Hi. My name is Heather and I'm a real swimsuit model. Thick thighs, post-baby flab, deflated nursing boobs and all. Of course I'm not the kind featured in Sports Illustrated. You'll never see me in a suntan lotion ad or on a billboard holding a summer-y beverage. My...
Issues with Specific Body Parts
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: When that Doesn’t Quite Cut It
You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You've heard it. You've read it. You have it inscribed on a wall plaque. But, you still struggle with your body image. You don't tell anyone it's not helping. Especially not God! What if he gets upset that his word hasn't...
Help! I Hate How I Look in Pictures!
“Help, I hate pictures of me!” I hear it all the time. I've felt it too. Every photo presents a new opportunity to critique, scrutinize, and tear ourselves apart. It was bad enough when we had printed photos to hold up and wrinkle our noses at. But, now we can see...
My Body Changed & I Hate It: Comparison and Body Dysmorphia
I Was A Celery Stick I used to be that girl. You know, the perfectionist. The girl who acted like she had her life together, who had everything figured out. The goody two shoes rule-follower, the straight A student, the perfect little Christian girl…you name it, I’ve...
What a Trip to the Olympics Taught Me About Comparison
Watching the Olympics this Winter? Here's what a trip to the games taught me about comparison! There's a well-dressed woman who always slips into the sixth row at church. Obviously, she has it all together. Though she rushes in, she's somehow, always, right on time....
I’m Too Flat Chested
Our "Real Women. Real Stories." series continues today with Christine's story. Christine shares one of the lies she most frequently hears when she looks in the mirror. This series features the real women (not actresses!) who shared their real life body image battles...
Nose Job: The Struggle is Real
I’m ashamed of it. Ashamed of this one part of my body. I’ve been told all my life that it’s unacceptable. I have a small nose. Embarrassing, right? All my life I’ve seen women in magazines with big, bulbous noses. I know some women with small noses get plastic...
You Have Great Purpose
I looked out our second story bathroom window onto the blooming tree in our neighbor's yard. I noticed a massive number of bees swarming around it's blooms. There were so many of them I'm sure had I opened the window I would have heard the buzzing. I don't necessarily...