It seems that people’s Facebook profiles don’t exactly reflect the truth about their life, it’s only the best part.  Their profile pic is the best picture ever taken of themselves, even it was 10 years ago and 20 pounds lighter.

Saw where someone called Facebook,  “your personal PR machine where you sparkle brighter”

What’s wrong with just being real?

I overheard 2 women talking at the park yesterday about how one had 2 separate Facebook accounts. One for her current friends and family where she puts real pictures, and another that's for high school classmates and old boyfriends where she only puts the best pictures of herself, when she was thinner.

Somebody give me one GOOD reason to do that?  Join the discussion on my totally honest Facebook page. 

To “practice what I preach” today, I posted a pic I snapped this morning without makeup right after waking up.  I realized I have all these professional photos psted where someone else did my hair and makeup.  It’s not the real me.  That’s the only day I have ever looked that good. 

The real me has dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, and freckles from too much time in the sun.

I want to be real.  Strong women are comfortable in their own skin.  I may not always feel strong and comfortable in my own skin, but I certainly can try. 

Here’s why I think it’s important:  When you’re real and vulnerable about your own imperfections, that’s when others feel comfortable coming to you for help.  That’s your opportunity to tell them where you get your strength from. 

I don’t know about you, but I get mine for believing and relying on Jesus Christ.

You can join our Be Real movement by posting your real pictures on my Facebook Page, follow me on Twitter @KLOVEAmanda and make sure you use the hashtag #BeReal. 

A friend once told me, "the brighter the lipstick, the more a woman’s hurting and trying to cover it up." 

There’s no need to cover it up with God.  Like that song says from Pocket Full of Rocks, “Come as you are, all your broken pieces, all your shameful scars.” 

I get why you don’t feel comfortable doing that though.  A lot of folks think church is a “museum for the good people instead of a hospital for the broken” (Jefferson Bethke)

I remember as a kid that I had one special pair of shoes just for church, I called them my “Sunday Shoes”.  They went “clickety clak” on the laminate square floor of the children’s church building.  I only got to wear them one day a week, on Sunday.  The day I dressed up and my daddy would wear a suit.  

There's no such thing as Sunday Shoes anymore, not even the pastor is wearing a suit, and I honestly think it’s a good thing.  There’s a story in the USAToday about the impact a casual church can have. 

I understand the whole reverence thing, and bringing your best for God by dressing up at church.  But, there’s also this opportunity to be casual and come as you are to make it more comfortable for others to do the same.  To make people who don’t own Sunday Shoes or a Suit feel comfortable to visit. 

This makes me want to put up a sign on the front doors of every church, “No Sunday Shoes, No Problem”