Passions, Dreams, Desires

  The Lord has really been speaking to me in these 3 words. You see everyone has passions and desires for the way we want our lives to be. It is normal to have these things, and it is healthy. I thought I would share what the Lord has put on my heart. God has put the beauty community on my heart. With all of its brokenness, hurt, and lust for something temporary. I have always loved makeup and the beauty that is found inside it. It truly is my passion. The way I got into makeup, though, was far from beautiful.

  It was when I was in a place of hurt. It was a way to hide who I was and all the mistakes I had. For years I was bullied for who I was. I never really fit into the groups people already formed. I was always the tall bigger girl that was homeschooled and weird. She was too happy or talked too much or just was not pretty enough, they thought. It was cool not to invite me to things or talk bad about me behind my back or just make fun of me. I did not look like the rest. Therefore, I was not allowed into the group. At 7, I did not understand why I was not accepted. Why was I not pretty enough or skinny enough? Why was I not enough? All I wanted was to be liked and enough for them. So that led me down a path of always morphing myself to fit other’s molds. When I hit preteens, I started developing acne and getting it pretty bad. After a while, I talked to my mom about getting some makeup to cover up just some of the acne I had. She said yes, and that is how I started getting into makeup. I would watch video after video of makeup artists doing their makeup, and I would always think to myself. “Wow! If only I could look like her, I would be beautiful” or “if I could just cover up my face and create a new one. Then I will be prettier, and people will accept me”. Yeah, as I said, not a pretty or healthy start, but God is a God of redeeming.

   Through something that I would use to cover up myself, God created it a way to express myself. I started to realize through the help of God and God gifted people that makeup can be used to show what is already on the inside, outside. I practiced so much on myself that I started getting really good at makeup. I started branching out and doing it for other people. Wow, did God bless me in that! While I was doing people’s makeup, I was able to connect with them and build relationships. I learned so much about people and how unique everyone is and how that should be celebrated, not covered up! One of my favorite parts about doing people’s makeup is at the end when they look into that mirror and finally see what was already there… beauty. We forget that we are beautiful, no matter if we look different or not. We are beautiful because we are based on the image of God, and God does not make mistakes. We are beautiful because we are alive, connecting, and touching other people’s lives. We are beautiful because we are different. I want to bring love to the beauty community. I want to bring Jesus to a community based on manipulation, brokenness, hurt.

   That is my passion. To love God’s children and help them see that they are beautiful. To show them that the one who created them can heal and restore them. I challenge you to list your dreams. They can be serious, or they can be just fun! After you are done listing them, ask the Lord what he says about them? Have fun with it! Make it a joyful experience with him. DONT LIMIT YOUR DREAMS! THEY CAN BE AS BIG AS YOU WANT THEM TO BE! God gives you permission to dream big! Also, the Louisiana blog, coming soon! Until next, Esther Collins.