No Ugly Sisters

"Family relationships and countless experiences shape us and form what we think of ourselves. Our natural self-absorption limits our capacity to transcend our actual and perceived limitations. Centering our thoughts on God has the remarkable effect of lifting them from ourselves. When we consider His wonderful works, His majesty, and His love for us and recognize the purpose and meaning He has built into our lives, we can become compassionate toward the concern of others. We can lend a helping hand, oblivious for the moment to what others might think. Jill Briscoe says of her own self-image that she had to learn that God is purposeful and has His own reasons for making us as we are. 'It's hard to understand that God likes me when I don't like myself,' she says. She eventually came to realize that 'there are no ugly sisters in God's sight.'