You are Beautiful and By-Design

The world is your oyster. The sky is the limit. God has big plans for you; life-changing, significant and meaningful plans. You were created with a purpose and for a purpose. Yes, that includes all your clever nuances and quirks (aka all the things that make you different). They are beautiful and by design. Do you believe it, sweet sister?

Excuse me while I hop up on my soapbox and shout from the rooftop: You are anything but average!

If we poll all the world, I’m pretty sure nobody is raising both hands to be inferior when they grow up. I’ll bet that mediocrity isn’t showing up vision boards across the nation. And safe to say average is not our word for the year. 

We aspire to connect and identify with words that elicit hope & inspiration. We are drawn to words that imply a better version of ourselves. Words like embrace, become, and magnify make for more desirable charm bracelets and canvas signs. 

The problem is our actions are not lining up with our best intentions. We get so busy with all the things that we find ourselves stuck on the hamster wheel of predictability and routine. As a result, we settle into a life of comfort. And we all know; nothing ever grows in the comfort zone.

Rise up, friends. Take courage. If you want to live different, you have to do something different. Good thing I’m up here on my soapbox with my virtual megaphone, ready to show you how. Lean in a little more, and let’s do this together. You are not alone.

Can you relate to any of these?

• Have you settled for the middle of the road?
• There’s nothing special about me.
• Is mainstream your mainstay?
• Are you so-so tired of your so-so life?
• Are you merely going through the motions?

Have no fear! We can exchange our doubts and excuses for excellence and acceptance. Say goodbye to just getting by, learn to love yourself just as you are, and punch mediocrity in the face. Download your free Daily Declarations here. Think of them as your spiritual boxing gloves.

It’s time. Stop settling, my friend. There is a better way to live. God wants more for you…and so do I.

You: But how?
Me: Easy. Live different.
You: What does that mean?
Me: I’m so glad you asked.

Living different means living for God:

• Set apart (one is not like the others).
• Loving yourself (just as you are). 
• Acting like Jesus (not just reading about him).

Easy-peasy-lemon squeezy. Sounds simple, right? But I know just because something is simple doesn’t make it easy.

Let’s break it down, step by step. We will say no to normal & ordinary and say hello to your extraordinary, uncommon, and unusual life, just as God intended.

Here’s the truth. You are anything but average. Believe it +Live it. 

Don’t just take my word for it. God says so too:

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT)

God knows you.
You are set apart.
You are appointed.

The world is waiting for you to Rise up, Take Courage and Live Different. Let’s do this!

It’s all starts with a simple word: BELIEF. Living different starts with believing in a living God. His name is Jesus. Bear with me, this foundational stuff. As in vital. As in necessary for life. As in the same boat as breath, water, and food. Capeesh? 

Pardon me; I don’t mean to get all preachy, preachy on ya. But I think in places and spaces like this, there can be a false assumption that a girl knows what it means to be a follower of Christ. And well, since I live life at about a 3rd-grade level, I’m gonna spell it out for ya, nice and easy. So, here it goes, the gospel message straight-up 3rd-grade style. This is what it means to be a follower of Christ:

1. Jesus is the Son of God: He was a real man who walked this earth. 
2. I’m a sinner, in need of forgiveness: I do dumb things.
3. Jesus died for my sins, and he rose again: Hello, Easter.
4. I surrender my life to Jesus and choose to follow Him: I can’t manage life on my own; I’m totally dependent on him. 

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 (NLT)

Phew! I just got saved all over again. Feels good. I hope you have all the warm fuzzies too. There is power in those words! More on that later. Be sure to download my Declarations: The power of your words. 

Now that we are all on the same page, singing the same tune, and speaking the same language, I’ll carry on.

Back to belief. Here’s all you need to know:

God is Who He says He is

You are who God says you are.

Here’s a sneak peek into who God is:
Loving: He loves you. No matter what.
Faithful: He’s got your back. All-day, every day.
Powerful: He can do anything: Can you say, ‘miracles’?
Just: He knows best. Just trust him.
Compassionate: He cares. A LOT.
Good: All the time. God is good.
Holy: Set apart. Like no other.
Forgiving: Whatever it is. You are forgiven.

Pretty uh-may-zing stuff, huh? Those words are easy on the eyes and fun to read. Yet, it’s another ball game to honestly believe them. And, it’s the next-level business to live it. I know you can do it! I believe in you, and so does God.

I said it before, I’ll say it again, and again. The gospel is simple. But simple doesn’t mean easy. Don’t fret, beautiful one. That’s why I’m here. I’m gonna hold your hand and walk with you every step of the way. In the words of Sonny and Cher, ‘Babe, I got you, babe.’

Ready for more? Giddy- up, we are just getting started. This is the fun stuff.

You are Who God Says You are.

To live different, you gotta believe you are who God says you are. So please return your attention to the blackboard. Shout out to Mrs. Capodagli, my 3rd-grade teacher; this one’s for you. Here’s a friendly reminder of who God says you are:

Known: Before you were born, and every hair on your head.
Loved: Unconditionally, no strings are attached.
Worthy: More precious than rubies.
Chosen: Before God began to create the earth, He was thinking of you.
Enough: Right where you are, just the way you are.
A New creation: Your past is not your future.
Set free: No more sorrow, pain, or shame.
Forgiven: For everything, without question.
A Child of God: You are part of his family. Hey, Sis!
A Friend of Jesus: Yup, better than any BFF you’ll ever find. 

That list barely scratches the surface. But you get the gist. Basically, think of every positive adjective in the dictionary, and that’s what God thinks about you. For the record, there are 4,800 adjectives in the English language. I googled it, so it must be true. 

So, there you have it. The first step to living different is believing God is who He says He is, and you are who God says you are.

See me squawk about this and more upon my soapbox with a megaphone in hand on my YouTube channel. No, not literally – that would be silly. Or, maybe it would be awesome!?!? Hmm, I guess you’ll have to subscribe to find out.

Being different brings distinction. When we choose to live for God, life looks different, and that’s a good thing. Let’s link arms with Jesus and be in the business of changing people’s lives and making a difference in this world. The world needs the gift of you. The world is waiting for you to show up. You got this girl. Rise up, Take Courage, and LIVE DIFFERENT.