As most of you probably know, I am a huge fan of Jill Savage’s book No More Perfect Moms. And for this month’s Hearts at Home Blog Hop, we are applying the concept of that book to our bodies and talking about no more perfect bodies.
Our ideals of “perfect” are around us daily– celebrities, pins on exercise and dieting, and advertisements for plastic surgery. The pressure to be perfect is everywhere. Articles on how to get your body back after having a baby, how to make your hair grow longer, how to get abs–it’s all within reach for us!
Am I thin enough? Tan enough? Are my teeth white enough? Am I fit enough?
But the Bible tells us this:
Genesis 1:27– So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
We are created in His image, so He thinks we are perfect no matter what! And though we don’t see our bodies as perfect, He does.
I gained almost 30 pounds while pregnant with Brayden, and lost the first 20 very quickly. But then anxiety set in, and laziness from being an exhausted new mom, and I was just eating whatever I could get my hands on. Those last 10 pounds turned into about 20, and right about the time I got pregnant with Kenley, I was at my heaviest non-pregnant weight.
And I hated it.
Being pregnant with Kenley was rough, because I was sick the entire pregnancy, only gaining 9 pounds while I was pregnant. Crazy, right? So after gaining that and dropping 25 pounds right off the bat, I felt great. Like the old me. I have been able to keep most of that off.
But I am worth more than that. I am worth more than the number on the scale. My body has grown and birthed two beautiful, healthy children. My stretch marks are a reminder of the moment of sheer love and joy as we welcomed each baby into our family. I need to be content with the body I have been given.
I don’t think that living an active lifestyle or having fitness goals is a bad thing, though. God wants us to use our bodies as a temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6). But He is more concerned with our spiritual health–that’s what is important! And I am terrible at that- I hate working out, I never find the time, and that in itself is an entirely different struggle– but I can make time to make my body a priority, and be thankful for it.
I challenge you today to thank God for your body, because HE thinks you are perfect.
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