True Beauty Comes From Within
Today is the last day of January! How exciting! I don’t know about you, but I always get excited about entering into a new month. A new month means there will be new opportunities, lessons, encounters, and memories that will be made! So don’t forget to make room for the unexpected dear friends!
Since December, I’ve been watching this K-drama called “True Beauty.” It is a story about a high school girl who was bullied by her peers because of her appearance. She’s picked on because she was considered weird and ugly. Not long after, she ended up transferring to another high school due to her family's financial situation. As she transferred to another school, she left her past behind and started to learn how to apply make-up. This girl started to become really good at applying her own make-up that she became known as the beautiful goddess at her new school. Everyone fell in love with her and wanted to be her friend because of her beautiful appearance.
What exactly is “True Beauty”? Is it only the outward appearance?
In a world where we’re bombarded by culture’s standard of “beautiful or gorgeous people” that consists of a pretty face, slim waist, big boobs, big butts, colorful filters, photoshopped edits to make oneself look more attractive... oh am I being too apparent now? 😂
Nonetheless, we all have that one friend who frequently posts about their “looks.” If you don’t have that one friend, then perhaps you’re that friend. Lol.
Have you ever wondered about people’s intention as to WHY they are posting so many pictures of themselves? Is it to gain more likes or attention from others? Are they trying to receive some type of validation or satisfaction as they post their own face all over social media?
As some of you know, I am very intentional. In everything that I do, I always ask the question why am I doing what I’m currently doing? Will it help me grow? Will it help lower my expenses? Will it benefit others? Will it glorify God? Or am I doing it to show off? If the reason behind my action is from a place of selfishness then I’d rethink and not move forward with it.
Now don’t get me wrong, if you are blessed with good looks, praise God! Congratulations! Haha, I am so happy for you! You deserve an award for making the world a better place. 😁😆😏 A couple of selfies here and there is no problem. (It’s the ones who post selfies every day/week that concerns me. Jangan-jangan dia overly conceited deh...hahaha) 🤳🏻
But in seriousness, have you ever asked yourself “what’s the purpose behind my looks? What am I going to do with the looks that God has blessed me with? Will I flaunt it here and there to show off how gorgeous/handsome I am? Or will I use it to bring others closer to Christ?”
The truth is “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” Proverbs 31:30
I believe God is the greatest creator of all humankind and that He alone deserves all the praise and glory. Does not matter if you are good-looking, talented, gifted, skilled, intelligent, wealthy, or anointed IF you do not acknowledge WHO your source and creator is, then everything you do is meaningless. Because in the end, pride and ego will choke the life of those who think they are all that when in actuality it is ALL by the Grace of God.
“Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Romans 12:3 (NLT)
What matters most is your inner beauty. Your character, attitude, maturity, belief, and values are more attractive than your outside appearance. So instead of putting so much effort and time on the outside look, invest more in your inner self. #CharacterIsRealBeauty 👑
Imagine you have a choice of dating a pretty girl or handsome guy with a great body but also have a really bad attitude and ugly character, VS. dating a decent looking girl or guy with a beautiful heart. Which one do you prefer?
Even in the Bible, when choosing the next king to rule over Israel the Lord warned Samuel to not look at the things that people look at. Initially, Samuel thought that Eliab (Jesse's eldest son) would be chosen as the next king because of his impressive height and physical prowess. Since Eliab and King Saul had similar attributes which were good looks, it was natural to assume their similar blessings would extend leadership. But that was not the case. Samuel had limited perspective because God's criteria were not based on what people see.
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. ❤️ 1 Samuel 16:7
So to all my lovely ladies, "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You [sister,] should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:3,4
Now speaking to my sisters and ladies who “think” they are not pretty or beautiful enough. Listen dear ones, you are a diamond and truly one of a kind. 💎 You are God’s masterpiece, a shining star, and the good news is: no one else is like you. 🌟 So quit comparing yourself to a K-pop idol, a celebrity, Youtuber, model, or social media influencer. You are your best version and limited edition that God has created, so live your life intentionally and with a purpose!
Do not ever allow anyone to label you as ugly, not good looking, chubby, fat, short, tall, dumb, etc; those are complete lies, so never believe them.
If your “friends or partner” cannot see your real value and accept you as you are, then perhaps are they even worth keeping as your friend or partner? Real friends and true partners from God are those who see the best version of you, care about your well-being, and will always encourage you to grow as a person.
Aside from surrounding yourself with the right people, remember to also find contentment and wholeness in your true identity from the arms of your Creator. Fun Fact: The more you learn about God, the more you will gain confidence, discover your unique self, and the purpose God has prepared for you.
Personally, I enjoy using make-up but I don’t use it that often due to wearing masks all the time now lol. Lately, I’ve been focusing more on skincare products, especially since I’m in my mid-20s. HA.🙃 LORD help me… Anyways, thank God for the development of make-up and skincare because we get to be creative with the canvas that God has given us. 👩🏻🎨🎨
But if you are interested in all things make-up, or need a special look from a professional make-up artists, kindly check out: @fannyoctaviaw (https://www.instagram.com/fannyoctaviaw/) & @claraveronicamakeup (https://www.instagram.com/claraveronicamakeup/)
They are two of the most beautiful, talented, and caring professional MUA artists that I know! SO GO CHECK THEM OUT! You will not regret it haha! 🤗
Below are the looks that Ce Fanny created for me on my Brother’s and Cici's wedding day:
Stay Classy and Lovely friends! 💝 You are beautiful just the way you are!