What?!?!?!?!?!  I just needed a title to get your attention.  Actually, I am coming to a new understanding of the importance of loving my body.  I’m not speaking of my appearance.  I’m speaking of the “earthsuit” that God has blessed me with. (as author, Bill Gillham would call it)

I’ve not thought much over the years about my relationship with my body.  I’m a very relational person and I love spending time with my friends.  But I can’t say that  I’ve been very “friendly” when it comes to my relationship with my body.  And sad to say, I’m finding that this is the case with more women than I care to mention.  In my role as a leader to women; it saddens me to see that the  majority of women I talk with on a weekly basis are hurting, discouraged and have a love/hate relationship with themselves.  You may be wondering, “What part of themselves?”  I suppose some may struggle with their soul (personality, mind, will and emotions) but many struggle with their relationship with their body.  We live in a P.B.A. (Performance based acceptance) world, so it comes as no surprise that most of us have also adopted this way of relating to ourselves.  When we look our best, behave our best and feel our best we love ourselves.  When we are struggling with our appearance, make bad choices and feel like pulling the covers over our head and never getting out of the bed, we hate ourselves.  The self talk that goes on in our heads can be atrocious at times.  Would we dare talk to anyone else like we talk to ourselves?

So I want you to begin considering what your relationship is like with your body.  On a scale from 1-10, how much do you like your body?  As you go through the day today, pay attention to the types of thoughts that go through your mind regarding your body, jot them down.  How much time do you obsess over a time in your life when you were younger or smaller?  Do you find yourself coveting that look?  How often are you looking at another person and wondering if you were smaller or bigger than that person?  Have you ever wished you could stand side by side without this person knowing it and compare the size of your _____?  (You fill in the blank)

I’ll never forget looking at a friend that I admired and getting up enough nerve to ask her what size she wore.  I couldn’t believe it when she was two sizes smaller than what I thinking!  Our culture has  us  totally obsessed with dress sizes.

Instead of thinking I want to be a certain size; have you ever asked God what is best for you?  He created you, He’s in you, He cares about you and the two of you are one.  So give it a try!  “Hey Lord, what size do you think I should be?”  Pay attention to how He will begin to guide you and confirm His will to you.  You have to reach a place of peace with your size no matter what anyone else says.  Since you are one with Jesus, His desire will fit perfectly with your desire.  Unshakeable peace is what we are looking for!   Diane Sawyer was shocked just last year in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.  She asked Oprah, “What is one thing you still want to accomplish?”  Oprah answered, “To finally be at peace regarding my weight.”  Diane responded with, “Really?”  Even with all of the wealth and notoriety that Oprah has, she still hasn’t found peace in her relationship with her body.  We need to understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the only one that can help us reach that place of peace with ourselves.  No diet, no applause, no amount of beauty can do it!  Proverbs 31:30 – Charm is deceitful and beauty fades; but a woman who fears (reverencing) the LORD will be praised.

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