And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That’s burning up inside…
Sara Groves, “Add to the Beauty”
I have two daughters, tiny sparkly beauties both. One with dark eyes and a sweet smile and curly pigtails, the other with golden hair feathery straight and eyes blue as the sea. They both light up a room the same way they light up my heart.
When I had my first daughter in the sterile glow of the delivery room, I heard my husband softly say, “It’s a girl. A girl.” We didn’t know before that moment if the baby I’d birth would be a girl or a boy, and in that single second when she was placed on my chest, I breathed deep with both joy and panic.
How do I mother a girl? was the question that burned. At her birth I had a two-year-old rough and tumble, sweet and tender, adventurous boy at home. I was comfortable with being a boy mom. But mothering a girl?
How do you pass along generations of unspoken truth, ancient knowledge stored only in soulful eyes and brief nods, knowing smiles and a soft pat on the knee? How do you hand down beauty and passion, drive and ambition, solemnity and care-taking, the feeling of being more than and not enough all at once?
How do I explain to my daughters that women can be the very encouragement that carries us to another day, and women can also be the destroyer of our self-worth?
How do I help my girls see and seek their own deep-seeded beauty when I’m still looking for mine?
Three years and as many kids later, my heart has relaxed as much as our rules. I still worry, but no longer do I panic when thinking about how to teach my daughters what it is to be a woman, because it comes down to this:
. . . This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful . . .
We are invited, each of us, to be beautiful. To see and seek beauty in our everyday, in each other. Our charge is not how to become more beautiful, but to ask instead: how can I add to the beauty?
- Does this action I’m considering taking add to the beauty of this moment, of this relationship?
- Does this conversation with a friend add to the beauty of her heart?
- Will this Facebook post add to the beauty of my life and the lives of others, or is it just filler?
I’m tired of filler. I’m ready to seek beauty.
I want my daughters to grow up on grace-filled beauty, the kind that has been handed down for generations and through friendships, in every casserole dish brought, tissues slid across church pews and movie theater seats, friendships forged and hearts spurred onto good. I want my daughters to feel beautiful not because of their long eyelashes and silky skin and corkscrew curls, but because of the One who placed beauty deep within their souls — as He did long ago in the Garden. Eves’ story is also ours.
As beauty was lavishly poured like perfume from an alabaster jar, it’s ours, this invitation to be beautiful. It’s offered straight from the One who created beauty itself, and we can extend it to one another. And that invitation is the glory of grace, of Beauty with a capital B. That invitation is mothering, is friendship, is healing and vulnerable and faithfilled.
Together, we can be the beautiful feet that bear good news. Together, we can tell a better, more beautiful story.
Leave a Comment
Anna,
First of all, your daughters are absolutely adorable!! They have their momma’s smile 🙂 I love how you focus on teaching your daughters not so much about “being beautiful” – that’s the world’s way. Instead you focus on how you “bring beauty” into every conversation, every relationship, into another’s heart. As women, may we not all be so focused on the best wrinkle cream, but how to nurture our inner beauty (which comes with a deep relationship with God) and then focus on how we can bring that beauty into the world around us. No other word—-beautiful post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Thank you Bev!
Anna, I’m echoing Bev here, but it’s so true that we need truth like this to fill up the word “beautiful” with a right meaning that fosters healthy hearts and appreciation for God’s workmanship in all its variety.
Thank you for including the pictures of your girls in this post!
We need reminders of our worth and beauty, don’t we? Thanks, Michele!
Anna,
I am getting ready to start a blog series on beauty and your words add to the meaning of things I have not yet even begun to ponder. When I was in deep grief, Jesus met me in places of beauty. Sometimes places with words were too much, but in beauty I found Him. Beauty in creation. Beauty in his created ones. Thank you for your words. I want to extend this beauty.
Be sure to let us know about that blog. I can tell you where I link up.
Wow – what a challenging post for my heart this morning! I love your bulleted questions regarding how to add beauty. I think it’s safe to say there may be a social media post or two I could pause before typing – and maybe not type at all. Like you, I’ve had enough “filler” and am ready to be part of the solution. Thank you for this post; blessings to you and your family today.
Thanks so much, Vicki.
Wow, Anna, this post came just on time. I was struggling with the decision of whether to go to an older lady’s house or not today. Then I read “Does this action I’m considering taking add to the beauty of this moment, of this relationship?” and I’m forced to say yes, even though it’s hard to see the “beauty of this moment”… The Lord just used you to answer my questions of whether it’s worth it to continue this service for Him when I feel it’s no use!! Thank you for letting Him! You’re a blessing!
Mary, I love that the Lord encouraged your heart through Anna’s post. There is such beauty in just showing up with our gift of presence. I’m sure what feels useless to you is not in this woman’s heart. Blessings to you as you serve and bring beauty to those the Lord puts in your path.
Mary, I’m so glad you received confirmation on this day. How was the visit??
It was good, thank you! What I find is that every time I go and give some of my time to her, it leaves me very happy! Just like the Lord says: it is more blessed to give than to recieve!!
Thank you very much for your interest! It’s a big encouragement 🙂 !
“you are invited to be beautiful” is a powerful set of words.
Thank you so very much!!!! I will say it to myself and others.
“Together, we can be the beautiful feet that bear good news. Together, we can tell a better, more beautiful story.” Amen!! And I have to say, your daughters are absolutely adorable! Blessings to you all. 🙂
Anna, you’ve got it! This is exactly the beauty that God is talking about. The world thinks it is all on the outside and strives to “get it”. True beauty comes from the heart, and you and your children have that beauty, it spills out from your hearts and shows in your eyes and smiles. I too have been blessed with a beautiful 24 year old daughter and I am seeing her inner beauty coming out and my heart soars. God has also blessed me with many sisters in Christ, who support me with their love and encouragement. They are truly beautiful women of God. This is how it is supposed to be and not like the women of the world see things as a competition between us. Our faith and strength that come only from following Christ will be evident to all who come into our lives.
Love hearing from the moms who are ahead of me, offering hope and experience! Thanks, Terese.
Love Sara Groves–a fellow Minnesota “girl”! 🙂
Thank you for this great reminder today.
And your girls are absolutely adorable!!!
Woohoo go MN gals! 🙂
Anna,
You have two adorable little girls. The pictures are gorgeous. 🙂 It is so important to teach Biblical truth about beauty. The world says be skinny, right hair style, perfect make up, no wrinkles, etc. God says to look on the inside-where the heart is. His idea of beauty is making casseroles, feeding hungry people, praying & encouraging others. Let them know how to treat others & to always love no matter the situation. They will encounter all kinds of hype in this world about what is beautiful. We need to protect our young women from this worldly view.
Blessings 🙂
Anna ,
Your daughters are adorable and beautiful like their Moma !
Although my Daughter is 25 now, I continue to remind her of the beauty in many things , and at times she is the one reminding me of the beauty we find in every day moments ! Great positive and powerful devotional to start off a new week !
Well said, Anna. We do need to guard against the world’s shallow view of beauty. A few years ago a friend sent me this quote about true beauty: “A beautiful woman uses her lips for truth, her voice for kindness, her ears for compassion, her hands for charity, and her heart for love.” That’s the kind of beauty we can all aspire to, no matter our age. It also generates more beauty in the world around us as others are impacted. Indeed, let’s add to the beauty!
Wow Nancy, I love that beautiful quote from your friend – thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome, Debra. So glad you found the quote meaningful!
What a beautiful quote, Nancy! Love that it’s kind of a synopsis/summary of Proverbs 31 woman. I’ll be tucking that into my heart.
You’re right, Anna–that quote does summarize many qualities of the Proverbs 31 woman. Hadn’t thought of that!
Thank you Anna for this beautiful offering this morning – your 2 beautiful daughters are so blessed to have such a beautiful mother – 1 Peter 3:3-4 reminds us – “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfailing beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great with in God’s sight” – beauty on the inside – the kind of beauty that lasts forever – blessings from my tender heart to all of yours xo
That should have read unfading instead of unfailing – darn auto correct lol
Yes, what a beautiful verse that is! Thank you for your kind words, Debra.
Thank you so much for this lovely post! Absolutely beautiful.:)
Thanks for your kind words, Jennifer. So glad you’re here!
When you sow His beauty in at a young age, it shows. Your daughters are lovely.
Anna, thank you! This is beautiful. I so often forget that I am a beautiful beloved child of God. I want this for myself, for all the women in my life. You, my friend, are beautiful!
Yes – for all the women indeed! Love you so, friend.
I love these beautiful words! I am the mother of two sons and I have no idea what I would have done if I had a girl. You ask some very good questions but then point us in the right direction.
This really spoke to me —> How do I explain to my daughters that women can be the very encouragement that carries us to another day, and women can also be the destroyer of our self-worth?
Left to my own devices I can easily be a destroyer of self-worth. I am grateful for the gift of God’s love and truth in my life.
What a gift that is indeed. Thanks for your sweet insight, Mary.
Appreciate you words of advice and encouragement as we make decisions. Will this (whatever) add to the Beauty? There is so much ugliness and hate in the world, I want to add to the Beauty and see it everyday.
Adorable little girls!
Blessings.
How can I add to the beauty? Such a simple yet profound and powerful question, Anna. Thank you so much for asking it of yourself and inviting us all to ask it too. This post put a smile on my face and is stirring my heart today. Much love to you, beautiful friend.
We write what we need to hear, yeah? Thank you Becky. xoxo, you.