RSS Feed
|
|||||
|
Former model urges women to seek their inner beauty
But these days, the former-international model finds fulfillment and meaning by telling women to stop searching for self worth in magazines, the mirror and men. Nearly 1,000 women and girls came to Royal High School in Simi Valley last week to hear her message: develop spirituality, form a relationship with God and search for beauty from within. Porter, now known by her married name of Jennifer Strickland, is an inspirational speaker, college teacher and budding author. But it's her experience in modeling that compels her to urge women to reject the unrealistic images found in glossy magazines and that suggest they'll never be good enough unless they achieve that look. "Stop looking at these things as a reflection of your worth because these things change," Strickland says. "I could never be what everyone wanted me to be." Simi Valley resident Sharon Porter (no relation to Strickland) and four of her friends sponsored the event as a way to help women define themselves through spirituality. "It was absolutely amazing," says the mother of four, including two young girls. "It was more than I ever expected it to be ... Lives were changed." Strickland began a modeling career at the age of 8. By 17, she'd signed with the most respected agency on the west coast. Aware that a modeling career is short-lived, she chose to pass on many high-profile and lucrative jobs, such as a Sports Illustrated shoot in the Canary Islands, and attend college. After graduating from college, Strickland took up modeling fulltime. Signing with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency, she was on the road to supermodel status. First the agency wanted her to build up a portfolio and establish a presence on European runways. It was while living in Milan, however, that Strickland was plunged into the dark side of modeling-eating disorders, drug abuse and sexual promiscuity. She felt increasingly forlorn and poured herself all the more into modeling. But told she was too fat, she began eating less to get more runway work. It was ironic, though, that while her career was skyrocketing, her self-esteem was plummeting. She missed the comforts of family and friends. Starvation and drug abuse began to take its toll on her gaunt body. "I found myself emptier than I've been in my life," she says. "I was on the brink of suicide, practically." Then a chance meeting with a young woman in Italy changed the direction of her life. Strickland confided her feelings in the compassionate stranger, who suggested she fill the void by reading the Bible. Strickland did, and what she read moved her: God prizes the inner person of the heart. She began attending church and a few weeks later was drug-free and on a plane bound for California. She walked away from a career on the verge of world recognition-12 international modeling agencies had been booking jobs for her. "They love you when you look good," Strickland says. "They hate you when you don't. (But) God loves me ... for all of my imperfections." Strickland moved back home with a nascent sense of self. She wanted to write a book about her experiences and enrolled in a master's degree writing program at a nearby university. After graduating, she taught college classes in the San Diego area. About that time, she met Shane Strickland through a date arranged by their parents. Shane had experienced a similar awakening after sowing some wild oats, she said. The Stricklands have been married for six years now and have a 3-year-old son and 4-yearold daughter. With the children in preschool, Strickland has more time on her hands. She became a motivational speaker a couple of years ago and recently sent out a book proposal to several publishers. "I want to affect the next generation of young women," she says. "Women need to know who they are in God's eyes through looking in the Bible, the mirror of God." She added that society tells women fulfillment comes from outward beauty and success. "I can tell you that's not true." |
for larger version       |
||||
)