My name is Lindsay. I'm 20 years old, I am 5'3, I have black hair and brown freckles. I love tattooes, traveling, and laughter. I love things most people don't... I love converse, makeup, pirates, antiques, graphic t's, dancing, cooking. I love music: worship, hardcore, opera, showtunes, country, indie, acoustic, oldies, gospel, classic rock...I like it all. I love candles and flowers and butterflies. I love chick flicks, I love to bake - especially cupcakes. I am a Disney freak, I love Star Wars, and was convinced I wasn't a muggle. I love photography and writing. I love music, but can't play one instrument well. I love art, but I am not artistic. I love beauty, but I am not what the world defines as beautiful. I am constantly being told by the world and even people very close to me that I am not enough, I am too this or too that. That I am not like this person or need to be like that person. I need to be more of this and less of that...
The last thing I am going to tell you about myself is that I love Jesus Christ. I can't go one day without reading scriprture and I can't do one thing without consulting with my Creator. I have a passion for His Truth and a love for the outcasts who don't know Him in a pure way, but just view Him the way that society and the enemy have made Him look. Jesus tells me that I am beautiful, that I am enough, that I don't need to add this or take away that... He tells me to simply come to Him. He simply invites me into a relationship with Him, no catch-22... just come.
I have been on an amazing journey to get where I am and I am not even close to being done... one thing has been on my heart. Worth.
I surrendered my old self to the Lord about a year ago and not only has he changed me outwardly but He has molded my personality. Through His Word and prayer I have found my worth, I have found my identity - Christ. I struggled with identity all throughout high school and even college... always trying to label myself, either as the "Punk Rocker" or the "Nerd" or the "Jock" or the "Preppy Christian". After all that was said and done, I found a permanent label and that is Jesus. Just Jesus. After falling in love with Jesus I found out that the Lord gave me my personality and my passions for a reason - to make me special, to make me unique... but most importantly to glorify Him. I am an individual. I didn't have to go off on a crazy adventure around the world or fall in and out of love with a man to figure out who I am or to find myself. I found who I was in Christ. By seeking the Lord wholeheartedly, I have found not only Him but who He wants me to be. He doesn't want me to deny all of my passions or try and fit into what the world has described as a "Christian". All throughout scripture it says to love God, to love others, to glorify Him... not to make sure you are the prettiest girl in the world according to society. Not to make sure you dress preppy so people think you are wealthy or a "Christian". Let's be real people. If you love Jesus with all your heart, soul, and mind I don't care what you look like, what your interests are, what you have or don't have. I want to be friends with you. Don't let the world tell you who to be or what to do, let Jesus. Radically love Him.
So I just want to encourage you to love God. Give Him everything you have - all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. Don't try and change who you are to find Him, but find Him and He will show you exactly who you are and how you can use that to glorify Him. I'm not a lot of things but I am the one thing that matters: loved.
Amen.
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
I can't remember what rabbit trail led me to your blog, but as a fellow blogger with what seem to be many things in common (though I have children your age :o) I want to send you some virtual, thundering applause.
ReplyDeleteWell done, Lindsay! Way to think outside of the box and not let society tell you what you or your faith should look like. And from a girl who never felt like enough, I want to reassure you that what you are doing is changing the world around you. And to a God Who is crazy about you, that is plenty. I'm sure Jesus would thank you for being transparent and altogether lovely with your beautiful faith. You have blessed me, and I pray that as you continue to walk this path, basking in a Savior's love, that you find joy beyond measure and love to it's fullest.
Alison
Alison! Thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement that have brought me to grateful tears. I am so blessed by you and I can't thank you enough for your words and your prayers. You are an angel. Thankyou so much!
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