a fierce kind of beauty

God has been stirring my heart lately in regards to beauty. Beauty is a quality that I think every woman hopes to posses and simultaneously chases after if they feel they lack it. The search for beauty can be dangerous, but it can also be a wonderful adventure if true beauty is discovered.
I am in an incredibly blessed season of my life right now. I live with two beautiful woman who love the Lord and love people with astounding depth. I am surrounded by women in my life who demonstrate beauty to me. I am also dating a man who makes it a priority to tell me I am beautiful and to articulate why I am beautiful, what he is attracted to in me and how he sees me grow, refine my faith and strengthen my character.
Woman are strong. It is in our very creation that this truth stands. It's evident in science that woman are strong: we have the potential to grow life within us and we have been created to emotionally love our children, and others, with a love so furious that we would lay down our lives. That is strength. It is due to this reality that over the years I have found comfort in knowing that my tears are a sign of strength. Tears are proof that things have really hit my heart and caused a reaction that is authentic. I have learnt that passion is beautiful. I have learnt to celebrate strong bodies and a mindset that seeks to strengthen thighs and grow biceps in order that I can do more, be more and live more. I am no longer seeking to be skinny, or to not confess that somedays I really NEED to eat four entire meals before noon....I am hungry and food can build strength when used well.
I have been, and will forever more be, on a journey of self discovery. Lately my conversations over coffee with friends has been about identity, dreams and truth. I am reminded that I hate to fail, I can be stubborn, and I am not always willing to be vulnerable. I have also been reminded though that even before I have done anything, I am worthy. God made me. God made me. He made me in love and gave me a purpose. He placed in me a fierce kind of beauty that will pursue my dreams, seek purpose in life and love extravagantly. I borrow the term a fierce kind of beauty from Bobbie Houston who taught on the subject at a Hillsong conference back in 2009. I have, ever since, been captivated by the idea that beauty is strong and it is fierce. A fierce kind of beauty is one that reaches far beyond body types, hair colour, designer purses or successful careers. A fierce kind of beauty is servant hearted, humble, unrelenting in love and fiercely obedient to God's heart that says life is the greatest adventure you will ever have and I have the best plan for you and this time on earth, so just follow me.