Simply Beautiful- Scars

"You are brighter than the stars.

Believe me when I say

It's not about your scars

It's all about your heart". 

Those are lyrics from a favorite song of mine. All these years I had translated that mention of "scars" as having symbolic purpose in my personal life. Now I find them physically literal in meaning. 

First of all, it's been months since I've updated this nifty little blog of mine. Just so you know, nursing school is a doozy. 

But something else happened over the course of those months. Something pretty life changing, I dare say. Just so you know, I'm about to skip around a lot in relating details of an experience, so just bear with me. 

On Thursday, November 6, 2014 I came home from a long clinical day from school. I couldn't wait to tell my parents about all the cool things I did and how much I was learning. But it turned out that my parents had some news for me too. They sat me down and told me that the doctor's office called with the results of my recent biopsy. That day, I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. 

I'll tell you what...the rest of November was a doozy! School got really intense, I had a mini heartbreak in my dating life (haha), and now I knew that I was sick. Thankfully though, time seemed to race away. Before I knew it, I was going in for surgery just about a month later. December 9th, I had my whole thyroid removed along with a number of lymph nodes in my neck that the cancer had spread to. I spent the rest of my Christmas break recovering from my surgery. Despite suggestions to take a semester off, in January I decided to act on overwhelming feelings of faith and go back to school for the spring semester. That being said, January to May were probably some of the most stressful, exhausting, and challenging months of my life so far. Although it was extremely trying, I constantly saw the Lord's hand working in and for me to bear me up when it was otherwise impossible. A couple of months ago in May, I had some radiation therapy to help destroy some lingering cancerous tissue. Since then, I've been trying to relax and catch my breath as life has slowed down a bit.

So what does any of this have to do with scars, or with my blog posts about true beauty?

Because I had my thyroid removed, I now have a scar on my neck.

At first, this was a minor issue to me. Life felt so intense that I didn't have time to think about it. In fact, the only times I really thought about it were when a patient or friend of mine would ask me. Sometimes I would tell the truth, sometimes I would say I was in a knife fight... because that's totally understandable for me. But recently, as I've had the time to slow down, recover, and focus on myself a little more, my scar started to bother me.

During this experience, I've kept up with the stories of others who have gone through the same things I have. I began to notice how quickly their scars were fading, and how mine seemingly wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it's not as fresh as it was right after surgery, but it's still noticeable. Even one of my doctor's pointed out how it still has it's color. Had I done something wrong? Why did it not heal as quickly as others? In June, I realized it had been six months since my surgery. Although I was grateful for how far I had come and the miracles I had seen, I had hoped that my scar would have been more faded by now.

By this time, every time I looked in the mirror, I noticed my scar. I felt like it was an inconvenient place to have a scar. It was right below my face and people were sure to notice it. I felt like it was a constant reminder of my imperfections. Imperfections in my physical appearance, and imperfections in my health. I really didn't want any more reminders of that. Truth be told, it was seriously starting to bring me down, but I didn't really talk about it to anyone. Of course my mom knew how I felt, but I didn't think anyone else would understand my concern, or maybe I would come off as ungrateful. I would get responses like, "I can barely notice it" or "But at least you're alive". Those truly would have been positive, truthful, and encouraging answers, but I couldn't find relief in those words at the time.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. My beautiful and dear friend Jodi invited me to go up north with her family for the 4th of July weekend. It was seriously such a blast and nothing short of an adventure. 

One night before bed, Jodi and I were talking with her sister Debra Jo. I don't remember how we started talking about it, but somehow, me having thyroid cancer came up in our discussion. We talked about so many things, and even talked about my scar. I remember Debra Jo asking me if my scar ever bothered me. For the first time, I told the truth about my feelings to someone besides my mom. I told her how it hadn't until recently, and how I was trying to shake off those negative feelings. As for what Debra Jo said next, I don't remember her exact words, but I do remember my feelings. She said that she imagined it could be challenging having a scar there, but that I didn't need to feel bad about it because I was beautiful. My heart was flooded with an overwhelming feeling of peace and love.

I knew that I had just experienced a tender mercy from the Lord. It was a calm assurance that He cared and was aware of my feelings. He answered me in such a beautiful and simple way, and I'm so grateful that Jodi and here sister are blessed with the sweet spirit to act on promptings. In my eyes, it was a miracle. That moment, my scar was not taken away, but I gained greater understanding and was once again reminded of things I knew, but had perhaps forgotten.

The beauty that I truly seek is the beauty that Heavenly Father sees and designed me for. With his definition of beauty, it doesn't matter whether I'm in heels or sneakers, what color my eyes are, or whether I'm wearing pearls around my neck, or a scar. What matters is what I am doing with the light he has placed inside of me. The light of Christ.

Am I following His ways? Am I loving others. Am I seeking to be refined by my trials, rather than hindered by them? Am I holding onto virtue? Am I cultivating a "beauty of holiness"? Am I remembering that I am a Child of God, and so is everyone that I meet? Am I choosing to smile, or laugh instead?

By living in such a way, I can feel truly confident in my divinity no matter what my outward appearance brings. I don't need to worry about my scar so much. Despite my tiny fears, it won't be the sole thing that prevents me from progressing, helping others, or even going on dates. If our hearts are in the right place, we can find beauty in the most simple of things.

I was sent to this earth to become like Christ and to return to Heavenly Father. That is made possible through a beautiful and great plan filled with happiness, and the center of that plan is Jesus Christ. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I know that I can find everlasting beauty, worth and purpose no matter what trials or storms surround me. Even Christ is scarred, and those have to be the most beautiful scars that the world will ever know, because they were for us.

"The wounds in his hands, feet, and side are signs that in mortality painful things happen even to the pure and the perfect, signs that tribulation is not evidence that God does not love us.  It is a significant and hopeful fact that it is the wounded Christ who comes to our rescue.  He who bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love, the emblems of humility and forgiveness is the Captain of our Soul.  That evidence of pain in mortality is undoubtedly intended to give courage to others who are also hurt and wounded by life." -Jeffrey R. Holland

I don't fully understand why I have been given the opportunity to experience these trials. And I don't know why my scar hasn't faded as well as others. But I do know that my scar is a symbol of my healing process, and that Christ is the ultimate physician who has led me along. I am so grateful for all that I am learning, and for the friends that have surrounded me with love. There has truly been beauty all around, and I haven't even mentioned the half of it. I know that there is only more to come! So just remember, it takes more than a first glance to recognize the beauty in a scar, but it's there for sure! 

Beautiful Temples

Some weeks are just a challenge. New opportunities come our way that require some growing pains before we reach new heights. I must say, the refiners fire gets quite hot. Really hot.

Today I went to the temple. Before I went inside, I sat in the parking lot for a while thinking about how I wanted to feel while I was there. I wanted to feel peace, love, and strength. As I sat there thinking more about temples, a memory from earlier in the week came to mind.

I was in one of my new nursing classes this semester when my professor was talking about how adults treat their bodies. She mentioned how some people truly believe that their bodies are a temple.

I believe this. I've always kept it in mind with modesty and the word of wisdom.

But today I had a new thought.

Temples are beautiful. The more we treat ourselves, and each other like temples, the more beautiful we are.

So how can I treat myself and others like a temple?

1. Recognize Beauty. Just like temples are beautiful and shine with the light of hope, we are also beautiful. Never lose sight of your beauty or worth. During challenging times, it is easy to get down on ourselves and not see our true potential. Maybe this is the challenge itself. The discouraging thoughts that come to our head about our lack of adequacy are not true. We are divine children of Heavenly Father, and he loves us more than we can comprehend. As we seek to see the true beauty in others, we will not be so inclined to compare ourselves. We will recognize that each person is of infinite worth, and needed in this perfect and beautiful Plan of Happiness.

2. Make the Temple a Priority. Making the temple a priority is always a blessing in our lives. As we devote our time to a greater focus on the temple, our lives are deeply enriched. Make your personal temple a priority. Take the time to stand in your own personal holy places and be still. Peace will come. Take the priority of helping others come to this peace. Ponder how you can best come to the aid of someone else, but do this with reverence. When I go to the temple, the sacredness I feel there does not depend on the amount of people who are there. The temple has a calm spirit of its own. We don't need to call upon a large number of things to serve ourselves or others. We just need to quietly help ourselves and others feel the spirit. With gentleness comes sincere and lasting peace.

3. Love the Temple. Love yourself and others. I love the temple so much that I could never deny it's worth. I hope I can always love myself and others in that same way. This means being patient with ourselves and others, forgiving ourselves and others, asking for forgiveness and changing for our benefit, and being loyal and dedicated even through our long sufferings. This is charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Howard W. Hunter said:

"Those who are filled with the love of Christ do not seek to force others to do better; they inspire others to do better, indeed inspire them to the pursuit of God. We need to extend the hand of friendship. We need to be kinder, more gentle, more forgiving, and slower to anger. We need to love one another with the pure love of Christ."

This is the love I feel from the temple.

When your challenges seem big, and you feel weak and small, remember that you are a beautiful temple. You are greater and stronger than you think.

I laughed Instead

The past week, I have pondered something that brings joy to both the giver and receiver. Something that is beautiful and lovely. Something that has the power to turn tears in to laughter.

Service.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself overwhelmed by things that are out of my control. It was my opportunity at the moment to press forward with faith and have hope in Christ. I knew that everything would be okay, but I was still feeling a little bit weary and anxious.

I was talking to my friend Isaac about my situation. Despite my friend's busy schedule, and the various things he could have directed his attention to that night, this friend said that he would come by after work.

I felt bad at first. I didn't need to take up his time. And if I did, I was sure I would just end up crying. I didn't want to seem weak. I wanted to be a supporter, not a "supportee".

Well, I didn't end up crying.

My friend came over, then brought me to another friend's house. This other awesome friend of ours was also set back by some challenges, but, these in no way hindered joyous times to be had.

We all had a wonderful time visiting with each other. I was laughing at nearly everything. It felt so good to be there, that I began to forget the things I was worried about. It was beautiful, and I was truly being served by both of my friends as we spoke together and watched quality entertainment.

After this, my friend brought me to an activity I really hadn't planned on participating in. This was another service to me, because it gave me an extra push that I needed. It helped me recognize how to have fun, even when you're struggling.

At the end of the night, I thanked Isaac for letting me tag along with the visit and activity. What an adventure! It made my night, and helped me think less of the weight on my shoulders. He said that was the purpose behind it.

My friend chose to serve me that night by helping me think of others, and of other things. He could have sent me a comforting text, told me everything would be okay, brought me some ice-cream...all of these things would have been wonderful and helpful. But somehow, what he did for me that night was what I needed at that specific moment....and I didn't even know that I needed it. I am so blessed to have friends that are incredibly aware of me, and have the ability to carry out services that improve my spirit.

I am so grateful for the lesson that I was taught that night. It reminded me of the importance of service, and how it enables both givers and receivers with courage and faith. It inspired me to steer my thoughts away from myself, and position them with love and gratitude towards others. The greatest answers to my prayers have come from the seemingly small actions and words that others give to me. These are the moments that help me Come unto Christ and be of good cheer. I want to help other's come unto Christ as well.

Next time I feel like crying, I want to have the courage to laugh instead. ...And I know how :)

Adventure

Adventure, adventure, adventure! Sometimes my heart seems to scream for adventure. I get this intense desire to drop everything and just go on some quest of sorts.

So this means I'm ready to climb the highest mountain peaks, scope the deep blue sea, and save the world, right?

No...

My kind of adventure is following a cat around a neighborhood. Handing out fortune cookies to people on the city streets. Longboarding through the park at night. Hiking a mountain at night to see all the lights coming from houses and cars. Journeying through an over-sized furniture store and pretending the floor is covered in hot lava. Ding-dong ditching my neighbors and leaving actual Hostess Ding-Dongs at their doorstep. Going to Barnes and Nobel and reliving my childhood by reading all my old favorite picture books. Going to a park with a tire swing to have a jolly good time! People watching at the mall. Volunteering with something cool! Going fishing because I've never been, and I want to see for myself whether it is boring or not! Looking up at the stars and pretending I'm an astronomer. Jumping a fence!

Pretty dang exciting, eh?

My point is, sometimes I feel like there are so many things that I want to do, but I don't have the time to do it all. Mostly because I'm in school, or working. Or, I don't have anyone to do these things with, because they are in school or working. I keep hoping and waiting for adventures. I keep longing for the fun times. The good life.

But, wait a second! Isn't my life fun? Aren't I living the good life? Isn't my life an adventure?

Lately, I have been thinking about how fragile life is. I've been thinking about how we tend to take so many things for granted; so many people for granted. I've been thinking about how life is too short for...such and such. I've been thinking a lot about everything that has happened in my life.

Well, I have something to say...

My life is good, real good.

I have adventures everyday, right?

What about how I wake up early enough to see the sunrise each morning? What about how I get to walk about in downtown Phoenix nearly everyday? What about how I am learning to be a nurse every day I go to school? What about how I get to watch Spongebob at work? What about all those fun church activities I somehow have time for? What about the moments I get to have a conversation with a dear friend? What about all the times that I finally arrive at a destination, but have difficulty parking? What about the times I laugh with my brothers about something no one else would fully understand? What about all the crazy things that take place in the Montez home? What about the opportunities I have to serve others? What about the times my patients thank me, tell me about their lives, or reach for my hand? What about when I witness tender mercies in my life, and feel answers to my prayers?

These are all adventures! My whole life is an adventure.

Sometimes we just need the eyes to see beyond the mountains that stand in our way and make us feel small. However, these mountains are necessary, and a part of the adventure. Our adventure is to continue traveling upwards in the journey and enjoy each minute of it. Even the smallest events in life add to our adventure, and I wouldn't want to miss any part of it.

So, my list of adventures still awaits. But in the meantime, I'm pretty grateful for the unplanned adventures that take place in my life everyday. Each event in my life has an adventurous story in my book. I'm grateful for all the memories, and am determined to make more :) "Adventure is out there".

Partially lit

Sometimes I like to drive to the temple and just sit in the parking lot. Actually, I do this quite often...
I come here for alone time. I come here to ponder. To read my scriptures. To sing primary songs (don't laugh). To eat granola bars. All the important things in life! 

This last time around was an experience I felt like sharing.

I had just finished a wonderful night out with a dear friend. I was feeling good, but, to be totally truthful, I had a rough week. There were many things on my mind. I was planning on going to the temple the next morning, but, I just couldn't wait. I made another drive to the temple.

I arrived a little after 10pm, the parking lot was mostly empty, and the temple lights were turned down. I drove around the parking lot a bit, seeking the right spot.

After many minutes of my indecisiveness, I found a spot around the south side of the temple.

I sat in my car for a couple of minutes, letting my mind race through thought after thought. I didn't know where to begin. Many of my goals seemed to be falling through, I felt the pressure of challenges ahead, I thought about close friends and families members who were in need of guidance, I thought about how I myself was in need of guidance and assurance, and of the assistance I needed in overcoming inadequacies. Completely overwhelmed, I began to just pour my heart out to Heavenly Father.

Every single thing I was feeling, I told Him.

A couple of minutes later, I found myself staring straight ahead. I wasn't exactly staring at the temple though.

I was staring at a handicap parking spot positioned right in front of me.

My thoughts were turned to limitations. Primarily the limitations I have that were overwhelming my mind; whether they be physical, social, spiritual, or limitations brought on to myself by fear or feelings of inadequacy.

At first I didn't understand. I had just prayed, asking for direction and comfort. Why was I being reminded of things I already knew, and didn't want to be defined by?

But, as in all things, patience was key.

Next, I took sight to the temple, which was right behind the handicap parking spot. I now had the bigger picture in view.

I looked up at the temple. Oh, the Gilbert Temple. It looked so beautiful. I was overcome with emotion over it's glory. It stood so tall and pure.

It shined so brightly to me, even though it was not completely lit up. But it was enough.

And there was my comfort.

The temple was beautiful and glorious, strong and stable, tall and pure, even though it was not completely lit up. The light it did shine was just enough. It was still glorious despite it's nightly limitation of light.

I found peace in the tender mercy that was sent my way this night. It was a perfect manifestation of God's love, and Christ's enabling strength.

It is okay to be partially lit. Those small lights found in the dark of night will always be cherished. That is the light that keeps us going when we are otherwise in shadows. Those are our lights that have the most strength, burn the brightest, and will not be dimmed. There is always a little bit of faith to hold on to. And that is enough.

Longboarding Life Lessons

One February night, many moons ago, one of my best friends, Devin, asked me for one thing I have always wanted to learn how to do. After seconds of deep review...I told him about how I wanted to learn how to skateboard. When I told him this, I meant to express my aspiration in a "someday" kind of sense.

But lucky me, the goodly lad happened to have a LONGBOARD in his car. I suppose there is no time like the present...

Before we called it a night, I became acquainted with said longboard. I mostly just stood on it while Devin either pushed or pulled me along. Quite the pro, right? 

A few weeks later, Devin reminded me about how I needed another longboarding lesson! Oh goody! And, he had just replaced the wheels, so now the longboard could go even faster! ...Double goody! I accepted my future of dying in a freak longboarding accident, and gladly accepted another lesson.

We set out for lesson numero dos on a slightly chilly, and somewhat soggy March eve. This time around, I actually made more progress! It was a grand ole time, and from it, I learned many a thing! Turns out that I didn't just get longboarding lessons, I got some life lessons. Good job Devin!!! There are 5 key points I learned from my longboarding adventures. Here they be:

1. Trust. Our previous "lesson" just included me standing on the longboard, and Devin being my source of movement. Our location of choice was also the street in-front of my house, so the terrain was rather mild if I do say so myself. This time around, Devin brought me to a spacious park with some nice sidewalk dips. I daresay, I was rather nervous. Before making me go down by myself, Devin suggested that we both get on the longboard and go down together. I agreed, feeling I would be safe. That is, until I asked him if he had ridden on a longboard with another person before...and he said "No". It was then that I had to trust him that I would be alright, and should anything happen (like us crashing and burning for example) he'd protect me. We continued longboarding together for a few minutes before it was my turn to venture alone. Once again, I had to trust that I would be alright, and that if I fell, Devin would only laugh for a couple of seconds before coming to my aid. I made it down just fine, and was starting to like the thrill.

Sometimes life can seem very scary. Thankfully, we can put our trust in Heavenly Father. We can trust him through the scary dips in life. When this trust comes alive, we will realize that we are not alone, and that we are being aided and guided along. Even when we do feel like we are crashing and burning, we can trust that we can find healing through the Savior. This trusting can bring out joy even through the obstacles of life.

2. Proper Balance. I quickly learned that balance was important, even just to stand on a longboard. At least it wasn't as unstable as a skateboard! Devin would tell me about my foot placement, and even about leaning to certain sides in order to steer. I practiced leaning every which way before proceeding in motion. We moved to parts of the park that didn't just have dips, but had curves. Did I make it out alive??? Course I did...because I wrote this.

Balance is so important in our lives. First, we must start with a firm foundation, like...the rock of our Redeemer. We are promised that if we build on the foundation of Christ, we "cannot fall". I think of "leaning" as becoming familiar with different principles and areas of the gospel. When we practice our leaning, we exercise our faith in those areas. Then, when the road of life gives us dips and curves, we are prepared with our firm foundation, and various testimonies of truth.

3. Avoid puddles. Puddles? But weren't we in Gilbert, AZ? Why yes we were! But remember I said it was a soggy night? That is because it rained like crazy the night before. So there were puddles. Along with my steering through the sidewalk, I had to use my techniques to avoid the puddles. Didn't want to get the longboard all wet. I also did not want to get all wet, because then Devin might think I'm an unusually sweaty person.

Life has its share of puddles. They are not as apparent as curves and dips, and sometimes you can't even see them. They are the small and simple things. They can even seem harmless, because, it's just a bit of water. Right??? But when puddles creep up on you, next thing you know, you have soggy shoes AND socks. Ain't that the worst? Puddles may seem fun to spash around in, but you could easily become saturated in dirty water. Avoid these seemingly harmless puddles in life, because they can end up making you more miserable than you think.

4. Lean forward. Throughout this longboarding experience, Devin had to keep telling me over and over again to "lean forward"! I had a tendency to lean back. This was mostly out of fear. But Devin assured me that I would get better action if I would lean forward. How true that was! When I chose to lean forward rather than back, the experience was all the merrier, and I had better control of what was coming in my path.

Sometimes in life, I tend to be fearful of what is ahead of me. I dwell on the frightful experience of the past, and give no room for hope of the future. This is a dangerous thing. It keeps us from progressing. We must move forward with faith. When we move forward in life, and look up rather than down, we develop into who we can become, not who we currently are. We can change and be better. We can be happier. We can do incredible things.

5. Have Fun! I learned that what I thought would be such a difficult and embarrassing activity for me turned out to be really fun! Sure, I might have almost tripped a couple of times, but that was okay! Devin and I had a jolly good time and got in a good dose of laughs!

I think it was President Hinckley that said "Life is to be enjoyed not just endured". And then there is Elder Wirthlin's famous quote "Come what may, and love it". In life, we have to make the choice to have fun, and be happy. We can find light in the dark night, we can smile on our worst day, and we can laugh through our tears. "Men are that they might have joy"!

Well there you have it! All in all, this experience was one of my favorites! We had such a jolly good time, and he brought me home alive and well! I enjoyed this so much, and got a lot out of it! I'm so thankful to have a amazing friend like Devin who is patient with me, and who took me on an adventure to learn something new!

So next time you want to explore the meaning of life, grab a longboard and start cruising! 

Simply Beautiful - Comparisons

Do you ever compare yourself to others?

I hope you don't say no, because I think everyone does, even without thinking about it.

I sure do. But boy, can I think about it. 

In one of my family and human development classes, I learned that being able to compare oneself to his/her surrounding peers is actually a milestone of cognitive development. 

So, are comparisons good or bad? Well, they can be good when in pursuit of personal progress. For example, we can compare our actions of a previous day, to our actions of now, and what we would like our actions to be like in the future. 

However, most of the time, when we compare our self to others, we walk down a sandy hill. 

These are the bad comparisons. 

When I was in high school, I remember some of my guy friends going off about the hottest and most attractive celebrity women of the time. Women like Carrie Underwood, Emma Watson, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, etc. Some of them had pictures of these women as their phone backgrounds, or even binder covers. I remember looking in the mirror and seeing that I would never look like any of these women. Oh my despair! I mean, Miley may have gone off the deep end, and I prefer not to have any association with her, but still... When you are a high school girl, you think that the guys that you go to school with are they guys who will eventually marry you, or at least date you. If that's what they found attractive, I was doomed, because I felt so far from it.

Even when we rid ourselves of Hollywood's fake cover-ups and beauty hacks, we can see the qualities that others appear to have, and feel a bit lacking.

I can honestly say, that college is so much better than both high school and the unpleasant years of middle school, for many a reason. One reason that pertains to this subject is the fact that most girls come to class dressed in sweats, ponytails, little to no makeup, etc. (At least in my classes). Dress to impress when you're barely trying to get by? Ain't nobody got time for that! But in middle school and high school, it seemed like you needed all the time in the world to be attractive in every way. Status, status, status! During those years of your life, it is so hard to not look around and not feel bad about yourself because you don't have the cute new shoes, the voluminous curls, the "perfect" body, the most sparkly eyes, the date every week, the highest grades, the athlete's talent, the popular attention, the life you think you want...

When I compare myself to others, don't I bring myself back to high school, or middle school, again? Don't I take a few steps back?

Personally for me, during some of those years of my life, I didn't know who I was supposed to be. All my life I had sung the words, "I am a child of God", but it took me 16 years of breathing to realize what that meant, how true it was, and how it made me feel.

I am not perfect at all, and I still compare myself to others. Sometimes it is just a small, simple little comparison. But when I start out with the small things, it just grows and grows until it becomes all consuming if I don't take action. When I feel myself grieving over my imperfections compared to the highlights of others, or when I feel like I'll never measure up to someone else's expectations, I have to stop myself. I have to take the time to remember what I know.

I know that I am a child of God. I know that God loves me. I know that I have a divine purpose.

I know that God made me, because he needed ME. 

Again, God made ME because he needed and wanted ME.

Maybe God didn't need another Carrie Underwood or Emma Watson. Maybe God didn't need another star athlete or fashionista. Maybe God didn't need a perfectly proportionate body, or a flirtatious personality. Maybe God didn't need another witty mind, or a flawless selfie taker.

Maybe God  needed a girl who forgets where she parked the car...a little too often for her own good. A girl that has a slight curve in her spine. A girl that doesn't know how to whistle, and ends up just kissing the atmosphere. A girl that has a colorful collection of cardigans because she gets cold...and she likes them. A girl that is obsessed with special k cereal. A girl who loves to watch old black and white movies. A girl that tends to have a hard time catching on to new board games. A girl that does this weird thing with her lips when she swallows a gulp of water. A girl that gets all excited over Mozart, Chopin, and Vivaldi. A girl that gets a mischievous thrill by ding-dong ditching a plate of cookies. A girl who openly admits to being a bit nerdy.

Because that's what he made in me. And I know that he has  purpose for me. I may not always have heaven's eyes to see that specific purpose, but my faith will clear the blur.

God needs me to be me. That doesn't mean that I can never improve myself. This life is all about overcoming and progressing to reach our eternal goals. Each of us can be perfected through Christ. But when it comes to comparing myself, and who I'm seeking to please, it doesn't matter so much what the world wants, what those around me want, or even what I think I want. It matters what God wants. It matters what Christ thinks of me. I want to be beautiful to Him.

Comparing our self to others brings us down. Try to avoid it. I know it can be hard. Oh, how hard it is! But the hard things are what make us stronger.

So the next time you are overwhelmed with the temptation of comparing yourself to others; whether it be a famous celebrity, bodybuilder, athlete, a co-worker, a peer, a friend, a friend of a friend, an acquaintance, or even a stranger, please remember who you are.

You are a child of God. You are a part of his great plan. You have a purpose. God made you, because he needed YOU. Just because someone else is beautiful, it doesn't mean that you aren't. You are beautiful! If you're a guy, you are handsome! You are important. You are special. You are you.