So, when I go to the store, that’s my store body.  When I go to the park, that’s my park body. When I go to the beach, that’s my beach body. 

I say this teasingly as I think the “getting a beach body” message is silly. When you take your body to the beach, it’s your beach body! That’s it. But oh, how easily I find myself falling into the lies of Satan that only certain people with certain body types belong on the beach. I want to laugh it off, but the reality is that a lot of my self-worth is wrapped up in how I look physically. 

My body image issues started young. As a 10 year old, I made a “get fit” plan that was really cute and harmless, but it demonstrates that at a young age I had internalized that there were rules about foods and exercise. I wasn’t meeting the standard and needed a plan to “get back on track.” 

Fast forward to high school when wanting to lose a few pounds for high school turned into a full-blown eating disorder that took multiple years to recover from, and I am still in many ways still in recovery today. 

Now I find myself, for various reasons, unsatisfied with how I look. And it’s hard. Can anyone else relate? I look in the mirror and Satan has a field day with my thoughts. I know they are lies, but it can be so hard to fight back and before long I’m believing the lies more than I am the Truth. And nothing brings on the body image issues more than bathing suit season! 

So I just wanted to take a minute to acknowledge the challenge of all of this. If this is hard for you too, I see you and I struggle beside you. But I also wanted to put some verses of encouragement here so that you can be ready to battle against Satan. Some will be very familiar, but I encourage you to pray and meditate on them. God might just show you something new! 

With God’s help we can be victorious–in our thoughts and in our confidence–rocking a bathing suit on the beach in our beach body! 

• “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

• “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

• “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

• “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

• “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

• “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

ABOUT OUR BLOGGER 

Danielle (Dani) Rupp grew up in a small town in Ohio and is a true Buckeye fan, though she tries not to be obnoxious about it. In 2011 she came to PA to earn her Master of Social Work degree. After graduation Dani accepted a position as a mental health therapist for children and adolescents in Coatesville. She was a nanny for several years as well. During that time she lived in Kennett Square and attended Willowdale Chapel. She returned several years ago from South Asia where she learned to tolerate spicy food and cross the roads without being hit, as well as volunteered with International Justice Mission in their Aftercare Department. In her free time, Dani enjoys going on mission trips/traveling,  running, reading, and connecting with loved ones—preferably over coffee and a sweet treat.