How To Love Your Body When You Feel "not so Summer ready" (summer series wk1)

Hey Becoming babes! I call you babes 1) because you are & 2) because I think you should totally start claiming that over yourself- you are a babe! I am so so excited to start this "You are Summer Ready! The Summer Self-Confidence Series" (bible application tips, outfit ideas & a giveaway included!) with all of you and your friends (because good friends share things that make them happy with their friends) over the next 3 weeks. Because let me get real with you before we start this thing, it's officially summer time here in Florida and I feel pretty insecure about my body.

Yep. Real life feelings right there. I live on an Island for goodness sake, it seems like there are confident "summer ready" girls around every corner- I'm forced to face the way I truly feel about myself haha! (even if you don't live on an Island, I know you feel me). And really? I can look really pretty to someone else- I can even be told over & over that I am cute and should be confident with my body in the Summer Time. But the general culture around me tells me that I should be getting my body more toned, more tan, more skinny- more summer ready.

And at the end of the day, the way I truly feel about myself and my body won't change because another person tells I'm pretty enough. That's just the truth. And it seems that culture/media is on my side in this one- you know, continually telling me that I need to look better, be better... be summer ready.

BUT- oh sweet friend, there is a bigger truth that we can hold onto. The truth is (whether it's your perspective right now or not) that you ARE good enough, beautiful enough, attractive enough, built well enough to be loved. Because that's the root of this, doesn't it seem? We want to meet cultures standard, because then we can be loved more. By our friends, our Instagram followers, our husbands or boyfriends. Maybe even God.

Other's peoples opinions of you can't decide who you truly are, but God's can. Because He alone is the one who molded you and created you; He alone is truth and life change; He is the only voice that actually tells us who we are and what we are made of.

This is the truth we GET to hold onto, my friends. I know it's hard. I know we have to go against the grain- but we are in this together. Because really, we all feel a little insecure about our bodies in someway. We are all searching for REAL TRUTH that tells us we just might be good enough.

And the FREEING NEWS?! WE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH. You are not just another young woman. You're a creation of the King of Kings. You are beautiful enough, even when you don't feel Summer Ready. Because being summer ready? Is a lie. It's not a standard we have to live up to. And the way to start loving yourself is to start speaking truth over yourself more than the world speaks lies. Truth is freedom. Lies are bondage!

YESSSSSSS, HALLELUJAH. PRAISE THE LAMB. SERIOUSLY, this is good news. You may have a few extra pounds that maybe you wish you didn't (I definitely do), you may have some serious strong negative feelings that rush to your heart when you look in the mirror- and that's why we wrote this series. To not only remind you of the truth that you are in fact beautiful enough (no matter WHAT your body looks like, you hear me!?)- but to help you apply what Scripture says about you to your life so that you can start truly believing it.

Scriptures On Loving our Bodies & How To Apply Them

[Scripture]Song of Songs 4:7 "You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you."

[How to Apply]- You have to believe that what God chose to put in scripture is true. Every single piece of it. In this Scripture, God is speaking straight to the core of who we are. He is proclaiming that there is no flaw in you. Whenever you feel like a complete mess, remind yourself that God says in this scripture that in Him He looks at you and sees no flaws. Even in the mess, you are loved by God.

2. [Scripture] Psalm 139:13-15"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth."

[How to Apply]- God is not talking about a future version of us here, you know that woman we all want to someday become. No He is talking about the woman we are today. We ARE fearfully and wonderfully made. So when we get dressed in the morning, when we go out on the weekends, look in the mirror- we can remind our soul that we know well that God's workmanship is wonderful. And we are his workmanship. Remind your soul, speak this truth over yourself- and it will begin to renew your mindset about your body.

Scripture is active and living. If we apply it, it will change the way we feel and believe about ourselves.

Now, let me say this again, YOU ARE A BABE. So don't shy away from loving your body, being comfortable in your own skin & even wearing clothes this summer that are cute and modest. Modesty does NOT mean your grandma's clothes. It actually means that you are dressing in a way that shows you respect your body, and your creator enough to honor it. You're worth honoring your body- & can look cute while doing it! So each week we're going to post 2 of our favorite summer outfits we LOVE & where you can go find them! Be confident girl & LOVE YOUR BODY!

〈A modesty TIP for this week:〉

Before you leave the house make sure that your shirt isn't giving away to much of the goods. Place your hand on your chest with your thumb hooked in the end of your collar bones. If your shirt starts below the palm of your hand, its probably showing a bit too much. Add a tank or switch it out!

We want to put this loving your body thing to action this week. So join us in this fun weekly challenge below!

[Weekly Challenge]

Tell us below in a blog comment how you feel when Summer time hits. Do these scriptures mentioned encourage you? Every single time you look in the mirror this week, especially when you're getting ready in the morning, speak both of these scriptures out loud over yourself. Say it like you mean it & let your soul breath it in as you speak. And then create a fun, full of summer colors outfit and wear it out! Step out of your comfort zone & let yourself be reminded by this outfit of the person you truly are. Beautiful, good enough and loved.

Don't miss the 2nd week of this Series: Making The Most of Your Summer: Because You ARE "summer ready"

xoxo, can't wait to chat with you below.

Lanissa Spoon