Today, God reminded me that sometimes the reassurance we need comes from the most unexpected places. 🤍 I went for my physical examination today, and one of the first things they did was weigh me. 70.5 kg. For some people, that’s just a number. I know it’s just a number, but for me, it hit differently. I’ve always been conscious about my weight. I have a goal for myself, and lately, I’ve been struggling because I know I’ve gained weight. My lifestyle changed, my work shifts changed, and I haven’t been working out like I used to. Somewhere along the way, I started feeling like I was neglecting myself. I became easily irritated and frustrated. I would look in the mirror and think, “I don’t look good anymore.” I felt huge, fat, and like I wasn’t taking care of myself or being the woman and mother I wanted to be. I never said these things out loud. They were just thoughts, but they affected my mood, confidence, and how I saw myself. After my exam, my mom and I went to the mall. Every time I passed a mirror, I would look at myself and criticize what I saw. I didn’t feel beautiful or confident. Then something unexpected happened. There was a mall tour happening, and I’m honestly not the type of person who goes to mall tours or waits around to see celebrities. 😂 But because of the traffic, we couldn’t get a Grab, so we decided to go back inside the mall and wait. Since we were already there, I told my mom, “Let’s go see who’s performing.” So we watched, and honestly, I had so much fun. 😂 I was entertained and starstruck, and for a while, I forgot. When the event ended, the celebrities started walking towards our side. And that’s when I saw her. @Barbie Forteza I was taking a video and trying to say hi, thinking maybe I could get a picture with her. But as she passed by me, she pointed at me and said: “Ang ganda mo.” “You’re beautiful.” And I froze. Literally froze. 😭 Of course, hearing that from someone I admire made me smile. But what stayed with me wasn’t just the compliment. It was the timing. Just hours before, I had been telling myself the exact opposite. I had been looking at myself in every mirror and telling myself that I wasn’t beautiful anymore. And then, completely unexpectedly, someone pointed at me and said, “Ang ganda mo.” I couldn’t help but think… maybe God knew I needed to hear that. Maybe He was gently reminding me: “Stop being so hard on yourself.” “You are still My creation.” “Your worth did not decrease because the number on the scale increased.” “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:14 🤍 God didn’t have to send me a celebrity. But maybe, in that exact moment, He knew that hearing those words from someone I never expected to meet would make me stop and listen. And that’s what I’m taking from today. I’m still going to take care of myself. I still want to become healthier, stronger, and work out again. But I don’t want to do those things because I hate the person I see in the mirror. I want to take care of myself because I love the woman God created me to be. I don’t want my weight to determine my worth. I don’t want a number on a scale to decide my worth. You can gain weight and still be beautiful. You can feel insecure and still be wonderfully made. You can be a work in progress and still be God’s masterpiece. Sometimes, God uses unexpected people and moments to remind us of what we’ve forgotten. Today, He reminded me: “You are beautiful. Don’t forget who you are in Me.” 🤍 Thank You, Lord, for reminding me when I couldn’t remind myself. Maybe that wasn’t just a compliment. Maybe it was a little whisper from God saying, “My daughter, I see you. And you are beautiful.” 🥹🤍 #barbieforteza #God #godlovesyou #christiantiktok #godisgood - @jessicanaperi