"He crowns you with love and mercy - a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness - beauty eternal.  He renews your youth - you're always young in his presence."  

Psalm 103:4-5 (The Message Bible)

ia's beauty shop

health & wellness

portfolio

beauty tips & tricks

Ask your beauty questions here:

message board

I could go right into listing tips and tricks or talk about how we can make our skin prettier or choose the right products to make us feel more beautiful but I think I'd be doing you a huge disservice by not addressing who and what actually creates all the beauty.  I chose the scripture above because I believe it speaks of the raw and often unspoken needs that underlie our concepts of beauty.   Deep inside the heart of all mankind, is the need to be loved, to feel honored, cherished and respected in someone's eyes.  For a young girl or woman, I'm reminded of that secret longing to be discovered as a princess or queen to someone special.  Somewhere in adulthood, the longing gets buried or distorted by superficial ideas of beauty. 

It is amazing what happens when you meet the raw needs first.  Man or woman, when made to feel truly loved, accepted and honored, the guards (fear and insecurity) come down, the masks come off and finally...true beauty emerges. 

Permission To Remove The Mask

As a former make-up artist, I've had the honor of watching people blossom beautifully beneath my fingertips along with the soft strokes of my make-up brush.  Sure, the right make-up and tools can absolutely make a difference, but there's so much more to it.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I think what really allowed many of them to transform was the time taken to make them feel important and cherished.  I prayed before every make-up job and every face that God would take over my hands and that every person I touched would feel His love wash over them. 

From the woman going through kidney dialysis, to the group of extraordinary breast cancer survivors, to a teenager with extreme acne, to young actors and men self-conscious about their skin, to mature women...God answered every prayer and the masks silently came off.  Amazing how a gentle, loving touch can disarm.

God Wants His Beauty To Come Through You

The paradise crown in Psalm 103 is the one of love and grace eternally poured over us in extraordinary measure by a God who loves us and sees us as the very splendor of His glory.  Before I came to know God and listen in on quiet conversations narrated by Jesus, I had a very distorted view of beauty and life.  I had never felt beautiful or even the freedom to express the need to feel beautiful.  A compliment never penetrated my heart and I was quick to dismiss one.   I didn't feel I had a right to feel beautiful. There were deep seeds of unrest in my spirit, and a taunting voice of ugliness inside me that I learned to cover up with humor and performances.   My heart was hardening and whatever beauty was emanating from me probably had a sad, hard or defiant edge to it.

I went on a hungry search for God and finally found rest in the new life I found in His words and promises.  I asked question after question until I got my answers.  I took every opportunity to challenge God's word until I think I just got tired of fighting. When I finally found a real place in God to let go of my shame and feelings of unworthiness, it was the first time I felt truly beautiful. No amount of concealer or eyeshadow could possibly take the deadness out of a person's eyes. I know, I've tried.  I think many times we search for the heart of a loving God and when we are on the brink of touching it, we retreat.  Fear of the unknown?  Or maybe we've worn the garment of unworthiness, unforgiveness or ugliness for so long, we're scared the garment of God's grace and love won't fit us.  Trust me, the garment God's created for you, is custom-fit if you'd just try it on.  Once you've tested the fit, wear your garment powerfully for it fully speaks and embraces the beauty and love of the God we serve.

In the times we live in today, people have their opinions about God and the proper place to put Him.  I may alienate some of you with all my talk of God, but I'm willing to take the risk.  I hope you hear my plea for understanding.  I'm heartbroken at the despair and depression that permeates our current world community.  This is my response to the battle cry of a people frantically searching for identity, spirit, love, God, self, peace, belonging,  fulfillment and purpose.  I've held, cried, laughed with, counseled, loved, prayed, coached and made over many of you. I am one of you.  There's a frustration in our race to create significance.  People want answers.  I may not have your answer.  I can only share with you what it has all come to mean to me.  If you're willing, read on.

The Best Kept Beauty Secret

Start here.  It's simple.  Just take a breath and let God's grace and love wash over you.  Let it in.  No really, let it in. Let Him in.   It's easy to keep this at an intellectual level of understanding, but knowing God is about experiencing Him.   If you're too tired, scared or you're just not sure, be honest and just tell God in prayer that's how you feel but ask Him to reveal himself to you and ask Him to cover you in His goodness.  If you've tried everything else and nothing's worked or you're searching or experimenting, please give yourself the opportunity to get to know Jesus, start a conversation with Him.  Like any relationship, find out for yourself.  Don't go on what others have told you.  His life and his ways will change you. 

I apologize if, somewhere in your past, like me, you were met with judgment or ungrace at a church or had someone try to thump a Bible over your head, but nothing will reveal God to you better than a quiet plea of prayer from your heart that says "I don't know" but "I want to or I'm willing to." God's word (biblical scripture) can kill (a heart, spirit or possibility) if it's not rightfully wielded with God's spirit of grace and love.  If there's been abuse in your life or folks that have spoken scripture over you in ways that caused you to feel condemned or restrained, it's time to hear a different voice. God's word reveals a new covenant, one that brings tremendous freedom and peace.  You will hear a voice that sounds more like a lovesick father that's been eagerly awaiting  your return (see the parables of the Prodigal son, the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin) .  The brokenhearted flocked to Jesus in his time because they knew they'd find grace there.  When your heart changes you begin to pour out that same love and grace on others.  When God's truth and spirit have the opportunity to rightfully dwell in you, the hardest physical exteriors are transformed.  It's downright magical.  Watch what happens when your spirit unlocks, joy spills out and timeless beauty is unveiled...