“It was a rollercoaster” that’s how Nadine Lustre described the year 2015 and how the Cosmo write-up about her started. If I were to be asked how the past year has been in my life, I would have probably said the same thing. With a wink, I would also say, “Great minds think alike.” 😉
2015 truly has been an amazing year for Nadine because of a lot of endorsements and projects that came in, particularly “On the Wings of Love” branded as 2015’s Most Romantic Teleserye. It was quite a ride, don’t you think? And we still are hanging on our seats, having the time of our lives, as our fave teleserye, OTWOL nears its end (many are feeling heartbroken, but we also feel excited to see what’s next for JaDine, right?).
But as high as her wings flew last year, she admits that she wasn’t always feeling on top of the world and lets her guard down, allowing us to see her vulnerable side.
“Feeling ko since I’m always tired, I’m not doing my best. But I am. Pero feeling ko, it’s not good enough. Binigyan ko ng standard yung sarili ko na hindi naman talaga dapat. So instead maging masaya ako with what I’m doing, pinahirapan ko yung sarili ko…I was physically, emotionally, mentally exhausted. So I got depressed…I’m the type of person who doesn’t like showing her weaknesses. I like people to think I’m really strong…when I’m really vulnerable inside. But showing your weakness is acceptance…” 1
I can totally relate to her. I often have the tendency to overthink a lot of things going on in my life and I realize how small and inadequate I am. I think my mom knows me too well that she gave me a book last Christmas entitled, “More Precious Than Diamonds: Biblical Meditations on a Woman’s Worth in God’s Eyes.” I was so blessed by the book so I wanted to share about it to you today.
Here is a chapter that made me cry and touched my heart the most-
More Precious than Diamonds
God has lots of diamonds. I think He must smile as He sees human beings working the ground and even the bottom of the ocean, searching for them. He knows exactly where they are.
But diamonds just aren’t that precious to God. Nor are other costly stones – or even gold…But you? That’s another matter. He has formed many diamonds, but He made only one you. You are unique. You are unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live. He made you because He wants someone exactly like you.
Oh yes, like diamonds, we’re flawed. That’s one way gemologists identify them- by the unique flaws or inclusions they find in them. But God came up with an extravagant plan to solve that problem of our flaws- a solution that cost God the very life of His Son when He died in our place on the cross. The cross is the centerpiece of God’s display of His love for us.
Think about this. We are so precious to God that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to die so you and I wouldn’t have to die for the sins we’ve committed. David Eckman pictures God explaining this to us: “My Son is dying for you because you are worth a Son to Me.”
Just think of it- “you are worth a Son to Me.”
I think it’s very sad that today we don’t hear that message as clearly as we should. Much religious teaching is directed at merely making me feel good about myself. TV personality Larry King once asked the pastor of a mega-church why he didn’t have a cross anywhere in his church. “We believe in the cross, but the cross reminds people of pain,” responded the pastor, “and we want people who come to be filled with positive thoughts.” How sad, for the cross of Jesus tells us beyond the shadow of a doubt of our worth in God’s sight.
What is precious to God is you and me – living to glorify Him.
When we place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20)…When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He chooses to take up residence in our hearts. We are extremely valuable – precious – to Him.
But we often don’t feel valuable. That’s because today’s woman is repeatedly forced to compare herself with perfection. She is barraged today with more images of the perfect fact and perfect body (airbrushed, of course) than at any time in human history. She is constantly bombarded on her cell phone and computer with a flow of glowing media images in filtered, living color. And let’s hope your home looks like something on the Home and Garden Channel, and the dinners you’re whipping up come straight from the Food Channel recipes.
Celebrities have all sorts of professional help with their appearance, but now so can you- if you can afford it! In recent years dermatology has taken its place alongside cosmetic surgery in offering to take ten years off a woman’s appearance. These days the business of plastic surgery mushrooms as women set out on their personal quests for self-worth, hoping that a perfect nose makes a perfect person.
Increasingly, we self-publish the details of our daily lives on social media. Take a look at your posts on Facebook. When you post a picture or a comment, you are actually writing a history of your life, one post at a time. While doing this may make you feel better about yourself, another woman may be depressed from seeing the post of you and your husband celebrating your wedding anniversary, and think, “Celebrating? My husband and I aren’t even speaking!” or “Now that I’ve turned fifty, no one would want to marry me.”
My own definition of self-worth is very simple. As a woman, I ask myself, “Am I a person of value?” If my answer is yes, I have self-worth. If my answer is no- if I truly believe I have little value in this world – my life will be a constant struggle. If we look at our worth from a human perspective, then we will always see something flawed and weak.
We simply can’t “do it all.” But when our self-worth is secure through Christ, we will be better able to leave our failures in God’s hands, knowing it is His strength that is at work in our lives, not our own. God’s perspective is eternal -to Him we are precious every day of our lives.
Listen to Father God saying to you, “You are worth a Son to Me. I want to have a close and intimate relationship with you.” Run – yes, run to His arms today. Don’t wait another minute. Let Him whisper these words to you: “I love you. I love you.”
Cry from my heart: Lord, You have lots of diamonds – but only one me! What an amazing thought! Help me not forget how much You love me. 2
In a world filled with so much competition and vanity, it is comforting to know that I have a God who doesn’t love or judge me by the number of likes I have in FB or IG, by the amount of money I have in my bank account, or by my class rank or number of medals/trophies/certificates I keep in our house…whether or not my posts are trending, whether or not I have that perfect close-up smile or flawless glowing skin, whether I have a posh car or simply ride a jeepney or the MRT/LRT to work, whether or not I’m wearing a Zara or any branded/designer’s outfit or my favorite old, rugged “daster”, God loves me…and He loves you, too.
As we face 2016, may we find comfort in the truth that we are all loved by God.
To Nadine and to you reading this blog post, 2016 may be both scary and exciting for all of us…but let’s all face it with courage and continue having the ride of our lives…and most of all, may our lives shine bright like a diamond and reflect the glory of God, the One who sees through us and considers us as His precious gem. ❤
Credits:
- Cosmopolitan Philippines, January 2016 issue (with Nadine Lustre on the cover -I believe it is not airbrushed kasi I can see her pinch her waist & natural lang syang payat/sexy #fangirling mode on…haha!- go grab your copy now! 😉)
- More Precious Than Diamonds: Biblical Meditations on a Woman’s Worth in God’s Eyes by Darlene Sala (I highly recommend this book! 😄❤)
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