Making peace with our bodies (continued)
by the Rev. Laura Gentry
 

Admittedly, this is easier said than done. In a society where 80 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies, it is truly a revolutionary act to love our bodies as they are. Yet it is an act that we as women of faith must endeavor to accomplish. Here are a few suggestions for how to begin. I hope you’ll add your own by submitting them to the Tip Jar.

• affirmations
We have several conversations with ourselves every day. What we say to ourselves has more impact than what anyone else says to us, purely because we’re the ones doing most of the talking. Reciting affirmations is way of being intentional with our positive self talk. Write down a list of wonderful things about your body and yourself, such as “I am healthy and strong” or “I love my body — it is totally unique” and say them aloud each day. Eventually your negative self talk can be silenced as you create new, healthier habits.

• to positive body talk with others
Next time another woman complains about some part of her body, resist the temptation to join in with a complaint of your own, and I definitely don’t recommend donning your bathing suit to demonstrate your “imperfections.” Instead, commit to affirming her and yourself. This may come us a shock to your friends, but eventually they’ll find it refreshing. Perhaps you can create new bonding rituals that don’t involve criticism.

• media exposure and analyze it critically.
Countless studies have linked media exposure and lower self-esteem. Limiting our intake is important, but unless we live a secluded life, we cannot avoid the media altogether. We must learn to be critical consumers, carefully monitoring what we accept and what we reject.

• to Scripture
Nowhere in Scripture does it say that we ought to look like supermodels. The Bible affirms us as whole people — body, mind, and spirit — called to use all that we are to do God’s will. Our appearance not a vital issue to God. As we seek to make peace with our bodies, let’s invite Scripture to focus us on the things that truly matter.

Christians have always been countercultural. It’s time that we use this heritage in matters of body image and self-esteem. Let’s reject our culture's norms of beauty that we may embrace our true beauty as daughters of God.

The Rev. Laura Gentry is serving in two ELCA congregations in northeast Iowa. She is the creator of “Seen but Rarely Heard: Voices of Adolescent Girls," a traveling art exhibit of life-size paintings that explore the inner lives of teen girls. Laura and her husband, William, have just released their debut book, Living Word. For more information, visit www.thegentryjoint.com.

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When I was a child, someone gave me a bookmark from the Christian bookstore. On it was my name, its meaning, and a Bible verse. Laura, it explained, comes from the word laurel, which refers to the garland of foliage used by the ancient Greeks to crown victors in the Pythian games. And it quoted this verse from Isaiah, which instantly became one of my favorite biblical passages.

Thinking of myself as God’s crown of beauty has inspired me ever since. The power of this Scripture is that it urges us to think of ourselves as whole people whose value and beauty come from our connection to God. How different this is from our culture, which rarely identifies beauty by anything other than externals.

God’s word, indeed, gives us a countercultural view of ourselves, which I believe is essential for us to dwell upon as we seek to make peace with our bodies and live as God’s beloved daughters.
 

The models pictured in this issue answered a specific question about beauty. Visit Coffee Talk and answer it for yourself.