Beauty

Let me tell you what beauty is, it’s not what you see on television, it’s not found in the magazines or on the clothes rack at the trendiest store in town.  Real beauty is not defined by what many people see on the outside for we are a shallow people and rarely do we look deeper than paper thin. We   take a glance, perhaps but a moment, but do we wonder what lies beneath, what story holds beneath the surface? For if we did then we would discover where true beauty lies within the hearts of women who have endured much suffering and hardship and even trauma. Commercials won’t tell you the real story; they don’t give a clear picture of the years she sought to be perfect, to have it all together. They don’t tell you a story ofthe abuse she endured silently waiting to be rescued, how she raised her children on her own while the man she thought she was going to marry went onto the next woman. If you looked in her eyes, you would see a story of resiliency,of courage and bravery. How she hoped for a better day, longed to be loved unconditionally and fought for a voice when she had none. When you sit down and allow her to speak, she will share of a childhood of being passed from one foster home to another, never knowing the love of parents to nurture and guide her. She will tell you of watching her mom feed her addiction to alcohol while inwardly starving for affection and love. She will tell you how she had to raise herself and take care of her siblings because no one else would. She will tell you of watching a friend struggle with anorexia and being a support, while inwardly her heart sank as she watched the battle take over. She will tell you of the journey of medical appointments, chemo and of the grief of losing her breast to cancer.  She will tell you of lost relationships, friendships she once had but grew distance over time as the busyness of life took over. Her eyes speak of a deep sorrow of the loss of her mother- the greatest confident of all- who had her back no matter what she was going through and loved upon her the way her heart so longed to be loved. She will share with you the tragedy of loving and raising her child only to be killed by a drunk driver. She will tell you of being treated as property, her body a commodity rather than being recognized for her true beauty within. This is bravery,strength, and beauty- this is incredible resiliency to push through circumstances no matter what comes her way .For beauty is found deep within,and it resonates deeply to the core of each soul- where love overcomes the pain of the past, where bitterness is given up in exchange for forgiveness and love.But, here I share the greatest beauty of all, the eyes of the One who has beheld each sorrow, each tear that soaked her pillow at night. Who saw her in her anguish and wept. His eyes brimming with tears, as He took upon each injustice she experienced, every hurtful word thrown at her that she was ever accused of. For He is a man acquainted with sorrows, rejected and despised by many. Pierced for the burdens and sorrows of all- upon His shoulders He took her broken and wounded heart and carried to the hill of Calvary. Each step he wept, compassion leading him forward as He knew thatFREEDOM awaited her soul that her sorrow would be renewed and joy would be hers. He pushed through the rejection and scorn of mankind knowing the great victory which would one day await her. As the nails pierced his hands,each blow more painful than the last His thought was ever on her.  He screamed in agony not for himself, for it was worth the pain regardless of the cost- the beams upon which He lay, and the life which He surrendered and sacrificed would lead her to the Father- who declared LIFE from the moment of her birth. Who looked upon her and saw not what the world saw but a beauty which He had given her to endure the most difficult of circumstances, to have her heart broken and still be able to hold her head high.  To walk in CONFIDENCE instead of shame and despair, and to rest in His love and to speak LIFE where only death and defeat have been spoken. To rise up in VICTORY and CHANGE A NATION for His Kingdom.

For this is true BEAUTY.

~Andrea Pastoor