Reason #364
This was my first full week of work in a month. I'm pretty sure I've had at least one day off each week since December started. It was a good week, though. Busy and productive, and I have learned quite a bit. I've heard a lot of stories this week. It's interesting when you spend a good chunk of time with someone how much they'll open up. I ask them a few simple questions and I find out way more information than I expected. I'm a complete stranger to them, but by the time we end our session, I've learned a whole lot about their life, their family, and their finances.
I've noticed an interesting trend as I've heard these stories. Each introduction comes with a name and a lengthy explanation. I learn who they are and how they go to where they are. And, most of the time, it seems as if these faces have defined themselves by whatever circumstances they are currently facing or have previously faced.
I heard some stories that broke my heart this week, but one hit home particularly close. I met a really sweet woman the other day. Beautiful and funny and completely full of life. She had this big smile plastered on her face and the cutest little cheek dimples. She is the super friendly and outgoing type, one of those people who has never met a stranger. And so I asked her a few simple questions about herself and, like most people, she didn't spare a detail in her answers. As she shared with me why she was where she was, I just wanted to hug her. I wanted to tell her all of those really wonderful things that I just said about her. But I just shook my head and I told her I was really sorry to hear that. I wish I would have just told her what came to my mind in that moment. Maybe I will one of these days because I think she needs to know what other people see when they look at her.
She didn't have to tell me. I don't know why she did. And the truth is, I could put two and two together. But she felt compelled to give me a full explanation, as if I deserved to know. It's none of my business, and it hurt my heart that she felt she needed to introduce herself in such a way. But I've fallen guilty of the same thing time and time again and I have to really fight it. Because the enemy tells me that I am a deceiver if I don't lay it all out there for everyone to know and see. I begin to feel as if I am hiding part of me, when in reality, this is who I am. Unfortunately, when we go through difficulties in life, we feel as if we need to go ahead and define ourselves for others so that they can pass judgement rightly. But here's the truth, none of us have it together. All of us have a "label." The important thing is we must get that label right and we'll only be able to do that when we actually believe that.
And so sometimes, when I introduce myself and tell people a little bit about me, I initially want to say...
"Hi, my name is Brittnye. I'm scarred. I'm imperfect and sinful. I've been hurt and ashamed and humiliated. Often times I feel like I'm a failure. I'm insecure about a lot of things, and I have a billion flaws. I used to feel differently about myself but I've let the circumstances in life define who I am and so now you know. Now you can judge me as you'd like because I know what you must be thinking, and I don't blame you one bit."
But that's really not the truth. Well, it is the truth in how I think about myself sometimes, but here's what I've been and am still learning. This is the introduction I am working on.
"Hi, my name is Brittnye. I am forgiven and redeemed. I am re-made and renewed. I am treasured and loved and valuable. I am created in His image, just the way He intended me to be. I've been through more than I ever thought or expected, but I have been restored and blessed. My ashes have been turned into beauty, and what happened in the past is not who I am. I am a beloved daughter of the King of Kings. Righteous and perfect and accepted. Beautiful in His eyes."
And you are too. What happened, what we did, what we went through, what happened to us, that's not who we are. It's a part of our story, our history, but it's not who we are. Addict, divorcee, single parent, abuser, felon, criminal, thief, victim... those words don't define His children. Because He is our identity. We are who He says we are and so He tells us we're beautiful and chosen, loved and accepted, forgiven and treasured, and the list goes on and on and on. And I think, as His children, we should remind one another of that. We should be quick to negate the lies with truth. Because true beauty does lie within, and we have a God who can most definitely turn any ashes into beauty.
#364 - Because He gives us a whole new definition!
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26-28
I've noticed an interesting trend as I've heard these stories. Each introduction comes with a name and a lengthy explanation. I learn who they are and how they go to where they are. And, most of the time, it seems as if these faces have defined themselves by whatever circumstances they are currently facing or have previously faced.
I heard some stories that broke my heart this week, but one hit home particularly close. I met a really sweet woman the other day. Beautiful and funny and completely full of life. She had this big smile plastered on her face and the cutest little cheek dimples. She is the super friendly and outgoing type, one of those people who has never met a stranger. And so I asked her a few simple questions about herself and, like most people, she didn't spare a detail in her answers. As she shared with me why she was where she was, I just wanted to hug her. I wanted to tell her all of those really wonderful things that I just said about her. But I just shook my head and I told her I was really sorry to hear that. I wish I would have just told her what came to my mind in that moment. Maybe I will one of these days because I think she needs to know what other people see when they look at her.
She didn't have to tell me. I don't know why she did. And the truth is, I could put two and two together. But she felt compelled to give me a full explanation, as if I deserved to know. It's none of my business, and it hurt my heart that she felt she needed to introduce herself in such a way. But I've fallen guilty of the same thing time and time again and I have to really fight it. Because the enemy tells me that I am a deceiver if I don't lay it all out there for everyone to know and see. I begin to feel as if I am hiding part of me, when in reality, this is who I am. Unfortunately, when we go through difficulties in life, we feel as if we need to go ahead and define ourselves for others so that they can pass judgement rightly. But here's the truth, none of us have it together. All of us have a "label." The important thing is we must get that label right and we'll only be able to do that when we actually believe that.
And so sometimes, when I introduce myself and tell people a little bit about me, I initially want to say...
"Hi, my name is Brittnye. I'm scarred. I'm imperfect and sinful. I've been hurt and ashamed and humiliated. Often times I feel like I'm a failure. I'm insecure about a lot of things, and I have a billion flaws. I used to feel differently about myself but I've let the circumstances in life define who I am and so now you know. Now you can judge me as you'd like because I know what you must be thinking, and I don't blame you one bit."
But that's really not the truth. Well, it is the truth in how I think about myself sometimes, but here's what I've been and am still learning. This is the introduction I am working on.
"Hi, my name is Brittnye. I am forgiven and redeemed. I am re-made and renewed. I am treasured and loved and valuable. I am created in His image, just the way He intended me to be. I've been through more than I ever thought or expected, but I have been restored and blessed. My ashes have been turned into beauty, and what happened in the past is not who I am. I am a beloved daughter of the King of Kings. Righteous and perfect and accepted. Beautiful in His eyes."
And you are too. What happened, what we did, what we went through, what happened to us, that's not who we are. It's a part of our story, our history, but it's not who we are. Addict, divorcee, single parent, abuser, felon, criminal, thief, victim... those words don't define His children. Because He is our identity. We are who He says we are and so He tells us we're beautiful and chosen, loved and accepted, forgiven and treasured, and the list goes on and on and on. And I think, as His children, we should remind one another of that. We should be quick to negate the lies with truth. Because true beauty does lie within, and we have a God who can most definitely turn any ashes into beauty.
#364 - Because He gives us a whole new definition!
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26-28