Free To Be Me

I was driving Lili to the eye doctor yesterday when the previously posted song "Free To Be Me" by Francesca Battistelli came on te radio, and it was love at first sound because for as long as I can remember I have depended on God to free me from the bonds of peer and societal pressure as I moved through this life as an awkward and imperfect girl/young lady/woman. I can still remember the encouraging self-talk speeches I gave myself before incidences of public speaking, or walking through the hallways with a heinous zit on my face,"God loves you just the way you are, and he's the only one that matters!" This empowering, over-coming statement is true for all of us. As simplistic as this thought is my belief in it is the foundation from which I face each day as a awkward, imperfect, and noticably disabled 30- year-old woman today. I won't deny that there are unfortunate moments when I get a glimpse of myself through the lens most the world likely uses to view me, and I feel incapable and useless, but in these moments God picks me up, places me on his shoulders, and reminds me that he loves and values me just the way I am, and through him I have a productive future. How can I but love a God like that!? 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down , but not destroyed. We are weak vessels like jars of clay that contain the treasure of Jesus, and our weaknesses makes us more desirable to use in God's eyes because when we are able to arise victorious from the ashes of life in our weakened state, everyone who witnesses it has to know it was from no power of our own, so they are forced to question then,"Who?" This line of thought opens the door for God to say, "Me," and just like that our weakness proves useful for the creator of the universe. If you are weak today, don't view yourself from the world's perspective, but rather peek through the hopeful and clear lens of God into the productive and purposeful future he wants to give you as you walk along side him borrowing his strength, and as you walk hold your head high and claim those dents! They are a beautiful, interesting, and unique part of you..the you God adores:) Francesca Battistelli refers to them as dents in her fender, but I preder storm damage in my case, since much of my weakness is damage sustained in the storms of my life, but whatever we call them, let's see our weaknesses through God's eyes as useful attributes rather than deficiencies! The most encouraging words I heard on a down day during my previously mentioned storm were, "Don't consider your disability a subtraction from who you were, but rather an addition to who you are,"- Cheryl Smith, OT (I love you, Cheryl!) so if you are weakened by physical or emotional disability or just character flaws, see your weaknesses for what they really are attributes that ADD to the person you are if you team up with God in this life and allow his strength to work through you:)