We were made for MORE

Have you seen this picture? It's been going viral the past few weeks and even got the attention of Ashton Kutcher, who proudly proclaimed "This is good for the world!"  

According to her mini documentary, this courageous woman had loathed her body for many years. Her negative body image was crippling, preventing her from going out with her husband, or from enjoying days at the beach, or from simply feeling happy. 

So she decided to do something about it and she entered herself in a body building contest. And she did it! Look at those results! Her before picture is on stage after what looks like many many months of hard work and sacrifice. 

But then she reveals this simple truth - "Nothing really changed..." Though her outward appearance certainly did, her insecurities and self-loathing were still there. They still haunted her no matter how great she looked, or how much she accomplished to get there. 

Now, she seeks to begin a body image movement, encouraging women to accept and love their bodies no matter what. I love the message behind this! As a mom of three daughters, I truly believe there is such a need for girls to grow up with a more positive body image, with more positive and realistic images of what's considered beautiful in the world. 

But, I also believe that this courageous, beautiful woman is missing one piece -- why should we accept and love our bodies? Is it just to feel good about ourselves? 

Or is it because we were made for MORE?

Women should embrace their bodies and their beauty, simply because we are God's masterpiece! Because we are born for more than feeling insecure and less than. Because God wants to use us for His glory no matter what our pants size may be!! 

This is the heart of going Unpampered on Purpose....Sacrificing extra comforts and pamperings for the greater good of love and giving, because we were made for MORE! Ladies, let's free ourselves from the captivity of negative self talk, negative body image, and always feeling less than. Instead, I pray that we can embrace what God has designed for us, what He has called us to be, and to live out our lives as the beautiful masterpiece that He has created!! 

“Don’t judge by his appearance or height...The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)