Removing the Mask

I'm new at this whole blogging thing. It has been an idea a couple times, but I thought I'd do a bad job at keeping it up. But people keep telling me I should, so here it goes. Day 1 on this whole journey of letting my stories, my life and everything God is teaching me be seen by the eyes of people; some that I know, others who I've never met in my life! Whichever you are...thank you for taking this journey with me.


Life is hard isn't it? Every day presents another struggle, but always a lesson to be learned and praise to be given! The purpose of my blog is not to write what everybody already knows, but to reveal what goes on in my heart. Many of the things I will write are filled with challenges, struggles, sins and scars BUT in all of this, there is beauty to be found! This semester, the Lord has been so faithful and revealing truth to me and showing me that in everything, He has a purpose and a plan! 


So let's be honest, I am not perfect. Not at all. For me it is easy to reveal that truth. What catches me is showing others the ways in which I fail. While it is easy for me to say I'm not perfect, it is just as easy for me to conceal all my imperfections and "ugliness" (as I like to call it.) Even as I write this, I can feel God looking down on me shaking His head and saying "all the acceptance you need is in Me. Stop worrying about what others see...all that matters is what I see." I pray one day God will give me a heart fully aware of the acceptance I have in Him so I don't need to find my worth in what others think. Because honestly, that's the root of my fear of exposing all my "ugliness" and brokenness. Funny isn't it, how we hide the things others would consider ugly or wrong, but make sure everything on the outside looks pretty and put together. We all know it's just a facade...a mask to conceal our weaknesses, or sins. But that's not how God wants us to live. Not at all. He desire for us to find our complete and total worth and value in Him and Him alone. Not the people around us, not our family, not our friends, not our teachers, bosses, or the world. 


The Lord sees our brokenness, our scars, our struggles, our ugliness as BEAUTIFUL. 


All of it = beautiful! 


Honestly, I'm preaching to myself here. Everyday I find myself hiding, only exposing the parts of me that I like, or that are "put-together." When truly, God wishes that we would just expose all that we are, so that He can create in us something more! I think that may be my goal for this week: to be completely truthful and honest about who I am, even my imperfections and the scars. 


God has saved me because of His grace. His love heals my wounds, forgives my sins, redeems my spirit. Our scars reveal what the Lord saved us from. It is a testimony to the greatness of God. 


My friend, you are not who others say you are...you are who GOD says you are. 


Broken, bruised, scared...you are BEAUTIFUL!