Mirror...

Today I thought I would share the great lyrics to Barlow Girl's song MIRROR that I have playing on this blog. What an inspiration to overcome that which we let define us so often. Enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?,
yeah I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me, yeah,

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?,
yeah I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

You don't define me, you don't define me

Incomparable

One of the synonyms for unique is incomparable. We all know that we are unique, but to think of it in terms of incomparable, that puts a little different twist on it.

Imagine for a few moments that all the women in the world looked identical, and all the men looked identical also. First instinct is to think, "Now we are all equal, and there will be no more jealousy from comparing to others". Well, in fact, I believe that we would be wrong. There is something inside of us that longs to be different, better, or to just stand out from the crowd a bit. We are looking for an identity. If the people in the world were in fact created looking the same, it probably would not take long for people's inner qualities to start surfacing, hair to be shaved, unique clothes to be worn, and etc.... If we look back to Satan's beginnings, he was created beautiful, and wise, but that was not enough for him. He did not use what he was given to glorify God, he was using his gifts to elevate himself. I am pretty sure that most of don't set out to be different or noticed, just so we can elevate ourselves. Lets be honest though, are any of us trying to be more beautiful on the outside so that we can worship and glorify God better? The motivation is self-seeking, not God glorifying the majority of the time.


Thank goodness, God did in fact create us all differently. He made each of us with different qualities, to accomplish many unique things. It was on purpose. We have purpose in Him. Instead of focusing our energies on becoming like others, not just their looks but also their personalities, how much more satisfying it would be to focus on who we are in Christ. How many times have you set a goal and told yourself that once you reach that goal you will truly be content? If I just have this or that, or when I lose 10 pounds, or firm up my thighs then I will be okay with me... Upon setting that goal and then reaching it, was it enough? Was that the answer? One huge myth is that thinner=happier. I can attest to the fact that this is not true. In the midst of my weight loss with anorexia, I would have to say the opposite is true. You become so self focused, that you miss out on a lot. Thinking that you will truly be content through a self-seeking journey, does not lead to happiness, but quite frankly much disappointment. Romans 12 teaches us that we all were created with a unique set of gifts, and it is through knowing and using those gifts that our identity is found. There is great contentment in being able to use your gifts to give glory back to God.

Celebrate your uniqueness, remembering that incomparable is another word for uniqueness, and that means you are incapable of being compared to another.

"God gave you gifts and wants you to focus on your potential instead of your limitations."

author unknown

Dealing with the Deceiver

"When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 8:44

Today I received a phone call asking if I had any books on eating disorders that I could lend to a counselor and a family seeking help. Their young daughter, (I think she was around 13), is in the midst of an eating disorder, and they are seeking some insight on what is happening, and why her thinking is so irrational. Whenever I receive a phone call, or have a converstion with someone regarding these types of situations, I am filled with sorrow, and I'll admit some anger too. Why? Why does this happen? Why can't it be stopped before the disease spreads and infects the entire family? Why can't the person just stop this behavior? Remembering back to my struggle with anorexia, and as a Christian woman, I remember asking God "Why can't you just make this go away?". I knew He had the power to remove it, but I also knew that His time is not MY time. I know now, and I even thought this during my struggle, God has a plan and this is going to be used for his glory. But we still wonder "Why?", and "How?".

Eating disorders, and all other negative behavior, usually do not start out intentionally. It is more than likely some small decision, like just deciding to eat healthier or have one drink, but then some deceit takes root, and before you know it, there is a full blown problem on your hands. The problem may not surface as noticably as an eating disorder, it may be more subtle such as low self-worth. All in all, you are being led astray by false thinking. I think of that young girl, and how maybe she was just trying to lose a couple of pounds so her old jeans would fit. While that in itself is not a huge problem, the lies Satan is feeding her, are. The lies might be: "See you really are worthless, because most of the girls in your grade are taller and thinner", or "You can't even lose a couple of pounds, you are incapable of doing anything", or maybe "If you just looked like those women on TV and in magazines, you would be so much happier"! The scary part about eating disorders are, when you mess with your body through starvation or purging, you get a chemical imbalance, and this leads to irrational thinking, and there, a huge problem lies. That is part of the reason that eating disorders are so long lasting and out of control. You truly can' think straight, to recover, without regaining physical nourishment first. I'll share one example of how deceived I was...In the worst of my eating disorder I had moments, especially at night, when I knew there was a probable chance that I would not be alive in the morning, yet every morning when I woke up, I was able to think, well I must be fine, so I can just keep on doing what I've been doing without any problems. Seriously, anyone who knew me knew I was not fine, so why didn't I?

To this day, I still do not understand it all, but this much I am sure of. The power of God was with me the entire time, and I clung to the truth I knew to be true of Him, even in the darkest moments. Satan may have been doing his best to fool me, but the power of Christ is so much stronger!

Be encouraged! Memorize scripture, and cling to the promises of God in all areas of your life, whether seemingly insignificant, or monumental. Just remember "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world". 1John 4:4

Acceptance

Accept-to regard as right

Let's be honest, we do not all wake up every morning and lovingly accept ourselves just the way we are. If we get down to the nitty gritty, and really pay attention to our thoughts throughout the day, they are not accepting of who we are right now. Not who we were, who we will be, or just plain who we wish we were, but who we ARE.

Why do you suppose it is that we do not regard ourselves as right? Perhaps you have been told on more than one occasion, or probably most common would be that you assume that other people do not regard you as right. I like to think of accept in the terms that you are perfectly great just as you are, all your so called "flaws", and all the positive stuff too. Getting back to the why.....hmmm, I think we find ourselves in a vicious cycle when we do not accept ourselves as is. When I say accept ourselves as is, I do not mean to not attempt to change those flaws that draw us away from Christlikeness, I am merely suggesting that we are to be content with the who of me. The different things that make us the individual we are. The parts that we are not accepting of, need to be identified and examined to see if they are not lining up with who we are in God's eyes, or who we are not in the world's eyes. The vicious cycle goes somewhat as follows: I am looking for my acceptance in the reactions of others, I am not getting the desired reaction or acceptance, now I will try to be what I think they would like me to be, then comes the jealousy that they have it but I do not, now I will just be judgemental and maybe even slander them in hopes to elevate myself. Whoops! Now I feel even more lousy, and I guess I will start it all over again in hopes to find that acceptance I so desire! That acceptance we so long for, really is an inside job after all. Why is it so hard for us to grasp?(myself included!)

Thankfully, "When God created man, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them 'man'." Gen. 5:1,2. We need not look without to find it, God created it. The acceptance comes from a sure knowing that God created you in His likeness and He is perfect, flawless, without error. That alone should do it for us, but since we are constantly bombarded with the onslaught of this world it clouds up the truth we know a bit. This truth in God's Word is something we need to keep on the forefront of our minds each and every day. If that is still a bit much for you to grasp, start where Pinocchio started, putting God in Geppetto's part and think, "Papa, I am not sure who I am. But if I am all right with you, then I guess I am all right with me". After all, God loves our honest confessions and He will meet us right where we are at. Have a blessed day knowing that you are regarded as RIGHT with God.

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

Romans 15:7

Running the Race

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24

Running a race conquers up many thoughts in one's mind. For some the words exhasuting, exhilarating, long, accomplishment, "I can't wait", or "never in a million years", is what may surface. Just as each of us has differing opinions on the thought of a race, so do each of us have a different race course set for us throughout our life. For some it may entail siblings or loneliness, marriage or divorce, children or an empty womb, many years of life, or the shattering loss of death. It may be wealth or famine, unending possibilites or many closed doors. The course of the race is every changing, you never know what lies around the next corner. For me part of that race involved several years of loss, frustration, loneliness, and much starvation due to my struggle with anorexia. Though unknowingly to me at the time, this part of my race would in fact impact much of the rest of the race that I was to run.

It is nearly impossible to go through a rough patch in life, to walk away without any lasting marks. They do not all need to be bad marks, but marks that change they way you live and view your life from that moment on. Throughout my whole struggle with anorexia, I always had a close walk with Christ. I will be honest, I did wonder and question God on why the whole ordeal could not just end, and VERY QUICKLY, I might add! I was in fact able to stay confident that this whole "rough patch" was not a waste, but could and would be used for His glory. Praise God that I was one of the 50% or so that is able to fullly recover from an eating disorder and be TOTALLY FREE!

I am so thankful that he saw fit to use such a low point in my life, to reach out to others. What an amazing journey it has been. I am overjoyed to know that NOTHING is impossible to God. He is able" to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine"(Eph. 3:20). I have been totally free from an eating disorder for 9 years now, and many opportunities have arisen for me to share that experience with others, and hopefully encourage them to not give up the fight. Being able to go into schools, community groups, and churches and educate and encourage people of all ages, has been a very humbling experience. In every setting that I have shared in, eating disorders have affected handfuls of people in some way, shape, or form. And it is pretty much guaranteed that everyone, if not affected by an eating disorder, their self-image has most certainly been impacted .

Fuel.... it is what is needed for anything to race. Whether it be food, gas, energy, or just mental endurance, it is the underlying mechanism that makes things work. Part of the race for me right now, is encouraging, and sharing with others their unique importance and beauty that is found most importantly, in the eyes of Christ. The fuel that is moving me, is the compassion and understanding that I gleamed through the many years of struggle and hardship. Not only my own, but those of the people I met during that time.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2Cor. 1:3,4

Beginning......

Where to even begin on something that has been on my heart for some time! First adventure was finding an available blogspot address. Once that overwhelming task was accomplished it was now time to move on to the real stuff. The subjects of self-esteem, body-image, diets, eating disorders, overall comparisions to other people, and the world's standards of beauty. These alone leave me feeling overwhelmed and confused! Where are we to find our value and purpose if we look to the images and messages that are constantly portrayed in our world today? They are constantly changing, and actually decieving us through the optical illusions of lighting, air brushing, and dare I say, photoshop. The "ideal" women especially, has changed much throughout the years. Remember back to the women pictured on old coins,or the Mona Lisa, where plumpness was considered beautiful, while slender build meant you were poor and unable to feed yourself.


Then the next notable era was Marilyn Monroe. She symbolized "true beauty", and though much slimmer than the women before her, she now would be considered overweight, and a plus size model.


Fast forward to Twiggy, and we have yet to leave this era. The skinner = the more beautiful. At least this is what the media wants you to believe.


If we actually polled people it would be interesting to see what the results would be. All in all, I am exhausted just thinking of keeping up and looking to the world for my identity. Yet if we were honest, how many of us do that each day without even realizing it? Check out these links and if you have never seen these videos before I pray that they get your mind thinking about how you view yourself and why?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U


" For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;I know that full well." Psalm 139:13,14