Hey XXXChurch Family (especially my sister friends),

I am actually doing a lot of running around this week as I prepare for a party that I am throwing for a foundation that God gave me, Butterfly Angel.  It is to celebrate survivors of sexual abuse (harm done to you) and sexual misuse (harm you do to yourself).  I will provide you with more information on that as soon as my website is up and running (and hopefully that will be very soon).

In the meantime, I wanted to send the ladies a reminder that tomorrow is National Women’s Confidence Day!  I know you think I’m making that up, but it’s true.  Since last year and until forever and whenever, the first Wednesday of every June will be devoted to women and building up their self-confidence.

Now you know that I’m am just LOVING that because as I have stated several times, God has really being drilling into my head what the Bible says about loving oneself (Matthew 22:39).  I can’t love my neighbor well if I don’t love myself well.

As I look over the sordid tales of my relational past, I realize that most of my romantic relationships have directly reflected what I thought, felt, believed about myself—that I didn’t deserve to be pursued, that I had to compromise my worth, that another person’s needs were always more important than mine, that I needed to try and make “it” work even when it wasn’t working and that without some piece of a man, I was not whole.

What I love about a day like Wednesday is that it is scripture fulfilling itself in the earth!  Ladies, I don’t care what your parents, your friends, your man, your ex or even your pastor tells you: there is NOTHING WRONG with pampering yourself, celebrating yourself, LOVING YOURSELF.  This is how we develop self-confidence and to be confident is to have belief in your abilities.  Yes, you need the humility to remember that you need God to accomplish great things, but once you know that, there is no reason to hold your head down or take the back seat on this journey we call life.  YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH TO DO SO!!! (Philippians 4:13)

So promise me one thing, OK?  That you will do something strictly for yourself tomorrow with no reservation or apology whether it’s getting your nails done, buying a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, picking up a new blouse or treating yourself to a movie.

In the wise words of Queen Latifah at the kick off of National Women’s Confidence Day last year:

“I am someone with or without this man.  I am someone with or without this job, with or without these tight jeans.  I am a strong woman.  I can survive.”

My sister friends, you most certainly can!  CELEBRATE YOU.

Talk to you soon.