You Don't Matter

You don't matter. You're not important. No one cares about you. You're all alone. There is something wrong with you. You don't belong. You hear these words and they grab hold of your soul, your mind your heart. You try and brush them off thinking of all of the times you've heard that peoples' opinions don't matter. It happens again. You hear these words, but this time they're coming from within. You feel that doubt, that fear, that heart ache. You start to give strength to the words and eventually the words that once were sticks and stones become glue and attach themselves to every bit of you. Every day you believe the words more and more as they grow from a whisper to a loud roar.

You go on with your life now consumed with those words, but it doesn't stop there. You feel that brokenness and that hurt and the only way to heal is to realize you are not the only one who is broken, so you break others. You take those words that shattered every piece of you, that pierced through your heart and left you as you are, and use them as stones to throw. But it's okay though right? It's okay because now you're not the only one who is hurting. Now you have the power because someone else has weakness. You have become what hurt you so now you feel invincible, but you're not. You are still broken. You are still hurting. You are still weak. The only thing that has changed is that now someone else has to feel that pain and insignificance that plagued you.

It pains my heart deep to the core to know that there are people, beautiful souls created by our King, that truly believe that they are insignificant, that they have no purpose, that they are not loved. It pains me to know that in this world, there is a young boy who is being picked on for not being masculine enough, for loving another boy, being told that his feelings and who he loves justifies him feeling like he is a mistake. It pains me to know that there is a black woman doing everything she can to provide a good life for her children and for herself, but she has to be told every day that because her skin color is "different", she doesn't deserve to be happy, to live in security and peace, she doesn't get to be treated like a human being because she looks different. My heart breaks knowing that there are doctors who will encourage women to get an abortion if their children show signs of disability while they are in the womb. Somehow, they believe that someone with a disability is not worthy of being brought into this world.



Enough is enough. Enough lies, enough evil, enough hate. It needs to stop. Every single person on this planet deserves to feel love, joy, peace, deserves to feel like they are important, that they have a purpose. God created each and every one of us. He created each person with a purpose and loved and always will love each and every person with all of His heart. He did not create us just to create us. We are living and breathing because He wants us. We are His children and like any good and loving parent, He wants His children to know how special they are, how much He loves them, how needed they are. No parent brings a child into this earth with the belief that they want that child to never encounter love, that they don't want their child to do amazing things, that they want their child to have less than anyone else. Friends, please know that when God created you, He wanted nothing less than THE BEST for you.

It is our job to love one another. We all come from the Father. We are all His children and that means that we are all family. No matter our differences, we are all brothers and sisters and brothers and sisters are meant to support, lift up, and love one another. The word tells us in 1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." Do you hear that? If we are not living in love, we are not living with God, and by that we are denying our own Father.

How long is it going to take for people to realize that they have no right to make someone feel less than loved? How long is it going to take for people to realize that their words have unbelievable power, that their actions create a chain reaction? How long is it going to take? You have power to make a difference, but what kind of a difference are you going to make? Will you use your broken pieces as stones to break someone else, or will you use your broken pieces as a shield to protect someone else from being hit and broken by those stones?

Give Me Your Eyes

As humans, it is in our nature to be consumed with what goes on in our lives. Whether it be finances, social status, our appearance, love life, or something else, we have a tendency to not be able to see beyond the ins and outs, the ups and downs of our personal existence.

I know how easy it is to have such narrow vision. Life demands a lot from us and it isn't easy to look outside of those demands. We have meetings, doctors appointments, work, errands, family time, and so on, not to mention what goes on outside of the planner. In our lives, we deal with stress, anxiety, depression for some, fights with family or friends, sickness, loss, financial worries, and more. Add it all up and it seems impossible to be able to help anyone else because we can barely help ourselves.

I believe and know for a fact that we are capable of more than we believe. We may think that we are incapable of giving to others or that we have nothing to give, but we can give in more ways than we thought possible. How do we do this? We ask God to give us His eyes. We ask God to see people as He sees them and we ask Him to show us those who are hurting and in need. The Bible says "God is near to the brokenhearted" and when we ask Him to see with His eyes, we are able to see those who are facing heartbreak, pain, fear, doubt, loss, etc.

 There are so many people in this world who are in need. Whether is be physically, mentally, financially, or spiritually, there is always someone who needs a helping hand, and many of them are right under our nose. It doesn't take much to find someone in need; we just need to take off the horse blinders, pull out the earplugs, and open our senses.



Friends, helping someone can be so simple. Ask people how they are and really listen. Don't assume that the people who have a smile on their face are always happy. Dig a little deeper. It can also be something as simple as recognizing your privilege. Look at what you have that others don't. Take a minute to see what God has provided for you and use your privilege and or blessings to help those who are lacking in that area.

Do you have a good education? Maybe you can help volunteer as a tutor for someone. Do you have a roof over your head and food on your plate? You can help provide for the homeless by donating food, money, or time to help people living in poverty find some security. Do you have a lot of friends? Reach out to that person you know who doesn't have that many friends or who gets bullied and make them feel special and loved. The possibilities are endless.



We are blessed in more ways than we realize and there are so many ways that we can make a positive impact on the world and on peoples' lives. Whether you are a follower of Christ or not, you CAN make a difference. All it takes is an appreciation for what we have and the understanding that we are on this earth to help and support each other, not to stand alone. How will you help today?

Embracing Anxiety

 



Embracing anxiety. That seems like something we shouldn't do. I can remember all of the times I have battled with anxiety and never once did I think that putting more emphasis on what I was worrying about would solve my problems. I remember that sometimes the fear of certain things would be so overwhelming that I didn't think I would be able to escape that moment.

Anxiety is kind of a hush hush topic. Nobody likes to dive deep into their mental and air it out in front of others. I totally get that. It is a topic that is very personal to each and every one of us. The thing that I want people to remember is that it is more common than not to face anxiety. Although people may not talk about what they deal with, it doesn't mean they don't deal with something. You are not alone in your battle.

 

Alright, now that we understand that anxiety is not something to be ashamed of or that is abnormal, how do we deal with it? How do we live our lives and continue to fight through the fear and worry? I have spent my whole life wondering that same thing. Recently, I had the incredible blessing of being able to hear a guest preacher at my church, that changed my whole view on mental health in regards to anxiety.

His name is Doctor Henry Cloud and he is an author and clinical psychologist. He said something so profound and simple about coping with our stresses that it took me aback. So many of us panic and run from what is causing all of our anxiety and little do we know, that actually makes the situation much worse. We are running away instead of facing our trigger. We can run away, but our trigger will still remain. It is not until we confront it, that it leaves.

When anxiety arises, don't run from it. Don't flinch. Don't squirm. Doctor Cloud's solution? Just sit there and really feel what you are feeling. Be there and feel the fear and the panic and let the feelings truly just wash over you. The thing that causes us fear is fear its self. When we sit there with our fears while we face our trigger, we will see that things aren't as bad as we painted them out to be. We have a tendency to build things up into this outrageously traumatizing ideal when in reality, it is much smaller of an ordeal and something we needn't be afraid of. Whether it be a nervous habit we have, an upcoming test, an undesirable discussion, a phobia, or whatever it may be, when we let go and just be with our feelings when the anxiety arises, we will soon see that it wasn't as bad as we made it out to be. The fear will pass and you will be set free. Embrace the anxiety. Don't run from it. Be with it, and you will see that you are bigger than your worries.

Why It's Time to Say No

By: Rachael Stewart

How many of you have seen the movie "Yes Man"? If you haven't, the whole idea of the movie is that the main character says no to everything and is missing out on life and soon he finds himself having to say yes to everything. At first, his life becomes incredibly better, but soon he finds that this yes lifestyle is hard to keep up with and doesn't always bring a happy life.

So many of us think that if we say yes to everything, that means we are not letting opportunities pass us by and we are grabbing the bull by the horns. I can say this confidently, because I have been there myself. In fact, I still am there. I know what it is like to feel like you always have to say yes for fear of missing out, fear of disappointing, fear of judgment, and so many other reasons. I was and still am what some people would call a "pushover".

Have you ever been called a pushover? If you are like me, you get called that all the time. When someone calls me that at first, it stings and makes me frustrated because I want to proudly say that I am not a pushover. I want to believe I can stand up for myself and believe I am independent, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it is true, and the more I realize it needs to change.

I am what many would call a people pleaser. My every move is to make others happy or to make myself likeable or desirable. I don't like the feeling of being disliked or being considered disagreeable, so I do everything I can to avoid any confrontation or upset. I am a yes man. I know many of you are yes men as well. Telling someone no causes you so much anxiety, unneeded stress, and worry. When people say "just say no", it makes no sense how they act like it is such a simple thing to do. The thing is, although we feel this fear when we have to say no, it really is a simple thing, and it is something that we need to learn how to do.

The word no has been given such a negative connotation. No is rejection. No is denial. No is the end of possibility. No doesn't have to mean those things. I believe no could be a game changer, a freedom bringer, a door opener. No is good and we need it.

I see so many people, including myself, take on so many tasks, trying to please everyone. The responsibilities they have taken on eventually become so overwhelming that in the end, they can't please anyone because they can't give the time and effort needed for each task. If we stop trying to play superman and start saying no when the workload is too much, we can avoid so much unnecessary struggle and frustration.

Maybe it isn't a task, but a person. Maybe there is that friend, or significant other, or parent who is controlling, or draining, or leading you down the wrong path. We are so caught up in their approval, company, or happiness that when they are doing things that hurt us, we let it continue because we feel we need them or that if we tell them no, they won't love us anymore. Friends, that is the worst thing we can do. In this situation, no is power and no is freedom. When we learn how to say no to those who are hurting us, we gain our lives back and we take a stand for our well being and happiness. It is not selfish to look out for your well being, it is necessary.

Finally, we live in a world that preaches acceptance, but doesn't always practice it. The world will tell us we are not good enough and that we need to change. It will tell us that we are not loved and that we need to fit a perfect mold to be loved. Friends, you are beautiful and loved as you are. Embrace your diversity and the great things you bring, and tell the world no. Tell the world that you will not listen to it anymore and that your worth does not come from its acceptance or approval.

No is good. No is freeing. No is necessary. We need to learn to embrace no and use it to help us grow and to help us live the life that we want, not the life that others want us to live.



Photography referencing:

Photography by Matthias Witteman

https://www.instagram.com/last.hours.of.film/  

https://www.facebook.com/last.hours.of.film/

Stick in the Mud

How many of you have looked at your life and felt like there is no life in it? How many of you
have wanted to do something so badly, but were too afraid of what people thought, to do it? Hey, you are not alone. If someone asked me this, I would have alarms going off with flashing lights because it is so true and there is no way I can deny it.

I think if we all asked ourselves when we started to lose the freedom from judgment and gained the burden of "reality", it would be when we first thought we had to become an adult. Allow me to explain this. When we were children we were free of worry, we were bold, we didn't care what anyone thought because we didn't have to. We weren't trying to impress an employer, a boy or girl, friends, or anyone else. As a child, our hearts and intentions were pure and we were the truest form of ourselves because we had no limits. They say when a child says something, you know it is true because children don't lie and that goes not only for what they say but how they live their lives. They are true to themselves and don't put on masks to be someone else. I believe that once we got to the age where peoples' opinions began to hold power over us, we began losing our freedom, our ability to be real, and the possibility of being so purely immersed in the moments that make up our lives.

As adults, we are so consumed with work, money, success, relationships, image, and so on that we are no longer living. We are like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Someone has taken over our bodies and has kicked our real selves out. That body may be doing things, but we are not truly residing and living inside of it because this new "self" has taken over all of the space that once used to be our home. Where did our inner child go? Why did we kick it out? Friends, we may have lost our inner child, but it is time to find it and embrace it and give it more space to take up. We need to kick out the worry, the fear, the need to impress and we need to just BE!

Life is way too short to spend running from task to task, from stress to stress. Every day we wake up is a gift. We are not meant to waste our gift poisoning it with all of the worries of the world, but rather to fill it up with joy and laughter and love. Lovely people, life is about spontaneity and adventure. Life is about living the best that YOU can and not being concerned about what someone thinks of you, but rather loving every moment and encouraging one another to do the same. Life is meant to be enjoyed and to be LIVED.

There is so much beauty and joy in this world that we can encounter and feel if we truly start living. Once we put our guard down and open our eyes to the world in front of us, we can see all of the things we have been missing out on and what we need to explore. Friends, let go and let loose. Dance like no one is watching. Wake up to watch the sunrise and take a moment to watch the sunset. Turn off the tv and go outside to see the stars shining in the sky or to feel the cool breeze zipping through the trees. Do something you have always wanted to but were too afraid to try. Be bold and go talk to that guy or girl. Drive with the windows down and music blasting. Swing on the swing set and close your eyes and feel like you are soaring through the air. Your stresses will always be there, but your life won't. You can't gain a single day back, but you can make the most out of the ones you have left. Choose to live your life to the fullest and to live without boundaries. Choose to truly live. When you reach the end of your years, are you going to wish you had spent more time working, making money, and making people like you, or are you going to wish you had tried more things, gone more places, been more bold, and dreamt bigger and chased more dreams? The choice is yours, but now you have to ask yourself: What kind of life do I want to live?


Photography referencing:

Photography by Matthias Witteman

https://www.instagram.com/last.hours.of.film/  

https://www.facebook.com/last.hours.of.film/

I Surrender

 

I sit here writing this article with a thousand things going through my mind at once. I think about love, about money, about health, about image and I can't help but to feel so overwhelmed with this feeling of chaos. This feeling of not being able to have control, despite how nice it would feel to have it all together. I wish I could control relationships and make them go how I want. I wish I could control bills and expenses and my job so I wouldn't ever have to stress over having enough money. I wish I could make sure I was always healthy and make sure that I loved myself all the time, but I can't. I sit here writing this article with a thousand things going through my mind, knowing that you are reading this and feeling like you wrote it because you deal with this every day.

 

We have a tendency to try to seek control, thinking we have a say in how things go, but the sooner we realize we can't control anything, the better we will be. We wake up every morning, putting on our boxing gloves, ready to throw punches at what comes our way and prepare ourselves for a fight we aren't meant to fight. We sit in the passenger's seat of the car saying we trust God to know where He is going, yet we continually grab hold of the wheel and yank it our way thinking we are turning the car in the right direction, not realizing we are actually causing a collision. We sit in a boat
white-knuckling it, when we aren't even untied from the dock.



Friends, we are really silly creatures. We have the ultimate guide and protector in God, but for some strange reason, we think we teeny tiny flawed humans know better and can do better than Him. I can't tell you how many times I have worked myself up and been panic stricken for days thinking of how I was going to handle certain situations and ran the different scenarios through in my head until my brain was numb, only for God to make something happen that I never would have thought would ever happen, leaving me speechless and embarrassed for all the time I spent doubting Him. I feel like we make life like this hugely complex riddle that we wrack our brains trying to find an answer to, thinking of the most obscure answers, when the real answer is something so simple that we can't help but smack ourselves when we hear how obvious it was.

Beautiful people, there is any easy answer here to a good life. TRUST GOD! Two words?! What?! Yes, it is that simple. When we trust God, we let go of the need to have a plan. When we trust God, we give up our grip of the steering wheel, put away the gps, and realize that He knows where He is taking us and knows the best route. It feels so amazing to know that someone is planning for you and is making sure everything is in order and all you have to do is sit back, listen to what they say and let them handle things. Psalm 121:7-8 beautifully shows how God guides and protects us as it says
 "The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." The more we trust God, the more His plan for us can flourish. Every time we run from His plan, we stop ourselves from experiencing everything He has in store for us and if we run away enough, we will be so far from God that we won't know His plan at all.

 

 

Photography referencing:

Photography by Matthias Witteman

https://www.instagram.com/last.hours.of.film/  

https://www.facebook.com/last.hours.of.film/

All One Alone




Photo: "all one" by Matthias Witteman

There are over seven billion people living on this planet. Seven billion is an astronomically large amount of people, yet there are so many of us in this world that feel completely alone. We are all one all together with those in the world, but we are also one small person alone in this big big world.

How is it possible to feel so far from people when they are everywhere we look? How is it possible to live amongst over seven billion people and have times when we feel that no one understands us or that no one is there for us? It's not as crazy as it sounds.


As bountiful as the world is and as many people as there are, we as humans tend to live in our own world within the real world. We have our lives and we become so consumed with them, that it is easy to forget that there are other people around us with their own set of problems, with their own memories, with their own lives. To put it simply, we are self absorbed. If it does not affect us or coincide with the way we live our lives and what we believe, it is either wrong or doesn't matter to us.

For instance, think of how many times we feel we need to change who we are just because it goes against the grain of other peoples' agendas. We live in a world that tells us to be free and tells us to stay true to ourselves, yet stops us before we can spread our wings and fly. Think of the mind, so vast, so powerful, capable of such amazing things, but if our mind fills its pages with different colors or if it draws a different picture, we are told we have our head in the clouds and need to be more realistic or that we are not normal. Even in our own minds, we are not allowed to be free. We are sent to the "island of misfit toys", and there the loneliness begins.

Photo by Matthias Witteman

Friends, we are all one but we are all different. We need to realize that not one single person is exactly the same, and we need to see that as a beautiful and amazing thing. Be the dreamer you are. Free your mind and your soul. Be different. We are like ingredients for a recipe. When we stand by ourselves all alone, we can't achieve our full purpose and we can't do the amazing things we are meant to, but when we come together with all of the different and absolutely necessary ingredients, we create something so amazing and something that we could never do on our own.


Think about it, you can't make apple pies with apples alone. You need flour, sugar, eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon and more. If you have a bunch of apples you'll have apples which is cool, but if you have all of these ingredients working together you have a delicious apple pie. If we have the same kind of people we will only achieve so much, but if we have all types of different people working together, putting their special strengths and features into full use, we can achieve immeasurably more.

We feel alone when we think we don't need others. We feel alone when we don't embrace the uniqueness and differences of others. If we want to be all one instead of all a lone, we need to seek difference and embrace it with all we have. Difference is beauty and difference creates beautiful things.

Photography referencing:

Photography by Matthias Witteman

https://www.instagram.com/last.hours.of.film/  

https://www.facebook.com/last.hours.of.film/

The Journey For Joy

Joy. It's a tiny word that packs a lot of punch. Only 3 letters, but its power and its significance in our lives are some of the greatest and most sough after aspects of our lives. When I think of joy, the first thing that pops into my head is children smiling from ear to ear, that butterfly feeling that we get in our stomach when we are excited, and that little dance we do when we receive good news and can't contain our smiles. It's funny because while writing what I think joy is, I had to really be intentional about not including the word itself in the description. I wanted to say joy is when we jump for joy, joy is when we do that little dance because we receive good news and are overjoyed. So, what is joy?

We spend our entire lives trying to find it, trying to grasp it, trying to hold onto it and never let it go. The thing is, I believe we overcomplicate what it is and how to find it. We think it is found in the perfect life, the perfect spouse, the perfect home, the perfect children, the perfect job. We think that when we have all of this, we have reached the point in our lives where we can finally be satisfied and therefore we can be joyous. That is the problem with our world. We are taking unnecessary steps and making ourselves wait for something we can have right now.

Joy is not found in success, in having the "perfect" life, or in checking off a certain amount of items on life's checklist. It is much more simple than that. It is found in accepting we are broken people and surrendering our lives and imperfections to the one who is whole. It is found in knowing that there is nothing on this earth that holds any chains on us. We are FREE! Joy is freedom. We put on these chains that were never there and never needed to be because we can't believe that someone so perfect could love us as we are: flawed. Brothers and sisters rid yourself of the chains of the world and accept the gift of freedom that was given to you. Let's not complicate things where they need not be complicated. Let's accept the simplicity and find our joy in that, because that is where joy truly resides.

Dear people, joy is simple and joy is real. Joy is for us and God wants us to have it. Rest your mind and your soul and know that the God of peace of love and of JOY has provided us with every beautiful gift and more. Look up to the skies, to the dazzling and vivid colors brushed so wonderfully along the horizon and see the beauty God has bestowed onto the earth and be reminded of the joy that you can and will have in your life with God.

Photography referencing:

Photography by Matthias Witteman

https://www.instagram.com/last.hours.of.film/  

https://www.facebook.com/last.hours.of.film/

When God Calls You to Action

So recently, I signed up for a half marathon. I would never have ever imagined myself running a half marathon, but I felt the push to do it because it is for a good cause. Had you asked me a year ago to do this, I would have given some poor excuse as to why I didn't want to do it this year. I was the queen of excuses. I think a lot of us can relate to being a master of excuses. This is too difficult. I can't afford to do this. I am too scared. I don't want to do this. We can even make ourselves believe that our excuses are solid reasons to not do something. I am not in good enough shape for this. I don't have enough experience for this yet. I don't think it's the right time for me to do this. I will do it later. We are really good at excuses, but the thing is, if we keep making excuses we can't face the challenges that cause us to grow and become better and stronger.

I know it is easy to ignore the challenges or to try and push them off. I know we don't like to go outside of our comfort zone. Why would we want to leave a perfectly comfortable situation to do something we don't even know if we can do, that will probably make us face a lot of difficult situations? Well think of it like this, what if Jesus decided not to face the challenges God presented Him with and He decided not to sacrifice Himself for us and teach us all how to live? What if Paul decided that He really didn't feel like traveling the world to spread the gospel? What if Mary and Joseph decided that they couldn't handle the pressure of raising the son of God? If all of these people decided not to face the challenges God wanted them to, we would not have the gospel and the salvation that we have today.

God doesn't challenge us or call us to move for no reason. He isn't bored and in need of a show. God calls us because He wants to use us. He wants to use us to impact others, to make change, and to better the world. Okay, so God calls people to move; what does this mean for us? You might be thinking, what can I do? I'm just an average person. What big thing could God use me for? Just an average person? You are so much more than that. If we look throughout the Bible, we see God calls the "average person" or the person we would never expect God to use, to achieve great things. Think of the virgin Mary. She was just a humble wife of a shepherd, but with God's work she became the mother to the Lord and Savior of our world. Look at Noah, he wasn't some rich king or influential and powerful leader, but when God spoke to him, He became that leader that no one thought he would become and he managed to protect life on earth when the flood hit. How about David? He was a tiny and weak boy who stepped up to the plate and when God moved in His heart, he defeated the giant and became a great king. You are not too "average". When God calls you to move, it is because He sees something great in you.

So what do you say? Are we going to remain still and not move? Are we going to run away from challenge or run full throttle into the endless possibility of growth? Are we going to shy away or be brave and trust God's will for us? You are capable of so much. You have strength that you have no idea is hidden within yourself. So when we feel the holy spirit calling us, let's not run away but run towards the call. As it says in Philippians 4:13 " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

Being a Rose in a Field of Lillies

There is a famous phrase that goes "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?". It is one of my most favorite sayings and helps me remind myself of the importance of individuality. Individuality is something that I know we all struggle with. It is ingrained in us from a very young age to fit in. The kids who are different are bullied on the playground. When we reach middle school, we start developing cliques and the word "popular" comes to the surface. It continues on into high school and even after, despite the fact that we think we are over that stage in our lives.

The very same idea of fitting in goes with a life following Christ. In Romans 12:2 it talks about how we as Christians are in the world and not of it. Sometimes, I know it can feel like that doesn't hold very true. Sometimes, I know it feels like we have gotten sucked up into the worries, ways, and beliefs of the world and we lose our sense of self. I've been there so many times, that if it were a diner, the servers would know my order by heart and have it ready for me when I walk in the door. The point is, we all lose focus and direction and need to reroute to get back on track.

What I want you guys to know, is that no matter how many times we get lost in the race of life. No matter how many wrong turns we take, how many pit stops we take, how many times we have to ask for help, our destination doesn't change. To bring it back to the cliche high school movies, our goal is not to fit in. Our goal is not to win that popularity contest. Our goal is so different and so wonderful! While others are in a competition to be the top dog, our job is to love the underdog......and the top dog. When we are tempted to cut someone down to look better in front of others, our job is to remind ourselves that we are made to be humble and kind. When everyone imitates the Queen B longing so much to be like her and to gain her approval, we are meant to be the "odd ones out" because it is not the Queen B's approval that we seek.

Matthew 5:16 says we are supposed to shine our light for others to see. We are not meant to get lost in the crowd, but rather to lead others away from the crowd. If this were high school, we'd be the rebels. We'd be the game changers. The cool thing is, we're not all in high school. The crummy thing is, we still feel that pressure to fit in. The cooler thing is, even though we feel that pressure to fit in, we know that God wants us to stand out. The coolest thing is, if we come to God and seek Him with all of our hearts, He will give us the strength, courage, and confidence to be bold and stand out. How cool is that? So what do you say? Are we going to be bold?

When You Question Your Identity

Throughout our lives, we grow, we change, we become our own person. We all face struggles with finding who we really are and it can be so difficult when we feel that sense of being lost. I know personally, I have battled for years with finding myself. I know what I like, but what I like is not what other people like. I want to act a certain way, but society tells me that it's wrong. I want to be purely genuine, but there is doubt telling me that my genuine self is not good enough. I've felt so lost after spending so much time trying to find myself in the context of what other people like. I didn't know who I was.

 

I'm in my third year of college now and I know I still have so much discovery left, but I'm thankful for how much I have already discovered. In high school there is the constant pressure to fit in. If you weren't "popular" who were you? If you didn't have a boyfriend, were you unwanted? If you didn't fit into the mold that everyone else fit into, were you a reject? It was during these times, and my first two years of college, that I struggled the most to find who I was. As I said before, my identity was not my own. I wanted to be liked. I wanted to be popular. I wanted to fit in. I thought these things were what brought happiness and I chased and chased and chased after them so much that I forgot to stop and take a look in the mirror and see the reflection of the girl looking back. Did I truly want these things, or did I feel like I had to have them to belong? 

Ladies and gentlemen,  I am here to tell you that all of the things that people say you should be like are.....FALSE. People will try to put you into a box that is either way too small or too big for you. I have good news though. There is a way to find the right sized box. Through my journey of self discovery, there was one constant and one who loved me unconditionally: God. When I questioned my worth when boys walked right past me, God told me I was beautiful and worthy of a wonderful man who would love me so much. When I felt like I didn't fit in with the "popular" kids, God was there to remind me that my life is not meant to please them. He showed me that if I live for Him and love Him, that I will find who I am supposed to be. When I was lost in the storm, I felt His gentle touch saying that I was made for so much than trivial things of the world.

Y'all, our identity is in Christ. We were not made to worry about whether or not we will be asked to prom, if we fit in, if we are keeping up with the standards of the world. No. We were made to stand out. We were made to stand up. We were made to stand against unrighteousness. Our identity is that of God's love. Our identity is the light that God shines onto the earth. Our identity is to love others as He first loved us. So, brothers and sisters, I struggle along side of you with this, but let's never forget that our identity belongs to the one who loves us unendingly, who cares for us eternally, who had such an amazing plan for us, that He brought us into this world. You are the sons and daughters of the mightiest king to ever exist! Let that be a reminder that you don't need approval of others, but that you have all the approval and love you need if you have it from God. God bless!