Kylie takes a selfie for her makeup biz

I admit, I like to take a selfie every now and again (mostly for my makeup business)! But I haven’t always loved what I see when I look at that selfie or look in the mirror. I have battled a negative self-image. I will often look at other girls in magazines and think that they look “perfect.” Their body frame, hair, makeup… everything appeared to be perfect in comparison to how I saw myself.

But what I never saw was the behind the scenes – where a whole team of people spent possibly HOURS retouching that photo to CREATE that “perfect” image for the magazine. (Much like what we have to do for our promotional photos!) THAT “perfect” girl is not real. Not even every selfie you see was taken on the spur of the moment – they are often staged, lit, and designed to get just that shot.

 
When I was baptized at my home church in Melbourne at the age of 16, I gave a brief testimony and read Psalm 139 to my entire church because it had captured my attention even then. Psalm 139:14 is one of my all-time favorite verses –

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” 

WOW! I love reading and knowing that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My self-esteem issues and insecurities often hold me back and that certainly isn’t who God created me to be. As a teenager with many insecurities, the knowledge that I was created by my God imprinted on me and continues to encourage me to this day.

God looks at us with unconditional love. After all, He created us, and He has a beautiful and wonderful plan for our lives. We were created imago dei – which is a latin phrase for Image of God. Let that sink in. YOU were created in the image of God. YOU bear His image.

Read that again.

So powerful.

While I may not have the “perfect” figure, that cute button nose, or long sculpted legs, I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made by the one and only God. I am created imago dei and so are my neighbors. I put my faith and trust in Him daily and want others to know how good our Father is.

Let me encourage you to also learn to combat the negative images of tv, and social media and realize your significance as an image bearer of God.

To learn more about Christian Magicians and Illusionists, David and Kylie Knight, check out their website here.