Not many women would be comfortable on the front page of a magazine... with no make-up. Chances are, Nichole Nordeman wasn't either. But she braved it and came clean for CCM Magazine's special issue on true beauty. It was this very cover that led Big Idea, the production machine behind the VeggieTales franchise, to connect with Nichole on their latest project, Sweetpea Beauty—A Girl After God's Own Heart. The new children's show is all about discovering inner beauty and our identity in Christ. Oddly enough, Nichole is all about the same things.

"God's the one who sees us as beautiful, and we can either choose to agree and say, 'Thank you. I feel cherished and loved and I choose to believe that,' or 'I disagree' and work like crazy to improve on His work." Nichole set that very idea to music and created the single, "Beautiful For Me," which is featured on the show.  

It was Nichole's heart that prompted Big Idea to pursue her in the first place.

"After we read the script for Sweetpea and saw that we had a creative story with a very compelling lesson about true beauty, we immediately thought of Nichole," explains Greg Fritz, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Big Idea Entertainment. "Many of us at Big Idea are fans of her music, and have appreciated her focus on helping girls develop a positive self-image. As a mom of young children and a prolific songwriter, we knew that she would have something meaningful to say. 'Beautiful For Me' perfectly captures the heart of Sweetpea Beauty, encouraging girls with the truth that God loves them dearly and delights in who they are."

Sweetpea Beauty—A Girl after God's Own Heart released July 31. "Beautiful For Me" by Nichole Nordeman is available on iTunes now.  For more information, log onto bigidea.com and to keep tabs on the latest and greatest from Nichole, log on to http://nicholenordeman.com.

Thanks to public-relations professional Maureen Hoganson, here's an interview with the always-thoughtful Nordeman, a Dove Award winner, about her involvement with the all-new "VeggieTales adventure for girls."

What was your favorite part of the show?

If I had to choose one, I'd say my favorite scene is Sweetpea in the forest finding beauty in all sorts of unconventional things that might not be considered beautiful to anyone else. Her friend, Prince Larry, says to her, "How is it that you find beauty in everything?" And Sweetpea says, "I don't. It's God who sees beauty in everything. I just choose to agree with Him." And I thought that was a great way to look at ourselves. God's the one who sees us as beautiful, and we can either choose to agree and say, "Thank you. I feel cherished and loved and I choose to believe that," or "I disagree" and work like crazy to improve on His work.

Why do you think Sweetpea is described as a girl after God's own heart?

I think that she's described as a girl after God's own heart because she is always looking for and finding real beauty in people and in the world around her, and seems to be able to look past all of the "surfacey" stuff everyone else seems to be getting caught up in. She's not afraid to peel back as many layers as she needs to in order to find something beautiful. And I think that is certainly what God asks of us--to peel back a few layers and figure out what's happening on the inside.

How did the lesson of Sweetpea Beauty influence the writing of the song, "Beautiful For Me?"

One of things that was most inspiring to me--that I literally stole right out of the storyline--was the mirror idea. I was so interested in how devious that mirror was and how he gave Queen Blueberry the espresso and said, "Whatever is inside your heart is how you will finally look on the outside." And you know, it was just hysterical that she instantly sprouted facial hair and warts. I was instantly grateful I didn't own a mirror that possessed that power. But the mirror throughout the whole story intrigued me and ended up being a pretty central part of the song. Because we all tell ourselves lies in front of the mirror, and we all want to believe in the improvements it suggests we make. It's very difficult to walk away. In fact, I know an artist who was struggling so much with the issue of beauty in her own life that she covered every mirror in her house so that she would not even just casually walk by and sort of catch a glimpse of herself. She really wanted to get real beauty back in perspective. I thought that was really cool.

How does the song tie into the lesson of Sweetpea Beauty?

The song is written from God's perspective, which is always a tricky thing to do. But I so much wanted to capture that moment where a person realizes from the Lord's vantage point how beautiful He really thinks she is--and how brokenhearted it must be for Him when His own creation is so unhappy with the work He's done and spends a lifetime trying to improve upon it. I just wonder if that doesn't break His heart a little bit. So I really wanted the song to capture how much He adores us and how we captivate Him because He made us in His image. I hope the song does that.

What lyric of the song best describes the theme of the show?

I think it's one line after the second verse, where I say, "I want a heart that's captivating." To me, that's it. I can stand in front of the mirror all day long and like what I see or not like what I see, or lose five pounds or gain 25 pounds, or cut my hair short or dye it brown, but in the end, I want a heart that's captivating. It has to be about that.

How did you choose the title of the song?

Well, the title kind of chose itself. When you finish a song, you go back and you say, "What's the obvious title?" Initially it was, "Beautiful To Me." But as I thought about things from God's perspective, I changed it to say, "Beautiful For Me," which made it more about belonging. He created us to beautiful FOR Him alone, and I thought that was an important distinction.

Explain the line "You should have seen the day I made you beautiful for Me."

I was trying to imagine how God must have felt when He deliberately designed us and formed us our moms' bellies when we're just itsy bitsy, and how much love and care went into that design. I was just trying to imagine what that would be like for God to care so much about His creation. And I know that on the day that He made each of us, He smiled and rejoiced and danced, and breathed life into us. So that was a fun line to write.

Here are the lyrics:

Every girl young and old has to face her own reflection
Twirl around, stare it down
What's the mirror gonna say
With some luck, you'll measure up
But you might not hold a candle to the rest
"Is that your best?" says the mirror to the mess
But there's a whisper in the noise
Can you hear a little voice and he says

Has anybody told you you're beautiful?
You might agree if you could see what I see
Oh
'Cuz everything about you is incredible
You should have seen me smile the day that I made you beautiful for me

If it's true beauty lies in the eye of the beholder
What my life and what's inside to give him something to behold
I want a heart that's captivating
I wanna hear my Father say

Has anybody told you you're beautiful?
You might agree if you could see what I see
Oh
'Cuz everything about you is incredible
You should have seen me smile the day that I made you beautiful for me

Close your eyes
Look inside
Let me see the you that you've been trying to hide
Long ago, I made you so very beautiful
So I ought to know you're beautiful

Has anybody told you you're beautiful?
You might agree if you could see what I see
Yeah
'Cuz everything about you is incredible
You should have seen me smile the day that I made you beautiful
You're so beautiful
Beautiful for me
So beautiful for me
Has anybody told you?

A Bible passage which connects to this song is Acts 13:21-23: Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.' "From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

…and Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

"Beautiful For Me" debuted on Big Idea's official website on June 28. The video features Nichole singing at a piano, in front of a microphone, and in a few other places; it also features footage of some little girls as well as clips from Sweetpea Beauty. I have 3 young daughters and I can't help but get emotional when I listen to Nichole Nordeman's "Beautiful For Me." I know it speaks to girls and women of all ages, but this song has many layers, and I relate to the message that God created us to have value.

I look at my wife and I hope she is secure in my love for her, that she knows that I love her and would never leave her. I look at my 3 little daughters and I hope I am communicating to each of my girls that she is beautiful, that she is valuable, and that she is a blessing to me.

God feels that way about men as well. We are valuable to God. As men, we are appointed by God to take care of and partner with the women in our lives. I believe men also need to hear this song. The song is a great reminder of the kind of heart we should have both as people valued by God and as Christians who can communicate our value to other people.