I absolutely hate taking pictures. Actually, let’s rephrase that. I absolutely hate having pictures taken of me. I, like many women, have the occasional gripe about my appearance in the morning, and I don’t always think the woman staring back at me in the mirror is unattractive. So, it must be something about the flat, slightly washed out, one-dimensional self-portraits that bring out the negative self-talk. “My face looks fat! Those dark circles are horrible. Oh, wow! Is my forehead really that high? Great. I didn’t capture my good side. I really wish I could fix that crooked tooth!” Self-hatred brings on a whole new meaning when the flash has gone off, and that awful picture has been tagged on Facebook.

And don’t expect to ever see a selfie of this girl! The self-hatred and negative comments about my freckles, forehead, nose, you name it; definitely outnumber any enhancements or filters Beauty Box or Instagram have to offer.

The issue of self-love and peace with our flaws, is not a new one. A newfound friend and fellow blogger, even posed the same question on her site this week.

So, when does self-love begin? When do we, do I, start making peace with the perceived flaws I think I possess?

We love because he loves us first. 1 John 4:19

Because he first loved us. That’s right. God loves us. Even in the midst of all my self-potrait hatred, there is one who thinks I am beautiful-God. The one who made me. The one who knows every bone in my body, and sculpted me from nothing to something. The one who thinks my crooked teeth, upturned nose, and freckled cheeks are awesome.

Then why can’t I make peace with the face in the mirror, and love these things about myself? To find peace, maybe it’s time to stop allowing the devil to control my mind with these self-loathing thoughts, and look in the mirror knowing this truth:

God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female. Genesis 1:27

God created me in HIS image. So, how could I possibly look at the face in the mirror and feel anything but love for what I see? Knowing that God thought I was, we were, special enough to be fashioned into His likeness should help us make peace with who we see in the mirror, in family photos, or in Facebook selfies.

Every bump, every scar, every freckle is completely perfect to God. We are handcrafted by our maker, something the world, Photoshop, and Instagram effects and filters will never accomplish! God wants us to claim the truth that we are beautiful, and to recognize that all of our perceived flaws are all part of His perfect love. Down to double chins, upturned noses, thick eyebrows, and crooked teeth. The molding of all our “imperfect” parts was not an accident!

So, take out the camera. Turn on the flash, and SMILE!

Make peace with the face in the mirror, and remember: God loves you. Freckles and all!