Do you spend a lot of time thinking about how you look? Even though you are a nice size, you still see yourself as overweight or out of shape? Do you focus on the slightest flaw in your appearance? Do you feel pressured to be the best in everything you do? I mean it really bothers you to make a "B", it must be an "A". You are not content to be on the team, you must be the captain otherwise, you have failed.

Listen; don't be so hard on yourself. When you think that everything about you is not good enough, then you are always trying to be accepted in the eyes of others. This can be a very stressful way to live, and pretty soon you may wear yourself out. You may even make yourself physically sick or emotionally unstable.

Many young people, especially females, are so concerned about what others think about them, that they actually lose their appetite. They can't eat. They lose weight and get their whole system out of balance. In extreme cases, some have had to go into the hospital for treatment, and have to get professionals to help them deal with the problem. Man, that's just too intense.

Hey yo! Don't let anybody make you feel bad about yourself. Don't get uptight and insecure when you go around other youth that you think look better or dress better than you do. You are exactly the way God made you. He didn't make any mistakes. You are a masterpiece, you need to stop comparing yourself to others and discover the real beauty in you.

The bad thing about pleasing people is that they are always changing. They may be happy today and unhappy tomorrow. They may approve of you today and disapprove of you tomorrow. You cannot trust how people feel about you because they are not always honest. Why should you live by something as unreliable as that?

But you can depend on God. His love for you is steadfast and unchanging. You never have to worry about Him (or His children) making you feel worthless and insecure.

Sometimes you may go on a date with a guy who tries to make a move on you. You know that pre-marital sex is wrong, so you tell him in a nice way that you are not down with sex before marriage. No matter what Romeo says, don't feel like you're ugly or square. Don't let him change you. Tell him bye-bye and feel good about it. Anytime someone tries to make you feel bad when you do the right thing, do not even give it a second thought. Don't feel crushed and start thinking that something is wrong. Doing the right thing is right even if you are the only one doing it. You may as well learn that now because I can tell you from experience, it's the same way throughout adult life.

So start praying and give your life totally to Jesus Christ. Read scriptures in the bible that talk about how much God loves you. As you come to understand and trust God's love for you, then you won't be so tempted to feel bad about yourself when someone says something negative about you. You will come to understand the grace of God, and how His love for you is not determined by your performance, but by Himself alone.

Will you trust God today? Will you commit your life to Jesus Christ today?