Brenda’s Blog – December 14, 2021
“I didn’t know I could be pretty.”
These words spoken by a college woman exploded in my heart. As part of our Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute program we offered makeover instruction by Kat Van Dusen, a Mary Kay director. In the planning stages the college planning group told me their women wouldn’t be interested, but agreed to offer the afterhours option. Don’t expect more than four or five attendees, they recommended. Kat prepared for 20 believing in what God called her to do.
Forty women jammed into the room! Kat masterfully led them through makeup lessons while delivering principles of who we are as women in Christ Jesus. Their attention was on both the cosmetics and the Christology!
I sat on the side, listening and watching – and praising God for what was happening in that room. The Spirit of God was truly at work.
At the end, Kat passed little mirrors around the table, enabling each participant to catch their post-makeover reflection. Lots of oohs, and aahs (which was expected). Then then power appeared.
The last woman to receive the mirror glanced, put it down, and began crying. “I didn’t know I could be pretty.” There was a holy hush which permeated the entire space. We all knew the glory of God had fallen. She said she had always accepted the fact that she was plain without any hope of being pretty. Makeup was not used because she thought it was for “the pretty girls.”
The magic was not in the makeup, but in the moment of discovery. She did not exchange the beauty of Jesus for the world’s charm. No! But she no longer bought into the world’s message, either. She heard Kat’s words about who we are in Christ certainly. She also felt the loving touch of a woman whose career is centered on Jesus and encouragement.