Pursuing Perfection No More

The 'pursuit of perfection' is a catchy phrase in which I have written several little blurbs and blog postings. Clearly, it is an area of struggle in my life and I thank God it is steadily becoming an area of transformation, redemption and victory. I have consistently struggled to look perfect, act perfect, be perfect.

Until recently, I did not fully understand why I so eagerly yearned to be perfect. Why was my driving force one of such self-centered destruction?

Just yesterday, I met my dad's cousin, Gary, for the first time as an adult. He is one anointed man of God. 'Blessed' does not even remotely describe or explain my day hanging out with Gary, touring downtown Atlanta, lunch with he and JohnMark, and visiting Brenda's third grade classroom. Meeting family in Georgia was so wonderful! Driving from destination to destination may not seem like a very impactful experience, but the presence of God was so clear; He used my distant relative to speak truth into my life. Truth that led to freedom from that pursuit of perfection.

"You don't have to earn God's approval."
"You're accepted."

I had heard those words several times. This time, those words sparked something deep in my heart. The lens in which I view myself dictates my interpretation of and reaction to the world around me.
My expectations for myself are seriously unattainable. I unfairly appraoch the world in the same manner. The more grace I receive from God, the more grace I can extend to others and even myself. Perfectoin is not the goal. Honoring and glorifying God is the goal.

I don't have to try. I don't have to be someone or something I'm not. I can come as I am, brokenness and all. Jesus is enough. He chose death to save me...the real me. And he did so for you.

Flashback to '08

I found myself reminiscing this morning. Reminiscing on good and tough times, fond and not-so-lovely memories, joys and blessings, victories and failures. In it all, was the reminder that through the grace of Christ, the refining of God Almighty, I am becoming a new person.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!"
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Word of God is alive and true, penetrating the innermost places of my being (Hebrews 4:12).

Frequently, I forget just how lonely and desolate life was before I was following Jesus. I was absorbed in my own issues and selfishness. I could not trust or forgive. The pursuit of thinness consumed every thought and action. I just wanted to be beautiful and loved and cherished by someone. Anyone.

Below, is an excerpt from my journal. It is dated May 12, 2008, the day after I turned 21.

 "Rays of sun touch down on the ground, gently kissing the new greens of springtime and all is wonderfully still. I look out the window right now and am filled with a peace I have not felt in awhile. It's a peace I have not been quiet enough to hear or patient enough to wait for. 
I've been praying that Jesus would show me He is pursuing me, show me I am so beautiful to Him. I know that this morning is my morning, it's the day he has decided to romance me. I can see this by the millions of fresh dots of dew on the grass, glistening more radiantly than the finest diamond. And, still, our Lord thinks I am more beautiful. I feel so secure, so treasured, so wanted."

While reading this, I remembered the promise of Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

I am no longer that girl, the girl who so earnestly sought approval from everyone, the girl who could not see her beauty was in Christ. Today, I am thankful that I know I am His girl and my security is in The Lord.

"A man's steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the Lord holds his hand." 
Psalm 37:23-24 

Today, I praise God for the good work he has accomplished in me. I praise Him for his good story. And, today, I pray you see the glory of the Lord and come to know you are secure in and treasured by The Lord Almighty.

Grace and peace,
KC

Downsizing for a Statement

Can you imagine owning only one shirt and wearing it days without a washing? 
What if you were from one of the poorest regions of the world, having only a few hundred dollars to live on for an entire year. 
Imagine never hearing the name of Jesus Christ and his message of freedom, grace, life. 

The people of the 10/40 window,  the rectangular area of North Africa, the Middle East and Asia between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude, do not only imagine what life would be like under such conditions, they do not know any different. 

The "10/40" Window

The poorest of the poor hopelessly wander the streets. In fact, 85% of the world's poorest people live within the 10/40 window. Without suitable resources, hope is lost. 
Few have heard the Good News-the Kingdom of Heaven is here! Of the 3.6 billion unreached people in the world, 88% live in or near the 10/40 window. It is not a matter of being unreachable, just yet unreached. 

I am burdened by the mere thought of poverty and hopelessness. Being blessed to know the comfort of a warm, cozy bed, any food I feel like eating and an abundance of clothes, shoes, electronics and other extravagant comforts that give my life ease, I am challenged to make a change. For one week, I will wear one shirt. Tomorrow begins the epic attire re-run that I pray will remind me to 1) Fervently pray for missionaries and Christians in the 10/40 window, 2) Allow God room to ground me again, and 3) Put my focus on Him instead of the luxuries of my life.

As much as I would like to, I cannot take the credit. My dear friend, Cassie, is a member of an amazing church of huge-hearted Christ followers. Students, pastors, and leaders are committing to wear one shirt everyday for a month. This shirt literally says, "My One Shirt," and is a fundraiser for the Galbreath family so they can purchase a van to get around and do ministry in Hachinohe, Japan. Their ministry involves church planting and ministering to the people of Japan. The deadline to order a shirt has passed, so we will need to get creative on how we can make a difference too!

How can you be involved?

Here are some ideas:

• Take the One Shirt Challenge with me! 
• Donate to My One Shirt (see link for nlchurch below)
• Fast from social media 
• Reactivate your "dumb" phone and put your smart phone to rest for a month 
• Pray for Christians in the 10/40 window 
• Repost New Life Church's link (below) and tell your FB and Twitter friends about life in the 10/40 window (then go on your fast) 
• Eat the same thing for breakfast every day for a week 
• Don't use condiments for a week 
• Drink only water for a month 

Please follow my blog and leave comments on how you are getting involved and making a difference. Be a world changer. 

http://www.nlchurch.com/next-gen/myoneshirt.html
http://www.joshuaproject.net/10-40-window.php

A Call to Change

What does it mean to redefine beauty?

Simply put, to redefine is to reexamine or reevaluate especially with a view to change (Merriam-Webster).

Sometimes, I can hardly fathom the task at which I have been assigned by my Heavenly Father. To redefine the deeply engraved and unrealistic standards of beauty our culture so strongly adheres feels quite overwhelming. It is unlikely that one measly human being can accomplish such a daunting responsibility. 

That is the beauty of it all. I, alone, can advocate for change by blogging and picketing if I chose to do so, but my endless efforts would be but a wisp of breath carried away in the obnoxious roar of reality television, celebrity gossip, presidential debates and the like. It is by God's grace I am saved and by his provision and guiding hand that a single young woman will learn to cherish life as a personally planned adventure from God and cease to waste her days afraid to eat or hide away shamefully after binging. 

I am one person, ordinary by my own efforts, able to accomplish the extraordinary because of who Christ is. I will not be afraid to live against the grain. I will not hide behind a pretty smile, suppressing my passion to share Truth.

The more I intimately know the King of the Universe, the more certain I am that a life with Christ is the only life. Nothing can or will separate me from Him (Rom 8:38-39). I am his chosen, his beloved girl.

Now, let's start redefining beauty.

You. Are. Beautiful.
Believe. It.

Until next time, life fully, love wholly, rejoice daily.

The Outside Only Tells a Piece of the Story

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It's not what you look at that matters. 

It's what you see. 

Henry David Thoreau 

I see her leaning against the outside wall of the restaurant, not appearing at all affected by the darkness looming in the long, deserted alley. Her short, fitted skirt and wisp of a shirt reveal her thin, under nourished bones. 

Battered by the slanderous words of her peers, she no longer knows the truth. She succumbs to the lies.

Worthless. 
Never good enough.

If only she knew her real value. She is valued. She is wonderful. She was purposely made and God has a plan for her life. 

"For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well."

Psalm 139:13-14

So often we are quick to made judgements on those we see living compromised lives. It's a matter of perception, but who am I to judge? It matters not where she has come from or what she has done. I can look at brokenness and see God's beauty. 

We each have a story to tell. And it is a good story. Some come from happy, functional homes having suffered little. Others are descendents of abuse and neglect. Choose grace. Do not look at the brokenness and forget to see the creation.  

"...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:

Until next time, LIVE FULLY, LOVE WHOLLY, REJOICE DAILY!

You Are Worth Fighting For

You are God's sweet girl.
You are His gem.

So often I forget these truths.

A tough break up, uncomfortable confrontation at work, nosy people asking why I am yet to be married and the like--situations the enemy uses to tell me lies. His schemes are always the same. Satan tells us we are not good enough. Not good enough to be fought for. Not good enough to be used by God. Not good enough. Period.

I refuse to waste away my short life believing his lies. I text my good friend this morning, asking for prayer to combat those lies. My conclusion is that Satan is a stupid jerk. How else can I describe him? Recognizing his lies gives me perseverance to put up a good fight. I will not give in and let him bring me down.

Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. (Romans 8:38-39)
I am God's chosen girl. (John 15:16)
He will continue the good work he has started in me. (Philippians 1:6)
God delights in me. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Every word of the Bible is alive and real. Every word of God is flawless (Proverbs 30:5). I choose to cling to His Word and forget the lies of the enemy. For God has chosen me to take part in his work, loving on His people, abiding in Him. He has forgotten my past and lays down the path for my future. My confidence is in Him alone.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for choosing my sisters as well. Please forgive us for idolizing things of this world and for finding our value in our appearance and performance. Lord, thank you for redeeming my past. I am honored to be your girl. You have carved your words on my heart. Thank you for your son and his sacrifice for my sins. I love you, Abba Daddy. Amen

Living Purposefully

Sometimes we live in such a temporary mindset that we forget our eternal purpose.

The day-to-day demands of life can so easily sway our focus from that of an eternal perspective to temporary, provisional fixations. In a world so seemingly concentrated on the next big thing, how do we separate ourselves from the perpetual pursuit of the facade of having-it-all-together and become more centered on the purpose in which God has intended?

“You were plucked out of eternity, placed in time, and given gifts and talents to serve your generation.” As I intently listened to Christine Caine, evangelist and spokeswoman of The A21 Campaign, I knew she was speaking to me. Am I using my gifts and talents to serve my generation?

My conviction became an uncomfortable knot situated in my upper abdomen, growing ever tighter and tighter. Somewhere along the way, I have believed that the Christian life will be without inconvenience. I have stepped into a Christian subculture of comfortable, squishy living without the risk of danger. The Christian life is risky.

Never did Jesus say, “Follow me and live a safe, warm, comfortable life.” In fact, he said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Where in your life have you become comfortable? Do you demand your daily Starbucks more than your daily Word? You were not made for a life of ease, an ordinary, relaxing life. You were called to be bold. Be dangerous. Be a light for the world (Matthew 5:14-16).

This year, discover your purpose in life so that you can serve your generation. Break out of the temporary mindset. You have gifts and talents to be utilized for an eternal purpose.

Love wholly. Live fully. Rejoice daily.