One of my favorite 80s movies is “Pretty in Pink.” Perhaps because Andie, the main character, shares my love of vintage and thrift store clothes. Her unusual style makes her the odd one out at high school. When her boyfriend snubs her in favor of his popular country club friends, Andie resolves to attend her high school prom solo, wearing a handmade dress she created from a vintage cast-off. 

While the movie ends in triumph, we know it’s not so easy to be like Andie. The pressure to conform is real. We may not be the most popular person, but we don’t want to be rejected. So, we smooth out and tuck away any qualities that make us unusual or gather too much attention—everything from the way we dress to how we speak becomes shaped by our peers. 

The Pressure to Conform

As a follower of Jesus, there is a better option. I want to challenge you to be like Evangeline Booth. Are you familiar with her story? Evangeline was the daughter of Salvation Army founders William and Catherine Booth. Even as a little girl, Evangeline was unusual. When her parents gave her a toy Noah’s Ark complete with wooden animals, Evangeline showed her brothers and sisters how to “sacrifice” the animals over a pretend charcoal fire. She had a monkey named Little Jeannie that she dressed in an Army bonnet. At age 15, Evangeline became a Salvation Army officer (pastor), distributing copies of The War Cry in the slums of London and was attacked by a group called the Skeleton Army. Even so, she refused to back down. 

After turning down marriage proposals, including one from a prince, Evangeline had a sit-down with her dad, deciding to remain single to better serve God. She and her sister traveled to the United States and Canada to extend the reach of the Army. In 1906, she helped direct rescue efforts for San Francisco earthquake and fire victims. In 1917, during World War I, she had the controversial idea of sending “Donut Girls” to the frontlines to encourage the soldiers. 

What I love most about Evangeline is that she kept her mind and heart fixed on God and His purpose. She remained unabashedly herself, and God used her dramatic, persistent manner to advance His kingdom. In 1934, Evangeline was elected General, becoming the first woman to lead the international organization.

In a letter as National Commander, Evangeline challenged: “Because you can never estimate the far-reaching influence of any treasure or store placed upon the altar of God, for as He made the two fishes feed the thousands, in like manner He will multiply your gifts.”

She said, “If you feel your lack of fitness, of talent, of education, of knowledge and wisdom, remember that Moses felt just the same. So did Jeremiah. So did Paul. Your weakness will cast you upon God. He will not fail you. He will be with you as He was with Joshua, as He was with Isaiah, as He was with Paul.”

When You Don’t Feel Enough

On days when you feel like giving up or giving in, remember these three things:

God designed you uniquely and with purpose. Ephesians 2:10a says, “For we are God’s masterpiece.” What does it mean to be His masterpiece? It means God designed you in a specific and intricate way. He has a purpose for your life. You are not a mistake. Through Christ, you are extraordinary! 

God did not call you to be popular. If you experience rejection in this world, you are not alone. Jesus Himself felt the sting of rejection. He said, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” (John 15:18). The Bible tells us that we were never meant to fit into this world’s standards. You are called to a higher purpose.

God has perfectly equipped you to do His will. When we believe in Jesus and accept His gift of salvation, we are made new. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us as well. Our confidence comes not from our own ability, but God. When we focus on ourselves, we risk becoming proud or self-centered. But when we place our confidence in God, we have power. 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” 

God can and will use you—not despite your uniqueness—but through it. Transforming what we offer Him, God multiplies our abilities far beyond what we could ever hope to accomplish ourselves.

For Further Study

• Perfectly Unique: Love Yourself Completely, Just as You Are by Annie F. Downs
• Defined: Who God Says You Are by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick  
• Unseduced and Unshaken: The Place of Dignity in a Woman’s Choices by Rosalie de Rosset 
• 50 People Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Spiritual Giants of the Faith by Warren W. Wiersbe 
• When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up by Jamie Janosz