The Unfiltered You

I felt her pain bleed through the text message.

Insecurity and self-doubt had raised their ugly heads. I know. I have heard the bully shout his painful accusations toward me as well. "You do not belong, or you are not good enough." I quickly texted, “Be yourself - always, because you are awesome.”

Yes, simple words but a truth we often have trouble believing. Somehow, it is easy to feel less-than and lacking. We are tempted to camouflage what we don't like about ourselves. We use filters on social media. We exaggerate the truth. We pretend life is good when our insides are bleeding. We believe the lie that we don't belong. So, we become something we are not as we desperately try to fit in.

Ladies, you do not need to fake it. Be you.

Yes, present your best foot forward but be honest. I want you to continue to grow with God's character. However, don't believe Satan's lie that you are lacking and less-than becoming something you are not.

Be the you God intended for you to be. Believe the you God has declared you to be.

No need to pretend that you are better or more than the unfiltered you. No fluff is necessary. No camouflage is wanted. No filter is required. No pretending. No acting. No nonsense. No drama.

Just be all that God intended for you. The world needs the beautiful you. So rest in who you were created to be.

Be the YOU who is fearfully and wonderfully made. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 (NIV) Be the You who was created in His Image. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

Be the YOU who is loved with an everlasting love. “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Be the YOU who is beautiful and priceless in the eyes of a loving God. “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;” Isaiah 49:16 (ESV)

Be the YOU that no one else could ever be. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

Be yourself, always, because you, my friend, are made in His Image. You are the best you on the planet. I am the best me on the planet. Don't let insecurities steal your joy by believing anything else. No need for self-doubt to raise it's ugly head. You can move into victory knowing Your God created you. And He said His creation is good.