When someone calls you ugly

So, yeah it happened to me. When I heard it, my heart ached so bad. But I covered it up. It wasn't only my heart that hurt but also my self-esteem. I wrote an article before (read http://ceasycheese.blogspot.com/2015/08/i-am-beautiful.html) about how I finally find my beauty and my value in Jesus as know I was created fearfully and wonderfully by God. I am so much more confident today than I was years ago knowing this. Then, my confidence in Him was tested on that day. Did I pass? Yes, I did. How would I know? I'll tell you how in two ways. I will identify myself as "me before" and "me after". "me before" is I when I haven't found my beauty and value in Jesus and "me after" is I am today. I respond differently in thoughts and actions as "me before" and "me after" when I notice people see or call me ugly . Those thoughts and actions will tell you why and how I passed the test. 

Me before: I will agree with those who see and call me ugly

Me after: I will remind myself of what God says in Book of Jeremiah that He himself formed me in my mother's womb. God, the creator of heaven and earth, formed me fearfully and wonderfully in my mother's womb so I should be freaking beautiful.

Me before: I will hate that person for being so mean to me

Me after: I will ask God to enable me to forgive that person right away

Me before: I will blame myself for not being beautiful and then blame my parents for not being beautiful as well and then blame my mom or dad for not getting married to foreigner so that I could look like Cinta Laura or other children born from crossbred family and then eventually blame God for not being fair to me since I look uglier than other girls. 

Me after: I thank God for my dark skin, flat nose, thick lips, messy hair, basically all things about myself

Me before: I will judge that person who calls me ugly as heartless mean judgmental person

Me after: I look at myself thinking that I also sometimes judge people based on their appearance, I just wont say it frankly. Then I ask God to teach me to see beauty in each individual and to have His kind of heart filled of love for people no matter how "ugly" they look like.

Me before: I will say something to make that person feels bad 

Me after: I stay quiet and pray in my heart asking God to remind me of how beautiful and precious I am in His eyes

That's how I passed.

I prayed, Jesus answered #2

He answered my prayer (again) two days ago. I'm working in a pilates studio in Bali, and these few months have been very busy at the studio with many people try to book into our classes. Therefore, my boss decided to change the schedule and add more classes to maintain the increased number of our clients. Last Friday, my boss told some of the clients after the class that their class will be rescheduled to Tuesday and Thursday at 9.20 (this class was scheduled every Monday and Friday). I was working so I didn't really listen to the information my boss gave to them. Then, one of the clients came to me saying that she wanted to book herself in for the same class next week on Tuesday, she thought that the schedule would be changed already the week after. And I did book herself in. After everybody left, I asked my boss when the schedule changed. My boss said it would be changed the week after next week. I then realized that the lady before had the wrong information, and the bad news was I didn't have her phone number. I didn't say anything to my boss. I prayed instead. I prayed that Jesus would work this matter out for me. I only know her first name, so I tried to find her on Facebook but it didn't succeed. I kept praying. On Monday, I prayed again hoping that she would call to cancel her class on Tuesday. I always believe that God is in control over everything, my favorite verse from Romans 8:28 in shorter version "All things work together for good for those who love God". I always quote this verse whenever I find myself with problems. So, when I prayed I also believed that even though Jesus didn't work this thing out as I expected and that lady didn't call and she would still come on Tuesday, it must be the best thing should have happened and it's for my own goodness. I was ready to deal with the risks of this matter, to receive complaints either from the client because I gave her wrong information or my boss since I didn't ask for clients' phone number as she always reminded me to do so. Then, she called. It was the moment when I already surrendered to Jesus and asked Him to strengthen me to be responsible over this matter. When I picked up the phone and the caller told me that her name is Josephine I thanked Jesus so much in my heart and my mind. Again, He answered my prayer in His perfect timing. It was probably a small matter, but it proved that He cares for us even in smallest matters. I'm forever grateful to Him.