I get it. I’ve been in your shoes. You feel like nobody will ever love you. You feel like you are the most ugly girl in the room - constantly comparing yourself to those around you. You get embarrassed shopping with your friends. You feel like nothing you do will ever make you feel okay. You say you hate yourself. You feel like you’d be happier if you looked like someone else, am I right?

I know because I’ve experienced it, too. A lot of my teenage years have been spent hating myself, because I thought everyone else hated me too. I was depressed. I’ve always been the “fat friend" and always felt like the odd one out. I’ve always hated shopping with my friends because I couldn’t wear the clothes they were wearing. I envy my friends who can wear bikinis in the summer and can comfortably wear shorts. I get angry with myself because I don’t look as good in clothes as my friends do. Sometimes I still compare myself to others without realizing that I'm doing it, but I know that I am beautiful just the way I am. Guess what? You are, too.

I have heard more comments about being overweight than I have anything else in my life, and I let everyone else’s opinions of me determine how I felt about myself without realizing that I was worthy of life and love in spite of it all. I had set my eyes on things that didn’t matter and I hadn’t realized what I had done to myself.

I came to the realization that even if I were as skinny as I had wished to be, I wouldn’t be happy until I realized that I deserved to be happy. I learned to base my happiness on something much greater.

Almost two years ago, I found my happiness in Jesus and was astounded that He had a love for me despite how I felt about myself. I came to know a love more deeply than I had ever known before. I was completely and utterly amazed to know that He sees me as beautiful and that I was made in His image. Nothing in my life has ever compared to the love that Jesus has shown me. He met me where I was in my time of need and tore down my walls because He had a better plan for my life. I had no idea that my life would be dramatically changed upon giving it to Christ.

It breaks my heart knowing that you feel so badly about yourself. It makes me even more sad knowing that you don’t feel like you are beautiful as you are. I wish that I could show you how wonderful life can be if you let it be. I hope one day soon, you wake up and can see yourself as beautiful. I hope you come to realize that you are loved beyond measure. I hope you learn to love yourself despite how others view you, because you deserve it. You deserve to be happy. Life doesn’t stay this way forever. I know right now you’re probably feeling like nothing will ever change, but it does. It does get better, so much better. The way you feel about yourself now isn't the way you will feel about yourself in the future. I want you to know that you are made in the image of God and He sees you as beautiful. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) Let yourself grow. Fall in love with yourself. Quit comparing yourself to other girls, you couldn’t be them even if you wanted to. This world needs one of you, not two of her.

You are worthy of happiness. You deserve the love that you so freely give to others, save some for yourself.

Sincerely,

An Overcomer.