“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.”

Good Monday Morning everyone!!

I hope this letter finds you ready for the week ahead. My aim in sending it this early is to encourage you this morning with a story…

YOUR story.

I know I talk a lot about: “Writing your story…”

so I’m wondering if I can ask you a question?

I’d love to know if this sounds intimidating when I say that to you?

I was watching the new “Fixer Upper” with Chip & Joanna Gaines last night and the episode we were watching was them remodeling a home for girls that needed a safe place to stay. It’s a very moving episode and they really honored the girls home is a beautiful way. But, one of the things I loved the most about this episode is they had inscribed on the wall this saying:

“Your story matters…” and I thought to myself, YES… that is exactly right!

Please hear me out, because I know you may be thinking why would anyone care to hear your story, or why does your story even matter?

Let me take you back in time a bit… as far back as your childhood.

I’m not sure when the clock sets in and we “dig in” on this idea that we don’t really matter. I wonder if it’s in that stage of life called “the middle” and I’m not talking about middle age… I’m talking MIDDLE SCHOOL, that this notion begins taking shape in our lives. I believe there’s this thing that happens in between the time when we are so optimistic in elementary school, where we valued others and we valued ourselves, and then BAM… middle school comes around and you start believing what the other kids are saying and now you feel as if you’re not “somebody” unless you’re a SOMEBODY in middle school! Am I right? Then High School furthers this misguided philosophy and if we aren’t in the “in crowd” we slip deeper into the mind game of believing this to be true. Why am I even bringing up ancient history? (ancient for me… because I’m VERY far removed from my school days…) I think it’s because of conversations with my youngest daughter who is still in High School right now. Some of the stories she’s recently shared reminded me of this mentality of comparisons.

You know it… the comparison game? It’s bigger and uglier than ever before, what with social media and the way we can see everyone’s lives laid out before us on our phones, iPads, computers and tv screens. I don’t have a degree in psychology, but could it be that the age between elementary school and middle school is when we start comparing ourselves with others and it takes root in our lives? Let’s be honest…kids can be mean and that’s nothing new. My daughter was sharing a story about some middle school kids being mean to one of the other kids and it’s so heartbreaking to hear. I wonder if those type of moments stay with us and we continue to feel unworthy into adulthood, unless we find a way to let it go?

We need to break this cycle friends! Now more than ever as parents, we need to ask ourselves if we are carrying this with us as adults and then it’s reaching down to the next generation through our inability to let it go??

Now here comes the encouraging part I want you to hear…

There is no comparisons in God’s economy!

The cycle CAN be broken! We CAN find our worth again and we must share OUR STORY of how God is working it all out.

We were ALL created for God’s purposes, so we all have our OWN road to live.

He created you and He created me and each person in this world as a UNIQUE individual. God gave each of us breath so that we may live to glorify Him and live out the calling He has placed on our lives. Did you hear that? There is NO comparison in God’s eyes. Listen to Galatians 6:4-5 in the Message Bible. I don’t typically read this version, but it talks so plainly about this that I wanted to share it here:

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

Here’s another reminder:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

These verses need to be sticky notes on our bathroom mirrors and steering wheels! I know this world is hard, especially in 2021. I know our hearts and minds are fragile and we need these reminders from time to time. I talked about this last Friday on the blog and shared how we need to be intentional about what we let into our lives on a daily basis.

Let God guide your life friends. Trust me… actually, trust HIM… He knows you better than anyone else! Don’t give the enemy any opportunity to discourage you from the purposes God has for you. Satan is a liar and we need to say no to his lies and YES to the TRUTHS in God’s Word.

Let the God who created you speak LIFE into you!

And then… let His light start bringing new life into our hearts, that spreads to our children and then to the world. That’s having a ministry minded heart. Not thinking about looking to others for our worth, but directly from God, to us, to our homes and to the world. It’s not intimidating when we look to God for this clarity.

So when I say “write your story” I’m not asking everyone to write a book about your life. I want you to understand YOUR story matters and you can’t compare it with anyone else’s story because it’s God’s unique story for YOUR life. You are worthy because God created you and there is story IN each life. He started writing your story before you were born… so go share your testimony with others and let them see and know the God we love!

Then we will be like those flowers and just BLOOM.

Love you all. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my long winded posts. I hope it encourages even just one person to find their worth from the God who created you, loves you and has purpose for you!

Listen to the song by Hillsong titled: “Who You Say I am” if you get a chance. It’s a beautiful song full of truth in who we should look to know who we are! There’s an Italian version as well that we love to play at our retreats.

Hugs,

Laura McCollough

P.S. We have updated our SHOP with our notecards and new “Spring European Journaling Kits” and we’d love for you to go check those out if you have a minute!