Why I never got a nose job.

I'm about to open myself up and be REALLY vulnerable with you right now.

I recently had an opportunity to collaborate with some amazing local creatives. We were able to create some hair and makeup styles, and explore some neat tutorials together while our amazing photographer captured the day.

Here is the finished product. It was so neat to see all these different artists have a vision and carry it to completion. I was the willing participant to receive such a lovely experience.

These creative people not only lavished a day of learning hair and makeup techniques for me, but also gave me an opportunity to further be reminded of an invaluable life lesson I have learned.

The links of all the artists involved are below. But, let me first share how this hair + makeup tutorial photoshoot solidified my heart for NOT getting a nose job. Although the world may have pegged it precisely for me, I rose above it. And this day, was a beautiful reminder of my journey to confidence and courage.

Once I received the finished product and all the photos from the day, all I could do was smile. Smile because I loved how they turned out. And also smile because I knew for sure that I have come to a place in my life where I truly LOVE exactly how God made me.

Growing up, I experienced insecurities, as many young girls do. I went through a stage in life where God transformed me and tangibly showed me how much He loved me as He created me.

But my one biggest insecurity was my nose. I NEVER wanted to take a profile picture. I knew that it was "large" in comparison to the rest of the world. I knew it had a bump, which is deemed unattractive in our culture. I had two strikes against me and it hindered me at times in my life as I let society dictate how I viewed myself.

But, when I began refusing to believe those lies, and start believing and walking out God's truth, my perspective of myself began to shift.

From the outside, you would maybe never know I had thought those thoughts, or said those negative words to myself. It was hidden deep inside me. And I didn't vocalize it to often or to many people. And I am so grateful for God breaking through those insecurities and showing me my beauty IN HIM.

I can try to adhere to how the world describes what beauty is. Small waist, big breasts, small feet, big lips, small nose, big butt, small ears... the list goes on and on of what the "proper" dimensions of each body part should be.

I'm not listening to it. That is NOT my standard. I am uniquely and wonderfully made by such a creative God. YOU are fearfully and lovingly made JUST AS YOU ARE. In all your beautiful shapes and colors and sizes. ROCK IT! OWN IT! BE CONFIDENT IN IT.

I don't worry about taking a profile picture anymore. I'm not concerned with having the perfect angle of my face in a picture. The shapes and curves of my face and body are perfectly in the image of HIM, and I love each piece of me.

I can honestly and confidently say that I love my nose. My "large and bumpy" nose is MY nose. It's my genetics. Its part of this temple GOD BLESSED ME WITH. To shame that, to dislike that, is a hit to God, the masterful Creator who designed me with purpose and passion.

I love my profile picture. I love every imperfectly perfect part of me. So THAT, is why I will never get a nose job.