Beautiful

Hello,
I wish you all a blessed week and a happy evening.
Love to you all,
Jen
--
"We were meant to live for so much more, but we lost ourselves," I listened to the sound of Switchfoot's lead singer, John Foreman's, voice. Sitting there, I thought about my weekend. I had gone to a youth conference with my church's high school youth group girl's retreat and listened to four speakers, three bands, and had an awesome time bonding with friends, even those whom I had only met that Friday, and I already loved like sisters. The speakers had encouraged me to run my race, to be the generation that changes the world, and to see people the way God sees them.

For a long time, I have struggled with bullying and teasing remarks. Even when I didn't know that they were bad, they still hurt, and I have carried that weight around in the back of my mind for as long as I can remember. I know I'm fat, I know I'm different, and trust me, I've tried to change. I've tried reading what others like, listening to their music, watching their shows, and I've tried to be normal, and all I've come to learn from it is this: there is no such thing as normal.

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears The Lord shall be greatly praised." (Proverbs 31:30) This has been a personal mantra that I have repeated to myself, just to keep going; to keep living the life of a teenager who loves God. And do you know what happened? The Lord fulfilled his promise. I was finally told who I am, not what I looked like or talked like; someone who barely knew me loved me for who I am. And guess what? I don't need to be thin. I don't have to listen to disgusting music. I don't have to change.

The Lord made me who I am today. And I am beautiful. Only I can change that by conforming to what is considered "normal".