Embrace Who You Are

What do people mean when they say embrace who you are or I am embracing who I am? First, you have to know who you are and second we are every changing. Can one really embrace who they are? I decided to look up the definition of embrace on dictionary.com to help me answer that question. I found two definitions that seemed to shine some light on the answer. 
   The first definition that helps answer the question is as follows: "to take or receive gladly or eagerly, accept willingly." In other words, we are to take or receive gladly or eagerly who we are. As a child of God, I need to remember that I am made by His hands. "So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female." Genesis 1:27 That means everything from my hair color, to my personality was given to me by God. In order for me to embrace who I am I have to willingly accept that God wanted me to be this way, and He created me for His purpose. He made me short, with blue-green eyes, a love for competition, to care for others, a heart to teach and cook all for the good of His kingdom. "For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13 
    The second definition of embrace that is helpful in answering my question is: " to avail oneself". You are to value yourself. BINGO! In order to embrace who you are, you not only need to accept who you are but you need to value who you are. There isn't a better verse in the Bible to tell you how much God values you than John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." I know how much God loves me and you, but it doesn't make it easy for me to embrace who I am. Why? Because, I see my faults, my mistakes, and the things the world says isn't pretty and I believe it. This is what Satan wants me to see. I am working on seeing me as God sees me. To value who I am because God created me and I am His daughter. I try to embrace who I am one day, one hour, one minute at a time. The goal is to see yourself through God's eyes and not the worlds. We shouldn't worry about the worldly things. I'm getting better about not worrying especially about things that I can't control. God doesn't want us to worry. "Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself." Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 Enjoy where you are at in life at this time. Make time to do things that will bring glory to God. Slow down and spend quality time with your family. Embrace who you are daily and remember you are constantly changing which means embracing who you are today is more important than embracing who you were yesterday. Don't forget who created you and why He created you, it's always a good place to start. Until next time may God Bless you and Keep you. 

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday. Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans." Psalm 37:5-7

*Bible verses used from HCSB

What or Who Defines you?

Matthew West has a new song titled, "Hello, My Name Is". This song has made me think about the things that define me or that I tend to let define me. (Please bare with me and keep reading)   :) 
I am: Carolyn and Mark's daughter
          Holly and Joel's sister
          a granddaughter, niece, and cousin
          a little girl without a father
          sad
          afraid
          a teenager without a father
          an athlete
          a band nerd
           rejected
          depressed
          a college student
          a bride without her father to walk her down the aisle
          a wife, Nick's wife, Mr. Hardy's wife, the drummer's wife
          happy
          jealous
          David and Val's daughter-in-law
          a mother
          Alex's mom
          a college graduate
          Bekah's mom
          a teacher
          afraid
          dealing with a miscarriage
          hurt
          a disappointment
          confused
          a church secretary
          no longer able to have children
          frustrated
          alone
          remorseful
          forgiven
          servant
          happy
          child of God
Isn't it funny how quickly we identify ourselves as belonging to someone or something else. We enter every place we go with a list of " I ams" that we assume people see, but how often do you see the " I ams" of another person? When you meet someone for the first time, you only know them by how they introduce themselves. How about the people you see? We can't see all their "I ams". So, why is it we assume everyone can see all our I ams? We enter a place timid, not real sure how we are going to be received. When really we set the tone (accept/reject) ourselves. It's almost as if we have a sign on us that says I am and it lists everything we "think" others see or think about ourselves. At the bottom of our list (at least my list) is child of God-except he doesn't make the front. Nope, He makes the back, so people can only see that I am a child of God as I am walking away. There is something wrong with that-I am a child of God should be the first thing people see. Before other people can see it, you have to believe it, remember it, and walk securely in it. I admit, most days I walk in with my list of assumptions and not I am a child of God. I am striving to put I am a child of God first and to stop dwelling on my past and present circumstances. I want God's light to shine through my brokenness. I am starting to embrace who I really am-Kimberlea (Kim) Sue Whitmire Hardy-child of the one true King, saved by His amazing grace.  How many lives would change if we walked in confidence and put I am a child of God first as our identity and not last? Until next time may God Bless you and Keep you.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. " Romans 8:12-14

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

The following link is the Matthew West video of Hello, My Name is. I hope you enjoy! 
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0F9EB1NU