Transparency

Have you ever felt like you were walking around “advertising” yourself? Have you ever felt like no one knew the real you but only what you wanted them to see? I hate that feeling, I’ve been there, but it is so easy to get sucked into that cycle. I saw these trucks yesterday side by side and I couldn’t help but see versions of myself. One truck fully exposed with its “baggage” showing and one boxed up and covered in advertising...

Gut check. How am I living? Truck 1 or Truck 2?

I have gone through many seasons in my life where I have been boxed up. I have boxes on boxes covered in “I’m fines” that I carried around alone. I have spent many seasons making sure that only the “good” was showing. I have tucked in some ugly Lauren moments trying to conceal things I didn’t want to be judged for....I mean look at the name of my blog if you don’t believe me. Ha. More often than not, I have also been trying to conceal these “ugly moments” from God. I’ve said prayers completely skipping over convictions. I’ve spoken untruths about myself to others and even to God. I’ve advertised myself as “fine” or even “great”. I’ve only allowed the pretty, boxed up, put together Lauren to show. 

How sad. 

How lonely. 

Back to the gut check, how am I living? 

I try really hard to be transparent and authentic but I sometimes still fall short. It’s so hard for me to not have it all together. And I often still feel the desire to please. Sometimes I still feel the longing to look like everyone else’s “fakebook” life. God has taught me many valuable lessons through my own transparency, as well as blessed me with friendships and prayer partners through following His call to share. But y’all...I still have to remind myself and be reminded about the importance of transparency and I am sure that is why God put these words on my heart. 

It’s hard to be vulnerable...

What if being vulnerable gives someone a prayer partner?

It’s hard to put my junk out there....

What if being open about your shortcomings give others motivation?

It’s hard to face the ugly parts of me...

What if talking openly about your sin, your struggle, aide someone to come to know the saving power of Christ? 

What if we lived exposed? 

What if we ripped off the ads of who we want people to think we are?

#transparency #livingexposed #reminders

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭NIV

No Shame in my game!

Sitting at the Walmart at 8am getting my groceries loaded, in a robe and holding my coffee. I don’t even know the last time I washed my hair. I’m fairly certain that Sadie isn’t wearing socks and no ones teeth have been brushed today. As a recovering perfectionist, this is hard for me but quite honestly this has been an emotionally draining week and I just don’t have the energy for much else. Through the process, I am working on not shaming myself for my “less than” moments. I will always have less than moments and shaming myself is wasted energy. And who is really judging us ladies on these “goals” or un-achievable perfections, anyway?? Like who is “they”?? 

My list for the day...

No shame for doing grocery pick up and not helping her load them.

No shame for having dirty baseboards.

No shame for having a sink full of dishes.

No shame for piles of laundry.

No shame for not giving your child a bath every night.

No shame in having a bad “mom moment”.

No shame for dirty hair and dry shampoo.

No shame for rocking yesterdays eye make up.

No shame for letting your child stare at a screen for a minute so you can breathe.

No shame if we don’t do educational shows.

No shame If we don’t practice sight words at 4. 

No shame in not making it to the gym.

No shame if your kid isn’t coloring in the lines.

No shame in not being a perfect bible study girl. 

No shame in not being the perfect wife.

If I want to be the best wife, mom, friend, daughter, sister, Christian, employee, etc....I simply do not have time to shame myself about what I just don’t have time or energy to accomplish. Things will never be perfect and that’s why I trust in a perfect God. 

God has entrusted me with a husband, child, home, job, and other responsibilities that He is completely capable of helping me accomplish and It is only through Him that I can handle all of this life. Love what He has entrusted you with as hard as you can and you’ll have no time to shame yourself. 

#noshameinmygame #Heisperfect 

#IamlessthanHeisnot #walkingshameless

#recoveringperfectionist

Flower Roots

Title of Devotion:

Flower Roots

Verses used:

Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Story/Devotion:

Have you ever been faced with a challenge? Have you ever been faced with a decision that seemed overwhelmingly scary? I know I have and not only that, I know that as I continue my walk with Jesus I will continue to face these type of challenges on a regular basis. I was recently at the beach with my daughter and as usual she was teaching me lessons on life without even knowing it. She is barely 4 and full of wise tidbits. She is learning letters and how to draw pictures so we had spent a while at the ocean drawing in the sand. As we walked away from a flower we had drawn, she said “wait mama I need to finish it”. At the bottom of the flower she drew what looked like a root. She said “mama that’s where it’s planted, that makes it grow and makes it beautiful”. All I could think was wow, so much wisdom. I have had so many challenges in my 34 years. From middle school sports, high school friendships, and relationships, all the way to my marriage, career path and children. Each has brought different choices and within each choice it was evident for me which decision was of God. I may have not always done the right thing, and in many cases I didn’t follow the right path, but because of my roots being in God, I always knew which path to take. I was always led back to Him.

In Deuteronomy, Moses was commissioning Joshua to lead the Israelites without him. Joshua obviously needed guidance as did the Israelites. I can’t even imagine having to take the place of Moses—holy cow, that is a huge challenge! Moses said in three verses the words I have held to when faced with difficult challenges and also the scripture I was led to when Sadie and I were drawing in the sand.

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Much like Joshua & the Israelite's were in fear of the future without Moses, we are fearful when it comes to certain challenges ahead of us. Joshua had been learning with Moses, he was rooted in the Lord and that is why the Lord appointed him. The faith we have in the LORD must be deeply rooted within us for us to have visible courage to face these challenges. If it weren’t for those flower roots, the flower would never be beautiful. If it weren’t for those flower roots, the flower wouldn’t be strong enough to handle rain and storms. In the same way, we must rely on our roots to be the women of God we are called to be, for without our roots we will never be given the courage to face life’s challenges.

Be Blessed Girls!

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that whatever challenge is ahead that I am able to rely on my deeply rooted Faith in you. Lord I pray knowledge and discernment over my upcoming challenges and decisions. I give them over to you for your will to be done. Amen.