The Gorgeous Inside Challenge

This year my 25th Birthday was extremely special! There weren't any material objects that I craved for whatsoever. I am so content in my portion that everything added and taken away is a blessing at this point. The first half of the day my family and I went to bless others around the town.  25 Random Acts of Kindness for every year of life! Now giving is NEVER about who knows or ANY type of reward that a person can give you back. Giving is about genuineness with a cheerful heart, knowing that your reward is in heaven. I only share this with you all just in case you all ever want to have a unique birthday celebration! You are blessed to be a blessing! Never forget that!

Throughout this journey of Holy Spirit filled stops and detours there was one idea that punctured my heart in the best way to start something brand new! 

The Gorgeous Inside Challenge

How often do we see people emphasizing external beauty? I mean it's every where. From the media to our facebook pages. And do not get it twisted, there's nothing wrong in looking and feeling beautiful, however it becomes an issue when we focus more on things of the flesh as opposed to our inside: our spirit. 

With this challenge I am encouraging women to leave a note on a public restroom mirror or facility reminding others that the mirror will always be too fickle to reflect their true beauty! Or just simply leave a word of encouragement! You can get as creative as you'd like! It's your love note leaving a little sprinkle of love to whomever finds it. 

Please TAG #GorgeousInsideChallenge on Instagram, facebook and twitter with your love notes! You seriously never know who needs a word of encouragement and reminder of God's love! I mean how many times have you been having a bad day and felt blessed by a kind word or deed right on time?! 

I look forward to seeing them!

Here is an awesome example left on a gym mirror in Jupiter, Florida by one of our sisters in love!

(To friends and family who have stayed loyal to the blog even when I haven't posted much, THANK YOU! I will get better! There's so many things that will share with you all soon! 2014 is already awesome!)

Speak LIFE!!!!

What does that mean?

When we are in the moment, possibly negative circumstances, many of us have a tendency to complain.

This complaining is called speaking DEATH upon your situation. I don't mean to sound like the utter drama queen, but maybe I do need to collect my crown on this topic because the power of words needs to be stressed.

When we speak negatively we send out a message to the enemy and God. We tell the enemy he's in control and we tell God that when we can't clearly see the future because of the clouds, that we don't have faith.

If unpleasant things happen we must speak LIFE! We must learn to say

"okay things aren't looking so hot right now, but God, I trust that it's all a part of the process. What do I need to take away from this situation? What are you trying to strengthen within me? What are you trying to strip away from me?"

We must learn to thank God all the way through. Speak life and surround yourself with those who only speak life as well. In those seldom moments where it's hard to see the positive side, it's important that we have positive people to speak LIFE over us and pray for us as well.

With love,

Paloma 'gorgeousINSIDE' Duran

Proverbs 18:21

NKJV

“Death and

LIFE

are in the power of the tongue...”

Where Did 'Gorgeous Inside' Come From???

Actual sign

 

I always get asked “where did gorgeous inside come from?” Besides the obvious reason of its representation, I’ll tell you how it came about for me.

Like many of us, when I was an adolescent I was lost. I will say I was a bit beyond though. I did things I never was supposed to do at a young age and influenced others to do the same. Not something I am proud of but lessons I am grateful for.

In all of my craziness, and outlandish behavior, I never quite fit in. I was popular but still felt very alone. My friends would give me the side eye when I would want to talk intellectually and they wanted to talk about cute boys. It’s like God injected me with wisdom at birth because sometimes the things that would come out of my mouth even surprised me. I admit, I ‘dumbed myself down’ at times not to be quite an alien (because that’s what I felt like at the time).

So in accordance with my blog title, I can’t lie to yall: One day when I was fourteen, I was smoking weed with some kids in the neighborhood and walking around. On our journey we walked by this house which was for sale. It had a for sale sign and an “I’m gorgeous inside” sign. Where I grew up, at the time, the houses were rag-it-ty. So I guess the sign was the perfect cope out, or else no one would step foot into that house.

(Something like this)

The sign called out to me in my heightened stupor. I wanted to take it but I knew that it was wrong. Just as I touched it and looked up, there was a woman in a suit at the window smiling at me and nodding her head. As if she was saying “take it, it’s yours.” So I did, running like the cops were coming after me.

When I turned fifteen and started driving, that sign boldly sat in my back window. Anyone I grew up with can tell you that’s how they recognized my Honda. One day this man was honking at me at a light and as I’m ready to curse him out he smiled and said “it’s so nice to see that sign. There are too many people that just care about their outer and don’t worry about their inner.”

His words never left my heart. At that point I understood my calling a little bit more, although throughout the years, I still got lost along the way. I knew that I didn’t fully fit in for a reason. And the nights where I cried alone because someone called me naïve for being so forgiving or ‘too emotional’, God would tap me on my shoulder and say “You’re gorgeous inside. Don’t worry about them.”  

Gorgeous inside isn’t a pretty picture. It’s a calling. It’s those intangible moments only created by God. And it’s the overcoming of conflict within to walk on purpose and not for others. Gorgeous inside is truth embedded in substance. Gorgeous inside is not a flashy mob, but sometimes it’s just walking alone with God and truly listening to your heart.

Gorgeous inside means ‘I don’t care about your attire, whose flyer, or who can pay the highest bill’. Gorgeous inside is vulnerability and transparency at its finest, admitting that at times we come short but when we give our 100, God does the rest. Gorgeous inside is more blessed than a woman with a double D chest because gorgeous inside understands that it is our inner light and our outer deeds that truly make us beautiful!

I am gorgeous inside. Are you?