You are enough

A teenager, listening to the conversation of friends around the table, hiding her face. When spoken to, she looks into inquisitive eyes and feels sorry that they had to behold her, the imperfect, messy creature that she was.

The lies hounded her day and night, from the moment that she sluggishly rose from the bed she didn't ever want to leave, until the moment that her struggling soul gave way to restless sleep.

"You are not enough."
The need to change, to be skinnier, stronger, more mature, less goofy, more silent, more talented.
Less of who she was, and more of who the lies told her she should be.

Soon the resounding lies became truth. She could no longer tell the difference between the right and wrong voices.

When she couldn't change, she curled up into a little quiet ball, stuffed herself in the corner, and assumed she was doing the world a favor.
She believed she was doing the right thing when she would go a full day without eating more than a few bites, or would rid her stomach of the injustice she served it after eating a full meal.
She believed she was doing the right thing when she subdued her joy, stuffed her wild, and silenced her voice.
What she didn't know was that not only was she was robbing her family, her friends of the person God made her to be in their lives, but she was also robbing herself of living.

One day, by God's grace, the truth awakened in her.
She determined that day to be uniquely her. Not to allow the fear of what others might think to stand in her way.
That day was a turning point in her life, and she couldn't believe her ears when she happened to be around the corner of a conversation that praised her efforts, and loved her. Not the "her" that she was trying to be, but the "her" that she was.

It was not all easy from that day forward, completely changing your mindset is no easy task. But she whittled at that mountain, one day at a time.

Now she is confident.
She is enough. Not because of who she is, but because of who God made her to be.
Beautiful. Worthy of love. Special.

If you are this young girl today, remember this.
God made you to be YOU.
You are enough.