Loving Her as She Is... Now

Because if God can love you right here, why can’t you?

The other day, I put on a dress.

Not just any dress, but one that made me feel like her again. The version of me who smiles a little wider when her lipstick hits just right, who walks with a little more sway, who chooses a spritz of perfume not for anyone else, but simply because she likes the way it lingers.

And for a moment I felt good.
Confident, even. Beautiful. Bold.

But then it hit me.
I’m not the size I used to be.

I don’t move like I used to. My jeans fit differently. My face is fuller in pictures. And if I’m being honest, I felt that tug, the quiet but sharp whisper that says, “You looked better before.”

And here’s the thing: I’ll probably never be that small again.
Not because I’m incapable. Not because I don’t take care of myself.
But because I’ve changed. My body has changed.
My life, my pace, my priorities, they’ve all shifted.

And truthfully, I don’t want to go back to that size, not if it means chasing a version of myself that no longer fits my current joy, peace, or growth.

Still, learning to love myself here, in the now, takes intentionality.

We often talk about self-love like it’s a one-time decision. But the truth?
It’s a daily practice. A discipline, even.

It’s looking in the mirror and choosing compassion over critique.
It’s putting on the dress anyway.
It’s silencing the old standard that says you have to shrink to be beautiful.
It’s no longer a matter of waiting to reach a certain number to celebrate your body, your life, or your worth.

Because if God can love you right here, why can’t you?

There is no timeline to acceptance, no perfect destination called “finally enough.”
There’s only today and the invitation to love the woman you see in the mirror now.

She may not be who you  were five years ago.
But she’s stronger. Softer. Wiser.
She’s survived things old you couldn’t even imagine.
And she deserves your love not just when she “gets it together” but now.

So, if you’re reading this and you’ve been battling the reflection you see, the same tug-of-war between love and judgment this is your reminder:

Put on the dress.
Wear the bold lipstick.
Take the photo.
Walk into the room like you belong.

Because you do.

And little by little, love her.
Not the past her.
Not the future her.
The now her.

She’s worthy of love too.