I am my toughest critic...but He. He is my biggest fan. I glance at my reflection in the mirror. I stare at the image of the person that once was. My reflection shows skin that is falling, eyes that carry the weight of the dark circles and bags...extra overnight "just because" luggage. Legs that used to be lean, toned and in tip top shape. A belly that once had the most perfect belly button which sat upon the flattest of toned, tanned, flawless tummies. All while He stares down and whispers..."See ME. You are beautiful. You are perfection."


I rock my daughter tenderly in my arms. Her head resting upon my shoulder. I stroke her hair. Rub her back. Kiss her neck and breath her in. I watch her back rise and fall against me and I am in awe. This miracle of life that lies before me. The sweetness that is enveloped within a tiny. Perfect. Amazingly awesome little package. Gently my arms wrap around her as I squeeze her in closer. Closing my eyes and taking in these precious moments. I then hear His voice as He is whispering..."This is how you make ME feel, my child."


Watching my daughter as she reads to her siblings. She scrunches up her nose and her whole face turns into a grin. Her eyes sparkle as she speaks with great animation and my heart overflows with such joy, that I feel as though my heart could explode. I hear the soft whisper again..."My cup is overflowing with my love for YOU."


We wait in the car as we crank up the music and my son does his silly dance. Showing me his newest and coolest moves. We make faces at each other and we laugh hysterically. Light hearted and carefree, just my son and me. "Hear ME through the music." He whispers.


Snuggling in close, she cracks a joke. She makes a silly face and then she kisses me on the tip of my nose. She holds me tight and I hold her even tighter just as I hear Him whisper through her words "I love you to the moon and back."


God gave me the greatest gifts one can only imagine. To draw me closer to HIM. It was in this way He shows me HOW He loves me. He is all around. Omnipresent and in every detail of every moment. He is in the mundane. He is in the joy filled. He is in the daily and He is in the spur of the moments, the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants. The out of the ball park and take a left turns. Wherever I go and whatever I do MY God reminds me, that HE is always with me. That I am important and that I am the daughter of the King of Kings.


When I look into the eyes of my children, I see the reflection of God staring back at me. When I hold my bundles tight, I feel his warmth and his embrace. And when we say I love you, I hear His words shouting back "I love you more, I love you most but more importantly. I love you always."


Look past the stretch marks, upon the once perfect skin. The crows feet and the dark circles upon the once smooth and clear surfaces of your face. See the beauty that God sees and know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your lines and your marks, they tell a story. A life filled with adventures. Sporadic fearless, carefree moments. And these lines, they tell a super sappy love story about how YOU make this world a better place. You. Are. Beautiful.