What I think is beautiful about me…this picture that I submitted is a big step. I see my dimpled chin, no makeup, pimple starting to come up on my cheek…but then I looked at it again and asked God to help me get over myself. I recalled how, as I looked at the pictures of the other girls on Faces of Beauty and I was almost in tears because of how beautiful all of them are. I recalled how I used to hate my dimpled chin, and wear tons of eye makeup, and never be satisfied with my hair, but all because of my relationship with God, no counseling or anything, I am loving myself the most that I have since I was a kid. I barely ever wear makeup anymore because I feel more beautiful that way. I love my dimpled chin, because it’s the chin I was made with. I’m only 17, and I have a good complexion anyway, so I’m going to embrace my skin no matter what.

Since fall of 2006 (I was almost 14) I have struggled with anorexia, and it has been an awful road to travel on. Last year I started to fall in love with God and He has been continually transforming me to where now, even though I still struggle with body image and self confidence, I am able to appreciate myself, and let me tell you…it feels AMAZING!!! I see life completely different now, and God has blessed me with awesome friends who have got my back all the time.

Beauty is an internal thing, and it shines outward. I want everyone to know that. I want people to know they are WONDERFULLY and UNIQUELY made by the God of the universe who breathes out stars and makes the moon reflect the sun. He is so madly in love with you, and thinks about you more times than there are grains of sand. If we could just get this through our minds…we would be so much better off. Numbers do not define you, nor does anything physical. What is INSIDE is what counts! Embrace yourself, my beautiful sisters, there are no imperfections – there is only YOU, and YOU are beautiful in every way, and worth everything good.