Day 8 — Changing Shape

“She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.”

— Proverbs 31:17 (BSB)

One of the first things many girls notice during puberty is that they’re growing, sometimes fast! You might grow several inches in a year. Your jeans suddenly don’t fit. Your shoes are too small. You might feel a little clumsy as you get used to longer arms and legs.

Your body shape changes too. Your hips usually get wider. Your body naturally gains some weight, which it needs, because it’s growing and getting stronger. You start to look less like a little girl and more like a young woman.

Sometimes girls feel uncomfortable about these changes. They see their bodies changing and start to worry. Am I getting too big? Why don’t I look like her? Why is my body changing faster, or slower, than my friends’?

Here’s what you need to know:

Healthy growth includes gaining weight. Your body needs to put on weight as it grows taller and develops. That’s exactly what God designed it to do.

Every girl’s body is different. Some girls are tall, some are short. Some are curvy, some are straight. God made a beautiful variety, and there’s no single “right” shape.

Don’t try to stop your body from growing. Some girls start skipping meals or dieting because they’re worried about how they look. But your growing body needs good food, a lot of it! Eating well, moving your body, playing and getting enough sleep are the best ways to take care of it.

Strong is good. Look at today’s verse about a woman of God: “She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.” God wants His daughters to be strong and healthy, not worried about being as small as possible.

Please talk to someone if you ever feel really worried about your weight or shape, if you’re afraid to eat, or if you find yourself thinking about food and your body all the time. Tell your mom, dad or another trusted grown-up right away. Those feelings are common, and help is available.

Your body is a gift. It lets you run, play, hug, dance, climb, create and serve. As it changes, you can thank God for it.

Think about it: What’s something you’re thankful your body can do?

Try this: Ask your mom or a trusted woman, “What should I know about how my body will change?” Then thank God for three things your body can do.

Dear God, thank You for my growing body. When it changes, help me not to worry or compare, but to thank You. Help me take good care of my body with good food, exercise and rest. Make me strong in body and in spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.