You are not what you used to be. 

Insecure

Uncertain

Joyless

Negative 

Jealous

Prideful 

You are a new woman – a new creation in Christ. God takes our ugly and makes it beautiful. Our shortcomings, our deficiencies, our faults – they don’t phase God. He can take them, change them, and use them to glorify His Kingdom. 
You are not who you used to be. Hallelujah. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Letting go is hard. Our human minds get so caught up in preconceived notions of how things should be – that we won’t let God be God. 

We have trust issues. No doubt. People have hurt us. Life has pelted us with all kinds of crazy scenarios. We get very set in what we think should happen. We try and control, even manipulate, situations. If we get right down to it, when we behave this way we are basically telling God that we really don’t trust Him. We are taking away His chance to show up and show off. 

Whatever situation you are in today that is soaking up every ounce of your energy, every ounce of your time, every ounce of your peace of mind — let go. Really let go. Give it to God today. And remember, no take backs. 

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies head, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14

When you think your past sins are too big to be forgiven you need to remember this – nothing is bigger than my God. Certainly not any sin.
 
God will forgive you, but you have to forgive yourself. And when you do forgive yourself, use your story to help someone else out. Use your story to show how God can pull anyone out of the miry clay, spray them off, and use the beauty of their situation to reach a lost and dying world.
 
God’s bigger than your sin. He proved that on the cross. You just have to believe it. 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 

Worry. Little made up scenarios that develop in our minds. Scenes that most likely will never even happen, but they sure do get us, and our blood pressure, all worked up.

God doesn’t want us living like that, guys. You know who does though? The devil.

Because…

When we are worrying – we are not praying. When we are worrying – we are not trusting. When we are worrying – we are not serving.

Next time worry tries to creep in and take over start praying. Start singing. Start worshipping. You can even start running – as long as you are running to God. Whatever you do, DON’T let worry win.

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” -Psalm 55:22

You will always be judged.

The way you parent. The way you wife. The way you do your job. What your wear. Your hair. I know – it’s exhausting.

The best thing that we can do — is do the best that we can do. Don’t worry about how others perceive your performance. Just focus on doing the best that you can do for Jesus. He is the ultimate and only judge.

He knows your heart. He knows your intentions. He knows you’re trying.
And while we are trying to overcome the pressures of measuring up to that perfect Pinterest woman – let’s extend grace to all the other females surrounding us. Instead of throwing shade at others, let’s choose to add a little sunshine to their day. Let’s choose compassion.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;” – Luke 6:37

Grace. When your kid breaks your favorite plate. 
Grace. When your husband eats the last brownie you had stashed away. 
Grace. When someone misses the deadline you set. 
Grace. When that car cuts you off. 
Grace. When someone hurts your feelings. 

Grace. When you slip up – again and again. And God forgives you – again and again.
 
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – James 4:6

Our words. 

To our kids.
Our spouses.
Our friends.

They become their words. They become the truth that they believe. They can shape their hearts and minds into strong, courageous vessels, or they can shred every ounce of confidence that they have. 

Let’s choose our words wisely today. Let’s choose to build up instead of tear down. Let’s choose love. 

“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” – Proverbs 15:4

Hey beautiful. 

Yes, you.

Let me tell you something that the devil would love for you to believe – he would love for you to believe that you don’t measure up. That. Isn’t. True. 

I wish every every female reading this today could see the beauty that they hold inside and out – not to be conceited, but to be confident. To be confident that God made you exactly how He wanted you. To know that you are powerful, and special, and amazing, and needed. To know that God’s love and hope radiating from your very being is where your beauty is held. 

I pray that today you will find the beauty within your own heart and soul, and when you do you will use it to make another woman feel just as beautiful. God made you. You are beautiful. 

“It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you –the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear and it is worth very much to God.” — 1 Peter 3:3-4

Pursue. 

Chase. 

Aspire. 

Run eagerly toward. 

Hunt. 

Go after. 

Desire. 

God hasn’t called us to quietly drift though the halls of life. He has called us to fervently show others the love of Jesus manifested in our own lives. In the book of Romans, Paul urges us to eagerly seek ways to build one another up. God knows how powerful one word can be. He knows the lasting imprint of one small act of kindness. 

Guys, life can be hard. We all know this. Let’s be intentional in encouraging our brothers and sisters. Let’s purposefully and passionately seek out ways to build one another up. Let’s serve others through acts of Christ’s love. Let’s be Jesus in a world that so desperately needs Him. 

“Pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” – Romans 14:19

Courage.

Sometimes it tiptoes. Sometimes it sprints full speed ahead. Either way – it’s there. You just have to grab a hold of it and not let go. 

Faith and courage go hand in hand. Faith makes us fearless when in all actuality we are scared to death. Faith says, “Go ahead. God has this.” Courage whispers, “Ok.” 

Courage is having complete faith that God is in control of your situation. Jesus made it evident in Matthew 8 that we may not be able to control our circumstances, but God can always control the waves. We just have to believe. We have to have faith.
 
If there is something happening in your life that has you apprehensive, confused, or absolutely terrified – I urge you to open up God’s word and just start reading. Let God speak to you. Let Him strengthen your faith and give you the courage you need to face this storm head on. 

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17