What Every Girl Cares About

So, I recently got back from a mission trip. That's right, a trip. And what do trips mean? Lots and lots of food, particularly junk food. (With the exception of my trip to Jamaica...not only was the food big on spice and little on tastebud-pleasing, we always went to bed hungry at night).

This trip was no different. Everywhere you looked, there was food. If you didn't like the gazillion options you had, we got more. There was no ignoring it. 1st Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (I had to memorize it for both trips, so I know it well.) Nice verse, but on this trip, the temptation to eat was incredible, and there was no way out.

So I came back from the trip 6 lbs heavier.

Let me repeat, 6 lbs heavier.

Okay, for those who aren't getting it, let me give you a translation: I came back from this trip 6 lbs heavier and I'm so fat I make cows look anorexic. In Teenage Girl World, 6 lbs is equivalent to 150 lbs.

It's a struggle most every teenage girl has, even Christians. Body image is very important, and with today's culture, being thin is everything. If a girl is at a healthy weight, she may consider herself fat. Oftentimes, we girls compare ourselves to others. Like, "Man, I wish I was that thin" or "I wish I had a smile as pretty as hers." Oftentimes, we don't look at ourselves correctly.

When I saw the "Phantom of the Opera" (one of my favorite movies, btw), I immediately told myself, "I want to be as thin as Emmy Rossum." (who plays Christine). As much as I know it's important to be healthy, not thin, I still found myself jealous of her, especially when she wore a corset and her waist got so much smaller.

One day, I actually looked myself in the mirror and understood. Now, I don't do that often. Most teen girls don't. We see a monster in the mirror. But that day, I looked...and saw I actually was as thin as Emmy Rossum. My vision of me was totally distorted.

And it gets that way a lot even today. Even if you aren't as thin as Emmy Rossum, God says He looks more on the inward appearance than the out. Mostly girls are looking to be attractive to the opposite sex when they want to be thin. But isn't God's opinion so much more important than a boy's?

Not saying you shouldn't take care of yourself. God says to be good stewards of our bodies. Which means you should be healthy, not sickenly skinny.

It's a problem I still battle today, because I am a 15-year-old girl. But I am giving it to God and keeping myself on a healthy diet.

P.S. In the 3 days I've been home, I've lost 5 of the 6 lbs. So really there was no need to panic about it. Like my Mom says, "It's only 6 lbs, Rachel."