Identity

Not Ashamed

Hi, my name is Jaime and I love Jesus.

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:

Give me a J….

Give me an E…

Give me an S…

Give me a U…

Give me an S…

What’s that spell?

JESUS!!! hoots and haws in the background.

What fears stand in the way of your truth?

Dependence on God

Arbor Day

We all have our ways of dealing with the circumstances and struggles of life. I have not always handled these things well.

I have been a people pleaser and a bit of a perfectionist for most of my days, often defining myself by my roles and self-imposed expectations. I was strong and independent, yet, when life hit, it would knock me down, HARD. Relying on MY strength, I’d get back up just to get knocked down again.

And again…

I was a small bush that withered at any sign of drought or heat.

When life hit, it would knock me down, HARD.

Why were things affecting me like this?

It’s because I had no roots.

I still see myself as strong, but it doesn’t come from my efforts.

How did I make this shift?

I’d love to say that it was the moment I decided to have a relationship with Jesus, but it wasn’t. Even after, it took me a while to understand where my foundation started. It was through Gods Word that I established roots.

I still see myself as strong, but it doesn’t come from my own efforts.

I am no longer knocked down by the storms and circumstances of life. I stand upright with my roots digging deep into the source of my true identity. The wind might rustle my leaves, but I now stand firm.

Not only that, but my leaves remain green and vibrant throughout the seasons.

Where are you rooted when life’s circumstances come at you?