It's a Long Story: Barefaced and Beautiful

Hi friends,

I want to talk to you today about something that is heavy on my heart. I want to talk to you about body image, self-esteem, and how they can impact all of our children, but most often our girls.

Growing up, I was horribly insecure about my body. My butt seemed too big, my skin was bad, and I've had "child bearing hips" since I hit puberty. My weight has always been a struggle. At the schools I grew up in your clothes and how they fit you might as well have been the be-all, end-all of your value as a person, or at least it felt that way.

(ridiculous, right?)

These insecurities have followed me into adulthood, which seems ridiculous. They are lies about my worth and appearance. I know that they are lies, but they still sneak around in the back of my mind.

I don't want that for my daughter.

She is beautiful. Not because I am her mother and will always think so. Not because she meets some standard for physical beauty, but because she is herself. She is exactly who God designed her to be, and that is beautiful.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well

Psalm 139:14

So, I am her today to stand up and say "enough"! In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, my friends Sarah, Sarah, Aleisha and I are showing our #BarefacedBeauty to the world! Messages of true beauty and worth need to start at home. We can't depend on "the industry" to teach our daughters these values, because they will lie to them. It starts with us, and it starts now.

To learn more about National Eating Disorder Awareness Week watch this video

Dove also has a wonderful #BeautyIs campaign that just released this video, "Selfie". It's wonderful, check it out! I love what Dove is doing to take steps towards changing industry beauty standards.