BeautyFace

Or perhaps, BeautyToes. Either way, this post is about beauty.
Your beauty.
Prompted dually by the bible study I'm doing (called Captivated by John and Staci Eldredge - you need to do this study in your early twenties, ok?) and by your first "Oh my gosh she looks like a woman, not a girl" Facebook picture posting, this blog post is spontaneous, yet I feel it is going to be magnificent.  :)

Beauty encapsulates so many different things... and your perception of beauty changes throughout your lifetime. One thing that is unchanging is that God created us (women) to want to be beautiful. I have seen it slowly ebb into your thoughts over the last year in a more serious way. I've seen you notice other girls' Instagram photos and try to imitate them.
Clearly, you'll never hear me tell you that you shouldn't aspire to beauty. Your mama is the queen of the makeup and high heels, of femininity.
Learning to balance that with the real inner beautiful you is the greatest challenge, and I aim to support you in every way possible, teach you what I do know. I hope you can truly listen... hear what I am really saying.

God created us in his image. We lose our breath at the sight and feel of the beauty of nature, because he does too. We can stand motionless, lost in the beauty of the waves crashing into the shore because we can sense the magnificence of something greater... a sense instilled in us because of what we have been created for. We get tingly fingers, hearts and toes when the good-hearted boy comes through for the girl because we as women are innately created with the desire to be romanced... because, my darling K, we are living out a sacred romance with a hero much greater, more vast and mighty than we can ever fathom.

"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you."
~Song of Solomon 4:7

What do I want to convey most through this letter? That our beauty shines from the inside out. That those who stay truly connected to their creator, have the spirit living inside of them, are the ones whose eyes and smiles light up the room.  We can always have fun being creative with fashion and outer beauty, but the true beauty you will have will be that cultivated by your spirit... your grace, your internal sparkle, your enthusiasm, your love for others, your longing for adventure, the unshakable peace in your soul.  

This is the beauty that others will be drawn to. This is the beauty that was birthed by the creativity of God. This is the beauty you need to tend to most. 

I love you more than you'll ever know, 
Mama