She starred in 30 major films and was awarded the Golden Globe for “Female World Film Favorite.” She started her own production company and was voted “2nd Greatest Movie Star” of all time by Premiere Magazine. She was chosen by Empire Magazine as one of the “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History.”
This blonde bombshell was beautiful, talented, successful and seemed to have everything a woman could dream of, except for one thing—happiness.
Sadly, this famous superstar committed suicide on August 5, 1962. She was only 36 years old. Her makeup-covered face, dyed blonde hair and sparkling clothes only hid what she was feeling on the inside.
Depressed. Unloved. Alone.
This is the true story of America’s most iconic woman, Marilyn Monroe.
As I’ve studied the life of this beautiful and famous woman, I can’t help but ask the questions, “Why would a woman who had everything still commit suicide?” “Why weren’t the fame, beauty, money and guys enough to satisfy her?”
Sadly, not many people stop to ask these tough questions about Marilyn’s tragic life. Instead of questioning her fruitless quest for happiness, many of us follow right in her footsteps.
My sister, Bethany, and I wrote a more detailed version of Marilyn’s story in the opening chapters of our new book, Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity.
Like Marilyn, millions of modern women are chasing after happiness and satisfaction down the same dead-end road. Without even realizing it, many of us have bought into Hollywood’s popular lies about beauty, femininity and identity.
In chapter three of our new book, Girl Defined, we refer to these crafty lies as “counterfeit femininity.” As Christian women, many of us buy into the lies that to be worth anything we need to be pretty, sexy, smart, athletic, skinny, wealthy or popular.
We believe the lie that our worth as a female is based on our beauty and on our personal accomplishments.
Believing that lie is right where Marilyn went wrong, and it’s right where many of us go wrong as well.
“The moment we allow culture to define our womanhood is the moment we take our first wrong turn.”—Girl Defined
Whether you’re the “hottest blonde bombshell” on the planet or not, if we define our womanhood by anything other than God’s timeless Word, we will always feel empty inside. We will forever struggle with feelings of worthlessness and depression until we turn to the only One who has the power to fill our void.
True worth, identity and satisfaction cannot be found outside of God’s beautiful design for us as females. And that’s where the best news comes into play: Our status of worthiness has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God.
No matter how famous and pretty a woman is or how poor and unattractive she is, her worth and value are found in the same place.
Our worth doesn’t come from anything we can do but from everything Christ already did for us. If you’re a Christian, God calls you a child of God. And because you’re a child of God, He looks at you and sees royalty. You are a daughter of the most high King.
Psalm 139:13-14 says, “You brought my inner parts into being; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder; marvelous are Your works, and You know me completely.”
Not only are you a daughter of the King, God was knitting you together in your mother’s womb to look just the way you are. Just like an artist creating a masterpiece, God handcrafted your hair color, eye color, skin tone, height, nose shape, ears and body to look just the way He wanted it to.
Our culture may not consider you to be very special, but God does. And He’s the only One who owns the rights to say how worthy you are.
If Marilyn Monroe had understood these truths, her life probably would have ended very differently. The secret to true happiness in this world is to keep your eyes and heart on the Truth. The minute you look to someone or something other than Christ to define your worth and identity, you will go downhill. It’s a guarantee.
As Psalm 16:11 says, “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
The more I have come to understand and embrace God’s design for my life, the happier and more fulfilled I have become. I challenge you to take the time to learn more about God’s beautiful design for womanhood! I hope you’ll grab a copy of Girl Defined and continuing discovering God’s amazing and beautiful design for your life as a female.
If you’ve ever struggled with feelings of worthlessness, discontentment with your body, lack of fulfillment, relationship problems or confusion about your identity, this book is for you.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic as well as any additional insights you have. Please share whatever is on your heart and mind in the comment section below.
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Who or what are you allowing to define your worth and value?
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Do you truly view yourself as a daughter of the King? Why or why not?
P.S.: I would love to give you a free copy of my new book! Just comment below to be automatically entered into the book giveaway contest.
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett 
