About the Author

Dierdra (Dee) Zollar is the Studio Editorial Director for the Hallmark Mother’s Day, Tree of Life, and Mahogany cards lines. Dee has over 20 years’ experience in the greeting card industry, with specialized expertise in and deep knowledge of the Mahogany Brand.

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  1. I was born with an athlete body. I was often called “muscle girl”. I was very strong. I use to love to arm wrestle. My mother put me into dancing at a young, until my late teen age years. I was ashamed of my body, due to the cruelty of people teasing me. As I grew into my womanhood, I can yet recall my mother’s statement “ Daughter people pay big bucks to have your shape. I was blown away by her words. She said stop being ashamed and be thankful. She said “You are blessed.” I can relate to the scripture “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” I thank God for this scripture, My mother’s powerful words changed how I felt about myself.

    • Hi Dorothea,
      So thankful for moms who affirm us and teach us how to love ourselves. You were blessed by her words and her example of self-empowerment, and I’m thankful my mom was like that as well. Love that you embrace the unique way God made you. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I was born with an athlete body. I was often called “muscle girl”. I was very strong. I use to love to arm wrestle. My mother put me into dancing at a young, until my late teen age years. I was ashamed of my body, due to the cruelty of people teasing me. As I grew into my womanhood, I can yet recall my mother’s statement “Daughter people pay big bucks to have your shape. I was blown away by her words. She said stop being ashamed and be thankful. She said “You are blessed.” I can relate to the scripture “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” I thank God for this scripture, My mother’s powerful words changed how I felt about myself.

  3. Thank you for sharing. It is only when you know yourself spiritually and culturally that you can appreciate self!♥️♥️

    • I agree, Eva. It took me a moment to understand that, and I’m so thankful I know who I am in the Lord now.

  4. So eloquently and beautifully stated. iTunes was teased about my full mouth. Frog lips, soup coolers, liver lips, and toe with my lips would make a lollipop too happy. I wished for years that my lips were smaller. Sometimes I would even try to hide them, as if I could. Now I am at that perfect peace with my lips. Putting red lipstick on them just show them off even more prominently. It appears that a number of other races wish they had lips like mine. And they’re going through all expensive treatments and injections and coming out looking some kind of crazy. 02 did not let what they were saying define me. God made me the way he wanted me to be. I am better & stronger for it. I am complete !

    • First, I love the name Princella–so regal! So happy you’re embracing everything that makes you the beautiful queen you are! And thank you for sharing your story of self-acceptance and self-affirmation as well.

  5. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story! Although self-hatred and comparison is an unfortunate by-product of our experience, your story demonstrates that the only true solution is knowing who you are within yourself. You ARE fearfully and wonderfully made! Me too!

    • Thank you, Yvette. That knowing who we are is key, right? Then, no one else gets to define us! You are fearfully and wonderfully made, sis!

  6. Thank you for sharing. I loved the honesty of your feelings and it is sad that one negative remark can stay with us our entire lives. It is tough to be held to other beauty standards, which leaves us to think that we weren’t supposed to be the way we were created. Thanks for reminding us all that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made by God”.

    • Bless you, Chandra. I did carry that wound for a minute…but I’ve learned to truly let go and let God heal and grow me. I appreciate you sharing as well.

  7. Well said 👏 I liked your story and I can relate. But not because of the darkness of my skin to the contrary it’s the lightness of my skin that I don’t measure up for or to my sisters. After years of soul-searching I learned too and started to believe that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God bless you for sharing your story. I appreciate you ❤

  8. God bless you, too, Marcy. I am sorry that many of us have had these experiences, but I’m thankful for this community of sisters who can testify to the healing power of journeying through to get to a place of wholeness and acceptance. I appreciate you sharing as well.

  9. Thank You so much for this powerful testimony, it spoke to my heart for I have struggled for years with my own appearance and Psalm 139:14 has always ministered to my spirit and one for which I have spoken over my own beautiful daughter and now my precious granddaughters. God Bless You Sister and your beautiful perfect baby boy!

  10. I so love your affirmation ❤. Growing up mixed (my father was Black and my mother is Filipino), surrounded by my Black culture often left me questioning my worth, my beauty and wondering if one culture was better than the other. I often heard from classmates, “Oh, you think that you’re cute because you have ‘good’ hair !”. My father always instilled in me, that I’m not any better or worse than anyone else…..I’m just different. He always said to NEVER let anyone else set limits or standards for YOU…….

  11. That was awesome and oh so true! Thank you Joi for candidly sharing your experience and your powerful truth of how you did not allow it to define you. We should be proud of the skin we are in, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God! Bless you!!

  12. Beautiful 😍. It is sad to say we have all in some way shape or form been hurt by others words about our looks. I am who I am because of that kind of hurt. No I do not let it define me but impower me. I thank God Almighty for my mare existence and who I am.

  13. I have had to embrace my beauty in its many different forms over the years. Yes I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

  14. Being me is just that; individualistic. Everyone comes out of the womb by themselves. God planned it that way so that each would be themselves. The answer always lies in the prescription and The Hand, Heart and Mind of The Prescriber!

    The world is hyped never believe the hype. Always consult the prescription. The Prescriber prescribes the exact dosage of remedy to combat every lie.

    Black, white or “colored” every human must find her identity in The Great Physician. The Promise is that if you look to Him . . . you will be there.

    For it is He Who has made us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100:3)

  15. Being a good mother is sometimes difficult. There are no instructions that tells you how to train up a child except in the Bible that states to train up a child in the way he/she should go, and when he/she is old, they will not depart from it. As a mother, I never felt the need to prepare my children to deal with bullying, someone being hurtful to them or simply being disrespectful. I simply assumed that my telling them just how beautiful, handsome, smart, great and marvelous they were, would be enough.

    Your message was powerful and insightful. Realizing finally that you were fearfully and wonderfully made by God was reassuring, providing you with the ability to know that you are definitely who you are. You defined you.

    Your message has inspired others to realize how to accept that God is the author and finisher of each of us, He made us who we are, and God does not make junk. Keep doing good works and keep trusting in yourself. God will be well pleased. Congratulations.

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