I didn't fully grasp how much I depended on mirrors until I went to training camp. I very quickly realized how little I can do without constantly checking my reflection. I can't fix my hair just right, I can't do my makeup, I can't smile confidently without wondering if there is something in my teeth. I have no clue if there is a hole in my dress, or wait, can you see my underwear through these pants? 

Crazy the random things I learned during those ten days, but I did learn, and this is my advice to you...

Get rid of your mirror. Please. Throw it away, donate it, cover it up. But please just make it disappear.

I'm not saying you need to go all underground cave person on me, you can still have mirrors in your house or your purse (do us all a favor and continue to check for the occasional bat in the cave). But here's the thing; people (especially women) spend WAY too much time criticizing themselves in the mirror. I'm just asking that you try not being so reliant on the approval of your worst critic, YOU.

At camp, I was always on the hunt to find my reflection and reassure myself that I looked halfway decent. I would linger in the windows of buildings, hold my sunglasses up to my face, I was even going up to strangers' cars trying to make myself more presentable. 

Here's the fun part though. As time went on, I became less and less concerned about my appearance. I began relying on my teammates for things such as lingering broccoli, panty lines and different hairstyles. Do you know what this created? Instead of receiving a disapproving look or a negative comment from my reflection in the mirror, I was met with truth, laughter, and unconditional love.

"yah you have something right there, that's better! You have the prettiest smile." 

"your hair is on point, I love that bandana!"

"nope, nothing on your pants, those are cute by the way."

...If only I offered myself this kind of love when looking into the mirror. 

I began to look at my reflection less, began to obsess less about my clothes and skin, I began to look up. UP at the beautiful people standing beside me, UP at the beautiful places I was in, and most importantly... UP at my beautiful Creator. My world became a whole lot happier when I stopped looking at myself and began seeing the view beyond the mirror.

You see God created mountains, rivers, sunsets, wildflowers, the most amazing wonders of the world, and He still thought, "I need an Emily. The world won't be finished until I have one just like her." And if you're reading this, He thought the world needed one of you too. HE needed one of you too.

So please, stop obsessing in the mirror. The truth is, there is nothing you need to fix about the way you look, only how you see yourself. 

Psalm 139:14 I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.