A few weeks ago, I spent my Friday night reading The Good Body, a series of monologues written by Eve Ensler. The format and feel of the book is similar to the work that made Ensler (in)famous, The Vagina Monologues. I finished it the night I started it because it is short, fast, and fun, so you really have no excuse not to read it yourself. ☺

The storyline follows Ensler, the narrator, all over the world as she performs The Vagina Monologues and works on other feminist projects and presentations. All the while she struggles to love her stomach—that one part of her body that she just despises. Interwoven into Ensler’s struggle to love herself, monologues about bodies—parts of them, all of them, different types of them—are spoken by various women she encounters around the world. Some love their bodies; others hate them. All of the women are fabulous, diverse characters like the ones you find in The Vagina Monologues.

Naturally, The Good Body doesn’t match the exhilarating, taboo character of The Vagina Monologues. That’s because we are talking stomachs and butts and wrinkles and rolls, not vaginas. (Okay, there is a little talk of vaginas in this book too). It does, however, accomplish the same difficult task of making an important feminist issue—our battle with unattainable body and beauty standards—relatable, understandable, creative and entertaining.

With all this talk about the body, I got to thinking about Jesus. As Christians, we glorify the body; the incarnation is everything to us! Yet so many of us, myself included, struggle to love our own bodies—our own incarnate selves.

So, spend some time loving the body you’ve been given and read The Good Body by Eve Ensler. Your hips will love you for it.