Give Yourself a Boost
Scripture: Psalm 139:13-14, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Introduction
Have you ever heard the fun expression “you do you boo.” It is a way to say, “Be confident in who you are.” With social media, the increased pace of communication, the advancement of technology, the overwhelming amount of information at our fingertips and more, it is quite easy to walk ourselves directly into a very lonely place of comparison and low self-esteem. What can we do? What should we believe? February is Boost Your Self Esteem Month on the awareness calendar. See more here:
https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/boost-your-self-esteem-month-0and%20abilities.
How do we boost our self-esteem? Try these activities that affect the mind, body, and spirit.
Activity Options
- In advance, ask family and/or church members to write letters of encouragement to the women. Have the women read the letters and rewrite the letters in their own voice. For example, a person receives a letter that says, “You are a great listener.” Have the woman write on another piece of paper, “I am a great listener.” Allow this to be a time where the women are reminded of the positive things people recognize in them and let it be reiterated by using their own voice.
- Provide printed silhouettes of women of several styles and shapes for group to create art showing their confidence and frames (inexpensive certificate frames will do). The internet has many examples that can be downloaded. Write on or around the silhouette’s words and/or phrases of affirmation. Provide simple things to decorate such as gel pens, crayons, markers. Frame the artwork as a remembrance.
- Plan a short hike to get your body moving. Moving physically can also help change a person’s outlook especially when surrounded by God’s creation. Set aside a place to have a picnic and have a time of personal reflection with the prepared devotional. Come together as a group at the end to get a healthy drink or snack and share about the reflection time.
- Create a simple runway for the women to have an impromptu fashion show. Tell them ahead of time to dress for a fashion show. The women can dress how they desire – silly, sporty, fancy or all the above. The important thing is for the women to stand at the end of the runway where the group will shout out encouragements for who they are as people. This is a wonderful time, not to worry about the outward appearance and just have fun.
- Tell the women ahead of time that you will be having a variety show where they can perform. The acts can be from whistling, to cutting onions quickly, drawing stick figures, singing, and more. This can be a wonderful time of recognizing the variety and beauty of the gifts each has.
- Go treat yourselves. Pamper yourselves with a pedicure or manicure. If budget is an issue, buy supplies and do your own nails.
- Putting others first also helps change the outlook on life for the better. Plan a simple service project. Some examples are making cards for the youth or other congregation members; calling people to say that you will be praying for them during the women’s meeting; decorating a bulletin board with words and verses of encouragement.
Give Yourself a Boost
In our lives, we all go through seasons questioning what our value is. A lot of how we think about ourselves usually boils down to what our circumstances are at that point in time or outside forces causing us to question our worth.
- Getting a new job that we have worked hard for makes us feel skilled and noticed.
- As we age, we may gain weight and do not feel like ourselves. We feel unworthy or ugly.
- Seeing our children grow up and get promoted to middle school, high school, and then graduate makes us feel accomplished and that we have succeeded as parents.
- Going through a breakup or a divorce we might feel like failures.
- When we have great friendships that are thriving, we feel loved and understood.
The situations vary. We all go through highs and lows, but sometimes, we get stuck in the lows. But God gives us His Word to keep focused on who we are in Him. Remember these verses:
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it (Psalm 139:13,14 NLT).
Before you knew God, He already created you wonderfully with a purpose. Your physical attributes, your personality, and your future.
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me ( 2 Cor. 12:9, NLT).
When you feel discouraged, know that the power of Christ will show His strength through this time. He will make sure you come out stronger and with a testimony to be shared. “So, encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing (1 Thess. 5:11).
As you practice being an encourager to those around you. You will also find yourself being encouraged. You have the ability to bless others because God put you in their lives.
The seemingly helpful advice can be so overwhelming when we consult self-help books, blogs and the advice of others. We begin to look outside and begin comparing ourselves to others. We begin exerting so much energy to make ourselves feel and be better in our own strength. However, all we really need to do is find our identity in God. When we see ourselves through His eyes, we realize that He is all we really need. Let His love for us, boost our self-esteem. For this month of boosting our self-esteem, let’s take the control out of our hands
The words of Amy Grant’s song, “All I Ever Have to Be,” really sums it up nicely. All we have to be is what He has made us. Be encouraged today because you are who God intended you to be. Let His love continue to grow you in your relationship with Him, yourself, and others.
https://genius.com/Amy-grant-all-i-ever-have-to-be-lyrics
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