I’ve always been different. If we were all stripes, I’d be the spots. All my formative years were spent trying to change my image to look like someone else’s–to blend in. Not thin enough, not outgoing enough, too prude, and the list goes on and on.
Over the years my life began to look like everyone else’s until God reminded me of the part He called me to play as I sat in front of the mirror one afternoon and he whispered, “The Lord does not look at at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.
He was calling me to stand OUT of the crowd. Wanting to be accepted and to make friends often times comprised my walk as a Jesus follower and it was much easier to justify choices I made rather than tell my friends, co-workers and even my kids, “This isn’t right in God’s eyes.” It was easier to just ignore the situation, wade through the sin, choke through the filth instead of sweeping it clean.
As I sat in the front of the mirror soaking in his whisper of holiness, my thoughts immediately drifted to how a photographed is developed. I love photography and especially love the digital age and have experienced developing photos from film. We shot our photos and the process begins.
From snapshot to film, film to solution, from tray to tray. All the while the photo is going through the process of being developed in a dark room, if the door is opened or the solution is in the right measurements—the photo is destroyed.
Each woman is a snapshot–a moment of God’s plans, beauty, and wildness captured in his image–but so many of us are allowing the word’s influence to have a say in the final development of our snapshot. I was the same way…
All that time…wasted…just because I wanted to look like everyone else.
I was ruining the snapshot God already had of me–to be holy, set apart, and walking with him. If we want to truly walk with God we need to lean in to him, listen to him, set ourselves in his darkroom and let his “process” work. Being a woman of God, a mother who loves Jesus takes one brave act, one decision, one risk…
So what about you? Are you willing to take a risk and follow Jesus’ example of being set apart? I dare you to join the #NewStart15 movement!
It might be the bravest decision you’ll ever make.
And believe me the benefits of walking with God are insurmountable. The graphic below is just a few benefits of being a brave mom who is set apart for Christ!!
New Start 15
Do you like the sound of freedom and joy? The chance for a New Start? Our God is the God of second chances, clean slates, and do-overs.
Participation in New Start 15 is simple. Here are a few ways you can get involved:
- Use the New Start 15 Bible Reading Plan in your personal quite time January 5 – 23. (Free PDF download, version A or version B)
- Like the New Start 15 Facebook page to keep up with daily devotional blog posts, get words of encouragement, and share thoughts from your own journey. (You can also download the New Start 15 bloggers list and schedule.)
- Follow the New Start 15 “blog hop” January 5-23 (weekdays only) as the New Start 15team blogs about living the new, holy life in Christ. (List of New Start 15 contributors)
- Check out the New Start 15 Resources List for books, Bible studies, blog posts, printables and more to help you on your journey.
- Invite your friends to join you in the New Start 15 journey by sending them the link to this post.
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- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
