Guest Writer Monday! Meet Anna!

Ready to meet our guest writer? Let me introduce you to Anna! She is wife to a youth pastor, mother to three boys, and friend to all she comes in contact with. I personally enjoy her good taste in salsa, laughter in the small things, and collection of home fragrances. I know you will be blessed by what she is sharing with us today! Be sure and leave her some comment love.

Soap

This picture bothers me. Do you want to know why? Because there is 'real' Softsoap on the inside. I know good and well what is on the inside because I refilled the dispenser. Yet, even though I know full well that the expensive, "better" stuff is on the inside, it still drives me crazy.



If you came to my house to wash your hands you would look at this and think the same thing. Equate soap. {then we'd probably have a conversation about the big semi-annual sale at Bath & Body Works and we'd try to figure out if we like the way Twilight Woods smells or not} Anyhoo, it is human nature. We see and we make judgements on what we see. This is something that happens in an instant and it happens everyday.

Sometimes the judgements we make in our minds about people leave us feeling discontented and dissatisfied with our own lives. That is because Satan, The Father of Lies, prowls around looking for those he can destroy. If he can make you discontent and unsatisfied then you are left feeling unworthy and probably more unproductive.


Have you ever stopped to think about what your impressions are about people? When you read her blog? When you see her Facebook status? When you see her out and about around town? When you see her with her family? When you see 'her' and you leave feeling bad about yourself for some reason let that be your red flag. The Father of Lies is making you feel bad about yourself. As a Child of God your guilt has been removed. You know you were not Redeemed from your former life to walk around with condemnation about yourself like that, don't you?!


Years ago I passed a family we know. It was one of those perfect Spring days where the sky is blue and the air smells good. The dad and son were sitting in the driveway, shooting the breeze on the back of their truck, living in a very well to do neighborhood. As we cruised by with the windows down, my first thought when I saw them was, "They are the perfect, All-American family. They have such a good life and they are so close with each other." I did not say it but what I felt when I passed them was that they have a better life than I do. You know what though? That is not true. It was a lie and that thought was not from God.

Last week I was waiting on the boys to get done with school. As I waited another mother and her son were in the room. I simply saw her play a game with her son and this is what went through my mind. "She is such a good mother. She actually knows how to play that game. And she is so smart. She always comes in here with a book." What I felt was she is a much more adequate mother than I could ever be. Can you believe that? In an instant lies about Who I Am raced through my mind.


Does God want us to feel incompetent in our lives? Does he want us to feel invaluable in our roles? Does he want us to get down on ourselves and compare our lives to our friends? We don't even have to answer that because we know good and well the answer to that is a big No.


Here is my question for you today. Are you listening to truth about yourself or are you believing lies? Your true worth lies in who God says you are.


Here's the bottom line. I don't want you walking through your day feeling like Brand X soap.

As you wheel through this day and week think about what plays across your mind. Those quick, fleeting thoughts about yourself and other people. Test them. Challenge your thoughts. Sometimes outwards appearances and looks can be deceiving. Sometimes things are not as they appear. Guard against the trap of comparing yourself. You are the real thing. You are chosen by the King. You are worthy. You are equipped to live out the roles God has called you to today.