You Are MADE FOR MORE!
written by Emma Bartley
H
ave you ever wanted to start over? Have you ever felt like you needed to do something different? That you were made for more? Leah Darrow is a perfect example of this.
Leah grew up on a farm in Oklahoma as the oldest of six children. Her family was very Catholic; they went to church and said daily rosaries as a family. When she went to college, she began her career in modeling. She auditioned and was accepted onto America’s Next Top Model and became one of 14 girls on the show.
When thinking about the show, she recalled how stressful and uncomfortable it was. She felt that there was a lot of pressure to be perfect. She was hurt but also relieved when she became the second girl to be eliminated in the season.
After ANTM, she moved to New York City to pursue a modeling career. She slowly drifted away from her faith, and her parents were unhappy with many of her lifestyle choices. Leah Darrow said of the modeling world,
“Although not all modeling is bad, much of it is dehumanizing. The dignity of the person is of little importance. You’re just a body.”
One particular shoot, the photography gave her a particularly inappropriate outfit to wear. She put on the outfit, although she did not want to, because she felt it was her job to do it. At almost the end of the shoot, she had what she called “a moment of grace.” She pictured herself before God after her death and had nothing to show for her life. Immediately, she quit and went home crying.
In tears, she called her dad, saying, “If you don’t come and get me, I’m going to lose my soul.” Her dad drove all the way from St. Louis to get her. She completely turned her life around.
“If you don’t come and get me, I’m going to lose my soul.”
After returning, she became a full-time speaker, talking mostly to high school and college students. One of her favorite topics is modesty.
“Modesty is more than just the length of a hemline. It’s about our conversations, how we treat people, and how we love others. Modesty protects our purity and the mystery of a person. In our society, it gets a bad rap. It’s actually quite attractive.”
Darrow also now has a book and website, all about how we are made for more. You are made for real beauty. You are made for real love. You are made for God’s truth. You are made for more.
