Dear Daughter Struggling with Body Image,

Last month in Ethiopia one of my squadmates, Kyndal, led a Storytelling Team time that I think has the ability to impact individuals for years to come. Over the course of the Race we have all come to realize just how important and necessary it is for us to share our stories. In Revelation 12:11 it says “and they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.” This is referring to Satan. This verse reiterates to us the fact of just how important our stories truly are. Our stories contain the power to vanquish the enemy because our stories tell of the power of the Lord, and how His power is magnified through us ESPECIALLY in our darkest and weakest moments. 

My squad is full of fighters, and some of the bravest individuals I have ever had the honor of meeting. All of the members on my squad have unique and purposed stories that ultimately point back to the goodness, love, and redemption that God has for each of His children. There are people on my squad who have dealt with sexual abuse, addiction, cutting, homosexuality, depression, anxiety, lust, rejection, and so many other things that the enemy tried to use to keep them down. Our God is so much bigger than any of these things, and by His goodness and grace He helped each of my squadmates, myself included, to find freedom from the struggles they were facing. 

So last month Kyndal had the idea for us to write letters to individuals who may be currently struggling with those things that we are now walking in freedom from. Our hope is that we can be a light and a source of encouragement to those fighting, and to show that God truly does make a way when there seems to be no way. 

I sat with God for a long while on what to write because I have had to walk through many valleys in my lifetime. He laid what letter to write on my heart and He asked me to not only share the physical copy with future Racers, but to share it on my blog as well. So if this is for you, I pray that you know you are so loved, and cherished, and that I am always here to talk. 

Dear daughter struggling with body image, 

Trust me I get it, in fact if anyone gets it, I promise it’s me. You see I myself struggled with an eating disorder for over half of my life. I thought my worth was defined by my weight. I hated the girl who stared back at me every time I glanced at a mirror. I wasn’t thin enough, pretty enough, and didn’t have the body the world seemed to deem “perfect.” So what did I do? I looked to the world to define my worth. I looked to losing weight. Eating healthy and when even that didn’t work, not eating at all. I looked to exercising, laxatives, and diet pills. It didn’t make sense to me that even as that number on the scale decreased, it seemed that so did my worth. I truly felt worthless. It was when I reached my lowest point, my weakest, my most vulnerable state that I realized I couldn’t do it alone. It was then that Christ met me at rock bottom, picked me up off of the floor, and told me that He wasn’t going to leave me there. Self worth is something I’m still learning to trust God for on a daily basis, but the beautiful fact of it is that He alone is the One who gets to define it. My God says I am loved. My God says I am cherished. My God says I am worth it and He made me to fulfill a specific plan and purpose that I alone get to carry out. He sees you. He loves and wants you. And He made you perfect in every single way. You are beautiful, you are full of promise and potential, and He is going to use you in more mighty ways than you could ever ask, think, or imagine. So on those days when it feels difficult to look in the mirror take a deep breath, look yourself in the eyes, and boldly proclaim that you are a daughter of a King. You’re identity is found in Christ alone and because of that you will always be more than enough. You are oh so loved, never forget that!! 

All my love,

     Meagan Thompson!