Day 16 - You Are Beautiful Just the Way You Are

Letters to my teenage self 

A Devotional for Trauma Survivors 

Day 16 - You Are Beautiful Just the Way You Are

Dear teenage self, 

You are beautiful, just the way you are. All around you, girls are experimenting with makeup, hair products, self-tanner, diets for weight loss, and fashion choices. Sometimes, you compare yourself to others, making you feel bad. You were never meant to look like all of the other girls. You were made to be you. 

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 

+1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV)

Focus on the internal work of beautifying your heart, letting God take hold of it, and transforming it as you renew your mind. Focus on the Word of God, prayer, meditating on the Word of God, and breaking down walls in your heart that separate you from Jesus. Those are the beauty treatments that will serve you well all the days of your life. 

Let's Pray

Jesus, I need You. Sometimes I get so caught up in the world, wanting to conform to beauty standards of those around me. I often forget that You care far more about the state of my heart than the brand of shoes on my feet or the color of mascara on my lashes. I confess that I have sinned against You with my vanity. Thank You for filling me with the Holy Spirit, convicting me, and setting me free so I can go and sin no more. I love You, Jesus. It is in Your Holy name that I pray. Amen. 

We are beautiful because we are His.

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.

 

 

 

Day 15 - Go Wash Your Hair

Letters to my teenage self 

A Devotional for Trauma Survivors 

Day 15 - Go Wash Your Hair

Dear teenage self, 

Go wash your hair, spend a few minutes in the shower, and manage your personal hygiene. You always feel so much better after you've showered, put on deodorant, put on makeup, and dressed in clean clothes. 

Depression can steal so much from you. It can convince you that the best thing you can do for yourself is to stay in bed, wallowing in your sadness and watching endless hours of TV. That's the exact opposite of what you should be doing. 

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

+Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

When you're waiting on the Lord, you must actively serve Him rather than simply wait in a closed-up room for something amazing to happen to you. Stepping out in faith will activate your blessings beyond measure. "Faith without works is like a screen door on a submarine," says Rich Mullins ("Screen Door" by Rich Mullins on YouTube). So get out of bed and go wash your hair. That's step one. 

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, sometimes I just don't feel like serving You. I want to stay in bed and nurse my wounds, avoiding the responsibilities of life. Thank You for meeting me where I am and calling me out of my depression into something better. I love You, Jesus. It's in Your name I pray. Amen. 

Get up out of bed and get to work on healing.

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.