A New Kind of Beautiful

“The journey to and through our fitness goals is a lot like our walk with the King. Although each step takes effort, each one also makes us stronger. As we knit the steps together, those steps bring us closer to Him and into a beauty far beyond anything we’ve ever known or could imagine. A beauty that comes from walking in obedience to Him and His calling for our lives, a beauty in knowing you are a daughter of the King, the beauty that comes only by grace! A beauty that is not a look, but an action – faith!” – Ruth Gunnett

What does beauty look like to you? Culture tells us that it has to have a certain hairstyle, wear certain clothing, or have perfect skin. And if we don’t have those things, marketing companies are happy to tell us how to fix everything that’s wrong with us so we can finally look and feel beautiful.

I’ll admit it. I watch women I admire and think about whether or not I can find a similar outfit in my closet. I wonder if I had a different hair style or lived in a different area if I would have the opportunities I always hoped for – if I would be noticed and stand out and feel special. I buy trendy boots and workout and pick cute filters for my Instagram photos – and I joke with friends about make sure we’re on our “good sides” but secretly know exactly which side IS my good side.

I buy into the hype and instead of finding beauty in exactly who God has created me to be, I compare what I don’t have to what SHE has. And suddenly her “enough” becomes my “not enough” and I look for all the quick fixes.

I want something different for my daughter. I want her to know that true beauty is, as Ruth said it, not a look, but action, based on faith. I want her to know that kindness matters more than cute shoes. I want her to know that grace and love matter more than the right hairstyle or a number on the scale. I want her to know that encouragement matters more than the right outfit.

Can we be women who leave a legacy of true beauty? Can we take care of our bodies so we can do the work God is calling us to do, not because we want to get “spring break ready?” Can we be women who choose to become stronger every day in our faith, our fitness, and our friendships – women who are confident because they are beautiful from the inside out? That’s the kind of beauty I want to teach my daughter to seek – not the kind you can buy in a store or on clearance at Target. The kind of beauty that isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, but loves.

Let’s be beautiful women.