When You Look in the Mirror
Letter from Katie Waldow
Katie Waldow is one of the featured letter-writers in our anthology “A Place to Belong: Letters to Catholic Women”, a devotional that includes letters from 25 different Catholic women and explores the many different ways in which Catholic women are living out the feminine genius today.
Dear Sister,
What was the first thing you said to yourself when you looked in the mirror today? Was it an encouraging word? Was it life-giving? Or did you pick yourself apart, tugging at the first sign of wrinkles, pulling your belly button to your spine wondering what it might feel like to be just a few pounds lighter. Oh how I wish you could see yourself how He sees you.
Everyday I look in the mirror and, more often than not, criticize the parts of me I wish I could change. I have been chasing the ever-elusive last ten pounds from the moment my middle-school crush called me fat. That brief exchange in the library changed the way I looked at myself, and I was consumed by the desire to be loved and praised for my appearance. Other girls were seen as competition instead of community; and I drowned out the loving voice of the Lord with inspiration boards, numbers on the scale, and a cycle of dieting that I still struggle with today. I really believed that the shape of my body was directly proportional to my worth. Oh how I wish I could see myself the way the Lord sees me.
But I am learning, ever so slowly, that I am fully known and loved just as I am. The Lord is looking not at the space in my teeth, or the frizz in my curls, or those few extra pounds, but in my heart He calls home. What a difference it makes when I think about the Lord dwelling within me, calling me to speak His language of love. What a difference it makes in the way I look at my own reflection, in the way that I look at my sisters in Christ. He is changing my definition of beauty, through His grace and kindness, and He desires to do the same for you.
Your identity is not found in your pants size, or the parts you deem imperfect, or in competition with other women, but in being fully known and loved as a daughter of God. You have His full attention, and your beauty is unmatched. Rest in that truth, sister, you are enough.
Joyfully,
Katie
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About Katie: Hi! I'm Katie and I am 31 years old, which feels weird to type because I could've sworn I just turned 25. I spent most of my life in Ft. Myers, Florida, and graduated from Florida State with a degree in Business & a minor in Religion. I lived in Nashville briefly after college, and then moved to New Jersey for work. Currently, I work full time in youth ministry, and part time as an assistant wedding coordinator and a blogger. I am also part of the team at Blessed is She, and have had the opportunity to take many of their product photos as well as carry the title of Pinterest Coordinator, which is probably the most fun thing I've ever had a title for.
I live in Ocean City, NJ with my husband, Stephen, and our Bernese Mountain Dog. Oh, and we have two cats. All in a tiny, two-bedroom apartment. It's fine. I love daisies, Iced Americanos, and I have been known to stay up until all hours finishing a book instead of getting a good night’s sleep. Spending too much time on Instagram is one of my greatest strengths. Yellow cake with chocolate icing and sprinkles is my weakness. When I have downtime I love to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and dream of someday buying an old house and converting it into a coffee shop.
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