I couldn’t understand for the life of me why there was no apparent growth on my chest. Later on, I found out my friends began to get their periods. That was why they were suddenly developing but, nothing for me.
I remember one of my “developed” friends talking about someone she liked and how they were so in love. I began to think I needed someone to like too. After all, I just really wanted to be like one of the girls. So, I began to like this boy at school. It seemed as if he liked me too but I noticed he liked touching my buttocks. I thought that perhaps this was normal behavior until I overheard my mother say that I should never allow anyone to touch my body.
So, the next day I went to school determined to tell this boy he could no longer do that. He got upset. He then tried to corner me in one of the classrooms and began to demand that I kiss him. I said no. Within three days, he began to like another girl, probably the most “developed” girl in the entire school. I didn’t know it then. It seemed so innocent, such a normal occurrence for kids to experience during puberty. But a little lie crept in that early. And the lie was that my value when it comes to men was directly linked to my body. If a man cannot touch my body, I have no value to him.
This occurrence, amongst many others, resulted in very serious consequences in my identity as a woman. I made some very poor decisions I will tell you about on another occasion. But, I tell you this little anecdote because I want you to think about your life.
What are some events that marked you? I became the sum total of every little occurrence and event that ever happened in my life. Our identities are tied to our experiences. Did you, too, believe a lie when you were very young like I did? What is God saying about this lie?
This is what my Papa says about mine:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
Your value exceeds far beyond rubies. Proverbs 31:10
Your body is beautiful and perfect. I made it.
What is God saying to you?
