True Discussions - Missi Hale

Photo credit: Melanie McGauhey www.thevelvvettrunk.com

Living with the Lies

Lies... there are so many that I have fallen into over my 26 years of life. I remember as a child looking in the mirror… I thought I looked normal, but kids were making fun of me. They said I was fat, and ugly. At a gradual pace, I believed more and more of what those kids said. I would use humor and singing to hide, but inside, my soul was crowded with the sounds of those comments. I trained my heart and soul to stuff all those emotions: confusion, resentment, humiliation and anger…

Over the years, I would go in and out of a spiraling downward circle. The moment I hit bottom was such a hard fall. Reality set in that my life was at risk, not just my health and body, but my spirit as well. It was time for God to work. He wanted me to see His truth first hand. All those voices were harsh, cold, and, of course, painful; uncalled for. I needed something more to hold on to.

Living with the Truth

While I allowed lies to control me through food and image issues, God’s truth is what began a healing in me. I now have a testimony. A Story.

There comes a point in our faith walk where we have to choose what voices we will listen to. I know that sounds cheesy, like a Sunday school lesson, but it is TRUTH! When I look in the mirror and I am having a bad make up day I have to choose not to listen to the lie that says my appearance determines my success. Or when someone close to me says something that gets under my skin, I choose not to listen to the lie that says I don’t need them in my life.

When I am reminded of the fact that I don’t look like the people in the magazines, I can also remember that I am taking care of myself, doing balanced exercises, enjoying life and the relationships that are so dear to me.

Someone who isn’t persistently seeking Gods truth, God’s gift of unconditional love, will look at the T.V. and the magazines and think, “This is normal. This diet of replacing meals with shakes and soup is worth trying. I should be able to look good in that puffy dress that really should only be bought at a maternity store, but I will buy it anyway. People should look at me and think I have it together so I will clean up as much as I can on the outside… ‘cause really that is what matters.”

Gross.

The lie isn’t the magazine… that is the just world we live in. The lie is telling yourself, “I am not good enough. I am ugly. What they say (the very few people high up in the fashion and entertainment industry) is true: if you’re blonde, you should go dark. If you’re dark, you should go blonde. Lipo is the only way, etc...”

Now I am not going to say that I don’t love makeup and fashion. What girl doesn’t? The difference is finding balance. It’s not giving in and letting these things determine your self worth.

My "TRUE" Statement:

Being the best God has called me to be is all I can do. That is being true.

Next Story: Elizabeth