Beauty with Purpose

So I'm in charge of producing the annual pageant at the college where I work. It is not just a beauty pageant but it will focus on the intelligence and talents of some of our teachers-in-training. I'm excited and look forward to the end results of this first-time challenge of putting on this show for charity. Last year I was merely a judge, this year I will be trainer, image consultant and talent developer extraordinaire! lol! Well it will be fun trying to be all these things.

Last night at rehearsal, I was surprised at how many of the contestants seemed self conscious and lacking in confidence throughout most of the practice. It had me thinking about my own struggles with this thing called self-confidence. In recent times I find that I just tune into what I know God thinks of me, whenever thoughts of self-doubt and insecurities creep in.

The entire Psalm 139 encourages me in who I am in the Lord. Reading and applying it to myself, I always feel so loved and cared for and that I am precious in His sight. I especially like verses 14 & 17-18:
"I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." ( I am a work of God and his works are marvellous!)

"How precious also are thy thougths unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." (He thinks about me much more than the number of grains of sand that exists! That's alot! My thoughts are only filled with someone so much when I'm deeply in love with them. Imagine how he feels about me! So who am I to doubt the 'work' of the Creator? To call it ugly, untalented and not enough? When the God of all creation made me and loves me with such great passion. Sending His precious and perfect Son to die for such as me.

I am "blessed and highly favoured"!

Jesus, please help me to remember the truth of who I am in You, when opposition arises to fill my heart and thougths with lies of the enemy, that causes You grief that so many of Your wonderful creations are living and believing the lies that they are unlovely and insufficient.