Self-Worth...iness!!!

I read an article in the paper that made my spirit cringe. Inner Bethany shouted "No!" as my brain processed the words I had seen. I was reading an ad for a local gym containing a testimonial. This person proclaimed that working out at this fitness facility had increased their self-worth. SELF WORTH. Those were the exact words that were used. Not self-esteem, not self-confidence but self-worth. We all know that we live in a culture which tells us from a very young age what determines our worth. Our size, shape, skin color, attitude, and intelligence all figure into the calculation. Once all has been added, subtracted, and divided, we come out with our self-worth. "I am a smidge overweight, so that is minus two, BUT I have loads of confidence and attitude. That must be plus three at least, right?" Truth is, we just need to STOP. Stop letting others or even letting ourselves in those dark, gloom filled places base our worth on things that don't matter. Our worth is not quantifiable. We are not worth more because we are married, or because we are young, or because we are wealthy, or because we weigh less than 150 pounds. We are not more worthy because we went to college or because we've traveled the globe. Our skin color, eye color, profession, or talents do not make us more or less worthy. Again, our worth is not quantifiable. We are worthy because we ARE. We exist. We were made intricately and uniquely by the Creator of the Universe. Therefore, we are worthy. We are worthy of love. We are worthy of appreciation. We are worthy of respect. We are worthy of protection. Not because we are pretty (or handsome), not because of who our husband or are wife is, not because we are skinny, not because we are outspoken. We cannot earn our worth. We are BORN with it. So, today, I encourage everyone and I encourage myself: To refuse to let anyone or anything on this earth define my worth. To draw a line in the sand, a boundary for the values and criticism of this culture, and when something or someone tries to cross it--to raise my flag higher and fight back. May you recognize your self-worthiness!