Day 13 - Very Good

"God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them...God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good." 

(Genesis 27 & 31a)

We've heard the story of creation hundreds of times. We know that God created light & darkness, sea & land, animals, etc. But have we read it carefully? Hidden in the this story is a fundamental truth about who we are as women. There is a distinct pattern in the story. When God's work is complete at the end of each day, he looks at what he has made and he says, "it is good." Then, there is an intentional and important language change on day six. God creates man and woman in his own image, he looks at them and he doesn't say, "it is good." He says, "it is very good." 

We are made in God's image and are the climax of creation. The hand that formed the sea, the stars, sunsets, and all that we today hold as beautiful to admire, also made us... and in his eyes, we are more beautiful than even the grandest of sunsets or the brightest of shooting stars. He formed us in our mother's womb and when he had completed his work he said, "it is very good." He didn't say, "well, that will do" or "it's okay but I've done better." He said "she is VERY good, her goodness exceeds the goodness of all my creation."

Today, when God looks at us, he doesn't see a mess that needs to work harder to be seen as beautiful. He didn't create us with a clause that we must powder our nose or dye our hair to be very good. He sees into the interior of the heart, he sees the daughter that he created us to be, and his words resound, "very good." Woman is beautiful not be her own merit but because she was crafted by the hand of God. We don't earn our "very good." "Very good" was given to us as a gift. The dignity of our creation was a free gift of love. We need only to accept the gift, to believe that we are "very good." This is the first step to true beauty.

You are VERY good. Believe it. Be grateful. Except the gift. Live it.


Today's Challenge: 
Each time you step before a mirror today, remember God's words to you, "it is very good."

Today's Prayer: 
Heavenly Father, Thank you for creating me in your image. Help me to believe that I am "very good" and to live as the daughter that you have created me to be. Transform my heart and whisper to me the truth whenever I forget how very good you made me.  I love you Jesus, more than anything. Amen.

Day 12 - Seeking Something More

"And the LORD will continually guide you, 

And satisfy your desire in scorched places, 

And give strength to your bones; 

And you will be like a watered garden,

 like a spring of water whose waters do not fail." 

(Isaiah 58:11) 

St. John Paul II the Great, is one of my favorite saints. Not only did we have the joy of living at the same time period as him, but we were blessed to see him canonized a saint as well! He has said so many things that inspire me, but I think my favorite quote from him is this one: 

"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which are you so attracted; it is he who provoked you with that thirst for fullness and will not to let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. " 

 We have spoken about beauty being the desire of every woman's heart. It is something that we long for and seek as a means to happiness. We are tempted to believe that exterior beauty/perfection will quench our "thirst for fullness." St. John Paul so eloquently points out that Jesus "is the beauty to which [we] are attracted" He is the one who satisfies our desire for beauty. Even more than that, He "provoked" our thirst for beauty and fullness and He is the one who gives us the determination to find true fulfillment and not compromise. As we "shed the masks" of beauty misconception, we do so not just to find true beauty but to ultimately find true fulfillment. 

Jesus is the ignition and the end of our hearts desire for beauty. We seek to fill ourselves in so many ways. We try clothes, make up, relationship, etc. Yet, we know these things don't satisfy. Our efforts will continue to be in vain until they are grounded in the person of Jesus Christ and relationship with Him. He is the one who calls us out of mediocrity and into a radically beautiful life. It is He who calls us to choose true beauty. And it is He who strengthens us, "The Lord...gives strength to our bones" (Isaiah 58:11), when "others try to stifle" us from becoming the persons we were created to be. 

If we find opposition from others as we seek the face of Christ and shed your masks of mediocrity, we must not become discouraged. Many great saints have gone before us who have suffered far greater consequences for their Christianity. Christ knows the deepest desires of our hearts and it brings Him such joy when we make the genuine decision to seek Him and true beauty. As we offer any insults or difficulties to Him, we will grow in holiness. Those who try to stifle us will only make us more beautiful. Christ's road led to the Cross, so we bring our trials to Him. He knows our pain. He will refresh our souls and fill us with the the Spirit of life. 

We desire beauty and that longing is at it's deepest root a desire for union with Christ. He is the answer to our hearts desire for beauty. Why? He is perfect in virtue, the embodiment of divinity, a living model of holiness... and that is true beauty. True beauty requires that we seek Christ and allow ourselves to be satisfied in Him. As we fall in love with Christ, He will mold us into His image. He is the beauty to which we are attracted and when we live in union with Him, we will be truly beautiful. 

Come to Jesus; rest in Him, fall in love with Him, become beautiful in Him.

 It is Jesus that we seek, and He is waiting for us. 

Today's Challenge: 

Read from one of the Gospels for 10 minutes today. Read about Jesus, listen to His words, and allow Him to whisper to your heart. Seek to fall more in love with Him today. 

Today's Prayer: 

Jesus, you are the true desire of my heart. Grant that today I might come to know you more. Unite my heart to yours. Direct the desires of my heart and bring me to fulfillment in you. Send your Holy Spirit to change me and make me like you. Help me to believe in my beauty. Do not let others stifle the journey I am on to your plan for my life and true beauty. I love you Jesus more than anything. Amen. 

Day 11 - The Beauty Battle

"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called." 

(1 Timothy 6:12) 

Do you find it difficult to believe in your beauty?

We have looked at several common beauty misconceptions. There are many more we could cover. The truth is that every woman has her own battle. We face many of the same misconceptions and struggles. Yet, for each woman, the battle to believe in her true beauty is her own. We could talk for days about the particular misconceptions we struggle with, but ultimately we must identity our own battle and begin fighting. "Battle" may seem like a serious term to use here, but indeed for many women it is a great battle to believe in her beauty. For many, the struggle is a life long war.

The battle usually takes place in the mind. It is a constant tug-of-war between good and evil, a clash of truth and lies. We seem to be the red flag in the middle. The Holy Spirit pulls us to to believe in our unique and unrepeatable mystery and beauty. He reminds us that the key to true and lasting joy is the perfection of the soul. Satan pulls back. Satan loves to whisper in the ear of God's daughters that they are not beautiful. He wants us to believe that the key to happiness is the perfection of the body. He loves to draw our attention to all of the "flaws" in God's creation. 

This is nothing new for the evil one. Didn't he do the same to Eve in the garden of Eden? He pointed out the "flaw" that God would create a tree that she couldn't eat from. He made Eve believe that she would be happy if she could just eat from that one tree. Of course, we know that God created the tree to lead Adam & Eve to use their gift of free will to choose obedience. Through their obedience they lived in union, in love, with God. Satan didn't want that, he wanted that they should see themselves as lords of God's creation, that they would use the gift of free will to disobey, and consequently fall out of union with God. 

When we hear a whisper that criticizes the beauty of God's creative work in us, we should be on guard, we need to be ready to choose to use our gift of free will to see beyond the lies of Satan. Ultimately, whether or not we believe in our beauty is not Satan's concern. He has a greater goal in mind, that we would fall out of union, out of love, with God. The "apple" he offers is to reject the beauty of God's creative work in us, to become lords of our bodies, to lose sight of our beauty and criticize our Creator. Will we eat the apple? 

The thing about a tug-of-war is that the closer the red flag gets to one side, the chances of winning increase, and (whether in reality or just in our minds) the fight becomes a little easier. When we offer our minds, hearts, and souls, to the Holy Spirit, we not only have a better chance to win but it is impossible not to win. The fight doesn't just get a little easier, it gets a lot easier.  God is waiting to pull us up into His arms, and there, embraced by the Holy Spirit, we will find the weapons to win the battle; truth, virtue, sacraments, grace, and prayer. However, if we allow ourselves to be pulled to the other side, the disbelief in our beauty becomes a chain that binds us. It holds us back from becoming the truly beautiful women God created us to be. We become slaves to the lies. 

In Christ is true freedom. We must bind ourselves up in His truth and love for us. God is the author of beauty. We are His masterpieces. He desires that we would believe in our beauty, and therefore believe in His creation. The world doesn't make it easy, but we must "fight the good fight." We must take up our weapons, move, and begin winning the battle. 

When we begin fighting, the battle may get harder for awhile. This is often the case in any battle. The army doesn't care to fight hard if the enemy is idle and poses no threat. It is when the enemy begins to move that the army charges. So too, in the spiritual life, when we begin moving forward we will meet resistance. The evil one wants nothing more then for us to give up and remain idle. Life may even seem easier for us stagnate, but if we aren't moving forward then we are moving backward. The enemy is okay with that.  The real proof of forward progress is that we are faced with adversity.  What he doesn't want is for us to be victorious by taking up our spiritual weapons, against which he has no chance. We must be at peace when we face difficultly, trust in the Lord, and continue to move forge ahead. 

In the remaining days of this spiritual journey we will focus on forward progress and gain new weapons for the spiritual battle. We will continue to discuss the truth about beauty, study holy examples who will inspire us, and cultivate practices of virtue in our daily lives. We are going to move past the tug-of-war and into a life of grace. 

Today's Challenge: 

Take a few moments for self reflection. Be honest with yourself and consider: What do you struggle to believe about your beauty? Why? Identify your fight. What misconception do you have about beauty that binds you? 

Surrender it to the Lord. Then, commit to surrendering it back to God each time you feel the struggle coming back. Ask Him to give you the strength and grace you need to believe in your true beauty. 

Today's Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, you are the Divine author of beauty. You created the world and you created me. You know every secret of my heart, you know my deepest struggles. You know the misconceptions and lies about beauty that hold me down and keep me from embracing the beauty that you gave me. I don't want to lost in this battle anymore, I do not want to be bound by the chains of disbelief. I want to be free; free to live confidently and virtuously the life you have planned for me. I want to be a truly beautiful woman who leads others to You with my beauty. So I beg you Lord, give me the grace that I need to believe in my beauty today. Give me the grace that I need to win the battle everyday. "I praise you Lord, for I am wonderfully made" (Psalm 139: 14). Amen. 

Day 10 - Attitude Adjustment

Beauty Misconception: Make Up 

"You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, 

so that the outside of it may become clean also. '

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs 

which on the outside appear beautiful, 

but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.'"

(Matthew 23:26-27)

A friend of mine once shared with me that when she was growing up, her mother never left the house without first "putting on her face." Observing this attitude in her mother, when she was grown, she naturally came to believe that she had to put on makeup before going anywhere. For many women, this is a misconception that we've fallen prey to at some point in our lives. From my junior high years and onward, I rarely left home without putting on make up. Make up is a routine for most of us, a routine that we happen to enjoy. That is fine, and there is nothing necessarily evil about it. However, we should reflect on what our actions say about the priorities in our life. 

Today's scripture speaks clearly about the importance of cleansing the inside, making it beautiful and alive, first. What if my friend's mother had told her that she couldn't leave the house without praying? What a spiritual impact that would have had. If, in the midst of our morning rush, we prioritize prayer over exterior preparation, would not our souls shine with or without make up? Jesus is telling the Pharisees that they need to stop focusing on exterior details and first and foremost focus on the interior disposition. It is no good for the cup to be clean outside if the inside is a dirty mess. My sisters in Christ, I admit that this has been my appearance so many days! On the outside I am clean and put together with make up and hair done. Yet, on the inside I am a dirty mess of impatience, anger, judgement...ugliness. From a distance, I may look beautiful. However, those closest to me can see my actions and tell you a different story. After all, those who know us best most often look past the exterior into the interior disposition. God who knows us best of all, sees the inside and longs for it to be made beautiful through the practice of virtue. 

When we don't have our priorities right, we can easily become "beautiful on the outside, but inside filled with dead man's bones." God longs that we would be alive with the Holy Spirit inside so that our beauty shines outside. It doesn't matter how hard we work on our exterior appearance, if our interior disposition is unclean than our beauty is inconsistent and fleeting. A cup that is beautiful on the outside but holds contaminated water causes illness. A cup that is clean on the inside gives replenishment to the body and life. We can make the outside of our cup look fantastic, but if it is not filled on the inside with holiness, grace, and the joy of the Spirit, then what impact will it have? If we choose to make the inside beautiful first, we have the ability to pass on life. 

I recall a morning that I was heading to the gym and lashed out in anger at my husband. As the door slammed behind me, it hit me with a reality check. I realized how ugly I was in that moment. Even if my face had been perfectly covered in makeup and beautiful to the world, to my husband the interior disposition of my heart covered any exterior beauty. It was a lesson that I needed to learn. As most women, I long to be recognized as beautiful, but for that to be real then what lies within must also be good and beautiful. The exterior expresses the interior. A calm and patient voice expresses a peaceful spirit. A rash and angry voice expresses a spirit of anxiety and unrest. The root of the peaceful spirit is found in prayer. 

True beauty comes from the inside and if we only focus on the outside then our efforts are in vain.  Do we need an attitude adjustment? True beauty is joy that radiates from the soul in a smile. True beauty is bringing the Holy Spirit wherever we go, to share life and love with those we meet. To be beautiful to the Lord and to the world we do not need to "put on our face" but to put on the Spirit of God. A clean cup that is filled with the Holy Spirit pours joy into the world. That is the beauty that the Lord desires for us. So, let us first clean the inside of the cup through prayer and the practice of virtue. 

Today's Challenge: 

Reflect on this question, "Do I use makeup to to look good on the outside and hide an interior disposition with which I'm not truly satisfied?"  Then, ask the Lord to help you rightly prioritize the order of your beauty and to fill you with His Spirit so that your beauty might be a contagious joy given to everyone you met today. 

Today's Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, cleanse my heart and soul, so that the outside of my cup may be a reflection of the inside; clean, pure, and holy. Make my interior disposition overflow with your Holy Spirit so that I might bring true beauty into the world. Amen. 

Day 9 - Beauty Beyond Compare

Beauty Misconception: Other Women 

"Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else." (Galatians 6:4b)

Anyone woman can look around a room with other woman in it and find one that she believes is more beautiful than she is. We are quick to compare ourselves to one another. It is easy for us to see the beauty in other women, but when it comes to seeing it in ourselves, we often become blind. We are quick to praise others for their beauty, but one glance in the mirror and our minds remind us that we are not really beautiful. 

How sad it must make our Lord, that we would use other women as a measuring stick for the beauty of HIS creative work in us. How sad it must make Him, that we fail to see that our beauty is beyond compare. He made us and fashioned us, who are we to say that HIS creation doesn't measure up to the competition? We have created a mentality of comparison, because we feel the need to look to someone else to affirm our beauty. 

St. John Paul II the Great, said, "When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ, who gives you the meaning of life." There is only one person we need to look to when we wonder about our beauty. Comparing ourselves to one another is not constructive and it doesn't help us to live true beauty. If we compare ourselves to someone, let it be Christ. Let us find the meaning in our lives in Him, and imitate his holiness, wherein we will become truly beautiful. 

Each of us was created with a unique mystery and beauty. God has a unique plan for each soul that He creates. We will each serve Him and fulfill the mission of His kingdom in a slightly different way, as we all have different gifts and talents to share. The beauty He gave us is not comparable, there will never be another beauty quite like ours. 

Let us focus on Christ and the beauty within. What if we could break the comparison mentality by affirming the interior beauty of one another? In my own life, I have noticed that the first thing women usually say to one another is a compliment about her hair, clothes, etc. It is not bad for us to give one another compliments, but what if we made a point to compliment the beauty of the interior person more than the exterior? If we affirm the virtues that we admire in other women, we will both help them to build confidence in their true beauty, and be inspired ourselves to live true beauty. 

When we understand how uniquely beautiful God created us and seek to live virtue, then we can embody this Scripture: 

"Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else."

Today's Challenge: 

Affirm the inner beauty of a woman you see today by complimenting her virtue. 

Today's Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, you have created me unique with beauty beyond compare. Please help me to believe in my own beauty. Rid me of the need to compare myself to other women. May I find my identity in Christ and live holiness. Transform my mind and heart to live true beauty. Amen. 

Day 8 - Motivated Movement

"Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, 

just as your soul is prospering."

(3 John 1:2) 

Yesterday, we reflected on the Perfect Body. It is crucial to our true beauty that we do not focus solely on the body. However, the caution should be made that this does not mean we are to neglect our bodies. The body has such a crucial role in our ability to live the vocation that we are called to and to become holy. Some of us will suffer physical aliments that will be our way of uniting with Christ to carry His cross, and that will be our way to holiness. Some of us are relatively healthy and capable of physical endurance that brings health to the body. Regardless, we are all called to care for our bodies to the best of our ability. 

Note: to care is not to be obsessed. We must have the right mindset about health. God gave us our bodies so to glorify Him, to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. He entrusted them to us as a gift, a gift that we should be take care of with due diligence. For women, we can easily become enraptured in the lie that we have to exercise and care for our bodies to have that worldly "perfect body." With these selfish motives, our diligence to care for the body is not pleasing to the Lord. However, if we have the right motives, to make our bodies strong and healthy so that we can answer the call that God has for us in life, then He is very pleased. 

Anyone who has been called to motherhood, can attest that it takes physical endurance. When our bodies are strong, our hearts are healthy, and we have energy for the day, we can perform the duties of our vocation with joy. Even if we have physical limitations, we know that eating healthy and doing what we can to be active is crucial. Those who are not mothers, perhaps high school & college students or young adults, also know that healthy eating and exercise allow them to pursue their current responsibilities with greater efficiency and success. 

When my inquisitive daughter asks me why I work out, I have learned to be very careful in my response. I do not want my daughter to begin to believe at an early age that weight defines or that exterior beauty is the focus of exercise. She has even made comments about being thin, comments that I very quickly try to meet with the truth. When she asks me why I care for my body, I tell her simply because I need my body to be healthy and strong so that I can love and serve God and live my vocation to the best of my ability. I delight in the fact that she now enjoys running along side me and doing work outs to the best of her ability. I want her to be healthy and to respect her body as a gift from God. 

Our mindset about psychical active effects a wider range of people than we may think. With the right attitude we can help others serve the Lord. Yet, we have to be careful not to put too much emphasis on the body, even in terms of health. St. Paul wrote to Timothy, "Train yourself for devotion, for, while physical training is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future" (1 Timothy 4:8). Our physical health is of limited value, it serves the soul. This is why someone who is dying of cancer can glorify God with their body, in its suffering state, because their limited health cannot take away the promise of the eternal life of the soul. In all things the body and the soul are intricately united. 

St. Paul also writes about training our souls as we would train our bodies for a race. His wisdom guides us to use our physical activity as a medium for training in holiness. We can set out for a run, sports practice, or work out, and offer it up for our holiness, the conversion of hearts, the forgiveness of sins, someone in our life who is suffering. We will be amazed of the spiritual fruit that endurance can produce. We can take our ear buds out and instead of drowning out our boredom or pain with music,  we can pray. Meditate on Scripture. Have a conversation with God about our day, our dreams, our questions, etc. The training of the body should serve the health of our souls. 

May we take care of our bodies for the right reasons. Grounded in truth, may our physical training lead our souls to health & holiness. 

Today's Challenge: 

Complete a physical activity in accordance with your ability. Whatever it may be, read 1 Timothy 4:8 before you begin. Then offer your activity up with the intention that your mindset about caring for the body will be rooted in the truth and help you to live your vocation with holiness. 

If your health or circumstances limit you from performing physical activity today, focus on healthy eating or perform a spiritual exercise instead. 

Today's Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, you are the creator of my body and my soul. Help me to understand how intricately united the two really are, and to pursue the health of both. I offer you any suffering present in my body. I offer you my health. May my body be as healthy as you will for the sake of my salvation and the glory of Your kingdom. Amen. 

Day 7 - Barbie is Not Real

Beauty Misconception: The Perfect Body

"Do you know not that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

(1 Corinthians 3:16)

I remember playing with Barbie as a little girl and longing to have her long flowing blond hair and long legs. Neither of which were in the genes for me! As many little girls do, I idolized Barbie. I saw her as the image of the ideal woman; perfect skin, perfect body, perfect muscular boyfriend, perfect pink convertible... the perfect life. As I grew, I began to idolize music and movie stars. They weren't dolls, but they too had the seemingly perfect life. In magazines and on television they were airbrushed and made to look like they had the perfect body too. The attention drawn to their bodies, left me to believe that having the perfect body was crucial to to having the perfect life... and I began to believe the lies that these digitally enhanced women were perfect and more beautiful than I could ever be. 

 What we immerse ourselves in has a real impact on the way we think about and treat ourselves. If we constantly view images of "perfect" women, we can begin to compare ourselves to them and feel that we need to become more like them. So we go to the gym one more time, wear more make up, get a new hair dye color, stop eating so much, stop eating all together... We convince ourselves that if we work to create the perfect body, we will eventually have it and then, then we'll be happy like those women. 

First, they aren't real women. They are in fact digitally enhanced and airbrushed. In fact, if Barbie were a real person she would not be able to stand up. She would topple right over because her proportions are so unrealistic. I recently saw a news story about a woman who underwent numerous plastic surgeries to become a replica of Barbie. I felt so sad for her because it was evident that she was very beautiful before she tried to become someone that she was not. The most beautiful replica we can become is the woman that God had in His mind and created us to be. 

Second, we don't know that they are happy. The seemingly perfect life is often just that, seemingly. We know that we don't find happiness in slavery, yet we so often allow ourselves to become slave to the pursuit of vanity. We know that counting calories, starving, and worrying about the scale, does not bring freedom. With our minds, we can reason through these truths. Yet, we let the world's ideal for the woman's body take over what we know to be true. We buy into the lies. We have to begin sowing the truth in our hearts, because to know with our minds is not enough. 

We are beautiful. We are real. We are beautiful just the way God made us. The perfections or imperfections of our bodies can not determine our beauty. The number on the scale is not the value of our worth. Saint Paul wrote, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" What matters about our bodies is not that they are "perfect" in the eyes of the world, but that they are a holy dwelling place for the living God. 

On the opposite end of the beauty spectrum, a new fad has been floating around social media, to show your real body with all its imperfections. First I saw pictures of women who were mothers, showing their c-section scarred bellies, etc. The message was that we don't need to hate our bodies or compare them to the unrealistic pictures of supermodels, we should be proud of them the way they are. Most recently though, I saw a picture of a movie star who is now in her sixties. The article praised her for letting a picture go mainstream without any touch ups. However, in the photo she was scantly dressed in a provocative pose. I didn't think this was praiseworthy, but rather sad. Sure, be confident and comfortable in your body, that's what this post is all about. But, we need to realize as women that the most beautiful expression of our beauty is not seen in the unveiling our bodies to the world, but in the revealing of God through the body. The body is sacred. The body has great power, we choose how to use it. If this sixty year old had been appropriately dressed to show her natural beauty to the world, she could have led souls closer to the heart of God. 

God created each woman to be different. We must except our bodies for what they are and ask God to help us to love ourselves. We will find freedom and fulfillment when we realize that the "perfect body" is not real or worth seeking and instead focus on the perfection of the eternal soul that lives within the body. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, with our bodies we can bring great glory to God. As we learn to appreciate our bodies the way they are and focus on loving and serving the Lord with them, we will find true joy. 

Be real, let your body by a channel for the Holy Spirit to flow into the world.

Today's Challenge: 
Each time you look int he mirror, remember today's scripture.

Today's Prayer: 

Oh Lord, turn my eyes away from images of worldly perfection of the body and towards the interior disposition of my soul. Make me confident in my body. If ever I question the beauty of my body, remind me that it is Your temple. Amen.