it is time for another installment in the you are lovely series.
i know i am constantly saying how i am impressed and humbled in each round of this mini-series….but truthfully i am.
i did not expect the turn out to be so solid; for each woman that has participated to really dig deep and not only share their insecurities, but fight them off with truth.
this has become such a beautiful thing, and something i am always looking forward to.
today you get to meet victoria.
i love her.
her heart, life, and blog is so beautifully centered and grounded in Christ that i am always inspired.
you know how there are some women that you meet and you find yourself thinking , “there is just something about her…” – that is victoria; and that something is the presence of God.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
Loveliness is this: being conformed to the image of His Son.
Humans CRAVE loveliness. Unless we look to God, we will only find poor substitutes that cause us to face despair again and again.
Let us be lovely. Let us point each other to the One who is most lovely. May our relationship with God create in us a loveliness that is genuine and may that loveliness drive those around us to the source of it, namely, God Himself.
Amy sent along some questions. I’ll answer a few of them and maybe they’ll help with the practical side of our BATTLE against unloveliness.
What makes you feel lovely?
I feel most lovely when I am clean, clothed, and put together. At times, all I want to do is hide behind LOOKING put together.
Why is it hard for us to embrace vulnerability?
It is hard for me to embrace vulnerability because being vulnerable is like declaring my helplessness. Being vulnerable is uncovering who I really am. That person is not all that beautiful.
Were the self-portraits hard to take?
They were so hard! I guess I’ve never really done a project quite like this before. It felt strange and trying to get everything all set was the most frustrating.
Share a time when you felt exquisite/Share a time when you felt vulnerable or exposed:
feel free to look through the other you are lovely series posts here.
"The truth is, even though I do look different, NOTHING about who I am changed."
This is my favorite quote from this whole post! She hit the nail on the head with it here.
Beautiful writing! I look forward to this series every time! Thanks for sharing!
everything about this installment and post is, well, lovely! what an encouraging way to take discussions about beauty and 'what is lovely' and direct them toward God. "Humans CRAVE loveliness -Unless we look to God, we will only find poor substitutes that cause us to face despair again and again" – such a good reminder. And Victoria? You definitely have that 'something about her glow' that amy talks about 🙂
I love Victoria and she most definitely speaks truth and so much love, too. And honestly, I have you to thank for introducing the two of us. 🙂
Amy – thank you for your sweet introduction!!! 🙂 You made me blush.
Rach, Amy (Hodge), Jennifer, and Kiki – thank you for reading and commenting! God is doing a work in our hearts to help us see Him for who He is. Let's keep looking and showing Him off to one another! His beauty is meant to overflow for all the world to see. 🙂
I've really enjoyed this series, Amy. And this post by Victoria definitely did not disappoint! She really encouraged me with her words and what loveliness is and how we can truly have it. Definitely a convicting AND encouraging post in this series.