Shook Chris - Beauty Begins: Making Peace with Your Reflection

Praise for

Beauty Begins

In Beauty Begins, Chris Shook and Megan Shook Alpha have written a vibrant, heartwarming book for women of all ages who live out the universal struggle to see themselves as beautiful. Through their personal stories, biblical insight, and practical wisdom, this mother-daughter duo gives us down-to-earth advice on how to see ourselves clearly through Gods eyes of acceptance and love. I cant wait to share it with my granddaughters!

K AY W ARREN , cofounder of Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick; international speaker; and best-selling author of Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isnt Enough

In an age of superficial beauty and supermodel icons, our friends Chris and Megan offer a Christ-centered alternative that begins with the heart of God. Heres a wise and wonderful guide to where true beauty beginsand to the confidence and contentment that come from it.

L EE AND L ESLIE S TROBEL , authors of Surviving a Spiritual Mismatch in Marriage

True beauty begins when you make peace with your reflection. Thats why Chris Shook and her daughter, Megan, have taken the risk to talk about a topic that is often difficult for women to discussself-image. The result is an invitation for ladies of all ages to join this conversation.

P ASTOR S TEVEN AND H OLLY F URTICK , cofounders of Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC

Beauty in the eyes of the world is distorted. In Beauty Begins, Chris Shook and her daughter, Megan, point women of all ages to the source of true beauty: the heart of God. They reveal that Gods heart is for women to be full of beauty, full of joy, full of peace. Let Chris and Megan clear your vision and teach you the truth of who God made you to be.

M ATTHEW B ARNETT , cofounder of the Dream Center and author of Gods Dream for You

B EAUTY B EGINS

P UBLISHED BY W ATER B ROOK P RESS

12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

This book is not intended to replace the medical advice of a trained medical professional. Readers are advised to consult a physician or other qualified health-care professional regarding treatment of their medical problems. The author and publisher specifically disclaim liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use or application of any of the contents of this book.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ( ESV ) are taken from the ESV Bible (the Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( KJV ) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked ( TLB ) are taken from The Living Bible copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( MSG ) are taken from the Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Scripture quotations marked ( NASB ) are taken from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). Scripture quotations marked ( NI r V ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Readers Version. NIrV. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ( NKJV ) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ( NLT ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hardcover ISBN9781601427298

eBook ISBN9781601427311

Copyright 2016 by Chris Shook and Megan Shook

Cover design by Shane Caskey

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

W ATER B ROOK and its deer colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Shook, Chris, author. | Shook Alpha, Megan, author.

Title: Beauty begins : making peace with your reflection / Chris Shook and Megan Shook Alpha.

Description: First edition. | Colorado Springs, Colorado : WaterBrook Press, [2016] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015043075 (print) | LCCN 2015044591 (ebook) | ISBN 9781601427298 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781601427311 (electronic)

Subjects: LCSH: Christian womenReligious life. | Mothers and daughtersReligious aspectsChristianity. | Self-perceptionReligious aspectsChristianity. | Beauty, PersonalReligious aspectsChristianity.

Classification: LCC BV4527 .S434 2016 (print) | LCC BV4527 (ebook) | DDC 248.8/43dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015043075

v4.1

a

This book is dedicated to all the women who

encourage us when we stumble, cheer for us

when we succeed, and challenge us when we get

too comfortable. We love doing life with you!

Nancy. Lisa. Sarah. Kelli. Shelley. Mary. Alice.

Annette. Cassi. Janet. Emily. Sandy. Molly.

Kathy. Allison. Eileen. Abby. Karen. Edie. Brandi.

Brittany. Tammy. Jen. Susan. Heather. Pattie.

Jackie. Rainey. Chaundel. Alex. Sue. Haley.

Hazel. Paige. Caroline. Bindu. Jodi. Vivi-Anne.

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