YOU Are a Masterpiece: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

You are a masterpiece.

Let that soak in: YOU are a masterpiece.

Every detail hand crafted by God himself - from the color of your skin, to the way your mind works, how athletic you are, to the number of hairs on your head. 

There is not a single person on this planet past, present, or future, who is the same.

You are original.

Originality is a defining trait of a masterpiece - an original work of outstanding artistry.

When you look in the mirror, do you stand in awe, amazed by how God molded you?

Photo by Bo Zhang

Our Reality

When I look at the Mona Lisa, I wonder if the real Lisa, the Lisa behind the painting, saw the originality and beauty we see today. When the painting was complete, did she look at her hair and wish it was fuller? Did she see her expression and tell herself she should have been thinking differently? Did she see herself as the masterpiece the world now admires?

Many of us struggle to see ourselves in such a positive light. We immediately see all of our flaws and wish that we looked a different way, thought a different way, moved in a different way.

The horse world, in particular, grooms us from a young age to believe that there is a certain mold that we all need to fit into. Tall, long legs, thin, perfectly put together, well-kept styled hair, traditionally-minded, refined with expensive taste.

The temptation is strong to do whatever it takes to fit into this mold.

Plastic surgery

Eating disorders

Applying make-up as a mask

Spending money you don’t have on clothes and products that are the “in trend”

We go to great lengths to meet the standard our culture demands. Yet in this process, many of us end up losing our true selves.

The movie White Chicks gives us an exaggerated example of how people will consider anything, even “getting their knees done” to be taller.

*Sidenote - I always thought this was a joke, but there is actually a limb-lengthening

surgery where patients can increase their height up to 5”. What?!

Where it Gets Complex

Now I’m not saying all of this is inherently bad. 

I enjoy wearing make-up on occasion to enhance the features God has given me.

I like beautiful, high-quality clothes because the fabric, structure, and fit feel elegant.

I aim to be refined and polished because it makes me feel good.

I tailor my style to the specific event I'm attending out of respect for the host.

I consider botox for my crows feet, but have chosen not to, telling myself aging is beautiful.

That said, I understand procedures like face lifts to boost confidence.

The key is this:

What is your intention?

Are you changing your appearance and behavior because it makes you feel joyful and confident? Or are you doing it to meet someone else's expectations?

I did get botox once around my eyes, and I received the reaction from my husband that I was seeking.

His response was to lovingly cup my face in his hands and say, “Wow, you look 10 years younger. You’re so beautiful.”

This was a sweet comment and there was no ill intent, but do you know what it reinforced in me? That I needed to continue making myself appear younger, whatever the means, in order to maintain my beautiful appearance for him.

But you already know the ending to that story - the botox and the beauty didn’t make him stay.

And that led me into a spiral of questioning.

Questioning

Think about all of the influences in your life and what has shaped your self-image. 

Do you resonate with any of the below examples?

• Viewpoints from the opposite sex

• Cultural standards

• Expectations in the horse show world

• Your upbringing

• God’s view

• Friends

• Social media

• Past experiences

  
  

We are constantly bombarded with subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) messages, telling us how to look, dress, feel, and act, to receive others approval and love. Over time those messages pile up until they hide the truth and force us to question our reality.

Should I change my look?

My values?

My personality?

But in the end, only one opinion actually matters. And when we are rooted in this opinion, there is no questioning.

God’s Opinion of Us

Wonderfully Made

When we understand how God sees us, there’s no more questioning. 

He created us intentionally - on purpose, for a purpose, and at this exact moment in history.

There is no guessing or wondering what type of personality we will have or how we will look. God has a plan and he loves and values the individuals that he created us to be. 

“The word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart…” - Jeremiah 1:4-5

The talents God has placed in us individually are tools for his unique purpose.

A few weeks ago I was speaking to a woman in my business mentorship program. I shared how long it took me to film my first video for P&P and that I wished I was able to speak as clearly and spontaneously as some of the other women in our group. 

She told me, “God has made you the way he wants you. Be genuine in how you speak and the right people will find you. If you try to copy someone else’s style, it won’t be easy and it won’t be genuine and others will feel that.”

She was right.

I was thinking that I had to speak quickly and immediately on the words popping up my head. But I am naturally more thoughtful than that. I pause and search for the exact words I want to say. I’m better at speaking when I have the time to outline what I want to talk about. And that is ok. 

God made me this way and he'll use me this way.

Do you believe that? That you are fearfully and wonderfully made with purpose and for the greater good?

I do. 

I have felt His love. He showed it by sending Jesus, His only son, to live as a man, yet fully God, to die on the cross and intercede on our behalf. God wants nothing more than to have relationship with His masterpieces, and it is through Jesus that we have the opportunity to connect with Him.

But we have the choice to accept Jesus and believe this truth, or not.

What Path Will You Choose?

God chose to create you.

God chooses to love you.

You are his masterpiece, fully known and fully cherished.

But you get to choose how you respond... do you believe you are His masterpiece?

Action Step

Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea one morning this week and take the time to reflect on your self-image.

1. Do I believe that I am a masterpiece? Why or why not?

2. When do I feel most like myself?

3. How can I bring that authenticity into an area where I feel like I need to put on a mask?

4. What is one affirmation I can say to myself daily to nurture my self-image?

(My example: "Jesus has made me worthy.")

I’d love to chat further with you on this if you’d like to share!

Send me an e-mail to natasha@paddocksandpraise.com or sign-up for weekly encouragement at paddocksandpraise.com/weekly-encouragement.