by Rae Lynn DeAngelis
My sister and I are very close. Even though she lives several states away, we still talk on the phone a couple of times a week.
During one of our recent conversations, she was talking about how her clothes no longer fit comfortably and she was feeling discouraged. Menopause can wreak havoc on the body! Determined to lose weight, she went on a strict diet and started exercising more regularly. After several weeks, she hadn’t lost a pound. The weight just wasn’t coming off. And, as you can imagine, she grew increasingly frustrated.
Upon hearing her growing frustration, I made a suggestion, “Why don’t you buy yourself some new clothes that fit you more comfortably?”
She had several reasons why that was a bad idea: I can’t afford to buy new clothes; I don’t have time to go shopping; That’s wasteful; I have a closet full of perfectly good clothes; I just need to lose a few pounds and they will fit again, etc.…
Sound familiar?
I’m not judging. I’ve been there too. I know how hard it is to accept change, especially when it comes to our body. (Don’t forget. I struggled with bulimia for many years. My daily battle was very much tangled up in body-image.)
But God has taught me over these fourteen years of freedom that in order to remain free, I need to set myself up for success. And wearing clothes that fit well is one of the ways that I set myself up for success. I have learned that I can feel beautiful and confident, regardless of my body size. Here are a few tips that help me embrace my current body:
- I fill my mind with truth about who God says I am every single day.
- The voice of God needs to be louder than the voice of the world.
- I thank God for the things my body is able to do.
- Help a friend, hug my family, serve in ministry, and worship God.
- I wear clothing that I feel comfortable in and helps me feel confident and beautiful.
- I love ruffles, lace, bling, and colors that make me happy.
True beauty and confidence come from within. How we feel on the inside is often displayed on the outside.
I’m reminded of a comedian who said, “Yeah, I’m on a diet… trying to get back to my original weight… 7 lbs. 4 oz.!” Of course it’s funny when we hear it said this way, but how often have we said or thought, “I just need to lose a few more pounds; then I’ll be happy?”
The truth is our body is constantly changing, from the moment of our conception and every moment thereafter. But because our culture has placed such a high value on youth, many women feel immense pressure to look a certain way: thin and tone body, smooth skin, and hair without gray.
Sweet sisters, we cannot turn back the hands of time. And to be perfectly honest, why would we want to? With age comes wisdom, experience, and more people to love. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
While we can’t control every change that takes place in our body, we can control how we will respond to that change.
If you find yourself staring at a closet of clothes that no longer fit, do yourself a favor. Figure out a way to get some clothes that fit more comfortably so you can feel more confident in the body you have right now. Even if that means going to a second hand shop. Where there is a will, there is a way!
We only get this one body and this one life. Don’t waste another minute pining over clothes that no longer fit. Dress for success and embrace life!
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25).
