A few years ago, I started down a life-changing path centered around investing in myself and ensuring my habits were Biblical. This resulted in a perspective shift I wasn’t expecting…

What I learned very quickly was:

The way you see, treat, and honor yourself matters. Fuel your mind and body for good and know that you are worth the investment.

From my adolescence, if we met, you’d most likely see an assertive, confident, and borderline opinionated (aka stubborn) lady.

But once you were pulled into my inner circle, you would steal this quote from one of my high school besties: “Stefani, you are the most secure insecure person I have ever known.”

And it was true.

I spent most of my life loathing the way I looked and vocalizing it to any friend within earshot. Unfortunately, it did not take long to witness my children imitating this practice.

My son, Cameron, has freckles and has hated them from the moment he realized they were different. He also has red, coarse hair and very pale skin. Have you noticed in movies red-headed kids with freckles tend to be cast as the “nerd” or the bully?? The red hair definitely carries a stigma.

Cameron is super smart, like the “nerd” but he cannot always control his mouth, like the bully. He is also witty, tremendously athletic, and walks around with a heart for Jesus (but acting more like Peter ;o)).

Unfortunately, by the time he turned 8 years old, he already had a negative view of the way God made him: he hated his freckles.

We call them “angel kisses” and do our best to build him up.  However, I have seen him climb into the fetal position in tears over his complexion. I hope you are reading this as I am, heartbroken and wanting to shake him straight.

Friends, if I feel this heartbroken over my son’s view of his appearance, just imagine how heartbroken God, our Father, is when we hold a negative body image about ourselves.

God sees everything we are and loves us just the same.

In my own life, a low self-image has led to marriage struggles, eating disorders, and self-hatred. As a direct effect of my overcompensating on the assumption that my appearance was not good enough, I made decisions that were not best for me. My goal is to break this legacy for my daughter, my son, and you too.

Having a healthy outlook of yourself goes beyond appearance. We must look at our whole view and understand what matters beyond cellulite and thigh gaps.

SPOILER ALERT: Speaking negatively about YOU to yourself or others is not a good or effective use of your time.

This is the reality of what I learned:

If you’re pinpointing something on your body you hate (such as freckles, stretch marks, or cellulite), you can’t change that immediately, but you can take some steps towards self-improvement and reclaiming healthy self-respect.

1. Understand that complaining makes you (me) less attractive.
2. It’s Biblical to do the work on our mind, body, and soul.

Here is some of the work that WILL make a difference:

• Recite scripture (keep scrolling for a free resource with Scripture around self-health)
• Proudly own every aspect of your body (it is God-breathed and someone else would kill for what you have)
• If you have an issue with your energy or weight and would like to make changes, commit to working out and eating right (this is good for your body and can have a massive positive impact on your life – did I mention it is Biblical?)
• Look good where you are today… put on the best pair of pants, earrings, or a dress that makes you feel so dang fabulous that you’re assured no one notices your flaws (the truth is, they probably weren’t in the first place), and if you don’t own these items, it’s time to go shopping

Or maybe, for you, it’s not about your physical appearance at all. Maybe you struggle with self-doubt or your inability to speak up in a group.

Do you fear asking for a promotion or telling your husband you want to quit your job?  Self-health is all health. Mentally, physically, and spiritually, give yourself the time, space, and habits to be a better version of YOU.

I found when I didn’t want to work out, eat right, or speak positively about myself that it was much easier to do it anyway because the Bible says to. So, I put some scripture together for you, coupled with the 5-truths that made a massive difference in my life.  I thought you may want some Biblical butt-kicking, too (wink-wink)!

Grab a copy of our free resource focused on transforming your self-image with the help of Biblical truths below!

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

PSALMS 139:13-14