Some days I wake up discouraged and with a spirit of defeat clouded my vision before I even finish my first cup of coffee. Today was one of those days where the enemy immediately starting feeding me lie after lie the moment my eyes opened. He whispered into my soul that I’m not good enough and a failure. He pounded my heart with discouragement and lack of confidence. He almost convinced me to just throw in the towel today.
Almost.
Four years ago I sat down with a pen and my journal and wrote out a list of big dreams I believed the Lord had placed in my heart. I remember writing them down feeling the weight of their impossibilities on my shoulders. Even with these impossibilities running through my head, I wrote with passion […]
Every day you pick up your paint brush and create through the world around you. You decorate your home with minute attention to detail. You cook your favorite meals (or throw together a pb&j for the kiddos). You take a picture and share an Instagram post. You write papers, create spreadsheets, make a cup of coffee, and dream dreams. Life is art. And it is beautiful!
Another five pounds. The numbers on the scale told me a story of loss, but my heart felt a surge of confidence. I glanced up at the mirror and saw a tall, lanky body standing there, wasting away in many ways. I turned around and examined my spine protruding from my back and shuddered. Why did this make me feel so beautiful? In many ways I felt like I was disappearing. Each week I was losing more and more weight. And yet, every reflection I whispered to me that if I just kept going I would finally enough. I wanted to be noticed, but I still felt invisible.
When we confuse the source of our identity with who God says we are and what the scale says we weigh, everything else becomes skewed. We focus less on Jesus and more on ourselves. We obsess and worry over every calorie instead of spending every moment pursuing the kingdom of God. What if we dress for today and walk in the confidence of who God made us to be, right now?
We all carry one. That 3 foot, 36 inch measuring stick. It’s a crutch for some. A weapon for others. And then for for others it’s a scepter by which they rule others by. It’s the most unbecoming accessory. With it come chains that hold us back, tie us down and leave us wounded and unusable for the Kingdom of God. We feel as if we will never measure up to others by it, and we feel as if we are above others because of it. This stick is a lie. It’s a stumbling block designed to trip us up. And the maker of this stick is comparison.
It’s time we took our eyes off the numbers, scales, and sizes and consumed our lives with the weight of glory in Jesus Christ. You are already free, sisters. Nothing holds you in changes anymore because Jesus holds that key that sets you free. Let’s live for the kind of weight that matters—sharing the glory of Christ with a world that desperately needs to know there is freedom, today.
In 2013 I tiptoed into the waters of being a Christian entrepreneur. Over the next few years, I had no idea that God would use that leap of faith to mold me, shape me, and chisel my heart. Owning a small business with the desire to make much of Jesus has proven harder than I thought it would. Since the beginning, I have felt the Lord clearly call me to do things differently, and, instead of following worldly business standards, to follow Him. The path He has taken me on has been anything but easy, however, it has been worth every step, every stumble, and every mountain we have climbed together. In the end, it has led me to a deeper walk with Him.
The following post is written by my dear friend, Emily Riley. I asked her recently to share her story of redemption from an eating disorder. Women and men all over the world struggle with weight and having an incorrect body image. Most people struggle with disordered eating, but never tell anyone of the hidden bondage. We easily hide our image struggles behind a guise of “healthy eating,” exercise, and even self confidence, when on the inside we are aching and in a prison. It is my desire to bring light to this dark, hidden area. I, too, have struggled with an eating disorder and have found immense freedom that can only be found in Christ alone (read my story here). As we open up our hearts vulnerably, I pray that Jesus would shine brightly and lead others into a life of freedom and authenticity.
(above photo of an article in Thryve Mag) Vulnerability. Just writing that word grates against my heart a tiny bit. Growing up in a Christian home, I took on the “good girl” mentality for the first two decades of life. As long as it appeared I did no wrong and struggled with little, I was good. Don’t […]
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