It starts in the first twenty minutes of the day, in those first minutes of daylight when the mirror is glaring at her like a floodlight.
This one? The third outfit she pulled on this morning is a faded green summer dress with flowered embroidery.
No, of course not. That is so outdated. Would you ever see the perfect girl from upstairs wearing that?
No. Not this one.
Next she tries on her jeans, her tried and true faded blues that have lasted for years. The mirror throws back her image almost violently.
How could you go outside in those when clearly your body shape is not suited to bootcut jeans? That's for the thinner body types. As in, not you. Go find something different.
At last she settles for dark wash shorts and a solid top. With one last doubtful glance, she hauls up her backpack and heads out, turning to thoughts of class and breakfast.
You're really not that fabulous in those shorts. And do you really have time for breakfast today?
The process is familiar to her. It's hard to escape from the voices when they're surrounding her on the inside.
This uncertainty exists inside many of us. While we don't want to admit it, doubts plague so many of the strong, beautiful men and women we interact with every day-- including ourselves-- manifested in those voices. Satan, as a perpetrator of doubt, makes a living planting doubts in the minds and hearts of those precious to God... and he uses voices.
The voice that says, "you're not enough."
The voice that says, "you're not trying hard enough."
The voice that says "your kind of beautiful is not enough."
The thing is, everything the voices say has to do with what is "enough..."
And darling, you... are.
Enough.
Inherently precious, infinitely treasured, and irreplaceable, you are enough, and you are gorgeous.
Gorgeous in the flame of your eyes and your flickering spark of intelligence, in your windblown hair, in your heart - fierce and kind and gentle all at the same time.
Gorgeous in your interests, in your gifts, in your humanity.
Fight the lies, fight the voices, fight, fight, fight because you are made in the image of God and you are priceless.
So the next time that girl faces the mirror, give her a one-up. Toss your hair, wear your favorite dress, and don't let doubt sway you. Go on and look yourself in the eye, acknowledge your fire, and say it out loud:
"Shut up, Satan. I'm gorgeous."
