We throw off the lie of perfection and cling to our identity in God as we strive to be whole, healthy, and fit. Our goal is wholeness, not perfection.

Posts tagged ‘enough’

12 Days of Christmas: Day 7 – Create Margin

7th day

…my blogger friends gave to me: The permission to Breathe

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by life?  Whatever your work/family situation is, do you ever feel like you’re juggling too many activities/responsibilities/roles?  And let’s face it, although technology can simplify our lives, it usually reminds us via social media that we can be doing so much more, or at the very least do what we’re already doing with a lot more style.

So today, we give you permission to just breathe.  What’s that you say?  You don’t have the time to stop and breathe?  Or your living space is so cluttered that you can’t find a place to sit down long enough to enjoy breathing?  Well, here are some resources that may help you find the time and physical space to do just that.

Corie Clark’s “The Simplicity Project” is aptly named.  Her approach to simplifying our over-complicated lives is exactly that – simple.  She doesn’t try to push a multi-step program .  Nor does she just focus on the physical decluttering that our lives need.  She addresses the need to tend to our spiritual health, physical health, physical spaces, finances, and time management.  Her approach to simplifying is not only doable, but grace infused, which makes it more likely for recovering perfectionists to complete the project.

Simplicity Project

While “The Simplicity Project” touches on learning how to say yes and no wisely, Lysa TerKeurst’s “The Best Yes” really gets to the heart of the matter – people pleasing.  Too many “Oh, snap!” moments in the book to get into here.  If you can relate to any of the quotes from the front of her book {I dread saying yes but feel powerless to say no.  I hope there’s more to life than my to-do list.  I’m a little overwhelmed and a lot worn out.  I’m drowning int he regrets of too many commitments.}, grab a copy.

Best Yes

This last book, “Finding Spiritual Whitespace” by Bonnie Gray, comes highly recommended from a God friend.  Since it’s on the “Read in 2015” list, you can read her write-up of it here.

Whitespace

Category:

balance, freedom, grace, time management, truth

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12 Days of Christmas: Day 3 – Rest

3rd Day

…my blogger friends gave to me: The permission to Rest

No book or blog recommendations or photos needed for this one.  Rest looks and feels different for each person.  Over the years, rest has looked very different for me.  Walking while jamming out to music.  Shop therapy at Loose Lucy’s (feels like a lifetime ago now).  Reading magazines while drinking hot tea at Barnes and Noble.  Napping when my oldest son used to nap in the house (now it’s only the car).  Morning quiet time in the kitchen spending time in God’s word and watching the sun rise.  Vegging out on the couch watching back to back episodes of my favorite television series.  I am currently back to napping when the twins do.

You know what rest looks for you right now in this current season.  So do it.  For your own well being, and the well being of those you love, take time out of your crazy busy schedule and rest.  Pencil it in if you have to.

I don’t think you need convincing that resting is good for you.  But, like me, you may not always believe it’s a worthwhile endeavor.  The world around us is vying for our attention, lying to us “If you just get this one more thing accomplished…” – you fill in the promise.  The biggest lie I fall for is “…you’ll be all caught up”.  As a teacher, a mother, and a wife I’ve come to suspect that there’s no such thing as “all caught up”.  There’s always more to do.  Even the hamster on the wheel takes a break from time to time, right?  So, as 2014 winds down, and before we gear up for 2015, let’s give each other permission to rest.

Full disclosure: The 3rd Day of Christmas was yesterday. I took a two hour nap and went to bed at a decent hour rather than stress over hitting the publish button on time.

Category:

balance, goals

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You’re Already Amazing Monday – Chapter 1

Disclosure: It’s Tuesday.  As a mom of three boys, my day doesn’t always go as planned.  At 10:30 last night I had a decision to make: Type up my “You’re Already Amazing” Chapter 1 response or work out.  Since I had to take off several days from my exercise program due to injury, I decided to go with the latter.

Let me just say that I love Holley Gerth’s writing style.  I really do feel like we’re just hanging out over some coffee – or in my case, smoothies.  It turns out the secret she told us in the Introduction has a second part to it – the explanation.  We don’t have to be more, do more, or have more, because we’re amazing.  What follows this revelation has to be my favorite part of this chapter, an awesome declaration:

“You’re enough.  You’re beautiful.  You’re wanted.  You’re chosen.  You’re called.  You’ve got what it takes…not just to survive but to change the world.”

As soon as I read those words I started coming up with imaginative ways to carry them with me.  Too many words for a tattoo, even if I dropped all the “You’re”s.  Besides, I’m allergic.  Then I thought about using that program that takes words and overlays them in different shades of the same color and making a shirt.  Although I may still do that, that isn’t very permanent.  And before I could seriously consider having jewelry made with the words, I climbed  out of the ADD rabbit hole to finish reading the chapter.

Gerth goes on to explain the difference between being an “It Girl” and an “Is Girl”.  An “It Girl” is defined by the world’s ever changing values and fads, while an “Is Girl” has her identity grounded in who God created and called her to be.  I’ve tried being an “It Girl” with little success.  Even when I met some standard of fitness or beauty, there was always a higher degree to strive for.  It was exhausting.  And don’t get me started on the “It Girl” version of motherhood.  Talk about exhausting.  Thanks Pinterest.  Thanks a lot.

As an “Is Girl” I just have to be me, right where I am in life, exactly as I am.  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t an easy calling.  Daily I have to battle doubt and insecurities.  But it’s not nearly as taxing as striving to be an “It Girl”.  Why?  Because to be an “Is Girl” requires me to draw on the strength and power God gives me, not my own.  Again, this isn’t always easy.  The world tells women, especially moms, that we can do it all and have it all, if we just _____ (you fill in the blank).  It’s tempting to operate in my own strength and tell God “I’ve got this”.  Although I still do this, I don’t try to go it alone for such long stretches of time anymore.  I get exhausted much quicker now.  I’m not sure if it’s wisdom or just aging.

Gerth closes the chapter by sharing that we are never too broken to be used by God.  She relays the story of a friend’s tragic loss, and how God told her that it’s through our brokenness that He shines to those around us.  Through our brokenness we can bless others.  I’m not a fan of being broken, but it’s awesome when I can connect with another woman, believer or not, over shared brokenness and assure her that God is working in the situation.

Have you already read the book, or are you reading along with us?  What word do you most need to hear and believe in the “You’re _____” statements?  Is there a particular trend or fad right now that you feel pressured to keep up with?

Category:

truth

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You’re Already Amazing Monday: Intro

In her introduction to You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be, Holley Gerth invites me to pull up a chair so she can share a secret with me.  It is a secret so profound, that when I read it, I exhale deeply and my whole body relaxes.  “You don’t have to be more, do more, have more.”

YAA Intro

My whole life I’ve struggled to feel like I’m enough – Smart enough.  Articulate enough.  Funny enough.  Sweet enough.  Attractive enough.  Strong enough.  Brown enough.  Bilingual enough.  Ethnic enough.  Enough for you to accept me into your circle.  Enough for me to feel like I belong.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve experienced a great deal of freedom in these areas.  But every now and then a small voice will hiss, asking me, “Are you sure you’re ______ enough?”

Just when that doubt starts creeping in, Holley speaks encouraging, empowering truth over me – “You’re a daughter of God, a holy princess, a woman created with strengths you’ve yet to fully grasp and a story that’s still being written by the divine Author himself.”  Whoa.  I believe I am a daughter of God.  So much so that it’s the first thing I write in any “about me” space of social media.  And I know my story is still being written because, well, I’m still here.  But a holy princess?  The mom of three boys who is ecstatic to get a shower before supper?  The wife who does her best but can’t seem to keep both the kitchen table and counters clean at the same time?  I have strengths I have yet to fully grasp?  I’m praying they include time management, staying organized, and budgeting.

But here’s where Holley had me hooked, eager to read more – “And if you really take hold of who you are and what you’re called to do, there will be no stopping you.  That’s because there’s no stopping him in you – and he’s got bigger plans for your life than you’ve even imagined.”  This quote ignites a fire in me because I know this season of my life is boot camp – preparing me for God’s next assignment for me, for what I’m called to do.  But there’s a lot of fear involved in knowing that this season will end.  There’s safety sticking around boot camp and not having to go into battle.  But the second sentence of the quote has me wanting to suit up and fight because it’s my life verse: With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20 NCV)

Whether you’ve read the book before or not, I hope that you’ll join me every Monday to recap each chapter and share what it means in real life to embrace who we are and trusting God to mold us into who He created us to be.

Category:

grace, truth

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