About the Author

Jennifer is an artist living in rural Nebraska with her US Army veteran husband. She loves to create and seeks to reflect the beauty of Christ and encourage others in meaningful, beautiful ways. You can find her and see more of her art on Studio JRU.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. I LOVE THIS POST. INNER BEAUTY IS OF MORE WORTH AND TO BE DESIRED THAN SHALLOW OUTWARD BEAUTY THAT SOON FADES AWAY.

    TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY AND I AM TRULY HAPPY READING THIS, THIS POST IS FOR ME EVERYONE.
    THANKS JENNIFER.

    For women I admire their inner beauty and strength:
    “Kate Battistellli” even after her struggle with infertility after her only child, she still has a heart for God.
    I also admire the heart for God in Ginny Hanna who has a child with autism, and
    Juana Mikels who has a child blind.

    They challenge me. They are strong women.
    I admire their heart of compassion and encouragement they offer to other women. There are several women of God who have testimonies of faith, including those who have survived cancer and fatal accidents, I admire but I choose to mention a few.

    God Bless everyone.

    http://purposefulandmeaningful.blogspot.com/

  2. I once read that the billion dollar beauty industry would crash if we were more secure in ourselves. They count on our insecurity. Definitely not the Godly approach.

    Alison, I bet you will read (in)courage today, and I don’t tell you enough how much I admire your beautiful heart. So kind and compassionate, and I see your beauty being echoed in your children more and more as they get older. Love you and your beautiful heart so much!

  3. Jennifer,
    The more we spend time with God, the more we mirror His radiance…that is true beauty!! I admire the beauty of the sisters I have found here at (in)courage – the writers who share from the heart and that vulnerable place so that others may be encouraged. I am especially thankful for my sister readers who have lifted me up in prayer and taken time to share a comment that has made my day or given me strength. This is TRUE beauty!! With sincere gratitude…
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • Bev,

      I love reading your encouragement here! I come looking for it daily! You are a strong women and encourage me to keep on! 🙂

  4. I love this post. I love 1 Peter 3 standard of beauty and also
    “God beautifies the meek with salvation.” Psalm 149.4

    Right now I am really in awe of the beauty and inner strength of a sister in Christ, Bonita, from crossinthewildernessblogspot.com.
    She has been through so much and is still going through a hard trial of faith yet in her pain she pours herself out to others through her blog and radio. This is true beauty.

  5. My cousin Jennifer is a beautiful woman inside and out. If she is with you she is engaged with you supporting, building, loving, generous with her kindness and interest in our day. She has a wonderful positive spirit and an easy laugh. I love her like a sister and a friend in Christ. Thanks Jenny for being such a beautiful woman in Christ.

  6. Sounds like you and I have the same kind of hair! ha! 😉 Always great reminders but in our society today I don’t see anything changing too soon.

    Funny too, just yesterday my 15 yr. old daughter asked me, “What if Adam and Eve never ate the apple from the tree and we all walked around naked thinking it was/is the norm?”…..I kind of laughed thinking of my cellulite butt hanging out in the flesh for all …but, if I didn’t know better how interesting it would be. (personally I like to cover up a bit) It made for a fun conversation.

    • Oh goodness… what a thought that is! lol

      As long as those of us that understand inner beauty is most important to God don’t forget, I guess we have to not worry so much what the rest of society thinks. We will know better! 🙂

  7. This is so refreshing,

    Thank-you……

    I am beyond grateful to those of you here as well as the others in my life who reflect the true meaning of beauty.

    Penny

  8. Wonderful post! For me im at the age (63) where im so ok with how i look…kinda fluffy…lots of gray…wrinkley body…but thats ok…i know that God loves ALL of me how i am. Thank you Jen for always writing from your sweet heart.

  9. Sisters, I haven’t commented before but have been reading these posts for 2 weeks now and they are so encouraging. However today’s post challenged me. I am a 20yr old girl and a 3yr old Christian, and with my family and relationship issues at the moment I can’t seem to find this inner beauty in myself. Don’t get me wrong, I try to be patient and gentle and loving.. But I am not handling my current circumstance that way at all. Please pray for me as I keep trying to be the Godly woman I was made to be.

    • So happy that you have commented, April. I know showing that inner beauty can be difficult and challenging at times, I am sure we all struggle with finding it from time to time. But it is there. He created you that way. He will give you the strength you need. I will pray for you!

    • This comment was meant for you from Colleen, so I wanted to be sure you saw it, April…

      Hi April,

      OH how I remember the experience you describe as a new Christian facing challenging times! I gave my life to Christ when I was 22. I somehow expected myself to have a great Ah ha once I became a Christian and know how to handle everything. How God must smile at my silliness. I did exactly as you are doing: I cried out to others and asked for prayer support. Then, I read Phillipians 4:8…” whatever is true, whatever is good, ….dwell on these things” (my paraphrase….don’t have my Bible handy) This always reminds me that there is always beauty even in the toughest circumstances. Two other things that help me: God gives us all the blessings and grace we need for today only; the past and future belong to Him. Secondly, from Corrie Ten Boom ‘ s book, “the Hiding Place”: “There is no pit so deep that God isn’t deeper still.” May God give you all you need to walk in a Him today.

    • April,

      Prayers that God will heal the relationship issues!

      Know that it is ok to “lose it” every now and then we all do–none of us is perfect! Just pray pray and pray some more and God will work in you!

      Blessings my sister 🙂

  10. What an excellent reminder of what true beauty is all about! One of the commentators said something to the effect that “His beauty radiates from the inside out”, there is nothing more beautiful in this world than that. Have a blessed day & keep shining from the inside out!

  11. Hi April,

    OH how I remember the experience you describe as a new Christian facing challenging times! I gave my life to Christ when I was 22. I somehow expected myself to have a great Ah ha once I became a Christian and know how to handle everything. How God must smile at my silliness. I did exactly as you are doing: I cried out to others and asked for prayer support. Then, I read Phillipians 4:8…” whatever is true, whatever is good, ….dwell on these things” (my paraphrase….don’t have my Bible handy) This always reminds me that there is always beauty even in the toughest circumstances. Two other things that help me: God gives us all the blessings and grace we need for today only; the past and future belong to Him. Secondly, from Corrie Ten Boom ‘ s book, “the Hiding Place”: “There is no pit so deep that God isn’t deeper still.” May God give you all you need to walk in a Him today.

  12. Thank you for sharing this post, and for this great reminder to look for the beauty that’s inside each person…and then compliment them on it. I’m gonna do it…TODAY!

  13. Thank you Jennifer and Colleen for your support, it means a lot to know there’s people on my side 🙂 Bless you lots

  14. I am showing this to my 13 year old daughter. Her age at this time in history is so difficult. Oh, how she struggles. Oh how I pray she finds her satisfaction in her Heavenly Father.

  15. The fact that God sees me as His masterpiece is so encouraging. The world, my own mind and the enemy would suggest otherwise but I must believe the truth. Before Christmas I finished doing a study of John 13-17. In John 17 part of Jesus’ prayer was “sanctify them in truth. Thy Word is truth.”

    I am blessed by the encouraging words here and the beautiful design that says “We are God’s Masterpiece.” I cannot improve on that… I must bow in worship and praise and thank Him.

    Love & Blessings in Christ,
    Marilyn
    Anderson, SC

  16. Such an inspiring piece – both these words behind the painting and the painting! I want to say here how beautiful I think my sweet teen is – she has the gorgeous curls too, and wishes she had sleek, straight hair, but she won’t let anyone influence her in how she “ought to be”, either physically or in her spirit. She is a warrior woman, and as such doesn’t always conform to the “ideal Christian girl” culture that exists with the body of Christ – but other warriors “get” her and lavish His blessings on who she is. I admire her ability to be who God has fashioned her to be, and can’t wait to see it come into full maturity!

  17. Oh, Jennifer I knew that I loved your beautiful heart! Thank you so much for sharing this. SO blessed by YOU!

  18. Thank You for this timely reminder. I recently walked past my large closet mirrored doors and glanced back…whoa! I looked at the woman standing there who was now carrying 20 more pounds of grief…grief from a broken marriage, from betrayal, from abandonment. I cried! I sat feeling insecure, ashamed and less than beautiful. Hearing the insults and reminders from the enemy ” you weren’t enough, that’s why he cheated ” racing through my head, I cried out ” Father, I’m your girl. Love on me. Show me your heart for me again” and within a moment I heard Him say ” your value and worth is not determined by anyone in this world. I call you mine, my Chosen one, my daughter in whom I delight!” That’s truth…we need to stay in that truth because it sets us free. Free from lies spoken and believed…free from the pull on us from this worlds standards of value and beauty and worth which is shallow, empty. Thank you for speaking truth that we may grow up in all aspects of Him…the one who knows true beauty because He created it.

  19. My friend, Kirsten, who battles regular migraines but you’d never know it. She wakes up each day to serve and teach her 4 children and support her busy husband.

    God’s called their family to influence the world for Him and she accepts that call without grumbling, complaining or even speaking of the difficulties it brings to her life. She carries her cross because she loves Jesus and trusts Him for all she needs. Her life encourages me to model, and makes me desire, that quiet spirit she so beautifully embodies.

    Thank you Kirsten, you are beautiful. And thank you Jennifer for such a refreshing place to paint our own magazine covers!!!

  20. Cynthia
    As I read your words I so identified. I have been hurt in the same areas. It seems it’s so easy to heAr Satans voice speaking those ugly lies but unlike you I have not heard God speak to me. I pray and pray but he is silent. Thank you for your writing. It helps to know someone else has been where I am. Please pray for me.

    • I echo Cynthia’s words… He is right by your side. Trust that He is by your side. We do not know His ways, we may not understand how He is working in our life, but He is! You are never alone. Praying for you, Mary.

  21. Oh Mary, dear sister. I wish I could wrap my arms around you right now. I am so sorry for your pain. It is pain like no other But know this…God is right by your side because that’s who He is and what He promised…”He is near to the broken-hearted”. Sometimes, He just calls us to trust! Even when we can’t hear Him, it doesn’t change what He has already spoken and those same words He spoke to me, well they are for you as well…” I call you mine, my chosen one, my daughter in whom in delight.” He shows no partiality or favoritism. So in the silence, choose to snuggle up to Him. He promises rest for our weary broken hearts.

    I would also like to share that the greatest battle for me has been in my mind. The enemy loves to torment us with vain imaginations, especially when we have been betrayed but stay strong Sister and ‘ take every thought captive’ and let the Peace of God rule and reign in your heart and mind. You are not Alone…You are Loved!

  22. What a fablous reminder Jennifer! Thanks for sharing. I saw so much inner beauty in God’s people yesterday. I just spent 10 minutes typing out the story only to find when I went back to edit a few words it mostly disappeared. I won’t take the time to share all the details again but just know that he displayed his beauty in his provision for me yesterday when my car died at the front of the car line at my boy’s school. People were helpful, kind and patient. My battery was reserrected long encouge to make it to the auto shop to get another one. He is faithful! Right down to your car’s battery!

  23. Jennifer,

    What an excellent reminder of what true beauty is! We as Christians need to be reminded all the time that society has it backwards. I look at the true person. How they handle themselves in situations.

    Kathy Thomason, my pastor’s wife, is truly beautiful. Even when battling breast cancer she would still come to church dressed nicely and talk to everyone. She encourages us all the time!

    Jeanne Krekelberg, RN coworker, is another example of true beauty. She is always praying before meals and talks good of people no matter what she is going through. She will encourage people. Work would be tough without her!

    Blessings 🙂

  24. Thank You Jenn…Beauty out of ashes! That is my desire for myself and the precious Sisters God places in my life. We all need each other…Love your heart!