If her posture in church, at the dinner table or with her siblings wasn’t enough for me to see her thoughts…

~ Her eyes gave it away.

Deep pools of insecurity and doubt.

Lord, how can I be everything to every daughter you have given to me?

How can I know to meet them where they are?  The right things to say, to show them how to discover their unique beauty and gifts. It seems like such a big job.  And it is just little ole’ me.

Dear Daughter : Your are beautiful.

Lord, you told me this years ago.  I believed you.  I have to believe that is enough right now.

The power of words. Affirmation and the truth that beauty is more than skin deep.

All reminders to me as a mother of daughters.

A lesson for myself when I am frustrated with my girls decisions. That my eyes and my words need to match the truth that the deep love for Jesus inside of them –  is enough.

Enough of my sighs, the disappointed glances and the walking away with frustration.  I see it now.  I see this reflection in their self-image.

How can our daughters believe they are beautiful if…

We continue to focus on all the negatives, all of the things that could be better, might be helpful or would be best?

All the time.

The Jesus that is inside of them can shine bright, shine through the years of insecurity, doubt and change.

Because He is enough.

Enough for me, enough for others and enough for them.  Even when they are lazy in their efforts to make wise decisions, or are going through a stage where exercise, skin care and stewardship of their body shows.

It is so hard to find a balance. I often plead with the Lord: “Tell me. Show me how to meet my girls in the middle?”

 As a mom, I want to discern between my opinion and control.

May I not use my eyes, my expression or my words to show disappointment, discouragement or disgust.

I will choose to tell them. To whisper it in their ear and bring a small smile in those difficult moments.

Shout it across the yard when they are sweaty from running a few laps around the block, or while they look doubtfully in the mirror on Sunday mornings, after numerous dress changes and their hair has a mind of its own.

You are beautiful, my girl.

I love you just as you are.  Today, tomorrow and yesterday.

I want them to believe this.

To know on the other side of their doubts, their changing and their figuring out how to be a woman some day… their beauty is more than the mirror. More than the reflection of their mother’s eyes and her concern, her frustration and her ideas of what might define her right now.

Dear mothers : Your words have power.  Tell your daughter she is beautiful.

Say it often.