Hi, Friend! I’ve been thinking about what it might be like to wake up excited and passionate about my day. To be honest, I’m tired of opening my eyes every morning and feeling like coffee is my only link to sanity! Believe me, I have no complaints about my morning cup! You won’t find me hating on coffee. EVER!
I’m just saying there has to be more to a new day than coffee! I need to look forward to things ahead and begin opening my hands to let go of the heavy weight that seems to have cracked me wide open. And I’m not talking about my numbers on the scale! (That comes later) Although it is definitely holding more weight than I would like it to these days!
I’m talking about making a choice to give everything I can to the parts of my life that I’m passionate about. I want live out my gifts with joy! I’ve been discussing a lot of grief topics over the past year. It’s been a rough one for me – probably one of the hardest ever. And because of that, I have to breathe some different air for awhile. I really want to start talking about something else that God has been nudging me towards. I’ve spent a lot of time behind the scenes writing a manuscript all about a new topic, and I have a burning to open up a new conversation here amongst women. I hope that’s okay with you.
This morning I went in to wake my daughter up for school. She was peacefully lying in bed as I began to stroke her face, pushing the blond ringlets back from her brow line. In a singsong voice I encouraged her to wake up while telling her how beautiful she is and how much I missed her while she slept.
A couple weeks ago I read an article, I can’t remember where I found it, it said something along the lines of how your mother is the only one who will ever congratulate you for waking up in the morning. I laughed until I cried because I do that for every one of my children. I even applaud my twenty-two year old when he comes downstairs in the morning. Well, I should say I applaud him when he peeks his head in my room and says, “Have a great day, Mom. I’m leaving for work.” (For the life of me, I cannot figure out how I had a hand in raising a morning person!)
I digress…
Anyway, I want to feel the way I make my children feel in the morning. My husband does a great job at telling me how beautiful he thinks I am. He gives me so much affirmation, but when we reach a certain age, there is something deep inside our own hearts that we need to connect with in order to feel the way we should about ourselves.
I want to feel good about myself, so that I can be passionate about my callings. Now, I’m not talking about becoming an egomaniac. Humility is key, but I think many of us become caught in a web of lies about our appearances and a million other things that hold no eternal value.
And I’m not talking about becoming comfortable with sin. There are always matters of the heart we need to work on changing as far as the Holy Spirit is concerned. He whispers to each one of us and out of our love for the Living God we work to clean our hearts for Him. I’m talking about something different.
I want us to find a way to be comfortable when we look in the mirror, when we step on the scale, (I told you it was coming! Oh, Lord! That’s a big one!) and most importantly to be comfortable with what we have to offer this world – our gifts, talents, unique fingerprints. We must recognize we were born with a purpose. And then we need to get passionate about it!
Yes, I’m talking to you! To my friend who is shaking her head right now wondering if you are meant for anything more in life… YOU ARE! You have a ministry to fulfill and a beautiful plan designed for you.
Unless God leads me in a different direction, we are going to talk about this for a while. I’ve been receiving email from some who can’t figure out what they were born for. They feel inadequate. No more! Let’s work together to change that!
How do you feel about yourself? Do you think you can answer that?
Next week we are going to begin uncovering the beautiful we each possess. I need your engagement. I’m looking for your comments. I want to know what you are thinking. We will also meet up over at my Facebook page. We will talk more about that next week. And, we are going to start an Instagram campaign about the beautiful in us. I’m ready to band together as a group of women and fight for our beauty! Inside and out! Are you in?
I’ll meet you back here Monday!
Love,
Jennifer
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Hi, Jennifer, Count me in! I just wrote a blog (posts on May 4 at http://www.writeonepublishers.com) on an old Hoosier that my husband restored to a thing of beauty, and how God took His once-beautiful created man and woman and restored us to beauty. So, we are definitely on the same page. See you on Monday. Blessings, Rita Kroon
Thank you, Rita! I’m so thankful you are going to join us!
Oh this sounds like fun!!! Count me in too!!
Yay, Abby! I’m excited!!!
Excited for you Jennifer!
Thanks, Katie! Glad to have you joining us!
I believe that the grief that you shared is EXACTLY what God wanted you to do. When you struggled with infertility God wanted you to share what it felt like, what it tasted like and how the hurt changed you. The loss of a loved one and the grief you felt: GOD wanted you to share. Now God is leading you in a new direction: embrace it, cherish it and praise God for the opportunity to share it. You are an awesome woman and warrior. Don’t forget that our Lord felt and tasted the pain in the world. He shared His Father’s words, He was persecuted for sharing. He kept on through the pain and I KNOW God will help you through whatever He has in store. Stand in faith, hope and love.
Thank you so much, Margie! Your words bless me!