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You’re Beautiful by Suzie Johnson
There’s someone I know who is hurting in almost
every area of her life. She’s so deep in the pit of poor self-esteem, that my
heart is deeply troubled for her. God puts her on my heart almost daily and I
pray for her. I think about her often and I’ve tried to be a mentor to her.
I’ve never met her in person, but I’ve talked with her and texted with her and
I see her Facebook posts.
Those posts trouble me.
All she’s ever wanted during her young life is love;
the freedom to be herself and be loved unconditionally
for who she really is. But does she really know who she is? I think she’s still
finding her way.
And now she’s dealing with her broken heart.
My own heart breaks every time I encounter someone
experiencing self-doubt, low self-esteem, self-dislike, heartbreak. I’m shy,
and I have a tendency toward social anxiety, but dear friends and my faith in
Jesus have combined to help me through the worst of it. Sadly, not everyone is
as blessed as I have been in the friend department. But everyone can be blessed with Jesus and the promises he brings.
Sometimes I struggle with sharing God and the love
of Christ with people like my young friend who are so troubled. My struggle
isn’t that I’m ashamed to own my Lord, my struggle is that they won’t want to
hear it. That they’ll think I’m offering them pat answers and spouting
platitudes.
How then can we reach out to those who are hurting?
The first step, of course, is prayer. And I think it’s okay to let them know
that we’re praying for them. I think if we speak with a genuine heart, they’ll
know we’re sincere.
To everyone struggling with self-doubt and
self-esteem issues, you’re beautiful. He loves you.
“For
everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received
with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” ~~
1 Timothy 4:4
This is you. This is me. This is all of us. We
are created by God. We are good. We are consecrated by Him.
When you feel alone, like no one cares, don’t lose
hope.
“He was
despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”
~~ Isaiah 53: 3
“Surely
he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.” ~~ Isaiah 53:4
I’m praying that each of you who are suffering will
remember these truths and take them into your heart.
Meet author Susan Diane
Johnson on Everyone’s Story. (Tweet
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Win Susan Diane Johnson’s
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Susan Diane Johnson: you too can be blessed with
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Author Bio:
True North is Suzie Johnson’s second novel. Her first novel, No Substitute, a contemporary
inspirational novel, is out now from White Rose Press of The Pelican Book
Group. She is a regular contributor to the Inkwell Inspirations blog,
a member of ACFW, RWA, and is the cancer registrar at her local hospital. Suzie
and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest with their naughty little cat on
an island that is definitely not tropical. Together, they are the parents of a
wonderful grown son who makes them proud every day – even though he lives way
too far away.
You can visit Suzie at the
following places:
