"Daddy! Daddy listen to me! It's like all my life everyone's told me, "You're a shoe! You're a shoe! You're a shoe! Well, what if I don't want to be a shoe? What if I wanna be a purse or a hat? No I don't want you to buy me a hat, I'm saying I am a hat. It's a metaphor Daddy!"
Extra cool points if you can name that show!
Yes, yes it's from the very first Friends episode. Rachel has run out on her wedding and is talking with her dad on the phone. She is trying to explain that she wants to be something different than what she has been labeled her entire life. She's been expected to get married and be the wife. Even if she didn't truly love the man she was going to marry.
How many times have you been labeled or have you been guilty of labeling yourself? How many times have you been painted into a corner and felt forced to wear that label even if you've outgrown it. These labels aren't always bad or negative. Sometimes they are wonderful. Even beautiful. And you gladly wear it. But what happens when you've labeled yourself by this world's standards and you've tied your identity to what it tells you it should be. Sometimes these labels become heavy. And you forget your true identity. And you ask yourself...Who Am I, really?
Extra cool points if you can name that show!
Yes, yes it's from the very first Friends episode. Rachel has run out on her wedding and is talking with her dad on the phone. She is trying to explain that she wants to be something different than what she has been labeled her entire life. She's been expected to get married and be the wife. Even if she didn't truly love the man she was going to marry.
How many times have you been labeled or have you been guilty of labeling yourself? How many times have you been painted into a corner and felt forced to wear that label even if you've outgrown it. These labels aren't always bad or negative. Sometimes they are wonderful. Even beautiful. And you gladly wear it. But what happens when you've labeled yourself by this world's standards and you've tied your identity to what it tells you it should be. Sometimes these labels become heavy. And you forget your true identity. And you ask yourself...Who Am I, really?
I have learned that the question shouldn't be who am I? But instead it should be, whose am I?
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" Jeremiah 1:5
I am sure you've probably heard Lauren Daigle's new new song, You Say. If not, drop what you're doing and crank it up! It's a beautiful reminder of Whose we are. In it she says, "Remind me once again who I am because I need to know..." The world wants to slap a label(s) on us. But our identity and our worth are NOT found in those things. They are not found in the things of this world. "Christ's resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that's where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm." Colossians 3:1-3, The Passion Translation
Can you imagine what it would be like to fill your thoughts with heavenly realities? Holy guacamole! You guys! Labels? What labels? I don't need no stinking labels. I am a daughter of the Living God. #NotTodaySatan
As I change and as I grow in my walk as a Lover of Christ I have shed many labels. However, it doesn't mean it's always easy. I have often found myself tying my worth to what I do. Have you been there? Or maybe you are there today. I struggled just last year crossing off Fitness Trainer. I was a fitness trainer for a women's only fitness program for 5 years. During that 5 year span I also became an owner of my own fitness franchise. I loved every minute of it. Guys, I would get up at 4AM and go train a class!!! You don't get up at 4AM if you don't love it. During this 5 years I also grew exponentially in my faith. It was such a blessing to me. In so many ways. And I would not be the person I am today without that experience. My Father was certainly grooming me for things to come. When it was time for a change, it was painful. Change is hard, ya'll. Partly, because I had chained my identity to this business. I was Rebeka, Fitness Trainer. And who was I without this title? Would people still take me seriously? Would I still have a platform to speak truth into women's lives? How would I introduce myself? What will my email signature be? As ridiculous as some of these sound, this was a very real conversation I had with myself daily for longer than I would like to admit.
Another Label I had a tough time shedding was Teen Mom. A few years ago I was sitting at a local library chatting with a friend. Our kids were taking part in the Library School Program. It was nice because the kids got to play and visit and we got to have adult conversation! Stay at home momma's, you guys know what I mean. It. Was. Glorious! This day in particular, was my birthday. She asked me how old I was and I told her. Instantly, I noticed her expression change. Yep, she was doing the math. This was NOT the first time this has happened to me. And I knew what was coming next. "Yes, I was 18 when Levi was born." And she responds with, "Oh, I would never have thought that about you." I do not think my friend was trying to be harsh. She was genuinely surprised. Plus, I am definitely an old soul and people are usually shocked when I tell them my age. That or this girl needs some serious night cream?! I kid, I kid. But in all seriousness—Guys, we ALL have a past. We ALL have a story. Some come with struggles that are more obvious and others come with their struggles in disguise. For a long time, I carried a lot of shame because of the choices I made as a kid. And the enemy loved that. He was more than happy to superglue those labels on me. And he did a happy dance when I partnered with those lies. Make no mistake about it, the enemy wants your mind on the past. Friends, we are NOT our mistakes. We are forgiven. We are covered in G R A C E! But you have to accept this gift that has been given to you.
It took me a while to shed that label. But as I grew in my walk with Christ and in my faith, I decided I wasn't going to partner with that lie anymore. The lie that I was "Less Than" because I was 18 when I became a mother. The truth is I am an amazing Mother. And I am not my mistakes. And neither are you!
But how many times have we done this to ourselves? How many times have we tied our identities to things of this world. How many times have we let this world define us? The answer: Too Many. But that stops today.
My identity is not Rebeka, the fitness trainer or Rebeka, Teen Mom. It is Rebeka, Lover of Jesus Christ and child of the One True King.
"You have all become true children of God by the faith of Jesus the Anointed One! It was faith that immersed you into Jesus, the Anointed One...And we no longer see each other in our former state--Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female--because we're all one through our union with Jesus Christ with no distinction between us...you are now Abraham's 'child' and inherit all the promises of the kingdom realm." Galatians 3:26-29, The Passion Translation
My identity and worth is found in Christ. Because He is worthy, I am worthy. And that truth, my friend, it changes E V E R Y T H I N G
I am sure you've probably heard Lauren Daigle's new new song, You Say. If not, drop what you're doing and crank it up! It's a beautiful reminder of Whose we are. In it she says, "Remind me once again who I am because I need to know..." The world wants to slap a label(s) on us. But our identity and our worth are NOT found in those things. They are not found in the things of this world. "Christ's resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that's where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm." Colossians 3:1-3, The Passion Translation
Can you imagine what it would be like to fill your thoughts with heavenly realities? Holy guacamole! You guys! Labels? What labels? I don't need no stinking labels. I am a daughter of the Living God. #NotTodaySatan
As I change and as I grow in my walk as a Lover of Christ I have shed many labels. However, it doesn't mean it's always easy. I have often found myself tying my worth to what I do. Have you been there? Or maybe you are there today. I struggled just last year crossing off Fitness Trainer. I was a fitness trainer for a women's only fitness program for 5 years. During that 5 year span I also became an owner of my own fitness franchise. I loved every minute of it. Guys, I would get up at 4AM and go train a class!!! You don't get up at 4AM if you don't love it. During this 5 years I also grew exponentially in my faith. It was such a blessing to me. In so many ways. And I would not be the person I am today without that experience. My Father was certainly grooming me for things to come. When it was time for a change, it was painful. Change is hard, ya'll. Partly, because I had chained my identity to this business. I was Rebeka, Fitness Trainer. And who was I without this title? Would people still take me seriously? Would I still have a platform to speak truth into women's lives? How would I introduce myself? What will my email signature be? As ridiculous as some of these sound, this was a very real conversation I had with myself daily for longer than I would like to admit.
Another Label I had a tough time shedding was Teen Mom. A few years ago I was sitting at a local library chatting with a friend. Our kids were taking part in the Library School Program. It was nice because the kids got to play and visit and we got to have adult conversation! Stay at home momma's, you guys know what I mean. It. Was. Glorious! This day in particular, was my birthday. She asked me how old I was and I told her. Instantly, I noticed her expression change. Yep, she was doing the math. This was NOT the first time this has happened to me. And I knew what was coming next. "Yes, I was 18 when Levi was born." And she responds with, "Oh, I would never have thought that about you." I do not think my friend was trying to be harsh. She was genuinely surprised. Plus, I am definitely an old soul and people are usually shocked when I tell them my age. That or this girl needs some serious night cream?! I kid, I kid. But in all seriousness—Guys, we ALL have a past. We ALL have a story. Some come with struggles that are more obvious and others come with their struggles in disguise. For a long time, I carried a lot of shame because of the choices I made as a kid. And the enemy loved that. He was more than happy to superglue those labels on me. And he did a happy dance when I partnered with those lies. Make no mistake about it, the enemy wants your mind on the past. Friends, we are NOT our mistakes. We are forgiven. We are covered in G R A C E! But you have to accept this gift that has been given to you.
It took me a while to shed that label. But as I grew in my walk with Christ and in my faith, I decided I wasn't going to partner with that lie anymore. The lie that I was "Less Than" because I was 18 when I became a mother. The truth is I am an amazing Mother. And I am not my mistakes. And neither are you!
But how many times have we done this to ourselves? How many times have we tied our identities to things of this world. How many times have we let this world define us? The answer: Too Many. But that stops today.
My identity is not Rebeka, the fitness trainer or Rebeka, Teen Mom. It is Rebeka, Lover of Jesus Christ and child of the One True King.
"You have all become true children of God by the faith of Jesus the Anointed One! It was faith that immersed you into Jesus, the Anointed One...And we no longer see each other in our former state--Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female--because we're all one through our union with Jesus Christ with no distinction between us...you are now Abraham's 'child' and inherit all the promises of the kingdom realm." Galatians 3:26-29, The Passion Translation
My identity and worth is found in Christ. Because He is worthy, I am worthy. And that truth, my friend, it changes E V E R Y T H I N G
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