WELCOME! I hope you'll stay and click around a bit. If you like something you see, I encourage you to subscribe to my RSS feed and connect with me through my other social media buttons. Thanks for visiting! Originally, this post was not going to be this heavy. It was going to be brief and a little witty. I was going to make fun of the sexy squint, model eyes Elena can work like no other. However, when I do it I look either mad or like I’m searching for something. But it turned into much more than that for me. I’d like to give you a little backstory to go along with this post so you know exactly how my words were inspired. I always enjoy knowing where a blogger’s heart is while reading a post. Bear with me….
So after stumbling upon Elena’s blog, Selfie Magic, several weeks ago I was inspired and also somewhat challenged to step in front of the camera more often. Self-portraiture was something I had not yet tried and I was willing to rise to the challenge, even if that meant stepping outside my comfort zone which is behind the camera. Elena made it look so easy. The confidence she displayed was refreshing. Contagious. Okay, so I wasn’t a super model. But what’s the big deal? I thought. I’ll step in front of the camera and snap a few pics. BAM! DONE! Honestly, I felt goofy. I wasn’t sure which angles were the most flattering, was the camera in focus, was I cutting my head off….. And I started to realize it was much harder than I thought. However, I came away with a handful of great shots and patted myself on the back for a job well done.
Then Jill comes along and invites me to be a part of her I AM BEAUTIFUL project. I was thrilled that she thought to include me. I love the idea of campaigning to young girls and other women that we are all beautiful in our own way. I thought… I’m shooting a selfie for Selfie Saturday, I can squeeze a couple of extra shots in for this project as well. So I joined her Flickr Group immediately and I started to consider what type of shots I’d do for each project. Obviously, the very meaning of the project didn’t completely sink in.
Fast forward a couple of days and Elena, Courtney K. and myself are having a chat on Twitter about selfies and how it will be nice that our kids have these pictures of us in the future. How very true. I am ALWAYS behind the camera. If there are ANY pictures of myself during a family vacation it’s because I forced the camera into my husband’s hand to take one picture. One. And there are a couple of hundred of my kids and my husband with the kids. And the conversation continued to include how we all wished we’d had more pictures of our mothers when they were younger.
It’s now Friday and I’m setting up for my selfie shoot and the goofy feeling returns as I prepare to step in front of the camera. My daughter is watching me. Closely. My mind drifts back to the conversation Elena, Courtney K. and I had. And it clicks. No, I’m not a super model. But God made me in HIS image and I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful. My daughter is beautiful. And because I am her mom, her role model, I need to hold on to that confidence that I have gained through stepping in front of the camera and pass it down to my daughter. It’s okay to feel beautiful. It’s okay to be different. I’m not a size 4 nor will I ever be. I have freckles. I am starting to form lines and wrinkles around my eyes. I have stretch marks and a cesarean scar. And it’s all okay. While I’m no Jennifer Aniston, no Cindy Crawford, etc. I am me and I. AM. BEAUTIFUL. I want my daughter to be infected with this knowledge and use it. Share it. Just because you’re different does not mean you are not beautiful. We are ALL beautiful in our own right.
So Elena, thank you for giving me the confidence to stand in front of the camera and pass on a legacy to my children, my grandchildren and generations to come. And Jill, thank you for seeing a need to share this knowledge with other women and young girls. I am truly honored to be a part of this project. And now, I get it.
To my husband, thank you for making me feel like I am the only woman on earth. You make me feel beautiful and sexy even at my worst.
And to my beautiful daughter…. Oh Presley, thank you for making me see, for truly opening my eyes and for making me want to be a better mom, a better role model for you and your brother. Thank you to my entire family and close friends (you know who you are) for making me feel beautiful every single day for just being me.
Thank you, God, for loving me just the way I am. A sinner. But you forgive me for all my mistakes and love me anyhow. Your grace is indescribable. You are my Lord and savior.
Psalm 139: 13-18
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
wow, so good. Amen! Im going to do that someday!
Twitter: playdoughcarpet
I have tears in my eyes… what a beautiful post! And you are beautiful.
I can’t believe the family portraits we didn’t get taken because I was so uncomfortable with myself. How stupid of me. Thanks for the inspiration. I may have to start slow and review the selfies from the last several weeks or so to try to capture myself. This is the youngest I’ll ever be!
Reading this after having a confusing conversation about clothes with my 7 year old resembling too much a conversation I would have with a pre-teen. It’s so hard to raise a girl today, I feel always on guard to fiercely protect her youthfulness, innocence and self-esteem. Many a time I’ve wanted to start home-schooling her for the things she hears and sees “out there”. And, don’t get me started about TV! We rarely turn it on during the kids’ waking hours anymore. Alas, you cannot control everything about the world. But, He can. And He knows how to protect her heart without squelching her spirit, which I fear I will sometimes do. I’ve been reminded SO many times lately to “raise her in the way she should go” and to point her toward her Lord. This morning, again I am reminded.:)
Lastly, I am inspired by your foray INTO the photograph. I, too, barely appear in my family photos! This past Christmas morning my husband had the camera because the baby was fussy and wanted mommy. I uploaded the pics and said, “Well, what do you know! Mom was at Christmas this year!” And, it was nice!
I love your pictures and am moved your thoughts. And, you are beautiful, my friend:)
Oh Courtney!!!! This totally made me cry. I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face (my son asking why on earth I am crying when I was fine just a couple minutes ago) thinking you must have been in my head while you wrote this. I too am so much more comfortable with the camera in my hands. When we were at NASCAR a couple weeks ago there was a gal in front of us that kept holding the camera out & photographing herself. I kept thinking “How vein can she be? She must think pretty highly of herself” I have always felt that way about being in the shot. I have always felt that no one really needs ME to be IN the photograph. It’s not like my husband is asking for the camera to get a shot of me with the kids or even by myself. I feel silly to even ask in those few moments where I want to capture myself having a good time. This is definitely an area where I need to change my way of thinking. You are right- one day our kids will look at all these photos & realize that we are absent from them. I need to get over my hang-ups & take those MASSIVE steps out of my comfort zone and get in front of the camera more.
I absolutely LOVE your shots- you are BEAUTIFUL- project or no project. You have touched my life in so many ways – I can’t thank you enough for who you are!
This post was absolutely beautiful. You said everything so beautifully and your pictures are just BEAUTIFUL!!! You’re soooo gifted.
This is so inspiring Courtney! You’re amazing! I think everyone needs to read this post! It really makes me sad that women don’t have the confidence to step in front of the camera, or that our first reaction to shooting ourselves is “how vain!”. What is vain about loving yourself? What is vain about creating art? What is vain about being in your family pictures for once?
Now, as far as your shots, I love them all! I love the smiling ones, and the laughing ones. I think my absolutely is # 11, because it’s just you!
But the sexiest and the best model squint is #6, because you have a hint of a smile in your eyes and on your lips, which is what’s required so that you didn’t appear “mad”, like you say.
Yep. You nailed it, mama. I cried…absolutely. This is such a wonderful, wonderful post. Presley is lucky to have such a confident mom who is going to teach her to grow up loving who she is, feeling beautiful and KNOWING that imperfection is ok. None of us are perfect…even Jennifer Aniston.
But the fact that you recognize that you were created in the image of Christ is going to shine through any imperfection you think you have and Presley is going to grow up seeing that.
Beautiful photos. Absolutely beautiful. I’m with Elena on #11. I think that may be my favorite too.
[...] post about focus, hoping to finish this morning, when my thoughts and plans were interrupted by the amazingly inspirational post that Courtney wrote for this week’s Selfie Saturday submission about an epiphany she had [...]
You ARE beautiful and I love your smile! What a wonderful post that really gets me thinking! Thanks so much for that!
Absolutely beautiful.
You are absolutely gorgeous and look so confident! I am sooo glad we met! You said a LOT of wise things in your post! Loved reading it! So what if we aren’t a size 4! We are beautiful Mothers/Wives/Daughters..etc! You go girlie!
My eyes are seriously full of tears after reading your post…… beautiful, so beautiful…
Thank you…
When I get home, I’m going to take some selfies and link up…..thank you for inspiring me, thank you for giving me the little push I needed to get in front of the camera and give this a try. I want my children to know they are beautiful, and to have the confidence to use the gifts God gave them, and build a beautiful life….
Such a beautiful post! You are gorgeous, I have to say my all time fav pic is the second to the bottom, it just looks so natural and pretty, I know it’s not one of the model eyes but it makes me happy:)
amazing. i’m at a loss for words. you are beautiful! i love that you mentioned that you have stretch marks, because that’s what i am most self conscious about. but i too am beautiful! thank you =)
Oh, Courtney!! (hugs)
This made me both cry and laugh — in a good way!!
AMEN!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!! Wonderfully, fearfully, BEAUTIFUL!!
I love how you are beginning to really see you as God sees you — A beautiful, unique creation!!
So many of your thoughts echo mine, when I posted “Who I am” (http://snapshotsbymichelle.blogspot.com/2011/03/who-i-am.html if you want to check it out sometime!) It is time that we do start stepping up and taking back our joy and beauty that the Devil has stolen from us! We do need to be better role models for our daughters, sisters, moms, aunts, nieces, (even boys!!) and show them that just because we’re not supermodels, doesn’t mean we aren’t special, beautiful, wonderful, or precious!
I think it’s wonderful that you were brave and stepped out of your comfort zone. I think it’s even better that you “got it” — and now will be leaving a wonderful legacy for your daughter — teaching her that no matter what SHE IS BEAUTIFUL — just as you are!!! You know, next time she’s watching… pull your daughter in with you and have some bonding time just the two of you — laughing, playing and showing off just how beautiful you are! I’d so love to have had pics like that of my mom and I when I was younger!
I love these shots of you — especially the ones with you smiling and laughing! You really are beautiful.
Thanks for joining in with Jill’s I AM BEAUTIFUL project!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!
Michelle
I was trying to figure out which image was my favorite, but they’re all fantastic. You did a beautiful job; you’re gorgeous. I love them!
This was beautiful in every way!!!
Words can’t even describe how I feel…wow – so inspirational! You are beautiful!
So beautifully and wonderfully written! The selfies are amazing, too… seeing the progression of them following your inspired and inspiring words. By the time I got to the laughing ones I had tears in my eyes. (By the way, #11 is my favorite – you seem so happy and relaxed and confident and secure there.) YOU are amazing.
PRAISE GOD! is all I can say!
Your photos are GORGEOUS and yes, my friend so are you!!!!!
Hugs,
Jill
These are FAN.TAS.TIC! Beautiful words, beautiful pictures
Twitter: LauraORourke
Courtney, this post was amazing. The photos, your words, and you are beautiful.
Such a powerful and inspiring post. I’ve been back to re-read it several times. I hope to have a bit of your courage and start doing some self portraits soon.
Your photos are absolutely stunning!
Twitter: Bransonlee
Love, love, love this whole post! You are stunning!!
[...] am beautiful because I am made by God and in His image. If you missed that post, you can read it here. It’s about having self-confidence and passing that down to our children. Discovering our [...]
Twitter: MomPhotographer
Courtney, that’s such a beautiful post. You are beautiful and very brave. I’m going through the same right now, with almost zero pictures of me, while my baby has hundreds of pictures. Not so much my husband, he doesn’t like being photograph as well. Sometimes I go back to my memory and looking at my pictures from the past… and… it’s sooo hard to find me in there… That’s sad.
I suffer from very low self-esteem since I remember. I’m so called ACOA. I have had eating dissorder and right now PPD. Getting in front of the camera with a sign “I’m beautiful” is the last thing I really am able to do. I would be lying to everybody in order to get my numbers of my blog readers up, because I do not belive in that in my case, but I wish I did like you do!
Hugs from my corner!
Wonderfully inspiring. These are GREAT photos, but I *love* the one of you looking up and laughing!
you’re so lovely…
and God is so good! <3
i'm thinking of doing this for the next link up…
you're all so inspiring!
[...] was reminded of this idea when I read Courtney’s post this last week. It was both inspirational and eye-opening. I really don’t have alot of [...]
You are beautiful, Courtney! Thank you for this post! I really needed it. Perhaps you will see some new pictures of me soon!
Courtney, so awesome to see you diving into these Selfies with such determination! It’s been good to have Elena’s push to do these. I LOVE selfies so much for so many many reasons… and it seems weird to me that my friends who read my blog might think I’m vain for having done so. This post is awesome, and so are you!
Courtney – I just read your post after doing some catch-up reading on Elena’s blog, and it’s beautiful. Between the two of you, there is now so much more fuel for mastering and honing self-photography skills.
Thank you for helping us bring God into every aspect of our lives, even appreciation for the lives he’s given us.
[...] Fearfully & Wonderfully Made by Courtney @ Perfect Imperfections: I cried, I smiled and I was totally overwhelmed with how fantastic this post is. You guys are well aware of my never ending battle with self-doubt, and this post was a great reminder that there is a little person [and hopefully one day a second little person] looking up to me. I highly, highly encourage those of you with daughters to go read this. [...]
Wow how stunning! Good for you…This is making me really think about myself, I needed to read this!
Tina, I’m so glad you hopped over to read and got a little something from it. I’m going to touch a little more on it tomorrow so I hope you’ll come back again. Thanks so very much!
those are wonderful! aren’t you glad you did it? good for you!
melissa stover recently posted..My path into unfamiliar territory
[...] good message there concerning relationships. However, after the huge response I received from this post and Elena’s followup post, I felt inspired as well as compelled to go further. Some [...]
After reading your recent post, I had to come over and see what you were referring to. And now? I have tears in my coffee.
My mom once told me that one of the guiding forces in her decision making was when she saw me start folling in her footsteps. She knew she had to se an example for me even if it was hard and out of her comfort zone.
Not only do we have to do this for our daughters, but our sons as well. I want them to look at me and see me accept myself, imperfections and all. I don’t want them thinking that only the skinny, cheerleader girls are worthy of dating.
We’re all beautiful.
Natalie recently posted..Celebrating a Lost Birthday
I like it when you smile. Lovely photos. V
Valerie recently posted..Amaryllis Bloom
[...] now through Elena’s blog meme “Selfie Saturdays” with inspiration taken from Courtney’s blog post last Saturday. The idea is to link up pics of yourself holding a sign saying “I am [...]
LOVE THIS. It brought me to tears. I have a 7 month old son and I feel the exact. same. way…already. I have maybe a dozen pictures of my son and I and half of them are only because I paid to have our photographer come for newborn, 3 month and 6 month photos. I took some selfies in our mirror a few months ago but it was difficult holding both the camera and my baby. I just purchased a remote off of amazon.com thanks to Elena’s blog (that’s how I found you!). I can’t wait to start!!! Thank you for this inspiration. <3
Melissa recently posted..iheartfaces Photo Challenge Slice of Life
Melissa, thank you so so much! So glad you found me! Love that you are jumping in front of the camera. Your baby will appreciate that one day. So glad you hopped over to read this post!
Wonderful post and very powerful too. Thanks for sharing your blessing with us. I love your smile! You are truly beautiful!
Hallie, thank you so very much! So glad you enjoyed it. Glad you hopped over to read.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Everything here serves as an inspiration. I love coming back to your blog.
Have a great week!
Courtney – thank you for inviting me to read this! Your honesty is incredibly inspiring and you truly are beautiful inside and out! Praise God that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made!
Christine recently posted..Shoot and Edit- Up SOOC
Popped over from one link, to another, to another. I love this post! The message and your beautiful self portraits. The ones where you are smiling just light up! You.Are.Beautiful. I hope you live those words.
Kim, thank you so very much! I am so happy you followed the linky trail to me.
Because of the overwhelming response from this post from comments and emails, I may be headed toward a series along these lines. I would like to post the first on Sunday if it all comes together. I definitely don’t want to force it to come together. I’m letting God do His thing through me. Anyhow, I’d love for you to come back and check it out! Thanks again, Kim!
Twitter: Naptimemomtog
Oh Wow! Wonderful post and pictures. How awesome! I love it.
Sarah recently posted..Project 365 Week 14
[...] that change needed to happen within me and I needed to learn to love myself just as I am – fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image. My kids need pictures of me to keep and cherish long after I’ve gone [...]
[...] I had written it after being inspired by a post from my friend Courtney who had written a post about her journey of [...]
[...] I had written it after being inspired by a post from my friend Courtney who had written a post about her journey of [...]