No More!
No More!
No more! I have had enough! I can't listen to anymore of the lies. I can't keep up with the keeping up! I no longer want to be held captive! God, I want to be free from comparing myself to others!
Farmer Dan and I went to Miami to visit DJ for a couple of days. We were in the beautiful Design District taking in the incredible sights and enjoying walking in the sunshine in January. As we headed back to DJ's house, we took an elevator in the parking garage and two ladies shared the space with us.
No big deal! EXCEPT, they were both Barbie's and decked to the hilt in the latest fashions, every hair in place, and gracefully walking in high heels. Now, let me contrast that with the other lady in the elevator ~ ME! I was wearing my "Then God Made A Nana" t-shirt (which I LOVE), jeans, hair that had been styled-ish at 2:30 that morning and slept on while flying, and tennis shoes. The epitome of frumpy and I wore it well!
I'm not sure why, but it really bothered me that I didn't and couldn't look like these ladies I had never seen and will never see again! And then it hit me, God didn't create you to be a wearer of designer clothes, He created you to be a farmer's wife, a step-mom, a mom, and a Nana to this amazing family He has blessed you with - STOP COMPARING! Stop looking at what you're not and start embracing who I have created you to be.
In His phenomenal sense of humor, God met me where I was and showed me where I needed to go! I "found" a Charles Stanley podcast to listen to on the way home by this title, "The Grace of God for Our Self-Worth". It was literally a laugh out loud moment! God in His infinite wisdom knew exactly what I needed!!
Rather than basing our self-worth on stuff, accomplishments, how we look, other people's opinions, our self-worth has to be based in view of the cross! You see, our Daddy literally loves us to death - the death of His Son. He knew we could never be in His presence in our unrighteousness so He gave the ultimate sacrifice - His Son. He loves each and everyone of us that intensely. That is an indescribable, unending, grace that finds us exactly where we are, no matter where we are, and purifies us so that we can be used by Him.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.
I Corinthians 15:10a
We are all that we are by God's grace and absolutely nothing else. God's love is pursuing us to to bring us to where He wants us so that we can be used for His glory. Can you be used by Him looking like a dime in downtown Miami ~ YES! But you can also be used by Him in whatever your job, your current family situation, wherever you are (no matter how messy) - by God's grace you are valuable! Please understand this truth - it is God and His grace alone that gives you worth!
The second part of that verse gets me ~ "and His grace to me was not without effect." Without effect means: 1) not changed or influenced by something; 2) without any of the desired result or impact; 3) produces little or no change.
In the Name of Jesus, may I never be without effect. May I never miss God's grace and who He created me to be to the point that I'm not changed, that I don't fulfill God's purpose for my life, that there are little or no changes in who I am because of Who HE is! May I no longer be consumed by who I am not, may I be who YOU created me to be, and Holy God, may it not be without effect.
Oh, Father, may we no longer live as if Your grace is nothing, but may we live as if it is our everything.
By God's grace, this is what i was created for . . .
Love your blog, comments and pics of family! Keep writing ❤️
Thank you, Momma Tenney🤗
Mercy you can so speak to my heart! You are such a blessing to know, so grateful that you are also my friend!
So thankful I got to see you while you were back! A treasured friend!
I’ve read this three times and will be reading again. Thank you for digging deep into God’s word and reminding us of His love and grace.
Thank you for your encouragement❤️
Preach, friend! You write so beautifully about how Jesus speaks to you through the events of your day!
God speaks to us in the everyday, for sure!
Beautiful!
God is good!
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