When you hear the word confidence, what comes to your mind? I automatically get a picture of high-heeled shoes when I hear that word. I have never worn high heels because my legs wouldn’t support me, and because I am a partial walker and wheelchair user, I typically go with a shoe I can walk in and out in. But when I see women wearing heels and walking around, there is this confidence she must have to be able to walk around in them and do the task she is on. My favorite is seeing women wearing them when she is shopping because one thing I have heard about heels is that most of the time, they are not comfortable, and they are for show or a particular outfit that they want to feel pretty in. I’ve only had two thoughts about wearing heels for myself. One is I’ve always wanted to be taller as I’m only 4’8, and secondly, I just loved the look of heels with a cute mini skirt for the holidays puts the whole outfit together!
When I saw the picture of gold boots, it made me start thinking about how, even though I cannot wear those boots, what makes me feel confident in how God created me and how I express that on the inside and through appearance. I break these two subjects down because you must first be satisfied with who God has created you to be before you can outwardly express to the world how you are not phased or embarrassed about your limitations or medical devices you may need to use.
God has chosen you to be His daughter and designed you with His hands. The color of your skin, hair, and body type is how God intended you to be, and He calls you beautiful. If He has called you gorgeous and wonderfully made, then that is all we should need to hear and be confident that our God says what He believes. Our beauty must come from within, and our foundation of confidence needs to be concrete in knowing that no matter our physical limitations, they do not define who we are. It is merely something that the enemy is trying to make us hide behind and be ashamed of, but instead, we have a choice. To cover up and try to deny it or to be it, wear it, show it confidently so that we can show others that yes, it is a reality, but who I am because of it and how God is using it is beautiful to me.
Now, on the outside, we can have some fun with it. It took me time to learn how I wanted to wear my leg braces, and throughout junior high and high school, I definitely had my fashion crisis! Shoes were the absolute worst part of my stylish journey because many pairs of regular shoes did not fit, and so most of my life, including now, I have to wear sneakers. For the most part, I’m okay with that, but my girly side is always frustrated when I want to look nice, and sneakers are what I have to wear with all my outfits! Recently, I made a decision that helped with this mini-confidence crisis, which is buying a pair of fashionable boots that do not have any way of fitting over my leg braces, and I wear them for outings and special occasions. Now, why is this a confidence booster?
I will always be grateful for my leg braces, and I have embraced the fact that I need them to walk and feel stable. I know in my heart that if this is to be my way of living, I am still beautiful, but I also believe that the way my legs are is to be embraced without the leg braces on. To feel girly and lovely occasionally is relieving and freeing, to say the most. When I picture myself on a date one day, I envision two sides of the story. Whoever that young man is, He is going to see the confidence I have in who God created me to be first, and then on the outside, he is going to see it when I am wearing my leg braces, rolling around in my wheelchair, and then on our nice dates seeing me show up in sparkly gold boots that make me feel like the most beautiful person. All those things I’ve listed are a part of me, and I cannot change everything, but I can choose to be confident.
Choosing confidence brings out the golden attributes that you and the Lord have worked on. They shine through you because you, through the Lord, have chosen joy in the circumstance.
How will you find confidence and start believing it and living it out?
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