Buried within the many, beautiful boards on my Pinterest profile was a board I had titled “The Body”. This was the secret place that every ab challenge, squat challenge, diet idea, detox water recipe, “get fit” reads and more lived. It was the place where I kept “inspiration images” for my “someday” body. It was the place that I went to when a big event was coming up and I needed to lose the mom-pooch in 4 days flat. It was the place I went to when I ate one too many croissants while in Paris last summer and my jeans were a bit snug when I came home. It was the place I went to when I was feeling insecure in my marriage years ago and was searching for a way to fix it. I told myself it was the place I went to when I wanted to get healthy. In reality, it was the place I went to when I was feeling like I wasn’t beautiful enough, thin enough, muscular enough…the list goes on.

Last week, I deleted it, and here’s why…

I am worthy of love no matter what I look like. 

This body has carried and delivered 3 beautiful, healthy babies.

This body has loved my husband well for over 14 years.

This body can laugh until it cries.

This body can photograph an 8-10 hour wedding, and then finish the weekend by taking care of her family.

This body can stand on a stage and lead worship in front of thousands. It can also stand in the dark and sing in the shower when no one is looking.

This body has rocked sick Littles through sleepless nights.

This body has sobbed through unimaginable hurt and still gotten up to face the day.

This body adventures to new places and tries new things and the list goes on and on and on and on…

This body can do and accomplish immeasurably more than I give it credit for. 

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Your body can do incredible things. You don’t need a secret board that you tell yourself is healthy. If that board, if those pins were truly healthy for you, why would you keep it a secret? I kept it a secret because it wasn’t a positive place for me and somewhere deep inside, I knew it.

Today, I’m giving you permission to DELETE YOUR BODY BOARD, to walk a little lighter, to carry your head a little higher. You have a beautiful body. God gave it to you. Treat it well, use it wisely. Celebrate with it when celebration is called for. Eat well when you can and splurge when you need a treat. Rest when you need it. These rules, these diets, these regulations and labels are too much for me and I have a feeling they’re too much for you, too.

Your value is not found in what you look like and you deserve to be loved. Perhaps this is just a reminder to the perfectionist in me, but I’m here to share it with you too, friend.