Jennifer Strickland - More Beautiful Than You Know. Celebrating the Young Woman God Created You to Be

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Cover by Left Coast Design, Portland, Oregon

Cover photo Aleshyn_Andrei / Shutterstock

Backcover author photo by Natasha Brown Photography (www.natashabrownphoto.com).

Published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., www.wordserveliterary.com.

MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN YOU KNOW

Copyright 2014 Jennifer Strickland Ministries, Inc.

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Strickland, Jennifer.

More Beautiful Than You Know / Jennifer Strickland.

pages cm

Rev. ed. of: Beautiful lies. 2013.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7369-5632-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-5633-8 (eBook)

1. Young womenReligious life. 2. Self-esteem in womenReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.

BV4551.3.S768 2014

248.843dc23

2013043584

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For Caris and April, who have held these hands high.

My life story sculpted the message you hold in your hands. There are many precious people who had a hand in shaping this book. But first of all, God showed this message to me and I owe him the deepest gratitude. It transformed the way I saw myself and gave me the fuel to help young women see themselves with new eyes.

My husband, Shane, launched this message and continues to carry it by supporting my ministry of speaking and writing, and he never complains about the sacrifices he makes so I can be a voice to women. His parents, Larry and Linda, have devoted matchless time, energy, and love for this work to be born. Our children, Olivia, Zachary, and Samuel, have shaped this message by humbling me time and again and showing me the real meaning of beauty, which always begins at home. My parents, George and Jan, have weathered the storms that have resulted in the rainbow of these pages. And my dedicated team, Caris Leidner, April Cousens, Faith Stansky, Rachel Dee Turner, Jan Alexander, Megan Carter, and Alaina McLemore, have made this possible through prayer, perseverance, and lots of patience with me. Each person listed here should take pride and partnership in this message; it is just as much theirs as it is mine.

This book is for the young woman, and there are many who shaped it without knowing I was thinking about them. Thank you to Rashelle, Brittany, Britt, Caroline, Carissa, and Katie: As I wrote, I imagined you in the season I knew you best, when you were young and wrestling to find your place in the world.

Thank you to the women whose life experience I have drawn upon: Devi Titus, Tracy Levinson, Gayle Novak, Val Christner, Polly Wright, Kaylie Biggs, and Leah Springer. A huge round of applause also goes to Casey Norr, Erin Hamway, Liz Winter, and many more who sacrificed a lot of carpool time so this momma could write.

Finally, to the team at Harvest House, especially Bob Hawkins, Jr., Larae Weikert, and the lovely and brilliant Kathleen Kerr, as well as my faithful agent Greg Johnson: Thank you! You made my dream possible. You believed this message was for the mothers and the daughters. Through More Beautiful Than You Know , you have linked the generations. Hallelujah!

Contents

The worlds mirrors are ever changing, but there is One who always tells the truth.

I used to think a prince was the answer to everything, but now I see even a prince needs a king.

In Search of a Prince

E ach young woman is priceless in her unique way, whether she knows it or not. But right now they all look awkward: their dresses are too tight, too revealing, or too impractical; their makeup comes on too strong, their hair is too fancy and it makes me wish I could see them as they truly are. But at the moment they stand stiffly in rows, lined up as if in a pageant. They all wear their bravest faces. After all, they did choose to play this game. Its a game, strangely, that opens up their many hearts to one man, and to the millions who are watching.

As the Bachelor steps up to the plate, the women catch their breath in unison. The prince has arrived, and with him is a silver tray lined with red roses. Those to whom a rose is offered can stay and play the game to win his heart; those who do not receive a rose are out. As he presents the roses one by one to his selected contenders, the women begin to squirm. Whos next? Will he pick me? Will I be last? Does he see my heart? Does he like her more? Does he adore me the way I adore him?

When a woman receives a rose, she lights up: She is hereby declared beautiful. She is called lovable and accepted, and receives the applause. When a woman does not receive a rose, far more often than not, she departs in tears. She usually asks, What is wrong with me? Why couldnt he see the beauty I have within?

When I see these young women filled with potential, so hungry for that one mans affirmation, longing to receive the red rose that symbolizes their value, I cant help but see their humanity. Maybe I should laugh at them, at how silly this all is. But I know something that makes me care too much: Inside, we are the same.

None of us need to stand in line to be told we are beautiful or lovable. Men are just men, not mirrors.

Maybe Im wrecked for shows like this because they too closely resemble my experience as a model. One man (a photographer or client) and a roomful of girls, all vying for his nodthis was the entire setup of my career.

I want to jump through the TV screen and shake these young women and tell them, His approval or disapproval says nothing about you! His desire for you, or lack thereof, doesnt make you worthy of love, or beautiful, or not! Your value is not wrapped up in him!

But I cant jump through the TV screen. Instead, Ill tell you this truth: Man is not your mirror, and if you make him one, you may see a twisted vision of yourself.

What is it about the fairy tales that makes them such a beautiful lie?