"Looking for Lovely"

Before I give a guide for reading today or move further into our study, I thought I should offer you a few details about our study. I don’t want to give away everything that our summer study would include. However, as you’re making plans, I realized you’d probably like to have an idea of what is coming.

Our summer study will end on August 18th. It will last 10 weeks. We will read 2 chapters each week. That will be a slower pace through the book, and I think that is a good idea as we learn to pay attention to our lives and bodies. Also, it gives me some space to offer Scripture and other things to go along with the book.

Today, read chapter two, “Ugly.”

At the end of chapter 1, Annie admitted that she couldn’t quit hating herself even though she could and did quit nearly everything else. Then, she spent a full chapter explaining how ugly she has felt for such a long time even though she chose to title this book, “Looking for Lovely.”

I don’t think she is alone. I believe God made women to look for lovely, to create lovely, and to cultivate it with our whole being. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to me that the Enemy of our souls begins his attack by causing us to miss seeing the beauty in the person we see in the mirror. If we can get tripped up there, our vision can be hindered everywhere else.

So, today’s assignment is simple, but it may not be easy. I want you to write out TEN things you absolutely love about yourself. I mean it! You have to do this! If you have trouble coming up with 10 meaningful things, ask a friend or family member for help. Then, write down whatever they offer and BELIEVE THEM!

Sister, you are God’s chosen creation. He made you on purpose and for a purpose. And, get this, His very first reason for creating you is that He wanted a relationship with you. God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all this is in it, created YOU because He wants to connect with you. I am not sure there is anything more lovely. But I am afraid we are missing out on the beauty, because we are so busy hating ourselves. My big, giant prayer for the summer is that this hatred towards ourselves ends. Let’s wage war against it together!

God, I know there are varying degrees of dislike we experience towards ourselves. I just don’t want to focus on that, because any degree of dislike for Your Creation is based on lies that lead to missed opportunities to participate in the loveliness that You created us for. I pray You’ll speak loudly to us today. Show us the unique ways You’ve created each of us and cause us to celebrate those gifts. Amen.