P. Boye Motivations

Hey guys! Welcome back to Paulinaboye’s the brave series , I have a good one for you today!

Before we proceed however, can I just greet you a happy new year 💥😃😃💃! I’m for one grateful to be alive, what a gift it’s to see this day , i mean on the last day of 2018, i heard of 3 deaths, like 3 different messages from 3 unrelated people, it was like I was dreaming my way into the new year , sigh, I imagine how many more didn’t see the new year. Being alive , reading this post, take time out to say thank you to your maker, will you .

We should therefore remain hopeful, for we live , and we can make a difference while we do. So I pray for you, that this year will be filled with abundance and blessings and that you may experience transformation in every area of your life, you, my dear reader shall experience peace and joy for the rest of the year ! Amen.

Now, unto today’s story😃.

I showcase the life of my friend and sister , one whom I’m proud to know for she is a lady of distinct strength and dignity. A student of Central University, Ghana studying Human Resource management who today is sharing a story which is rare but insightful , i must say. Not to spoil what greatness you are about to read , but join me as I showcase a Jewel called Benedicta Wallace, read and be blessed .

She writes,

“Before I proceed I’d like to say a big thank you to God and Sharon for this platform and opportunity to share my story with you about my body and how it has affected my life.
Well I’m not all of a good writer but I hope to write to your understanding.

When Offered the opportunity to write I was thinking about how to begin, how to put my words in place, I even asked myself if I can do this but inspite of all , the Bible inspired me to know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I’m therefore not frightened anymore to do this. The wisdom of God will work in you to not only understand but see beyond letters to visualize everything more like a video. Amen 🙏🏽

I didn’t grow up like every other girl child where their parents encourage assertiveness, compliment healthy body image and girly attitudes.
I spent the first 13 years of my life with my father where I was brought up the hard way such as in behavior, discipline and morals otherwise like a soldier. Growing in such atmosphere I developed love for masculinity
I loved everything about boys. I preferred playing and hanging out with boys at a tender age to the extent of doing house chores that boys alone were allowed to do . 🤔 You can imagine.

As a result I looked exactly like a boy, as you can see .

In junior high school I would engage in every sports such as racing at which I was always the first, soccer, high jump, short put, volleyball and even tennis when ever I was on holidays.
I usually represented my school in sport competitions which made me popular as a celebrity in school. Inspite of all the praises and glory i enjoyed, I also got intimidated because I was literally referred to as WOMAN MAN and HANDSOME GIRL. I wasn’t really feeling bad about it until I got to senior high school and started developing some sense of maturity, during that period.

Unfortunately, I had to move to my mom’s.
It all started to dawn on me when I changed my environment and girls behaved and looked like girls and boys behaved and looked like boys.
My sisters had soft and flexible body while mine was the complete opposite. I always wondered why this and it brought about low self esteem,timidity and lack of confidence as a lady. I mean, my sister’s and I didn’t grow up together, we really were different. When it comes to dressing, I’d prefer T-shirt, trousers and even snickers because I’d always lie to my self that gowns and skirts don’t suit my shape and I’m just ugly.
I would always tell my self that when I grow up I will do a surgery to become a man because I look like a man already it was just left with the genitals.

My friends in school and church would always tease me by calling me that annoying name, “Woman man”, it was so intimidating that I used to hide from my friends.
As a result I quit all other sports activities and considered only golf since that was a family game.

I remember crying very bitterly to my mom about not liking my body shape, no female dress suiting me, people teasing me and all that. I also remember crying and begging God to please change my strong body to a soft one.
Well , I’m glad both My mom and God helped me get my confidence back , here’s how.
While crying to my mom, she dried my tears and told me something very striking and I will never forget. She said, “Bene my love, don’t you know that this body you are complaining about not everyone has it ; some people don’t have legs and arms but you have and you don’t like it”, she continued, “don’t you know that ladies these days want strong arms ?💪, don’t you see that Ladies with very soft arms wish it were like yours?”

These words brought a bit of self confidence to me and I was beginning to get proud of my body but i wasn’t confident enough still until God spoke to me and said, “you are looking at the wrong mirror look at the right mirror”.
The little word from God meant and still means a lot.
The wrong mirror represents what people say about me, the wrong mirror is the mirror I stand in front of every day only to condemn and hate my self.
The right mirror, however is the word of God.
The right mirror says I’m beautiful!
The right mirror says I’m perfect!
The right mirror says I’ve got all I need!
The right mirror says I’m fearfully and wonderfully made !

This brought completeness to my life that God actually knows and cares about all I’m going through even the smallest of it all.

I have realized that there’s nothing wrong with my body but there is a lot wrong with what I accept from the outside world about my body.
I can now dress like a lady and slay 💁.

No one is born hating themselves or their bodies. This is a learned behavior that has to stop being passed down from generation to generation.
Love your body shape because it’s yours be proud of . If you don’t people will give you reasons to hate it and God won’t be happy about it.
You have the body because God made it so.
So discover what you can do with it and stop living your life by what people say but rather live your life with what God is saying about you.

Thank you and God bless you 😊”

Like it ? Please share and leave your comments , thank you 😉.

See you next time! By the way, men in the house, get ready !💃

Boye Paulina Sharon

22nd January , 2019.