Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer

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Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World - By: Phylicia Masonheimer

Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World

I picked this book because a friend had talked about getting it and I was curious what it was about. The title is catching and makes you wonder what the author is meaning to talk about. Well, it turns out, that that is exactly what the author wanted to address: Stop calling me beautiful.

In an age, where women strive for beauty, where we give lip service to God and tell our fellow sisters that they are beautiful and God loves them and now all their troubles should be over, Phylicia comes with a different message. She brings a message of change, but also one of lasting hope. She encourages women to move past the "pink fluff" of being beautiful in God's eyes, which while true can hide a lot of sin, and to purse lasting change, to pursue a real relationship with God.  "Being told we're beautiful in God's eyes is a surface response to a soul-deep problem. That problem is our own sinfulness."

"A worshipful heart naturally desires the things of God." Phylicia points out the need to read and study the Bible for who God is, for seeing what His Word says and then living that out through the power of the Holy Spirit. This enables us to live lives free of shame, free of worrying about what people will think, free of anxiety and panic; it allows us to live for God, bringing our brokenness to Him and letting Him make us new.  "When we live under condemnation, we naturally condemn others. But when we live under grace, we are quick to offer compassion."

This book challenged me a lot. I want to live that life of freedom in Christ, that life of freedom from shame, that life of walking in step with Jesus and listening to the Holy Spirit, that life that reflects Jesus and not others' opinions. I have much growing to do, but I was encouraged by the message that Phylicia gives to the world and I hope many people will follow her example and dig into the Word of God.

I received this book from Harvest House via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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