#thisismybeautiful

This was a hard post for me to write and it took me a while to write it. I truly believe that beauty and being comfortable in one's own skin is a personal struggle that everyone goes through at some point in time. Now I've always been skinny or thin and at one point I was way too skinny. For a bit I allowed it to define me and when I turned 21 I started to gain weight. Let me tell you ,when I tried on my pants and they did not fit I was so disappointed. I went up about two pant sizes and I was not sure what I was going to do. A few years later I started working out and was able to maintain my weight but I never got my original pants size back. I LOVE working out now! It is my stress reliever and most people know that teaching Zumba rocks my socks! I know I'm beautiful the way I am and so are you!

The biggest lie we allow Satan to whisper in our ears is that we are not fearfully and wonderfully made just the way God made us. True beauty can be found in Jesus. True beauty comes from the inside and your relationship with Jesus reflects your outside.

I have a plan. I want to make this hashtag into a big one! What is your beautiful? This is mine. Natural hair, brown skin, and all. I would love to see your pictures of what your pretty looks like. So post your pictures and use the hashtag #thisismybeautiful . You can find me on instagram @mydotson88 and on twitter @cutieandthegeek. There are already a few pictures there and two of them are mine. So post your pictures there as well. We all need to be uplifted every now and then. I would love to scroll through and see those beautiful photos.

"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

Sweetly Broken

There are some times where it just seems like this life is a joke. Some things happen and they just make you laugh. Not because of humor but disbelief. That is basically how the last couple of months have been. I laugh, I cry, I smile, and with the Lord's help I pick myself back up again. Throughout all of the chaos that has been happening I've had the support of my sweet husband, my family, and my sweet co-worker who has become a great friend. The other day I laid in bed crying because I felt as if I didn't know who I was anymore. I don't cry randomly, my spirit isn't easily broken, and I've always been able to know my emotions. As I was crying to Tim in the kitchen tonight he kindly reminded me of the story of Job (Job 1-3) and how his faith was tested. He amazes me sometimes. Tim is pretty quiet when I vent and when he does talk its always truth!
There have been specific times that I can remember where circumstances have humbled me and I held my faith. This time has been different. This time I was broken differently.I was broken sweetly. The Lord took all my plans that I had for my life yet again, and showed me, slowly, that He is in control and no matter how much I try to handle things alone. He is the only one who ultimately lays the plans. This past year has been a struggle for me and I am so happy that my husband has been so patient. You see I've always had a plan and if I didn't I always had something for backup. I take comfort in knowing that the Lord will not place anything in my life that He knows I can't handle.

I snapped this picture last week when we got home from the gym. The grass has made an appearance!! Thank the LORD!!! But just like this how the grass has made an appearance God has definitely done the same with me these past couple of months. Sometimes I believe that we need struggles or to be sweetly broken to be reminded of God's love and that His plan is better than anything that we could even imagine.

I hope this post gives you hope and I hope that this song encourages you as much as it has for me.

Click the words below for the song

sweetly Broken