Free Printable: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

Teaching adolescents, I see how cruel they can be to each other for no reason at all other than owning the "wrong" clothing, using the "wrong" makeup, wearing the "wrong" hairstyle. For instance, I had a female student last year who was constantly pointing out the flaws of her classmates and wrote a paper entitled "How to Not Be Ugly," in which she included helpful tips like "watch Jersey Shore" and "only buy Victoria's Secret pants." I cringe knowing that someday, hopefully, she will cringe, too, at her flippancy and shallowness. This same student once told me that "I should go tanning; I'd be so pretty." I smiled at her when she provided this unsolicited beauty tip and remarked that I was content with myself, that I was more concerned with improving other aspects of my life.

Her comment has not, however, kept me from admiring the healthy glowing tans of some fellow teachers and friends, the irony, of course, being that fair skin is actually healthy, and tan skin is not.

Unfortunately, this student's attitude about appearance, I'm sure, is not at all new from centuries of adolescents--and adults--gone by. We live in a world that is constantly picking away at our natural selves and telling us what we are not. Your skin is not the right color. You do not have attractive thighs. Your cheekbones are not pronounced. You are not tall enough. You are not skinny enough. Your bangs are not cut right. Your body is not shapely. Your clothes are not in style.

You're not, you're not, you're not.

When did we get away from what we are?  Because the truth is, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, exactly as we are. My fair skin is wonderfully made. So is my barely perceptible need for a 34A bra. So is my nose that sometimes feels too big. So is my struggle with acne (still.). So is my bone-y butt. So is my left foot that is bigger than my right foot. So are my shoulders that sometimes look too broad for a halter top.

To print, simply click on the image, then right click and save to your computer. You can then resize as needed. Click here to view my other free printable.

God makes no mistakes. Beauty is fleeting. The only thing eternal is what's on the inside. No tanning booth, push-up bra, facial treatment will save my soul or make me happy. It's easy to say, but difficult to remember, and even harder to live by.

There can never be a more beautiful you. Remember that next time the world, a mirror, or a careless 14 year-old tells you otherwise.