I stand before the mirror scowling at the woman there with disgust.

I try to turn away but for some reason to study her is a must.

So easily I can find many things wrong with her starting from her head, ending with her toes.

Oh, God, can’t I just walk away and forget her? I can’t take anymore.

I mean, just look at her:

She has blemishes on her skin and a pointy nose,

shoulders too straight, bulging stretch marks exposed.

She has flab hanging over her belt and hips way too wide.

Isn’t there somewhere she can go, Lord, someplace she can hide?

Oh I’m telling you I wish I could just turn away,

but today something was holding my feet in place; something making me stay.

I can’t imagine why, though; she always looks the same.

She’s still not pretty, still fat, dark and awfully plain.

Lord, please let me be.

Help me get away from her; Lord, won’t you set me free?

My eyes water and a tear, then two escape down my face

and the tears from the woman in the mirror were in the exact same place.

For the first time I really looked at her and beheld the sadness in her eyes,

And I don’t know why, but I was genuinely surprised.

“If you were to escape from this woman,” a voice within me said, “where would you go?

I’ll tell you. You would be in a thick darkness have an intense sadness you wouldn’t want to know.

The ugliness and imperfections you see are not true.

The real flaws you’ve found are actually inside of you.

You look at her and immediately complaints you start listing.

Why don’t you use the power inside you to make a difference?

You see, good wine comes from a tended vineyard,

not from grapes that are bruised and scarred.

This woman has a beauty you won’t allow to manifest

because you haven’t looked inside yourself and cleaned up all that mess.

All that insecurity and low self-esteem.

Girl, you have so much of it it’s obscene!

Have you ever wondered what she see when she looks at you?

Does she see your pain?

Your depression and the dreams you believe are vain?

No! She goes deeper than the eye and feels all these burdens, even your pride.

You have caused her to look this way

Because whatever you feel, her body displays.

For once why don’t you give Me your burdens and carry Mine for they are light.

After all, yours strain her back, weaken her knees and drain her might.

Hold on to Me, child, for I am real.

Let Me make you over and all her bruises will be healed.

My spirit will bring you joy and a peace you cannot hide,

and it will blossom like a flower and be seen on her outside.

Let me show you how to love her, how to treat her right;

How to embrace her with your thoughts, how with security you can hold her tight.

I can give you motivation that’ll cause her to exercise,

And the beauty of humility to make her head rise.

Allow Me to do these things now. Why tarry? Please don’t wait.

I’ll put in you confidence to make the backbone of your soul straight.

Say the word and I will begin on you straightway.

You will see a difference, I promise; You’ll note a change today.”

Yes, Lord, yes, I cried,

and suddenly I felt heat on the inside.

Oh, and true enough, at the end of the day I felt somewhat new.

And I believed He was able and would do what He promised to do.

Time has passed and I’m rearranged,

and the woman in the mirror has completely changed.

Her eyes have a joy that so brightly shine;

and on her body the touch of my Lord is clearly defined.

In my heart I have crowned her queen,

for she has a virtue that before I had never seen.

I look and behold, the touch of my Lord’s liberty;

for He has given her life and that more abundantly.

And as I look at her with a heart finally free

I am honored to say that the woman in the mirror has always been me.

© D.L. Lunsford