Why your value is worth more than you think.

This morning, after I got the beauty sleep I needed to function -- I live streamed church. I have heard about this church through my friend, Emilee, who ironically I went to middle school with years ago. Over the course of our lives that took separate paths, we lost touch. I think the irony here is that when I started noticing the ministry, The Lovely Project, which was founded at Northwestern Orlando Community church a few years ago -- I finally had the light bulb moment. This is the ministry that God has led me to where the sole purpose is to mentor, invest in the lives of and encourage/inspire the girls in our communities. I am now praying about how God wants me to get involved as this is the ministry I wish I had when I was growing up.

Sometimes there are messages that we listen to whether they are at church, on billboards, from our friends/family, or the news even that we know we needed to hear it for our own mental health. That was how I felt this morning while live streaming, and to my surprise, the pastor speaking was Dr. Crystal Evans, who is one of the pastors at Northwestern Orlando.


Her message filled me with encouragement and hope to be perfectly honest. I have been feeling so down lately as I've been having medical issues on top of my chronic congenital issues. Part of me has been angry at God as the congenital ones I did not sign up for and the ones that have happened in the last month -- I would have never wanted to face and confront them. Now I am seeing them in a different light. God knew that I would have to deal with this heartache and He still promises to hold me tight as I keep my trust and faith in His timing.

I really thought that my the time I was thirty, I would have at least two kids. I would be in the job I love, traveling the world and making lots more money.

While not all of these dreams are true, like the being rich at 30 and having kids, I am reminded that my worth in God is not only what I wanted for me, but what He has planned for me. It's about sharing what He has done in my life, keeping my faith in Him and remembering my value. He is going to reward us by In the world we live in, we're told that our worth and value is based off our jobs, our houses and how we prosper in society.

That's not how it is valued with Jesus. He values our worth by using it to help the lives of others who find themselves in the same situation. I know that while extended family and friends wonder when kids will be brought into the picture. I thought by now that kids would be in our lives but it's more important that I wait for His perfect timing.

So understand that your value isn't what car you drive or how much you make in a year. With Jesus, it's about how you give back and love your neighbor, how you live your life to impact the lives of others for Jesus, and lastly, investing your value in ways to glorify Him. <3

I've been wanting to get back into blogging and posting but after today's message about evangelism, and what this really means to me -- I wanted to share what's been on my heart and reflect on it.  Here's hoping your week is fantastic, full of good sleep and happy in all adventures you find yourself doing.

- Jess

Your M I S T A K E S {don't have to} define YOU.

Hello. I kind of wish it was still the weekend, myself. Sunday was my one full day off and it wasn't long enough. I will not regret the 3 hour nap I took though and it was marvelous. I celebrated Super Bowl Sunday with my sistas/parents & spent most of the night watching YouTube or making videos. Haha.

Today, I want to share something that I have a heart for and that is encouraging others. When I was growing up and find myself struggling in an area - I'd get down on myself and call myself a dummy or tell myself I'm stupid. We can't do this, y'all. Over time, we believe these lies and think they are true. I know that I am not a dummy or stupid - there are just areas in my life that I am not as strong as the next person.

What other lies do we believe? Our mistakes.

Mistakes are unfortunate events that are just a part of life, whether its as simple as not trying on clothes and walking out the fitting room door, not realizing you locked yourself outside. (true story!) Or complicated as getting into an accident and being taken to court (current true story).

Just because we find ourselves having made mistakes or having circumstances in our lives because of some one else's mistakes does NOT mean - it needs to define you, your life or anything in this perimeter. The only thing this means is that in a temporary case - it may not always be super enjoyable because of the ripple caused in your life.

We've all made tons of mistakes. & we're going to continue to make them. That's a part of life we can't run away from or ignore despite our best efforts. BUT - the thing you can control is how you react. If you sink into a pity party everytime, it's not going to change your circumstances or make anything better.

When I was a freshman in college, attending out of state. I had met this guy online and basically things got too physical too fast. We didn't go that far but we went farther than we should have and while I had to deal with circumstances at my super religious college, the guilt and emotions of everything hung over me like an ominous black cloud. I made a mistake - I kissed a guy and let him get to close to me. I didn't guard my heart, thankfully nothing happened that was a permanent error but the school I was attending made me feel like this mistake of mine was going to be a permanent scar in life. 

After this semester, I took time off because I hated that a school who claims to love Jesus didn't accept me because I sinned differently, I made an error and I didn't fit in their cookie cutter mold. This happened 10 years ago this Valentine's Day. Even though I regret letting him be my first kiss - it's a distant memory that doesn't get remembered. It's already been forgiven and doesn't deserve any emotion.

As always, thank you for stopping by. :)

Perceptions don't HAVE to define you. #DearWomen

Yay for Mondays. This is a short work week for me and I am excited to get Thanksgiving started. :) Not sure if you've been there lately but Target is decked out for Christmas and I love it. There is so much I want to buy - my husband practically can't leave me alone in the store because I could easily be found with two carts brimming. ;)

But today, ladies, I want to encourage you by letting you know that:

#1) People have opinions + they are entitled to them. 

#2) You may not always like or enjoy these opinions. 

#3) NO MATTER WHAT - if their opinions are about you --

 they DO NOT have to define you in any way, shape or form. 

This weekend, while my husband was at the dentist, I was stocking up on BOGO's at Publix. I don't go there often & every store is laid out differently, so I will be that person who appears to be having a full blown convo out loud trying to figure out where they put different items. I was walking down the main aisle in the back at the same time this woman walked by me, looked me in the eyes and called me a 'stripper.' 

Now, at the time I was a tad offended because this was a random stranger. Long ago, this type of event happened all the time but its been 2 years since and it made me sad that someone would say that period, and to a person they don't know. But later on - it made me laugh. I let it roll of my back and I said a prayer to God thanking Him for knowing my worth + identity in Him is completely different and awesome.

Just because this woman decided to make her opinion of me known - doesn't mean I let it impact my life for the long term. What she said has no long term dent on me or who I am. 

I didn't have the best time in high school or middle school. I was bullied alot. People said and did lots of horrible things to me which hurt for a long time. After I while, I honestly got to the point where I was just like - this isn't doing anything for me to hold on to what they think of me - that is just THEIR opinion of me, their perception but it was FALSE. 

While I wish they had chosen to get to know me - that was what they wrote in my yearbook every year for 6+ years " dear jessie, it was great getting to know you this year"- they didn't know me and enjoyed making me feel uncomfortable about things out of my control that I couldn't change. 

Maybe you've been in my shoes, whether you were 13 or 33. Maybe it's someone at work who likes to stir up catty drama with you. Maybe its a mom at your son/daughter's school. Maybe it's someone whose been your friend for years and something happened. Regardless of the situation, I pray that you will know your worth. 

Whatever anyone says that isn't true - just take a note from Taylor Swift + SHAKE IT OFF! Don't let lies or footholds in your life from other situations hold any meaning - they have none. You're incredible + created by Jesus who loves you just the way you are. 

Hope you have an incredible week! ~ Jessica

Why it's important to go off the grid. #dearladies

Happy Monday, friends. Today I am sharing another post in my #dearladies series which happens EVERY single Monday for the sole purpose of not letting the joy of Monday shake us, as well as inspiring + encouraging women.

Maybe you can empathize or possibly relate with me on this one. Social media is a powerful tool for businesses and for you + me in our everyday lives. It captures our weekends, memories we don't want to forget and well our blogs (if you so happen to have one.)  But sometimes it gets to be too much to keep up with. It is constant. It is always refreshed and sometimes you go on there for a few minutes but before you know it - you get distracted. You could end up spending hours or all day on the social media sites. Don't you miss the 90's when we didn't have this much technology that sometimes clogs up our lives too much?

When did you first get into social media? Did you get into it because you had heard about it from a friend?  I heard about Facebook when I was attending college locally. I would see other students log in, and due to my non existent car situation (I rode the bus everywhere), I would people watch and see these people's lives become consumed by a website. (Please note: This was my first impression of this website - in 2006.)

I don't want to come off seeming that technology hasn't changed my life for the better. When I moved around a bunch, I didn't have any way to keep in touch with friends/family other than traditional snail mail. Which when you're seven - you're not exactly breaking bank at all to pay for postage or know where your friends live - in the 90's. When I was older, it enabled me a way to look for jobs after high school/college/grad school, to find my first apartment and eventually to meet my husband.

But when does it become too much? The answer to that is up to you, my friend. For me personally, I have a personal preference of when I go on certain sites. I use some to post my blog links. I use one for pictures. I use this site for my blogs. I check email. But I've dialed my use of technology back. I refuse to let it consume my life. I changed the setting on my phone to where I don't want notification of when I get messages/anything on my sites so that I feel like my phone is blowing up constantly or my life is interrupted by non essential things. I also don't use it if I am at date night or with family.

So I've come to the realization or the epiphany that while there are some pretty cool items out there - I am perfectly okay with going off the grid mostly (internet/techy speaking). There are days when I keep my phone on vibrate in my room and I don't bother with it. I will listen to my Pandora and just start writing or watch Netflix but there is just so much more to life than watching social media like a hawk.


Spend time with family/friends. Go to a coffee shop, the beach, theme park, etc. Scrapbook. This weekend I went off the grid completely. I literally deep cleaned my kitchen for 3 hours. Pulling our pans/pots and the like out of cabinets, cleaning the cabinets & sanitizing while finally organizing everything. I slept better and I couldn't care less what was happening on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or anything because my kitchen looked great and that was the big important part to me.

How has technology changed your life? Do you have days or time blocked out to go off the grid? Thanks for stopping by. Hope your Monday is going well. :) ~ Jessica

Best Therapy is Free.

Hooray for the weekend, y'all. I found out today the million dollar answer that my sis in law will be having a baby girl in February. Her brother is adorbs and I know this one will be spoiled by me - gladly & loudly :)

I really really enjoy Saturdays that involve all of the following: sampling delish foods @ Sam's Club, Starbucks/Target combination to redeem my free birthday concoction of my choosing. I also indulged slightly for one of their not so healthy chocolate chip cookies. But the most therapeutic part of my day? Cleaning. The type of cleaning that never appealed to me until now. I took all of my pans, dishes, pots, out of every nook/cranny in my kitchen. I proceeded to wipe down the entire space with my handy disinfectant wipes and then proceed to put the pans/pots/jazz in its rightful places. But the beauty of this cleaning spree is that it allowed me organize. It allowed me to escape and put my focus into finding the right fit for my pots/pans. Best 3 hours of my weekend!

After the hubs & I finished our hard work, he surprised me by treating us to ChickFilA for dinner. We don't usually get to treat ourselves here but because it's THAT delectable and crave worthy - I got to experience their chicken noodle soup & lemonade again. After I had surgery in February, that soup was golden for me. I love it. & I got their 2015 cowlendar. $7! It's a fun way to support the company (that I used to work for) and the delish food... Hooray for 2015 :)

The best part about my Sunday thus far besides this gorgeous weather in FL - is that I put my crockpot to work this morning. One of my all time fave recipe that I found online is Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken. I've never made it in a crockpot before but so far - my kitchen smells incredibly good. I didn't have all the spices needed but combining cayenne, pepper, garlic and thyme + chicken + crockpot for 8 hours = DELISH. :) Thank God for Sam's Club prices on chicken. Dinner is done and this means more time for family, Once Upon A Time and working on my book while watching Gilmore Girls too. :) Happy wife,  happy life indeed.

Thanks for stopping by. Tomorrow is my 4th post in my #dearladies series mean to inspire and encourage everyone that stops by blog. One day - maybe it will be a viral linkup - but for now - its just my voice and I trying to change the mindset for a good week on a Monday. No case of the Mondays for this one! :) Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Xo. ~ Jessica

TGIF - Oh hey, Friday! :)

Happy Friday! Today I am already smiling because these pictures are relevant already  :) I am linking up with some fantastic ladies today to celebrate my week.

                 

1) I celebrated my birthday two weeks ago but I didn't get to celebrate with everyone - so this week the wonderful ladies that I worked with everyday for 3 years + I had Tijuana Flats together. I was promoted a year ago so I miss seeing them and talking to them and the fun on the team. Definitely going to enjoy this new tradition here and there with some good friends.

2) Today is Friday and I've already gotten some of my housework done that usually consumes my weekend. These items on my weekend to do list will be replaced but this means I will be sleeping better and more time with my mister. Hooray!

3) We picked up our car on Tuesday morning since our car accident last week & it looks incredible. Our bumper was replaced and our front lights. Feel like I am driving a brand new car. :)

4) I got back to working out this week, tomorrow will be my third day. Been back to keeping myself accountable with my food diary app, MyFitnessPal & challenging myself to drink mostly water + eating way less sugar.

5) I've already completed my Christmas shopping for my family - thanks to incredible sales. The bags starting appearing at my front door and I love taking all of the items out, and getting super excited. All of these items are taking up residence in my closet for another month but I love what I found for my whole family. I used Ebates to get cash back on all of my purchases and will be getting money back in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy yourself in all that you do. I hope you will stop by on Monday for another post from my #dearladies series for inspiration & encouragement.

Why society's input doesn't matter. #dearladies

Hello, thanks for stopping by. Today is Monday so this means - another post in the #dearladies series - which every post on Mondays are for inspiring & encouraging every woman who reads my blog.

Everyday upon waking up - us ladies are bombarded with WHAT society demands us to be - from the brands of makeup/clothes, the type of car we drive, what we eat, who our friends are and how it is implied we have ZERO imput or freedom to be ourselves.

To which I say, LIARS! I also say (from a mountain): NO! 

The beautiful part of living in America period equals FREEDOM for individuality. Another part is that what society wants - no one really cares. Society wants -- no one really cares what they think. Sometimes it's implied we do in TV shows, news, magazines to be 'politically correct' but not really.

    

The truth is, as long as we're adults, we go to work & pay our bills so that we're the BEST responsible version of ourselves, it really doesn't matter if you rock 3 hair colors or combat boots with shorts. (I'd recommend not wearing to most interviews - but my two cents here).

Each of us living in a country where freedom is promised is allowed to express our individuality!

Plus, as Christian women - we have free will and opportunity to be ourselves because when God created EACH of us - He knit us together individually within our mothers. He created us in His image. 

Whether or not you're religious - know that God made us individually. We each have our talents, skills and qualities that make us "US." He didn't make and create us with a 'one size fits all approach." He created each of us with an open invitation to know and appreciate what makes us special. Sooo if you are like me and you fit into the following categories:

You love Target/Starbucks especially when they're combined simultaneously.

Really appreciate Netflix.

Slightly sarcastic at all times.

Love to coupon.

Could live at Target 365. 

But hey if you don't - more power to you! 

Remember: Everyone tries be like everyone else. Don't fall short and be in that crowd. Be you and no one else, they're all taken. And know that you're ABSOLUTELY beautiful and whenever society tries to give their unsolicited opinion, try these 3 ideas:

1. Laugh loudly! (if in public - you may get a few crazy looks but I say, go for it. I do it often!
2. I'm a Hilary Duff fan so why not do a crazy dance! haha (Video here)
3. Keep on being YOU! Find a way to appreciate this truth. Shop online. Take time to indulge yourself. 

Regardless what makes you shine and sparkle -- point blank: Whether or not you fit into society's standards, society doesn't apply to yours. In any way shape or form. This topic will be included heavier in my book that I am writing but I wanted to share what was on my heart now about this topic. :)

Thanks for stopping by. Tomorrow is a prime vital date in the history of my husband & I. Tomorrow I'll be reminscing from 5 years ago and why this date is forever etched into my mind/heart <3

~ Jessica

Why I'm THANKFUL for Grace.

Hooray, the weekend has almost returned & with a payday attached. Best kind in my opinion. :)

Monday I posted about how us ladies need not to forget that even in the worst circumstances that we're in that God has not brought us so far to feel that we've been forgotten. If you're just joining us, I hope you will check THIS post out! Often, He reminds me of what's important by using life examples and I shouldn't have been surprised after yesterday that I do feel encouraged and not stressed. He took care of all the details and made it seamless.


Yesterday, en-route to work, Chris + I were running late when our car was backed into by an individual who then sped off and when I had to track him down, claimed he didn't know he hit us. This story later changed when he felt that we should've been at fault. {Sadly, sir - that's NOT how common sense works.} We were blessed with a great police officer who sorted through all the frustration and details to give us what we needed to start the fun claims process. We went on our way and went to work which proved to be hard to focus on anything else.

But behind the scenes, God was working on OUR behalf. By the end of the day, our inspection for car repairs was made and today I took the last of my vacation days to ensure that my car was taken care of, my family & I were taken care of in terms of a rental and that we got all of the questions answered so this was a seamless process. Afterwards, I treated myself to Starbucks/Target & caught up on my shows.

So, its hard to feel stressed about the entire situation because through all of it - I see HIS fingerprints stringing together all the details, putting the most graceful, right people to work on our behalf to ensure we were taken care of. All in all, He blessed us with immense GRACE so that while we were shaken up, He took the details and we were blessed with the work on our behalf. While the car is being worked on this weekend, we were not stranded or feel like we had no direction. He has provided ALL of our needs for us and we're being taken care of on His radar.

Thank you as always for stopping by my blog. I hope your week has gone beautifully. Tomorrow I'll be linking up with Farmer's Wife + September Farm for another  edition of 'Oh hey, Friday' to celebrate our top 5 of the week. Hope you'll join us & meet new friends :) xO. - Jessica

Dear Ladies.. We're still on His radar!

Happy Monday, y'all. I had a relatively awesome weekend. I rang in my 29th birthday on Friday which was incredible! My best friend at work surprised me and decked out my desk, which made my birthday even better!

 

Yes - that is a Minion cake that I ordered for myself. I'm a big kid at heart :)

So - today is my 2nd post in my new weekly Monday series to encourage/inspire every woman who reads my blog. 

Today - I want to remind each of you ladies that He has not forgotten us - 

                                                                                               we are definitely on His radar at every moment of every single day.

When I was a senior in high school, this song by Mary Mary was ingrained into our memory. It was to be the song played and sung by the ladies in our class. Before that moment of graduation while we were in California on our senior class trip,it was decided we ALL needed to sing it every chance we got. At the time it was simply an annoying song with a good message that I didn't really read into the message intentionally until years after. Honestly though, its an easy concept to believe in - doesn't cost you your money, or give you a headache for a sketchy gimmick.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

       It's a promise that God made thousands of years ago and is still standing STRONG behind it TODAY with each one of us.

 Take a moment and reflect on your circumstances:

                   ~ Are you working at a job that doesn't pay you well?

                   ~Are you stuck in a relationship that you're just 'going through the motions' and unhappy?

                   ~Are you frustrated constantly by how your life is going or how it didn't turn out like you'd hoped?

Well to all of you that may find yourself feeling like you're stuck -- STOP!! 

STOP letting things out of your control hold you down. Satan often disguises himself as a sheep in wolves clothing. His main excitement is that his sole purpose is that he comes to steal, kill and destroy! {John 10:10}.

How does this impact you and your life?? 

Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. He doesn't want any part of you to be happy. He wants you to feel like you have no control of your future. But you do! You have a future to be excited for, and to make plans for. 

Despite where you find yourself or maybe your in a less than ideal stretch of circumstances = God has NOT left you behind! You're still very much on His radar and He is still actively making plans on your behalf to bring you blessings, bring you joy and keep you on cloud nine. He is absolutely crazy about each of us! 

So, please be encouraged to keep your head high. We're in our different journeys but we're still destined for greatness. Despite the worst day or the sunniest outlook we may have, He has not left you behind or brought you THIS far to give up on you! 

Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully next week I'll be able to introduce a new weekly series to see how it takes off to evolve into something great. Still working out a few details, hope your week starts off beautifully :) Xo. - Jess

                                                                                                                                                                        

Dear Ladies, WE are good enough!

Happy Saturday! Honestly, I have been thinking about this post for months on end. I've been hearing a lot and reading alot of news where it feels like it keeps circling back to women questioning their worth whether its in a relationship, lack of self confidence, or both. To that I say, I've been in your shoes.

Let's take a beautiful walk down memory lane, shall we?

Long ago, when I was a teen, I was in the same boat as these women. Even on my best days, I didn't feel confident. I knew that being raised in the church and by my awesome family, that I was loved and capable of anything I set my mind too. It's a tad bit different when you don't believe that yourself. I used to memorize scripture passages for the sole purpose of encouragement. To this day, that comes in handy on a bad day. But I could quote those passages with my eyes closed & in my sleep. But did they encourage me deep down and make me feel like I was Miss Confident? Not all the time.

I realize that every lady is different. Everyone has had different circumstances in their lives, they've made the choices that has shaped and transformed them into who they are TODAY. I get it, I do because again, I am in the same boat and can relate. Every choice, thought, smile/frown, what I say has a positive or negative reaction that will have a long term effect on my life whether or not I recognize it.

But we as women need to stop either playing the victim card or trying to hide from being the confident, charming, awesome, talented women we are every second of the day. Regardless if we're not living up to our true potential or we're in the process of doing so, we have to stop letting other people dictate our joy and living our lives.

I know its easier said than done to stick up a few quotes and instantly force people to believe in themselves but at the same time, I love finding quotes to inspire & encourage. This is my mantra in life & it is the sole purpose of the book I've been writing to publish women at any stage of their lives.

So, ladies. Regardless if you're single, dating, been married for twenty years - each one of is incredibly awesome in our own distinctive way. Take time to know yourself and read up on what God thinks of you because regardless of what others see, He created you + looks at your heart, not on the materialistic things everyone else does. Be positive.. and like my dad told me growing up, 'Dream Big :)' You are meant for greatness even if you don't see it.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend. Time to spend time with my favorite at my home away from home.. :) **

                         

                          

              

TGBTL: Blogging keeps me sane.

Happy Wednesday, y'all. Hope your week has started off with a bang. Or that it's going well. For those of you just stopping by my blog - WELCOME! I'm so glad you're here. Today, & every Wednesday - I link up with Hayley & Lauren for this awesome link up. I encourage you to participate if your heart so desires.

 

This week's linkup is: Why do you blog? Tell us what got you started, what keeps you going, or where you want to go! This is your chance to tell us why you invest your time here day in and day out!

I am a visual person so for me to process - I have to see it myself. Let's go!

 

1. When I was a sophomore in high school, I signed up and took a Creative Writing course as an elective class & LOVED every minute. So many memories flooded my head that I was able to share and it was so therapeutic in those not so enjoyable high school years - that I realized how much I truly love writing. Blogging keeps me sane, I say it a lot but it's very true.  

What got me started two years ago, I was flipping through old journals and realized that I needed a creative outlet. Writing unleashes a part of me that I keep very private (to a degree!) It helps me process and appreciate the memories and experiences that I've witnessed firsthand. I am not blessed with talents like both my SIL's have with painting or drawing. It's come up a lot but I am working on my first book to encourage and inspire both tweens/teen girls & heck even ladies my age.

 

 

Lastly - I blog because it's my gift, my voice and my outlet. It can help twist a seemingly rough day into a much more positive one from taking time to process and write everything out. This is a gift I received from my dad, who is a great writer. I was blessed to appreciate writing memories and just keeping stories upfront. This is also a great skill and talent I plan to instill and develop in my own children so they're able to inspire themselves & their future selves.

 

Thank you for stopping by! ~ Jessica

TGBTL: Dear Women, you're beautiful. Your size doesn't define you.

Happy Wednesday, loves. 

Today on my weekly Girl Between the Lines linkup - its a free week with no prompt. Lately in my thoughts outside of work, life, my blog - I have just been using all my free time to work on my book. I thought this would be a great time to recruit those interested in sharing their experiences or thoughts for it. 

Right now - my big chapter that I am working on has to do with self image and self confidence. Myself, I am a bigger girl. I always have been and in the past year have really been working hard to change my outlook on food. Food used to be my comfort. If I had a bad day, I ate. If I had a good day, I ate. This is no longer the case but I understand that there are many women who still associate food with feelings. My main motivation behind this book is that I would like to encourage girls who don't fit under the mold that America puts on women to be a certain weight, a certain size and overall a certain type of woman. 

This doesn't apply to women who sign up to be models, or in a career like acting that you have to maintain a certain shape or health level. These women are you and me. We're wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and at the end of the day - women who all have feelings and emotions. 

This is something I am writing about in a current chapter but not something I have blogged about. 

When I was in college, I actually spent time researching this because in my opinion, it continues to get out of hand whether its a celebrity or just an average Jane. There are quite a few things that I have noticed that have started to happen.

1) Little girls are starting to become more insecure early: I can relate because when I was in third grade, I started wearing a training bra. My body developed really, really early. When I was little like that, it was a curse but God had His reasons when He created me the way He did. Little girls start feeling self conscious and feel the need to experiment with makeup way too early and it doesn't help that little girls are just way meaner these days.

2) Teenagers feel this pressure on a minute to minute basis (in my opinion). My teen years were hard. I cannot imagine being a teen in our society today. I pray for these girls hourly. Girls are just plain mean and we hear alot more about bullying whether online or in person with the amount of girls who commit suicide over comments or boys. Secondly, teens feel the need to starve themselves to fit into these clothes or for the popularity factor & be considered cool.

I am a big One Tree Hill fan. Season 7, Sophia Bush's character, Brooke Davis who runs a clothing store on the show 'Clothes over Bros' and in their fashion show made the 'Zero is not a size' campaign. Luckily, this didn't just stay on TV - Sophia made a point of this and how important it is that we don't have to be a size zero to be beautiful. Aeropostale had been making shirts for girls/women to encourage starvation and I am so glad there are actors like Sophia Bush out there. I miss seeing her on OTH but women are beautiful and size has nothing to do with it. This whole case will be written more in my book but if you'd like to read more about it - click here. 

3) College ladies or adult women feel this pressure also minute to minute. Makeup, perfect bodies, and the extremes that they go to - plastic surgery, eating disorders, being obsessed to be thin instead of fit and healthy. I mean look at the magazine covers with the constant use of Photoshop - the desire for perfection and not having any blemishes shown to the public just makes you look less human. I have dark circles, a few pimples here and there but overall I don't feel like I need to change my body to be a perfect woman. 

If you have experience in any of this, and would like the opportunity to possibly be included in my book, feel free to email me directly at jessica_whitney@hotmail.com. We can make it anonymous or you can get your story out there in this chapter. Whether its your feelings about this topic, your firsthand experience or how your perspective has changed your mindset. All women are beautiful and deserve to feel this way all the time despite their weight, size or hair color.