dove rocks my world.

first of all, i'm an avid dove user. that company's products wash my hair, style my hair, moisturize my skin, deodorize my pits and wash my body. i love it.

as you probably know they've had their "campaign for real beauty" for awhile now, and you've seen the pictures of women who are not so perfect by the world's standards posing in their underwear. i've always adored this campagin. those women ARE beautiful. every curve that sits in the wrong place is one to be cherished.

now they have the dove self esteem fund and this commercial: http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/commercial.asp?src=DSEFHome_commercial which i'm pretty sure aired for the first time during the super bowl.

i cannot stop watching it. i cannot stop crying.

i think so many girls, myself included, would have skipped a lot of pain if they'd just realized how much they are worth, how beautiful they are and how - and this isn't included in the dove commercials - just how much God loves them no matter what.

my heart aches for the girls who are growing up now with role models like jessica simpson and paris hilton - the media's picture of the perfect woman. but only 1 out of a million look like jessica or paris, and even that one doesn't think she's good enough.

my life's goal is to reach out to these girls and really show them how breathtakingly beautiful they are and how they are worth all the gold and diamonds and rubies in the world. nothing should tell them otherwise. it's why i work with the girls in landon's youth group. it's why my ultimate career goal is to have a magazine for girls that's sole purpose is to empower them and show them that they are precious is the eyes of God - the only eyes that really matter.

the dove commercial has inspired me anew today. "let's change their minds" it says. i will give to the self-esteem fund. i will do even better with the girls who are right in front of me. and things will change. they have to.