I deleted my social media for 8 months.
And cable and Netflix and secular music and pretty much everything else that is entertaining.
Part of me hates social media. Actually scratch that – almost all of me hates it and wishes that it never existed. So when I felt called to get rid of it all for a while, it was somewhat easy for me and let me just say, it was the most productive time of my life!
Let me explain…
Late at night, with just my cell phone and I scrolling through the latest posts from my friends, famous people, and advertisements, that’s when I would hear it.
The thoughts condemned me for not being as beautiful, as tan or as sexy as them. The countless images of girls in their trendy outfits, the bikini pictures, the selfies… It drove me into a downward spiral of insecurity. I would compare myself to what I saw and realized how little I could compete.
I allowed my life to be consumed by the influence of the world, society, and media, instead of being filled with the love of Christ and it distorted my view of myself and the people around me.
After 8 months offline, I learned one thing:
I cannot control what I see at all times. The only thing I can control is how I allow it to affect me.
This simple idea has changed my life. I realized that the pain I was feeling inside my heart was no one’s fault, by my own because I allowed it. I didn’t understand the power of my thoughts and my words. I told myself so often that I was ugly and then wondered why I started to believe that I was ugly!
I noticed this shift in my mindset one evening standing in line at Chipotle. There was a girl with purple hair and winged eyeliner who was rather kind to me. This was significant to me because I didn’t have a trace of makeup on, wasn’t wearing a stylish outfit, and my hair was a mess… and I NEVER go out looking this way. She didn’t give a second thought at the fact that she could see my “flaws” and it made me realize that I was my harshest critic.
I cried that night on my way home as my burrito waited in the bag for me. I began to feel convicted about the way that I was viewing my sisters in Christ – for being judgmental and seeing only their outward appearance instead of their heart. Kind of like how I viewed myself!
It may have taken me 8 months to figure it out, but that detox was just what I needed. I now focus on how each and every person is made in the image of God, including myself.
It is my prayer that women of God will come together and unite to be encouragers and not competitors, to support one another, and to celebrate the beauty in one another, while still knowing that they themselves are equally as beautiful.
As for myself and my own appearance, I choose to focus on more important things like my dreams, relationships, and my Savior. As I focus on things that I value inwardly, the meaning of the outwardly always diminishes in comparison.
“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27
Savannah, 20, is a young writer and video creator who strongly believes in the power of young women coming together in Christ to bring real change to the world. As a result of marrying at the young age of 18, her life is far from ordinary, but her unique life has given her an opportunity to encourage other young girls to see the value of marriage. Savannah has had a relationship with the Lord since she was very young. During the last few years, she has truly begun to find her identity in Christ, which gives her the confidence to share her story in hopes of impacting others.
