An article about self-confidence--to my fellow females

Self-Confidence ((To girls especially - guys, I am not writing this really for you :D))

Self-confidence means, obviously being confident in yourself. Some synonyms to the term ‘self-confident’ are: confidence, poise, assurance. Sometimes I feel ugly, fat, and dumb. I don’t know about the rest of you, but a lot of times, I struggle with my self-confidence. For us girls, especially, adding insecurity is one of Satan’s favorite ways of discouraging us and weighing us down, sucking us into the trap of worldly worries and sinful desires. It’s one of his MANY schemes to worm his way into our hearts, trying to stain the souls that have been wiped clean by his mortal enemy­—God. Regardless of our appearance, or our weight, or the size of our brains, we need to hold our heads high­—if we stand alone or if we are surrounded by friends—confident in the knowledge that God loves us for who we are inside, not what we look like, or if we have rolls of fat on our bellies or not, or if we’re struggling with a subject in school, and really have to think hard to solve a simple problem. That’s what I am trying to do—look at what the people I meet are like inside, not what they look like. And, I think every girl would agree with me, that is incredibly hard.
Today’s society is built on the base of appearances. In most places, even church, the pretty girls are popular, and the ugly girls are not. You’ll have friends if you’re pretty, you’ll have no friends if you’re not. Girls start wearing make-up at earlier and earlier ages, and why? So that they can be more beautiful, of course. My mom started wearing make-up when she was sixteen, and a girl I know is wearing cases of make-up, more than enough, at the age of ten. A few of the welcoming questions that some of my friends ask on meeting are, “How do I look?” or “Do you like my mascara?” The point I am trying to make is this—today’s society thinks that self-confidence comes from outward appearances and popularity, and, often times, how many guys have crushes on you, or if you have a phone or not. But self-confidence really comes from liking yourself. And liking yourself doesn’t mean liking the way you look, or if you have a model body, but really sincerely liking yourself. And liking yourself comes from the knowledge that God likes you. In fact, he does more than that—he loves you—for forever and a day.
So if you’re struggling with liking yourself, please know that God loves you. I know that this is tough, but remember, when you stand alone, outside the crowd of giggling girls, that God doesn’t care if you’re overweight, or dumb, or if you are the ugliest girl on the planet. Make sure that your beauty lies within—not without—and that you can always walk through the crowd with your head held high, confident in the fact that God loves you—forever—and nothing can change that—ever.

--Bekah