I recently saw a movie called Overcomer, the overarching theme being identity.
We see the characters attaching their identities to specific roles and life experiences.
Through the harsh realities of life, God shows up, revealing who he is while showing the characters who they are, according to the one who created them.
Chains break.
Hurts heal.
Hearts mend.
Once we know where our true identity comes from, we need to nurture this truth. Otherwise, we’ll continue getting caught up in the lies of the world and our minds.
How do we do this?
Get to know the creator by reading his word. Once you know who he is, you’ll understand who you are.
Pray for the truth of who you are to be louder than the lies.
Join a small group of like-minded individuals who will speak truth over your life.
I know life is hard right now. All you can see is what’s here and now. There is so much more to come…
You are in the midst of an awkward phase (totally normal, btw). Don’t waste your time trying to fit in. Appreciate who you were created to be. Haters are going to hate. This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them.
Those who appear perfect, aren’t. What you see is not always what you get. You have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes. Be kind and compassionate. Don’t play the comparison game. We were all created with different gifts and strengths. Appreciate them and use yours wisely.
How you look doesn’t define you. I repeat, how you look doesn’t define you. Don’t internalize what the media or boys think are attractive. Focus on what the God of the universe says about you. One size doesn’t fit all.
Calm your hormones girl! I know how loud they are, but they do not need to rule over you. Learn your value as a young woman according to Gods Word. See his expectations of you through the lens of value vs. fear. You are so precious to him.
Don’t party so much. I know you think it’s fun, but there are going to be physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual consequences down the road.
Be nicer to mom and dad. They love you so much. They are not superheroes, but flawed human beings like the rest of us. Be respectful. They will be around for the long haul when many others won’t.
I know you think you have it all figured out, but you don’t. Life is going to take you on a ride. You are not the controller of the universe (even though you want to be).
And finally…
You are loved more than you can ever imagine.
P.S. It’s not all about you. The sooner you learn this, the better.
There have been times I’ve wanted to introduce myself this way, just to get it out of the way. My anxiety and people-pleasing tendencies come up when I talk about my faith with unbelievers.
I want people to like me for who I am, regardless of my beliefs. I don’t want to be lumped into a category of people that have misrepresented his name. Besides that, once you mention the name of Jesus an automatic line is drawn in the sand.
I’m placing the fear of opinions above my faith
This is not in alignment with who I claim to be.
No one likes to be judged. We all want to be seen and accepted for who we are as people, not by our choices or preferences. But the truth is we’ve all judged and been judged in one way or another.
Then there’s Jesus. The one who sees all my faults and mistakes. He knows my history of disdain towards him, yet he dies for me. I spit on him, brutally attack him and mock him, yet he dies for me.
How can I be ashamed of the one who gave his life for me, for the one who solidified my own personal “I am.”
I am making a decision;
I will not be ashamed
I can’t talk the talk and not walk it. I need to walk it. I WANT to.
I need to make sure that I’m keeping it real, which for me means not shying away from speaking about the one who saved me from myself. With that being said, I’m not trying to convert you (well maybe a little) when I talk about him. He is just so much a part of my life, I can’t NOT talk about him. It wouldn’t be authentic.
Now that I have made this choice, it seems appropriate to give him a proper shout out:
How can I love you if I haven’t met you? Easy, because God loves me. He loves me in spite of everything I’ve done (and girl, I’ve done a lot).
Now that I know this love it’s my responsibility to love you. Not in a conditional way, but all of you. This doesn’t mean that I will affirm everything you do, but it does mean that I see you and accept you as a person.
If anyone has ever made you feel less than, I’m sorry.
If anyone has ever labeled you, I’m sorry.
If anyone has ever spit harmful words at you, I’m sorry.
Please hear me when I say: YOU are God’s Masterpiece (microphone drop).
You are beautiful, one of a kind, amazing, loved, cared about, special, worth dying for.
I’ve felt less than. I’ve been labeled. Harmful words have penetrated my soul. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. So I’m reaching out… to you.
I don’t know your story, but if you’d like to share it with me, I’m here.
We have all been broken at some point in our lives, whether due to circumstances, choices we’ve made, or messages we’ve received from others.
While searching for a name for this blog I came across the word “mangled.” It really spoke to me, capturing the wide range of brokenness we’ve all experienced at one time or another. Some of us have been bruised by life while others have been crushed.
We have all been broken at some point in our lives
A few years ago I got a tattoo on my wrist of a heart with puzzle pieces inside of it. A cross sits boldly in the middle, completing the puzzle, with Ephesians 2:10 written beneath it. I got this as a reminder to myself about the truth of who I am: God’s masterpiece, his handiwork, his beautiful work of art.
This truth becoming a reality has been a process for me. I still have days when negative thoughts try to determine my identity. Days that I fall into the trap of comparison, letting others and the world dictate who I am.
But then, I glance at my wrist and remember.
It takes energy to fight off all the messages that stand against who God says I am and to embrace the person he’s created me to be. All of my weird and quirky ways, the dumb things that fly out of my mouth, my vanity issues, my mistakes, my choices. None of these things define me, not one. I am God’s masterpiece, and so are you.
I am God’s Masterpiece, and so are you
What things in your life have you let define you?
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Is there something in your life that you haven’t told anyone? Maybe you’ve been embarrassed or scared of what others might think, so you keep it to yourself.
Growing up, I convinced myself that my body was mine. I could do whatever I wanted with it, which was true.
It is.
I can.
I did.
Hormones and boys were not a good mix.
Justifying my actions became a skill. I never saw past my current season of life, let alone think about future consequences.
Fast forward to meeting Jesus in my late 20’s. I’m sitting in church, listening to a sermon on purity. All I could think was “FAIL.” The culmination of past decisions was starting to affect my self-image, along with my relationships. “I am what I’ve done,” guilt and shame would successfully convince me.
“I am what I’ve done”
Why would I want anything to do with this community if this was how I was going to feel?
Thankfully, I wasn’t left to sit in this pit of condemnation. God already knew everything I had done, and yet, he still loved me.
My old foes guilt and shame still try coordinating sneak attacks, but these days they are slain with the truth: Jesus died a horrible death so I can be free.
Jesus died a terrible death so I can be free
Free from labels
Free from lies
Free from condemnation
I still care what others think about me. Anxiety and fear still present themselves when I share my testimony. It’s all still there, but now I choose to embrace how God’s see’s me. His love for me outweighs all fear.
What’s that “something” in your life you’d like to be free from?
