Day 1: LOVED
Imagine seeing this little girl shopping with her parents in the grocery store.
Awww, you think, how sweet!
But as you walk closer, you hear their harsh words to her:
- “I can’t believe you…!”
- “When will you ever learn to…?”
- “You were so stupid when you…!
- “Are you trying to cause more work by…?”
- “You are just way too…!”
You Can’t Talk to Her That Way!
How might you feel and what might you think? I’d likely feel and think:
- Tenderness – Poor dear…I wish I could give you a hug!
- Sympathy – Honey, I know how you’re feeling.
- Heartache – Words like this can wound so deeply.
- Indignation – Oh sweetheart, you don’t deserve to be spoken to this way!
- Anger – I’d really want to march up to those parents and tell them, “You can’t talk to her that Way!”
And I would be a hypocrite.
After all,
I Am This Child
I talk to her this way every day:
- I can’t believe you said that; whatever will they think of you now?
- When will you ever learn to just. think. ahead. a. little. bit?
- You were so stupid to put Chap-Stik in the dryer!
- Are you trying to cause more work by forgetting to pay the phone bill?
- You are just way too “high maintenance.”
I Am His Child
I talk to myself this way, as if other people are the ultimate measure of my worth.
And it breaks my Father’s heart.
Unloved Forever?
Sick and tired of conditional human love, I once wrote these lines to a poem:
I almost never measure up,
just every now and then.
I’d rather be unloved forever
than only be loved “when.”
I got one thing right: imperfect people will always love me imperfectly. At best, they will only love me “when.”
What I got wrong is resignation to being “unloved forever.”
In fact, it’s not just wrong.
It’s impossible.
Love Everlasting!
(Can’t view the image? Click here to download Ephesians 1:4)
You and I can’t just give up and “be unloved forever.”
It’s impossible because “even before He made the world, God loved us.”
And He’s no quitter.
He tells us, “I have loved you…with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
When we give up on seeking our worth in other people and allow God to draw us to Him, we discover this truth:
The purpose of my life is not to be loved.
My life has purpose because I am beloved.
Try this today:
Tape a childhood photo to your mirror along with Ephesians 1:4 as a visual reminder that God loves you.He always has, and he always will!
You. ARE. Loved.
Leave a comment!
- responding to today’s blog, and/or
- sharing your Day #1 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
- about anything else on your heart!
This sounds great!!
Tanya Mallory: What a great reminder of His love for us. I’ll admit, I get caught up in valuing my worth from other people but when I snap out of it and remember that it’s who I am in God’s eyes that matter I am able to be free! Self-contempt is something I’ve really been working on for the past year & I love that I serve a God that reminds me often of just how precious I am to him!!
Tanya —
So with you! It’s the “when I snap out of it and remember” part that’s challenging for me, but I’m seeing more and more how many reminders he surrounds me with!
Amy Tyler-Smith: Very Good post. Reflects how I feel alot about myself. Listening to my own criticism and the criticism of others only to feel unloved and worthless. But in HIS eyes I AM so much more than that! Thanks for sharing the poem.
Amy —
Glad you found value and meaning in the post and poem! The habit of listening and internalizing what we hear is so ingrained, especially for women.
Ryan-Erin Butler: we are our worst critic but we have to remember that we are not who we say we are….we are who God says we are. We live in a fallen world where people love to push us down to lift themselves up….we need to be each others cheerleaders and remind our fellow sisters in Christ just how amazing they are 😉
Erin —
Such good points! How sad but true that others push us down to boost their own egos! Of course, it doesn’t last long, so they have to keep doing it…to us or others.
And yes — we need to cheerlead each other and not allow common female battles to come between us! The enemy knows that if He can keep moms/wives busy bickering, his job will be SO much easier! (My editorial after overhearing far too many my-way-vs.-your-way arguments at MOPS meetings!)
I have been working like crazy so I’m a little behind. This post definitely hits home. I am so harsh on myself & let myself get torn down when others hurt me & make me feel unloved. I LOVE that scripture & what you wrote under it, I even shared it on Facebook. I struggle with feeling love & of worth, but God is using things like this to show me that I AM LOVED & OF GREAT WORTH because HE loves me! Thank you for this! 🙂
LCB — It’s such a cycle, isn’t it? When I’m harsh to myself, I give others “permission” to tear me down. The way they treat me makes me feel hurt and unloved, so I’m harsher to myself.
I’m finding that when I look for God’s love, it is EVERYWHERE! I’ve just spent far too long filling my thoughts with complaining+ to have noticed it.
You wrote
“What I got wrong is resignation to being “unloved forever.”
In fact, it’s not just wrong.
It’s impossible.
Love Everlasting!”
My heart immediately soared and tears sprang to my eyes. THANK YOU GOD!!
Sarah —
“My heart immediately soared and tears sprang to my eyes. THANK YOU GOD!!”
Same thing happened to me as I was writing the words you quoted…hadn’t thought of it that way until it came out on the computer screen, and I was blown away!
Being beloved means I have to love myself.
Sometime that’s the hardest thing to do.
But, see- you don’t HAVE to love yourself… God will still love you and you will still be His beloved. As you continue to adore Him and learn more about Him and see Him for who He is, you will humbly accept and even rejoice in who He has made you – that person who He loves so much!
When I read the poem you wrote, I was overwhelmed with how much I related to the feelings expressed in those words. I tie a lot of it to disappointment. I tend to feel disappointed in how others treat me, and I hang on to that forever and ever, building upon each disappointment. Thank you so much for the attitude adjustment. I am looking forward to this challenge!
Patti —
I SO understand disappointment and hanging on to it!
One of the reasons for this challenge is my own sense of relief at becoming free of the resentments that have dominated my thoughts and behaviors for so long.
I spent the day in court yesterday, hoping to finally bring my husband home following a 5-month legal battle resulting from false charges against him. We’ve been put off for another month. I’ve been feeling completely abandoned and unloved by God. Ephesians 1:4 is now the touchstone verse that will help me through the next few weeks. Thank you for reminding me…
Joanna —
I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles. Such a relentless attack from the accuser!
Do you have women supporting you and praying with you through this ordeal?
An intriguiing title for your book. Hope to win and check it out.
Elizabeth —
Cindi’s books are excellent, and she’s fabulous in person!
Wow, that little girl is definitely ME! I so often hear myself telling myself things like this, and even worse, believing them! It is so important to remind oneself often of the truth God speaks about us—He LOVES us so very much, He VALUES us with His life, He BELIEVES the best about us. I am the apple of His eye. Yes, if my children put themselves down it breaks my heart so I can imagine how our negative thoughts break His heart! I never thought about this that way, so thank you for pointing it out.
Donna
Donna —
He VALUES us with His life — such a wonderful reminder!
I know how I feel when one of my children abuses something for which I’ve paid a lot of money, such as leaving their bike in the rain.
Or if they don’t fully use an opportunity for which I’ve paid a lot of money, such as ditching college classes.
But Christ paid the ultimate price for us, and we are far more than just items or opportunities! We honor his sacrifice when we value ourselves in His Love!
I have an incredibly hard time with this. Thanks for reminding me yet again.
Note to self: I am beloved. I am beloved. I am beloved.
Please pray that God will somehow break through my thick skull and I’ll finally believe it.
Praying for you, Crystal!
SO many of us seem to struggle with this. We remember and then we forget. Or something else grabs our attention.
I’m finding that the more I get to know Him thru His Word, the more I see His love throughout my day. In this way, it seems to be getting thru MY thick skull!!!
First, thank you so much for this challenge. I’m so hard on myself and have been so negative in my thoughts. This has already helped me be a better mommy for the girls. Maybe they won’t have to go through what I’m going through.
Oh Amber — LOVE your heart to be a “better mommy” and spare them your struggles!
This may be trivial but one of my biggest struggles is with laundry. I beat myself up because I feel that I should always be able to stay on top of the growing piles. There are 5 of us. We have lots of clothes. But tonight I didn’t think about what I’m not doing and instead thought about what I am doing. Tonight I didn’t wash all of the clothes but I did get a lot accomplished:)
TEllison —
I so get the desire to get things done and finished long enough to step back and feel like we’re “on top of it”! The relentlessness with which our efforts quickly become un-done is such food for complaining+, whether toward ourselves or others. (I’ve been known to say things like “Didn’t I JUST WASH THESES?!?” and “Do you all have to keep wearing different clothes EVERY day?”) Focusing on what we HAVE accomplished — so much better than fretting about what we didn’t!
Had a busy day so I didn’t get to read the post till tonight. Have been trying to train my 10 month old to go to sleep on his own. The guilt and frustration grips me every day. She cries and I regret my plan. Don’t we all need to just climb into God’s arms and feel his love? Thank you for the reminder.
Awww, Darcey — how’s it going? That phase of life is almost 20 years behind me, but I can remember it like yesterday!
Yes, so true — when guilt and frustration try to squeeze the life out of us, the place to go is God’s arms to feel His love!
I leave for work really early in the morning so I didnt get to start the lesson until I got home…but…just so you know …my biggest challenge is being at work and getting upset at the way things are handled…not my way…so today was very challenging…switched bracelet all day long…so when I headed home with all my frustration built up inside…I thought about the warm up…and I thought, God forgive me and I began to pray…for his help and guidance and control of my thoughts…words…and impatience..so I gave it to God and Tomorrow will be a better day…I am so a work in progress….
And “BAM” this first day of the challenge was just what I needed….I was very negetive today and I asked God to help me turn this to a positive…
Chris —
Girlfriend, I SO understand being upset at the way things are handled when they aren’t my way! LOVE your recognition that you’re His work in progress.
Thank you so much for this post and for this challenge! My attitude has not been so good. So much has happened in the past year and I’ve allowed it to get the best of me. Each day that I’m not happy with what my girls have done I catch myself going back to my childhood. I was criticized a lot by my mom and am so insecure today. Praise God that He has allowed the Holy Spirit to intercede and point out to me when I start criticizing my daughters! I’m so thankful that with His help I can change. Thank you again! God Bless!
Kristina —
Blessings on you for being open to the Holy Spirit checking your spirit! The “stuff” from our childhood can be so loud that we hear nothing else; for me, it’s been years of a self-reinforcing trap. God’s living word breaks through the relentlessness of the “old tapes” and transforms. Nothing and nobody else has that power!
The hardest thing for most people to do (including myself) is to really come to an understanding of how MUCH God loves us. If only we could see ourselves through HIS eyes.
Mandy —
I imagine He thinks that all the time: “If only she could see herself as I see her…”
We are so limited by the here and now. By our regrets of the past and worries for the future. He sees eternity, so he sees who He intends us to be with His recreative love…
Oh, for His vision!
I switched my bracelet from wrist to wrist more than I care to admit today.
Enjoyed reading the article about the negative self talk. I have issues with that and putting myself down. Going to work on this.
Janet —
Bless you for admitting it anyway! 🙂
I find so many women put themselves down habitually, often as a way to do it before anyone else does. But God sees us differently than others or we ourselves, do!
This is so true.. I never realized that when I put myself down I am putting Him down also.
Today was harder than I realized it would be. I found myself saying negative things about someone and would have to stop myself. Even when I was consiously being “good” and not thinking/saying anything I would be stopped and told something negative about her which I would respond to.
I guess the good thing is at least I am becoming aware of when it happens. That is the first step to stopping the behavior I guess.
Thank you for this challenge.
Abby —
If nothing else, this challenge is about awareness. God created us with amazingly complex minds and the power of free will and choice. So when I discovered how much complaining+ I was doing — as if I were some sort of programmed robot! — it really bothered me. You’re so right that awareness is the first step toward change!
I have been praying this morning more than I ever thought possible…for MYSELF! LOL! God will definitely have to continue lifting me up if I am going to get through this challenge…. (I just had to switch my bracelet because I thought “Well, DUH!”) Yes, He still has a lot of work to do. But, I will have faith in Him that He wants me to be a new “me”. Cheri, thanks for being obedient and providing a platform for us to challenge and better ourselves! 🙂
Mindy —
It’s been so fun following your thoughts on your blog! Thank YOU for being obedient and sharing!
Great reminder! Really need to remind myself to watch how I talk to myself.
When I started making a conscious effort to hear what I said to myself, I was amazed/shocked. But awareness is the precursor to change!
My life has purpose because I am beloved … this truth needs to sink deep into my soul. I am amazed that I still treat myself so badly … I use these negative terms on myself, more often than I am even aware. I am so thankful that God lined this challenge up for me, for everyone … Thank you Cheri for you faithful heart!!
Karen —
Thank YOU for joining us! So much of what you expressed is being felt by so many…
What a great reminder that we are worthy because we are loved. We don’t have to do anything to be loved. Can’t wait to see what God does through this challenge. Thanks for being faithful.
Lori —
“Can’t wait to see what God does through this challenge.”
That makes two of us!!! 🙂
So excited to begin this challenging challenge. I never thought about how God must feel when I talk that way about myself. Thank you for this.
Melissa — I’ve only recently thought about it this way. It’s so easy to think that we don’t really impact others…when how we treat ourselves impacts those close to us and our Creator!
What a powerful verse! There are days where I question my self, my negative attitude and my existence. I may not be where I want to be in life, but I’m slowly working at and getting there. Thank you for reminding me that God loves me!
Melinda — One step at a time! His mercies are new every morning!
What a great reminder! I talk to “that” girl daily! So glad that God reminds me that she is loved and no one or nothing can take that away!
Sonya —
Great reminder that no one and nothing can take away God’s love! We can reject it or ignore it, but we can’t change it!
I am so happy to be joining this challenge. There are so many times we put ourselves down not realizing that we are special to our Father who created us. We will correct our kids and tell them how special they are and that they are loved but not do the same for ourselves. By today’s reading i realized that we have to love ourselves first so that we can love others more. God made me and loves me as i am.
Charmaine —
Many of us moms seem to be realizing that we say one thing to our children but model another! Oh, for God’s perfect guidance to model loving ourselves so we can love others more!
C
I am the hypocrite you wrote about… I can’t even begin to recall the number of times I’ve told my children to “stop talking in such a harsh way” or “if you cannot speak kindly”… and yet here I am today faced with the reality that I am that person. I will bite my tongue and speak kind words. I will pray for God to help me and fill me with prayer and to replace any bad-itude I may have at the moment with gratitude… Thank you for this.
Seems like we need to start Hypocrites Anonymous: Hi, my name is _____, and I’m a hypocrite…”
Oh wait, we have that group already! It’s called the church! And/or a small group….fellow Christians with whom we can share our struggles, support each other, share God’s word with each other, and lift each other up in prayer.
I SO understand the tongue biting…mine is not quite as sore as it used to be and my family is far more relaxed, so God clearly knows what he’s doing (and having me NOT do!)
Thank you! What a great idea! I gave my husband a picture of me when I was a young girl to remember that I am a precious child of God and to care for me as such but I most certainly need to do this for myself. I know I don’t care for this girl as Gods child.
Jennifer —
How cool that you gave a picture like that to your husband!
I’ve heard the suggestion that we imagine difficult people as being physically wounded…bleeding, broken bones, etc. so that we will treat them with tenderness and compassion.
But I think that if I imagined every difficult adult (or teenager) as the 5-year-old version of themselves, it would have the same impact.
I totally get this. I am way harder on myself than anyone else is.
Jena —
Sometimes I jump to bash myself before others can…or even so that they’ll comfort me and tell me I’m “not that bad.”
So not only am I harder on myself than anyone else, but I use it as a manipulation tool to get others to be nice to me.
Oy vey!
I pray almost daily for patience with my children and now this challenge has come about….wow! Ironically, I’m a very patient person, but when it comes to my children I find myself losing my top all too frequently for my liking. My words can be harsh when I’ve lost control of my emotions and there should be no tolerance to it. Thank you for this challenge opportunity to grow in love and praise God for his mercy and grace!
Blessings —
Thank you for your honesty! I’ve found that motherhood and marriage make it very hard to keep up my “good Christian girl” facade. God uses these roles to expose where we still need to grow…in my case, I had (and still have!) a TON of emotional maturing to do.
My eating disorder treatment was in the 80s when the movement was to revere, to the point of worship, all emotions. While it was healthy to learn that my emotions were valid, stopping there was very unhealthy. Only in the last few years have I seen both the destruction caused by my out-of-control emotions and the power for change God has been waiting for me to tap into in His Word!
WOW, I feel like that little girl and I see me in her eyes. The way I treat myself and my adult daughter. I let aggravation take over my heart and spew ugly words from my mouth. This challenge is going to be so rewarding in so many ways. Thank you Cheri!
Oh, good old aggravation! I know that feeling! I feel it in my nose, of all places…my kids and husband know “Mom’s irked” when I reach up and rub it. Guess I should be glad that it’s so easy to identify and, thus, change…!
See, I look at is so differently. My first thought about what was being said to the child was “What did the kid do? Maybe she needed a good talking to.” If she was dissobedient, why should she get a pass?
If I, as a child of God, am dissobedient, I don’t expect God to give me pass, pat me on the head and say, it’s OK. You’re perfect just the way you are. His Word doesn’t say that.
Yes, that’s true right there. But what I also think: at times we should not forget to forgive ourselves as God forgives us instead of condemning us as we often do.
You offer a different perspective, one I hadn’t thought of.
You are correct in pointing out that the Bible says nothing about God giving a free pass for disobedience. “The wages of sin are death” could not be more clear…thus, the cross.
This is so convicting!! I am so grateful for the eye-opener. I have learned that when my kids say self-deprecating things about themselves they have learned it from me. And I want to stop that cycle. But I never really knew the root of the cycle, or how to change my thinking to stop it. This is so powerful, and I’m so grateful for today’s post!!
You know, I WAS more aware of how I talked to myself when my children were little and parroting right back to me (often later in the day) my every word! I’d say something terrible to myself without thinking and then be horrified to hear the same words come out of my daughter’s mouth. SO convicting!
When my feet hit the floor-I started complaining. And then I remembered “today is May 1, time for my positive month”. Ha. So today is a challenging day. I love this blog for today and I am going to find my best picture of when I was little and put it on my mirror. Thank you for reminding me that I am my worst enemy. I beat myself up and guilt myself so much that I am not the “best”. But got loves me for who I am. Thank you
Nikki —
“I am my worst enemy” is emerging as a strong theme for many of us for this month.
Praise God for his love and persistence in demonstrating it to us!
I am grateful for this challenge, although it will be difficult for me. I have fallen into the trap of complaining so frequently that I hardly notice it anymore! The warm-up week posts helped me to more clearly hear what had been coming out of my mouth. It also helped me to see that I was surrounding myself with other complainers. Hmmmm…it’s been interesting to ponder all this.
Jan —
“I have fallen into the trap of complaining so frequently that I hardly notice it anymore!”
This is one of the main purposes of the challenge…noticing! The first time I tried going complaint-free, I thought it would be no big deal. But by the end of the first day, I was appalled by how many “little” habits I was totally unaware of!
Considering how much scripture has to say about the power of the tongue, I knew I couldn’t keep coasting on habits…especially habits like those!
Wow; I could have written this post. After 30 years of being a Christian, I still find that I talk to myself in those same negative terms more than I’d like. Thanks for the reminder that “The purpose of my life is not to be loved. My life has purpose because I am beloved.”
Oh, and the picture of you is adorable! 🙂
Gena —
I was baptized almost 30 years ago but the junk inside my PURSE-onality just stayed on for the ride (and seemed to multiply!) Intentionality with God’s word has made all the difference these last few years.
Glad you like the picture! It’s my favorite…proof that I really was a “true blonde” once upon a time! 😉
Your words are so touching. I am here for the first time, so I am not yet part of the challenge. I will look into it, though! The book looks great. Thank you for the giveaway!
Thanks for joining us today, Teresa!
Well, I didn’t start well. I had some “driving differences” with another woman on the road and I called my sister and complained. I did ask for forgiveness and I started over :). I really enjoyed today’s blog because I think that starting with how I talk to myself and think about myself is going to be wonderful. I think it needs to start with me. I am so thankful to God for this challenge, it is going to be wonderful and God is going to do GREAT things!!
SO appreciate you bringing up the “driving differences”! It’s been a great common example that many (most? all?!?) of us have resonated with!
While I know God works with each one of us individually, I’ve found the greatest changes in my life come from getting my relationship with myself (which really means my relationship with Him) cleaned up and focused on His truths.
Last night I heard a lot of anger in my husband as he tucked in the kids…anger I wouldn’t have displayed…until I considered what our mornings look like.
BUT I am loved and am a child of God.
Annette —
Great reminder of the eternal truth despite the immediate circumstance!
And great observation about mornings impacting evenings…hmmm…
I have always been a very confident person – so I thought. As I’ve aged and added a husband and children to my life I’m noticing more and more that I am a people pleaser. I also have a terrible time focusing on the negative so this challenge is something I am believing will help me keep accountable to changing my outlook on life. I am thankful that the Lord brought this to me at this time!
Momma —
I so get the people pleaser role! The energy I’ve invested in keeping track of what all the people I’m trying to please do and don’t like so I can do the dos and not do the don’ts…
Slowly moving away from being a people pleaser to being a God pleaser…praising Him for his patience every step of the way!
Everyday I struggle with not measuring up, hearing the words that have been spoken to that “little girl” that wounded so deeply. What an amzing poem…resigning to be loved “when” and accepting that “when” may never come and if it does it will not last long. I have been resigned to accepting to being only loved “when”. I pray that I can understand that I am loved with an everlasting, unconditional love of our Father in Heaven. I pray that I can accept and understand that I do measure up…that is quite the task for me.
The further into “middle age” I get, the more aware I become of how immature my view of love really is. I’ve spent so many years thinking of love as conditional — only “when”. But that’s not what God says and demonstrates love truly is.
I love this: The purpose of my life is not to be loved. My life has purpose because I am beloved.
Salinda —
🙂
I’m so grateful that a friend recently tweeted it and gave me credit. I’d forgotten ever saying/writing it, but she remembered for me!
I agree with someone above that I am my own worst enemy. I really need to replace my complaining and ungrateful heart with joy and gratitude. I know this challenge will change me. I love Cindi M. I read one of her marriage books. Have a great day!
Shonda —
This is a major theme for many of us…being our own worst enemy, doing the enemy’s Accusing job for him!
Changing habits is never easy. But joy and gratitude and peace are SO SO worth the “price”!
Thank you for today’s challenge. I tend to be so harsh on myself, often feeling like I never measure up to anything good. Even doing the things I know I’m good at, I tend to doubt myself. But God loves me with all of my imperfections, with all of my garbage. Before he made me, he thought of me. I must stop listening to the enemy who’s the one telling me I’m no good. And today I want to yell out, I AM GOOD enough for God’s love. He has showered me with his love, his mercies, his grace! 🙂
Vanessa —
Shout it, girl! Heaven only knows we yell enough junk at ourselves…making the enemy’s job a lot easier by doing a lot of it for him!
I so understand the doubt issue. I’m realizing that the maturity process is just that — a process. All learning, at least on this fallen planet, requires “failure.” Often, “imperfection” simply means I had unrealistic expectations for my performance!
He CHOSE ME, His love is unconditional, never ending, all consuming and I pray that I will open my arms, heart, and mind to that perfect love and to love as He does. It’s so easy to be critical of ourselves and I think I am realizing that when we’re so hard on ourselves, it spills over to everyone else around us. I MUST break this bond, it ends now!! Thank you Jesus for never giving up on me!
D’ana –
Finally seeing the collateral damage happening to everyone around me was very sobering. For too long, I thought that the only damage I was doing was to myself, so it didn’t really matter. It matters!
Wow, when I signed up to do this challenge, I thought, “This is going to be cool. This will help me to work on my tone with my husband.” I had no idea the soul impact this is going to have on me. After yesterday’s post, I filled a whole sheet of paper, and was still coming up with “trash” I wanted to empty out of my “purse.” Today’s blog, about made me cry, because I came to work, and I made a mistake, and immediately the lies started talking to me, just like the parent’s of that little girl. I am SO excited to grow in knowing what a Precious, Beautiful, little girl I am to God! Blessings to you all!
Ann —
Bless your heart! I’m like you…thought it would be a fun little game I could play to tidy up the surface of my life…then WHAM! Discovered this is heart stuff.
The cool part is that the changes are heart changes. Keep taking that precious, beautiful little girl in your heart to God!
I am really excited about this challenge. Already day one, I see how bad I put myself down on a daily basis. That is definitely something I will start working on TODAY!!!
Staci —
I share your excitement! What we recognize, we can be intentional about releasing to God and inviting Him to change.
Thank you for pointing out the judgments we place on ourselves each and every day. Definitely and eye opener for me that I will be working on in this challenge.
We don’t realize how harsh and judgmental we are to ourselves until something – like this challenge – makes us aware.
Every time I do this challenge, I have yet another “eye opener”…another area in which I didn’t realize how much negativity I’ve been throwing on myself and getting on those around me!
Oops…I meant to add that Cindi is an awesome speaker and author; whoever wins will enjoy the book
Heidi J
SO agree! I am so thrilled she so generously offered several of her books! I’ve only heard her speak once, but it was a profound shift for me. She talked about how Rachel’s insistence on getting what she thought she needed (a) destroyed her marriage, (b) killed her, (c) left her children without a mother. SO my story!!! Or at least it was…!
Oh, so true…you could be talking about me. I am hardest on myself because if I am “perfect” I will be liked and accepted. I need to accept Gods grace and perfect love for an imperfect but made whole by Him self
Heidi J
Heidi —
Beautifully put!
I so understand the “logic” of becoming perfect in order to be liked and accepted. Of course, it only made me anxious and awkward and unliked and unaccepted, but that only made me try harder to be “more” perfect!
Accepting God’s grace and perfect love is freeing me of so much useless trying and working. And it’s opening my eyes to those around me who need God’s love and acceptance through me!
Talk about getting right to the heart of the matter! Wow, I can’t help but cry. I’ve been trying to add up and equal enough in my life lately but Praise God for his TRUTH! God loved me enough to breath life into me and to die so that I might live. Glory to God! Wonderful first post for this challenge!
Bless your heart — the math never works out in our favor, but we sure keep trying to re-do the numbers so it will! SO tiring.
I’m glad you found this first post meaningful. I struggled over “easing in” vs. diving in. But if we don’t know we are loved, how can anything else matter? Everything starts with knowing we are loved.
As Darlene Schacht @Time Warp Wife closes each blog post, “You are loved by an almighty God.”
Hey,
I live in Germany and I’m really glad having found this “purseonality”-challenge. I’m so excited about how God wants to speak into my life and to change me. Thank you for this blog!
One thing ist to complain and talk bad to/about other people, and the other thing is to think and talk negatively to/about oneself. So, reading this today, I really became sad. I can hear myself making such statements as you mentioned above… The truth is as you say that I am, too, God’s beloved child! I love this truth from Ephesians 1:4 and I want to apologize to God for having replaced his word with lies too often in my life.
Thank you for the idea with the pic on the mirror. I’ll try this for sure!
I live in Germany too! Yay for Germany!
-Iris
Neta —
I hadn’t thought of it that way, but we do replace God’s word with lies! (Jotting notes for Day 12 blog post… 😉
Blessings to you for your excitement about hearing God speak to you and having him change you! I’m afraid I’m far more resistant…you’re an inspiration!
🙂
C
P.S. So glad you’re joining us in Germany! My mother is German, but I have never had the opportunity to visit. Maybe some day!
What a blessing it is to be a child of the King!! When we have Jesus; nothing else matters-it doesn’t matter who’s our friend, it doesn’t matter what trials we may face for we know he is right there with us!! Sarah
So true, Sarah!
I remember playing “princess” as a child…somehow I lost that along the way to adulthood when I most need to remember that I am a daughter of God’s delight!
i am my own worst enemy. Here lately I can honestly say I hate everything about myself. I never saw it from this perspective. I never stopped to think that since I belong to God, I was being ugly to his child and causing him heartache. Thank you for seeing this in a different light. And sadly, I’ve been up for one whole hour and have already switched my bracelet to the other wrist!
Kelly —
Girlfriend, I KNOW what it’s like to be in the pit of self-loathing. Psalm 18:1-19 is my go-to when I’m there and feel like I deserve to stay there.
You’ve been in my prayers for the last 10 days and will stay THERE! 🙂
Today as I was getting ready for the day I remembered…Today we start the challenge. I am excited about the result after this month. Already this morning I wanted to say a sarcastic/ complaining comeback but didn’t. After that I thought: “Oh my, that means that this month there will be a lot of times when I can’t say anything” “That’s the point!” was my answer to myself. 😀 Well,… here we go and I hope I can win the book!
You can read about last months challenge I did on my own here:
http://true-l-o-v-e-never-dies.blogspot.de/2012/05/tuesdays-thoughts-different-addiction.html
Iris —
WOW! Your challenge gave me a near heart attack…talking about a check in my spirit! I think I may start by logging how often I’m online and for how long…before going “cold turkey”!
I love your “That’s the point!” realization! I can’t tell you how much the Lord is teaching me about keeping my mouth shut (…and if I’m not gonna get to say it out loud, the Sanguine part of me doesn’t want to bother thinking it!)