“Invisible to Man, But Visible to God!”

Genesis 29:33, “…Because the LORD heard that I Am Not Loved…” (NIV). 

If a daughter’s self-worth is in fact shaped by her father’s influence, Leah was out of luck, because her father Laban didn’t think that much of her!
 
After making a deal with Jacob to marry her sister Rachel, Laban tricked him and he ended up with Leah. And if you’ve ever wrestled with low self-esteem, like I have, then you can guess how Leah felt. Here she was preparing for her wedding day, knowing she was the “loser’s prize”. Just imagine waiting all your life to get married, only to discover that your dreams will never be realized, because your husband loves somebody else!

And if you think that’s bad, hold on…it gets worse for Leah! You see Jacob spent the wedding night with Leah, not even recognizing her until the morning when he complained to Laban, “I served you for Rachel…why have you deceived me?” And even after discovering he’d been sleeping with Leah, Jacob still wanted her sister! Talk about a kick in the gut!

Leah was intimate with a man who couldn’t appreciate who she really was; a man who took what he wanted without even looking into her eyes—far less her soul! Maybe you haven’t been there, but I have. In a relationship with someone who didn’t really know you and makes no effort to find out about you. Yes, I was certainly able to relate to Leah. Back then I wish I knew the value of the quote: “To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are”

But the good news is, while Leah spent years being invisible to Jacob, she wasn’t invisible to God! And neither are you!

I spent years attempting to escape being alone, by settling for a man that didn’t love me and proved it by cracked ribs, a busted lip and black eye! Yep, believe it or not, I short-changed myself for many years, my 20’s were a disastrous mess, an emotional roller coaster, a mental train wreck! But even if that’s not your testimony, know that in whatever way, shape or form the enemy has pushed you aside, pulled you back and put you down, God has given you gifts, ministry and purpose, and when it comes forth, it’ll change the direction of your entire life! I Promise! After all, I’m A Witness and Living Testimony!

Women of God, understand this and never forget it, no matter how messed up your “Chest” looks, there’s still “Treasure” inside! So never lessen your original value by becoming a cheap copy of anyone else!

After all, “why compare yourself with others in the first place, no one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than YOU!”

However, the Scripture goes on to say: “Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely.” (Genesis 29:17)

When Jacob first saw Rachel, she took his breath away. Think about it: Any time a man’s willing to work 7 years for a woman, and then 7 more on top of that after being cheated, he’s definitely in love! Sadly enough, it’s a sacrifice that is rarely seen even in most ‘Christian Marriages’ today!

Leah, whose name means “gazelle,” translated “lanky” was also “tender eyed” or had “weak eyes”, but Rachel was “lovely.”

Sisters, while others may judge you based on your Looks, God Never Does! To tell you the truth, I allowed for years my self-esteem to be beaten into the ground because of acne, missing teeth, height, weight etc. When in the end, God didn’t care one bit about any of it! None of these things were factors in Designing My Destiny…nor is it relevant in designing yours! 

1 Samuel 16:7, “But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.” (MSG)

And with that said, I really had to work hard on building good self-esteem. And that Included dealing with some of the External stuff too. But then I found out something that made me a little sad. After the acne cleared, and the teeth were fixed, and the weight was at a size 8 and I even became comfortable with my little 5 foot 2 stature, I discovered I was Still Unhappy! Because the bottom line was, even though I felt demeaned by being attacked based on External issues, My True Battle Was Internal!

Even when all those things that I Thought, “if I could just Fix this I will Finally be Happy”, were finally fixed, happiness was still out of reach. I Had to Learn to Love Me From the Inside…Out! And once I became comfortable and confident in Who I am in God and How He sees me, the outer no longer mattered at all! In fact, I found myself happy even on a day when a perm was needed, no make-up was applied and a raggedy sweat suit was my garment! I could still go to the supermarket walking like America’s Next Top Model, in flip flops no less! LOL! 

Why do I share all this? Because, far too many of us as women are spending our entire 401K trying to beautify hair, skin, teeth, weight, clothes, nails, eyelashes, etc…but still at the end of the day, we hop in a shower to safely cry where no one will hear or see our painful self-pity tears.
 
It’s because the Outward has no power, only the Inner man does! Who you are on the INSIDE is who you really are. Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (KJV) The Good News Translation reads, “…What he thinks is what he really is.” (GNT) That’s why it’s not enough to simply work on your outer man, because it’s your inner man that gives you your real identity. What you say to yourself and about yourself matters more than you will ever know! Which is why you’ll find so many women who are rich and ‘aesthetically beautiful’, yet miserable and depressed. You see, the word ‘aesthetic’ means nothing more than ‘a pleasing appearance, or appearing pleasant or beautiful.’ It’s Greek origin is, ‘aisthetikos’, from ‘aisthesthai’ meaning ‘to perceive as.’ In a nutshell: It’s nothing more than a person’s perception that appearing pleasant and beautiful is acceptable and enough, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Having it altogether on the outside, means absolutely nothing if you’re not working on getting it together on the inside. Sisters, don’t simply appear beautiful or happy, but make inner changes so that you can actually BE it genuinely.

Beautifying the outer man is surface stuff, there’s no depth and no meaning to it. The reality is, even if Leah was beautiful, Jacob had already set his eyes on Rachel. 

The core issue wasn’t how Leah looked, the core issue was how she Felt (Inwardly) Unloved and Invisible (as many women feel today). The Bible says, in Leah’s own words: “…Because the LORD heard that I Am Not Loved…” (Genesis 29:33 NIV). And unfortunately when we feel that way, instead of fixing the internal break down, we build up the external! And that’s not going to make you truly happy in the end!

Therefore, get past “How” you look and focus on “Who” you are! And surely you must know that you are more than hips, lips and fingertips!

In fact, God sees so much in you that He even calls you “Daughter”! 1 Peter 3:4-6, “Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as “my dear husband.” You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.” (MSG); 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, “…Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me…” (MSG); Psalm 45:13, “Glorious is the King’s daughter within [the palace]; Her robe is interwoven with gold.” (AMP)

Yes, with your hair looking a hot mess, your crooked teeth, your chubby tummy, shaky thighs, flabby arms, acne face, blemished back, chipped nails and freckled nose! With all that, you are Still a King’s Daughter! So even when you are Invisible to a Man, there is One Man That Considers You the Apple of His Eye! You my sister, are Both Jesus’ Joy and Jewel and if that’s not enough, Nothing Ever Will Be!

Bottom Line: God knew that Rachel’s treasure was ON her, while Leah’s was IN her! And there’s a Huge Difference between the two, so let no one tell you otherwise! Remember: What’s IN you will always amount to far more than what’s ON you! So before you go taking out a second mortgage to get a high-tech weave thinking that’s going to make you beautiful, go a cheaper but more valuable route. Beautify your spirit, purify your heart, wash your thoughts, exfoliate your emotions, put a mask on your mouth and get rid of your negative toxic talk, massage away all insults that wounded your soul. Treat your inner man to a spiritual spa day! 

Get this: before the world began, God chose you for a specific purpose. And although her husband Jacob didn’t notice her, Leah already had a great role in God’s plan. The Bible says, “When the LORD saw Leah was unloved, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel had none.” (Genesis 29:31 GWT). God blessed Leah so much that her sons founded 6 of Israel’s 12 tribes, compared to Rachel’s 2! Not bad for an unloved, invisible “loser!”

Listen: Before Leah was Laban’s daughter or Rachel’s sister or Jacob’s wife, she was God’s Idea—and He Never has a bad one! Before time began, her identity was determined by Him! And so was yours! He “…knows you by name and you have found favor…” with Him (Exodus 33:12).

Today God has placed something inside you that He wants to bring to birth. And the Bible says everything God makes is indeed “…very good…” (Genesis 1:31), and it’s time you started seeing yourself that way too…”…VERY GOOD…”!  

God knows what’s IN you, that’s why He wants to change your self-image, so you can appreciate your unique gifts and qualities.  

Sisters, You are Valuable and Visible to God! It’s time now for you to SEE it For Yourself!

Homework (From Inspiration to Application):

1.        Have you ever felt unloved and invisible to your spouse? How did you handle it?
2.        Do you make the mistake of comparing yourself to other women? Why or Why Not?
3.        Has another woman been chosen over you? How did you handle it? How did it make you feel?
4.        When you don’t feel beautiful what do you do? 
5.        Have you ever made the mistake of settling for sloppy seconds? If so, why and what are your regrets?
6.        What do you do to keep your self-esteem strong?
7.        What do you attempt to change about yourself because you think it will make you happier?
8.        How do you handle criticism about your looks (hair, clothing choices etc)?
9.        If you battle low self-esteem, when do you think it started? What was the defining moment that first lowered your self-worth?
10.     Out of 100%, what percentage would you say is how much you work on your outer self and what percentage would you say is how much you work on your inner self? Remember, honesty and help go hand-in-hand.
11.     How do you honestly see yourself?
12.     How do you honestly think God sees you?

The answers are not as important to me as they need to be to you. So take the time to answer yourself honestly about yourself. Then start seeking God, and godly counsel if needed, so you can feel good and be good, not just look good! You don’t want to live your whole life appearing a way that you could authentically be living, if only you’d take the time to take care of you, Body, Soul, Spirit, Mind, and Heart. Don’t you think it’s high time for you to be happy, inside and out, for real?! Today, don’t make it about getting a man’s attention, make it about giving yourself your own undivided attention! You’re already visible to God, He always sees you and He loves what He sees, because after all, what He sees is His own ‘image and likeness’! And if He’s good, and everything He created is good, you do know that includes you right?! Self-Esteem is about YOU making YOU a better version of YOU! No outside aesthetics, no one else’s opinions, ideas, or status. But Self-Esteem, is loving you and enjoying learning to take better care of you. Remember: God sees you, the real you, flawed, messed up, jacked up, screwed up, imperfect, and yet He still loved you enjoy to send His Son to die to save your life and soul! And Jesus loves you enough that He refused to even allow a man to take His life, but He willingly laid it down just for you. And the Holy Spirit, He loves you enough to live in you, talk to you, guide and guard you always! Girl, YOU have the full attention of the Godhead, so don’t you dare ever again feel unloved, unimportant or invisible!

Devotional Quotes:

“Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing” (Pinterest)

“If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t giving to yourself” (Barbara DeAngelis)

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” (Oscar Wilde)

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else” (Judy Garland)

“The most important opinion you have is the one you have of yourself, and the most significant things you say all day are those things you say to yourself” (Unknown Author).

“Even when you feel unseen, you are never invisible to God.” (Pinterest)

“Regardless of whether people see or care, never forget that God sees every little detail of your life. Nothing goes unnoticed by Him. Even if you feel like you are invisible to the world, you are never invisible to Him.” (DaughterByDesign)

“You are not invisible to God. You are loved and chosen…His beloved.” (Christine Caine)

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #BeEncouraged #YouAreLoved #GodSeesYou

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

“You Are Beautifully Imperfect!”

“So God created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 AMP)

Imagine the following scene: Holding her hair back with one hand, the woman kneels and leans forward to drink from the clear pool of water. As her cupped hand reaches for the clear liquid, she draws back, startled. Who is the long-haired stranger staring back at her in the waters reflection?

Perhaps even since the time Eve first caught sight of her reflection in the Garden of Eden, women have dealt with the question of Image.

Polls consistently reveal that the majority of us are dissatisfied, to say the least, with our appearance. Not to mention being confronted daily with a barrage of airbrushed photos of supermodels and celebrities adorning magazine covers, further aiding the “average woman” to think she is too short, too fat, too dark, too light, too unattractive, too imperfect etc...

Now, some will say “but we’re Christian Women, we shouldn’t think like this.” Well, in that case, what do you do when even in the BIBLE you’re confronted with a long list of “physically beautiful women” staring you in the face?

1. SARAH: “Then a famine came to the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live; it was a hard famine. As he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, “Look. We both know that you’re a BEAUTIFUL WOMAN…” (Genesis 12:10-11 MSG);

2. RACHEL: “Now Laban had two daughters; Leah was the older and Rachel the younger. Leah had nice eyes, but Rachel was STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL…” (Genesis 29:16-17 MSG);

3. TAMAR (Absalom’s sister): “Prince Absalom, David’s son, had a BEAUTIFUL sister named Tamar…” (2 Samuel 13:1 TLB);

4. TAMAR (Absalom’s daughter): “He had three sons and one daughter, Tamar, who was a VERY BEAUTIFUL GIRL.” (2 Samuel 14:27 TLB);

5. BATHSHEBA: “One night he couldn’t get to sleep and went for a stroll on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of UNUSUAL BEAUTY taking her evening bath. He sent to find out who she was and was told that she was BATHSHEBA, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah.” (2 Samuel 11:2-3 TLB);

6. ABIGAIL: “His name was Nabal and his wife, a BEAUTIFUL and very intelligent woman, was named Abigail…” (1 Samuel 25:3 TLB);

7. ABISHAG THE SHUNAMMITE: “So they searched the country from one end to the other to find the MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN ALL THE LAND. Abishag, from Shunam, was finally selected…” (1 Kings 1:3 TLB);

8. VASHTI: “On the final day when the king was feeling high, half drunk from wine, he told the seven eunuchs who were his personal aides – Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas – to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown upon her head so that all the men could gaze upon her BEAUTY – FOR SHE WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.” (Esther 1:10-11 TLB);

9. JOB’S DAUGHTERS: “…He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as BEAUTIFUL AS JOB’S DAUGHTERS…” (Job 42:12-15 MSG);

10. THE BELOVED: “I am dark but BEAUTIFUL…” (Song of Solomon 1:5 TLB);

11. ESTHER: “This man had a BEAUTIFUL and lovely young cousin, Hadassah (called Esther), whose father and mother were dead, and whom he had adopted into his family and raised as his own daughter.” (Esther 2:7 TLB).

What do you do as an “average woman” and you’re daily being bombarded with beautiful (granted, mostly airbrushed) women on various magazine covers? Not to mention, women IN THE BIBLE, who are called Stunningly Beautiful, Beautiful and Intelligent, Most Beautiful In All The Country, Most Beautiful In All The Land, and to top it off even Unusual Beauty?! How can we ever measure up with the media’s standards of perfection? Or even the physical beauty found throughout the countless pages of Scripture?

Well, the first chapter of the Bible supplies the answer. We were created in the Image of one Paradigm of Perfection: OUR CREATOR!

Our height, weight and skin color may indicate our human origins, but our Soul and Spirit Reflect Our Sovereign God! Who Can Compete With That?!

Now, when a child is born, it’s not unusual for someone to claim she’s the very “Image” of a relative. But what does it mean to be created in the Image of Our Heavenly Father? Or better yet, in the Image and Likeness of the Fullness of the God-Head?!

Well, an “Image” is a “Likeness or Resemblance, as in a Reflection Seen in a Mirror”. Scripture therefore teaches that Jesus Christ is the “…EXACT LIKENESS of the unseen God…” (Colossians 1:15 TLB). And as we continue to grow in faith, we who believe will likewise gradually “…reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his LIKENESS in an ever greater degree of glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 GNT). In a nutshell: When we become like Jesus, we begin to look more and more like Our Heavenly Father. Which means we have more work to do on our Inner Beauty than our Outer! And I know they say “Fruit” is good for the body, but it’s even better for the soul and spirit! “But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23) It’s your inner beauty that will reflect the beautiful image of the God-head, not your outer beauty!

Truth is, “Cover Girl” can only cover but so much, for so long. Which is why you need to Beautify Your Spirit! After All, How Will Beautifying Your Body Help the Body of Christ, Look More Spiritually Beautiful? Remember: We Serve a God Who Is SPIRIT! Therefore, We Must Focus On Our Spirit! “God is a SPIRIT: and they that worship Him must worship Him in SPIRIT and truth.” (John 4:24).

God created us to convey the distinctive imprint of His divine nature to a world often blinded to His existence. As the people of God, we are Designed to be Distinct: “But the Lord shall make a DISTINCTION between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites” (Exodus 9:4 AMP) So, why continuously try Fitting In when you’ve always been designed to Distinctly Stand Out?! Remember: Distinction is a Blessing, Different is an Honor!

And guess what? Even our Differences reflect the One who delighted in creating a world of dazzling Diversity. Think about it: We have peculiar penguins and flashy flamingos; majestic eagles and clucking chickens; towering redwoods and dwarfed pines; long and short hair; straight and kinky hair; brown and blue eyes; dark-skin and light-skin; blondes, brunettes, redheads, gray-streaks and everything in between. Furthermore, some women are comfortable in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers, and yet others shine brighter than the sun with their tailored, rhinestone suits and stilettos’! Some women have 20/20 vision, others if they didn’t wear magnifying glasses on their faces wouldn’t be able to see a stop sign. Some go to the gym daily, others are couch potatoes. Some like to go to the movies, dining out and dancing, while others prefer pajama’s, a head scarf and ordering in pizza! We like every genre of music, movies, vacations, colors, style etc. And that’s just how our Creator created us…DIVERSE, DIFFERENT, DISTINCT, UNIQUE, ODD and any other term you can think of! And that’s okay, why? Because every person is created with their own individual imprint of the Creator’s hand to bear His image!  

Just as the Seasons are Distinct (Summers’ Heat; Winters’ Cold; Springs’ Flowers; and Falls’ Leaves) so are we Beautifully Distinct in our Diversity!

Remember this Scripture: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9).

That word “Peculiar” means “Strange, Different or Odd”. But its Latin Origin “Peculiaris” from “Peculium” literally means “Of Private Property.” How Awesome is that?! You, with your Peculiar, Strange, Different and Odd Self are Still God’s Private Property!

In addition, the word “Strange” means “Unusual, Not Previously Visited, Seen, or Encountered, Unfamiliar”. It’s French Origin “Estrange”, from Latin “Extraneus” literally means “External Strange”. Sisters, Be glad you are NOT like anybody else, nor do you need to compete or compare yourself! Truth is, Yes, You are Strange! You are Unusual, No One Has Ever Seen YOU before because there has only been and will only be YOU! And with all the “External” stuff you don’t like about your appearance, it’s actually what makes you Uniquely, Stunningly, Unusually Beautiful! You are like no one else, and no one else is like you! And That’s a Good Thing!

Sisters, you are “Different” and the word “Different” means “Not the Same as Another; Distinct” Like it or not, you my sister are not like anyone else, and no one else is like you! I reiterate, And That’s a Good Thing!

So, the next time you began to become “Image Conscious” remember this: “Oh yes, You shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank You, High God – You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” (Psalm 139:13-16 MSG) Sister-Girl, if that don’t make you feel Special nothing else will!

Lastly, remind yourself that IN THE END, it will be the DIVERSE that remain! “After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of EVERY NATION, FROM ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND LANGUAGES. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9 AMP)

It’s not all the long haired, size 2, light-skin, pretty women that will stand before the throne. But there will be women from all ages, complexions, races, hair, eye and skin types that will stand there. They will have varying educational backgrounds, marital statuses, different amounts of children or no children at all. Those who had clear skin, those who had acne; those who had stretch marks, those who had perfect abs. In other words, diversity is a good thing, for if you think about it, that is the essence of Heaven. People from anywhere and everywhere entering this one place and dwelling in harmony together there forever. And since that is our ultimate goal, why not start practicing now by learning to love ourselves (imperfections and all), and love our neighbors just the same.

Just a thought: How about we stop competing and comparing and simply learn the beautiful art of contentment?

In a nutshell: Learn to love you for who, what and where you are, and to love others just the same. You, as well as others, are beautifully imperfect. Your flaws when seen through the right perspective are actually beauty marks. Your scars are badges of honor, that prove you are a soldier that fought and survived, even if you didn’t always win.

So the next time you get caught up in the latest fashion, magazine ‘perfect’ cover model, flawless hair, makeup, smile and size…remember this instead: “So God created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 AMP)

It is absolutely impossible to be created in the image of God and think that He made a mistake!

“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” (Edwin Elliot)

“There is Nothing More Rare, Nor More Beautiful, Than a Woman Being Unapologetically Herself; Comfortable in Her Perfect Imperfection. To Me, That is the True Essence of Beauty.” (Dr. Steve Maraboli)

“We are all wonderful, beautiful wrecks. That’s what connects us – that we’re all broken. All beautifully imperfect.” (Emilio Estevez)

“Imperfection is Beautiful.” (Pinterest)

“When your flaws are stitched together with good intentions, your flaws make you beautiful.” (Pinterest)

“I’m perfectly imperfect, beautiful in my flaws, sure of my insecurities, absolute chaos, a beautiful disaster.” (Pinterest)

“She is a beautiful piece of broken pottery, put back together by her own hands and a critical world judges her cracks while missing the beauty of how she made herself whole again.” (JM Storm)

“She’s not perfect, she is madness. And madness is a beautiful irony where perfection and flaws are the best of friends.” (JM Storm)

“People were made to be Imperfect and Different, that’s why the word Original was invented.” (Pinterest)

“I am nothing; I am but an instrument, a tiny pencil in the hands of the Lord with which He writes what He likes. However imperfect we are, He writes beautifully.” (Mother Teresa)

“I love imperfection. I love laugh lines. I love a face irregularly sprinkled with freckles. I love sweatpants and bare feet. I love it when makeup gets smudged from wiping happy tears. I love off-white teeth. I love big, loud laughs. I love reading poetry someone’s scared to share. I love mismatched eyebrows. I love the weird conversations people have late at night or early in the morning. People ask, ‘why? Why do you love imperfection so much?’ I tell them why. Imperfection is beautiful. Imperfection is honesty. Imperfection means a person is real (being real is rare). That is why I love imperfection.” (Tasha Double)

“She was BEAUTIFUL, but not like those girls in magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

“There’s no need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.” (Pinterest)

“Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect. It means you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.” (Pinterest)

“I always find beauty in things that are Odd and Imperfect – they are much more interesting.” (Marc Jacobs)

“Your imperfections are marks of authenticity – and that is the beauty of you.” (Isaac King Fowler)

“Being perfect is being flawed, accepting it and never letting it make you feel less than your best.” (Jessica Alba)

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #BeEncouragedBeautiful

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)