Beauty That Lasts
All I ever wanted was to be in magazines, earn lots of money and travel all over the world. The struggle to make ends meet was finally over. The world was my new playground – from Egypt to South Africa, Japan to Sweden, Switzerland to the Canary Islands – I was living my dream. I could wine and dine in Paris, my new home, and toast fame and fortune.
It all started with the cover of one of the top fashion magazines in Europe, Marie Claire. From there I had several opportunities to travel the globe with magazines like Elle, Fursie, German and Italian Vogue and several others. The fashion shows were all part of it. Dior, Chanel, Armani, Ungaro, Jean Paul Gaultier and François Girbaud were only a few of the names I modeled for on the runways of Paris, Milan and Tokyo.
Wearing the right thing, having the right look and trying to fit in was all part of the lifestyle. I constantly got different answers on what look was in and there was constant competition to have “the latest” in the industry. Rejection was also a big part of it. A picture that was really contemporary and accepted one month was completely shunned three or six months later. I soon learned that you’re only as hot as your latest pictures. There was no longevity in any of it.
In the fashion industry you’re always striving to keep up because there’s always someone else trying to take your place. I began living a very self-centered life. “Me”, “myself” and “I” were my three favorite words. I was consumed with my career and getting ahead. I wasn’t on the lookout to help anyone or be distracted by anyone. It was during this time in Paris that I began questioning what had happened and how I reached this point. I thought back to a crucial time in my life.
A classmate from high school had invited me to a concert at her church. I accepted because half of the teen group were boys and the church was very large, so I knew this could be fun. At the close of the concert the musician said he had some good news to tell us. I thought he was going to tell us about his first record deal or something. Instead, I learned that day that God loves me, and it’s because of that great love that He sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment for all the sin in my life. That night I thanked God for forgiving me and asked Him to come into my life and change me so that I could live for him.
But now, only a few years later, life had lost its true meaning. I had neglected my relationship with God and began to choose my own direction. I felt so empty because I was living for myself and the approval of others. I asked God to forgive me once again and invited Him back into my life. I started getting to know Him better by reading the Bible and praying, and I can honestly say that having a relationship with Christ has given me more happiness and self-esteem than living a life for myself.
There’s more to life
My relationship with God brings a real sense of balance and keeps me from being self-absorbed. I’ve been able to help many younger women who want to get into this industry. I can give them honest information and spare them a lot of heartache and wasted time. I can be a role model to them.
One of the myths of being beautiful is that with it, you can have it all. Yet some of the most beautiful women in the world are the most insecure. Beauty may bring a type of security, but it is an artificial security where you are building on something temporary that will fade. If that’s all you have and you build your life around it, it can come crashing down very easily.
Train your mind
It’s important to guard your heart and mind. Don’t read those beauty magazines if you struggle with your body image. Stay away from TV shows that flaunt everything. There are a lot of women who spend hours watching things that promote ideals that they will never come close to measuring up to. We need to focus on those things that build us up, not weigh us down with unattainable ideals.
A lot of what you see in beauty magazines and most media is airbrushed. If God didn’t make you a certain height or weight, you need to do the best with what He’s given you. Find out what you look good in and work with that.
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.
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