Excerpted from Fresh-Brewed Life: A Stirring Invitation to Wake Up Your Soul, © 1999 by Nicole Johnson. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Purchase a copy of Fresh-Brewed Life here.
Filed under: From the Porch, Inspiration · Tags: Nicole Johnson
67 Responses to "You Are Beautiful by Nicole Johnson"
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how cool are these tips, so easy
There is never a day that I cannot find something that makes me smile when I look at all the beauty that surrounds us all each day. God is good when I can get out of bed each morning with pain and know that sometime during the day He will ease that pain whether it physical or spiritual. The footprints are there even some days when I fail to acknowledge what He has done for me and my family. And I have been blessed with wonderful friends whether near or far.
I hope Nikki reads the responses to her cry for help. I too have been there and the pain is real but so is God’s healing. Just look at all of these people who God has sent to show you His love. Rest in God’s love and He will bring you healing. You have asked, continue to seek His healing, and keep knockin…this will likely included counseling and maybe some medication to help you heal but it is all from God. Trust Him. He loves you so much.
Nikki, I’m so sorry you’re going through this time. I have been there, and it is very hard. I hope you can talk to a Christian therapist (or at least read some of Marilyn Meberg’s books) and that you will go to the doctor to find out if medication will help you. Also spend time around people who are positive and lift you up. Don’t accept any condemnation or ‘tough love’ talks from well meaning people who think depression is something you can just snap out of. Remember Job’s friends. He did nothing to bring on his situations and God gave him so much more after his trial was over. And even though you may not feel like your prayers are getting anywhere at times, the Bible says differently. The Lord sees it all and loves you. There are just sometimes things in life that are hard to get through. Hang in there. This time hasn’t come to stay, it has come to pass.
I remember feeling so anxious and depressed, crying all the time and wondering if I’d ever be “normal” again. Then I read somewhere that practicing to smile (the physical act of forming a smile with your lips) will automatically make you feel better. I decided to give it a go. I’d sit on the bus, tears rolling down behind my sunglasses and forcing my lips to smile. Then I decided to look for small things to be thankful for. Instead of dreading the fear, I’d thank God for every moment the fear subsided. I’d stop and look at the sky and thank God for the beauty of the sky. Slowly, I learned to even thank him for the pain and whatever it was he wanted me to learn through it. I am well now. The funny thing is, when I was going through that time I lost over 25 lbs in short order. However, looking at photos of my thin self, I’d much rather have a bit of a belly and flab on my arms and a glow in my eyes than that slim “deer in the headlight” look that gave away my anxiety. 35 lbs heavier I now feel beautiful, because I know my Lord Jesus loves me…and that is truly something to smile about.
Even during the darkest storms e can step back and see the woder and majesty of our Heavenly King. The lightning flashing, the rolling thunder. In winter the delicate and intrecate detail of every snow flake, not a single one the same. we all at some point will face hardtimes, down right tragic-gut renching circumstances that will threaten to knock the life right out of us, How ever when we surrender to God and choose to trust in Him, to not lean on our own understanding but know that He can (and will !!! ) work all things together for our good. Our situations may stay the same but God will change our hearts. As we learn to rely on and trust in who He is and His Living Word, Jesus, he creates that iner beauty that will radiat from a heart that has been fashioned into the image of His Son. It can be a painful, lonely and trying process but it is worth it ! Why? Because once you grasp the strenght God offers you, once you reach the peek of that monsturous mountian that stands before you you have the best view to watch the sunrise !!!
This was just wanted I need to hear at the right time in my life. Thanks!
Start with finding one thing of beauty and then focus one thing at a time. When we feeling down is it sometimes difficult to focus on the beauty in and around us, but if we keep God our creator in mind as we notice these simple things of beauty, it can be a gentle reminder of all the ways that He cares for us and provides for us. You can be encouraged by simply noting:
The color in the last remaining leaves on a tree
or the remnants of a bird’s nest that provided the protection for a mother bird’s little ones.
The way that the suns rays find their way through the gray fall clouds or the fullness of a harvest moon that often signaled the end to a bountiful harvest.
When you catch yourself humming or hearing your favorite worship tune, focus on the lyrics and the passion the songwriter and his/her love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Focus on one thing of beauty at a time and remember to thank God and give him praise for all he is and does. Every time we praise God it is like we are giving him a great big hug – and I promise you, he will always hug you back. Praying for you Nikki – God knows your inner beauty. Ask him and he will help you find it!
Anita, I am 50 and engaged to a wonderful man I met at church. I was like you,48 with a 6 yr old daughter and feeling not pretty at all, but God intervenes, He knew who needed to be with whom, keep the faith because if the Lord decides to give you another partner more worthy of you you have to be ready to hear him. The Lord told me as I shook hands with him the first time we met “He’s the one” I thought I was crazy he was the last person on my mind. Slowly, “circumstances” kept bringing us together and love grew. We trusted God and he gave us His blessing. PTL!
Thank you for that very encouraging, inspiring word! I really needed it because i am 55 years old, overweight and self conscience of getting wrinkles. I’m not unsightly fat or extremely wrinkled, just enough to bother me! I’ve tried diets, working out, but I still struggle. I’ve been a plus size for over 10 years. Your word confirmed what another friend told me just yesterday. She said you are who God made you! You are who you are at this time in life. Don’t try to change yourself, let God work through you. Amen! Thank you again for uplifting my spirit through your words. God bless you. Roxie Lehtinen
It begins with praise! Praise Him! Thank Him for what is good! Thank him for taking care of your needs. We all have feelings like yours from time to time but you can shift this discomfort by focusing your mind and heart on positives. Look at all the people who read your note and wanted to reach out to you! That’s Gods love. He promises he will stick close and never leave you–this is living proof. XOXO
Nikki,
There is only one Nikki, you are “unique”, precious and beautiful in God’s eye. You are His masterpiece, lovely and adored without flaws. Man and society will always judge you and see you from the outside but God sees the beauty of your heart in the inside. Our beauty definitely begins within and exzooms and radiates outwardly. Even the most beautiful people can portray outside beauty but inside are ugly. Life is full of challenges, disappointments and heartache but God is in control. He has a plan and purpose for your life (Jeremiah 29:11). Everything in life is but a season and in His timing. We must go through the valley’s in order for us to grow, blossom and be more like Him. It is in the valley where we experience God’s grace, mercy and love. There is no greater love than Him. My heart beams and smiles in how amazing His love is for us. His grace is what has sustained me through all my trials, challenges, disappointments and short comings. We are not perfect and as His daughters, we will continue to be a “work in progress” until we go home with Him. Each day is a new beginning and we must put on the armor of God. The battle is already won, already paid on the cross by the blood of Jesus. We must renew our minds, transform our thinking daily. Satan lures, wiggles himself in trying to make us feel less, think less and be less. He wants us to feel and be totally defeated in all areas of our lives, including our beauty. He will do anything and everything possible to detour you from your focus on God. We must keep our focus on Him, place Him in the center of our lives. When we take our focus off of Him and concentrate on our circumstances it opens the door for satan to do his dirty work. We have the victory in all things as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We have the power to rebuke those feelings, thoughts, negativity in the name of Jesus. I do understand your feelings as I have experienced them myself. I choose to believe and trust in Him. Why, because many people live behind masks. We are not transparent and it is in being transparent where we are “free”. Many of us live in bondage, we never get to the root of why we act or feel the way we do. Until we begin to unpeel the layers (like an onion) in our lives we will never be able to truly see ourselves like God sees us. Do not compare yourself as God gives each of us what we need. He has supplied you with gifts and talents specifically designed for you. Ask God to reveal His plan and purpose for your life. Ask Him to cultivate your dreary winter garden and refresh it with the beauty and life of Spring. Our body truly is only a shell, a shell which fades in time but our innerself expands, develops, and blossoms. Inhale the “Fragrance and Beauty” of God. He is your true source of happiness, contentment, and fulfillment. Life is like a vapor and we must shine His light with the love, compassion and yes even a smile. Remember, you Nikki may be the only Bible that others see. Allow God to work in you and through you. You are His beautiful daughter. Blessings, Your Sis In Christ JuJu
Nikki, listen to these wonderful beautiful women of God. They are encouraging you in the most precious of ways. It is always darkest before the dawn, and your dawn is coming dear. As I sat here and read all of their replies it put the biggest smile on my face. These are women who don’t know you from a hole in the ground, yet they are loving on you. That my dear is God! We as people are not naturally inclined to love on others in that way, only God showing through us is when do we do things like that.
Life is so short and most people put their outer beauty in front of their inner beauty. Just as Nicole says let the inner beauty out. My life has been such a mess, I have put God our savior as number one and seen the changes that can happen. Read, spend time with Godly people, and know that there is happiness waiting for everyone.
It is so neat that I read this today, because we were talking about this in bible study today.
Hi Nikki, I was so blessed by your truthful heartfelt longing. I have something precious to offer you. First my favorite bible verse, Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, Nikki, He is mighty to save. He has taken great delight in you Nikki, He is quieting you with His love, He has come to you Nikki and is rejoicing over you with singing!!! The creator has made you, provided you with a savior, will fill you deeply and fully with His love, and so desires to be close to you that He rejoices over you with singing. Let that thought flow deep into your heart and replace negative emotions. Let resurrection power so enable you that you walk courageous, your smile returns and you can be fruitful again. Push through what you are going through, buy yourself a small flowering plant to enjoy in a window and give out to others your new life that now dwells inside you. Focus on God’s word and not your circumstances. Receive peace and become comfortable expressing your new found joy. I am praying for you that even now as you read this, you can feel God’s love and know the depth of His commitment to you. He sent His son for you. Sing back praises. You are now singing a duet with your Father. Keep singing. Love and blessings, Linda