Welcome back!
Here’s a recap if you’re just joining us:
Intro
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
I have LOVED hearing from you this week and celebrating with you the masks that you are beginning to take off. It is powerful, friends!
Today will be a bit tougher for many of us.
As we have already talked about, ALL of us are a bit of a mess. Some of us are a whole lot of mess. But because of Jesus and God’s grace, we don’t have to stay in that place- our messes can be used to point others straight to Him.
Today I want you to begin considering something: How can you take your MESS and make it your MESSAGE?
Each of us have walked through situations and trials that shape who we are. Sometimes we’ve made mistakes- BIG ONES. We tend to hide these things, to bury them deep under our masks and to keep from others discovering them. Today, I want you to begin considering what MESS God has given you that He is waiting for you to turn into your Message.
Recently, I read a post by Alisa Keeton (www.revelationwellness.com) where she encouraged us to be a Promotor of People. She listed things that God had delivered her from and how it had impacted her life and her message. She wrote:
“A few things I know He has delivered me from:
- Divorce: And now my husband and I are more in love than ever. That’s Jesus!
- Eating
disorders & body image dysmorphia: And now I eat/drink to the glory of God and know I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
- Unworthiness: I know that I am enough, forever and always…in Christ alone.
- Approval
of man: If God called me, no one can stop me, and if they are not
against me they are for me. Jesus himself was rejected. I’m in good
company when I am.
- Anger:
I used to be scared and afraid, so anger was my weapon. And now
nothing is worth forfeiting my peace. If I lose it, I am quick to get
that sucker back! Asap! - Rebellion: See above.
- Emotional
manipulation: I am no longer my emotions and someone else does not
have to pay for my emotions. I have the mind of Christ. My feelings and
thoughts come under the authority of my faith in a Savior who is able
to
save. - An orphan spirit: I am His and oh how He loves me. His love makes me bold and sets me free.”
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These are GREAT examples of how God has taken what was once her MESS and transformed it into her MESSAGE to the world.
Today, consider what He has delivered you from.
Reflect on the places where you have been healed, redeemed, set free, or freed.
And then for those who are bold enough, I want you to share it with someone. You may choose to do this privately in an email or message, you may choose to message or email me to share it with me, or you may choose to publicly post it so that all can see how you’ve been changed.
For me, it’s scary to think about revealing the mess I have worked through, but God is good and faithful and I want to practice what I preach. So here goes:
-I struggled greatly with postpartum depression and particularly anxiety. Anxiety is STILL a battle I face daily, but Jesus is teaching me day by day how to trust and to walk with Him. I am forever grateful that when I was brave enough to finally share with others what I was dealing with that I had a small group of ladies that showed up and said to me: “It’s okay. You are not broken. You will get through this”. And they were right, I did. I now try to take any opportunity that I have to reach out to new Moms. I say to them, “this will probably be the most amazing, exciting, incredibly wonderful time of your life. But if it’s not, please call me. I’ve been there and I can walk you through.” Most women look at my like I am CRAZY because they are not experiencing the same things that I did, but there are some that I am able to help and I now consider this an amazing way to minister to those who need it.
-I wore the mask of perfectionism and legalism. I believed that if I ‘earned’ enough points through being “a good girl” that it was all that mattered. I thought appearing as if I have everything together helped others. God has rescued me from that way of thinking and I now revel in GRACE.
-I struggled with anger. Serious anger. This started the day I had my first child. I have had some ugly moments. I’m talking U-G-L-Y moments where I’ve said and done terrible things. God’s healing me of this. It’s not yet complete, but this MESS in my life is part of the MESSAGE that He can make ALL things new and that He is ready to heal us of whatever we will bring to Him.
-Food Addict/Emotional Eater: Although it wasn’t obvious to others, I had MAJOR issues with food. I self medicated with food and used it to fill a void only meant for God. Once I got this under control, God birthed in my heart the vision and dream for Wellness Witness and the ministry that I hope to one day launch through it. My MESS has pushed me into a whole new MESSAGE of trying to learn and teach Biblical wellness.
There are many other messes I could name, but wanted to share a few with you so that you would know I’m putting my MESS out there, too.
Whether you decide to participate in today’s challenge or not, hear me on this: The battles that you have faced and conquered help to form a beautiful story and testimony that God has given you. Hiding these things from others doesn’t serve anyone. By sharing with others how you were rescued, you may be exactly the encouragement that someone else so desperately needs.
Tricia Goyer wrote a great post on How to turn your Mess into your Message that you can read here. Her insight is far better than I can offer you and will benefit you in this challenge. I am SO SO proud of y’all! I can’t wait to see what MESSages you have to share! Keep going, friends!
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