We Really Want to Live Our Truth: Accepting the Real You
"Your perception of me after I tell my truth is none of my business". Lisa Nichols
Living my truth has been something I always dealt with, especially when I made bad choices. Growing up as a pastor's daughter was rewarding at times but very challenging. I remember feeling alone because I didn't know who to trust. I often remember confiding in people who appeared to be my friends, big sister, or mentor and telling them things to only find out that their attitude towards me was," See I told you she is not perfect like they think she is". "I bet her daddy and momma don't know this." I never thought I was perfect and trust me I was my worst critic and still am today. It was the demands and expectations that others put on me at my age that sometimes would make me upset with myself.
People put me on a pedastal and forgot that I was just a kid like their kid. My mom started an awesome program at our church for young girls called Gems and Diamonds. It's a program that teaches girls how to carry themselves, handle life issues, stay pure and become the Godly young lady she is meant to be. The program recognized the success that girls were achieving in school and in their community. Once girls become seniors in high school they graduate from the program and receive their lock and key. The lock and key is meant for the man who they marry and give themselves to. I remember the moment that I graduated from the program, I was excited because I was still a virgin but later that fall I couldn't say that anymore. Great, I am the pastor's daughter and can't keep my legs closed. I am supposed to be a role model, perfect, and not shame my parents. I am supposed to be like my mom who kept herself but clearly I was not. I felt horrible because in my mind I had let God down and my parents but I knew God had forgiven me. I accepted my truth and began to move on but my peers and their parents wouldn't let me.
Now at 26, I would tell my 18 yr old self, don't worry about what people think about you. People's opinions and judgmental attitudes doesn't define the person who you are. You see my truth is I am not a perfect Christian, I am a free spirit, I am a rebel, built with a lot of energy, sometimes weird, never tried to really fit in, goofy, a little crazy, talented, ambitious, sometimes hard to understand, children lover and most of all a child of God. It took me a minute to realize that you are who you are and your truth is your truth. People will say anything but their words can't make or break you if you decide not to let it effect you.
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
We have to live our truth because the truth will really set us free. There are so many people who portray to be someone that they really aren't. Social media has added to the fumes of not really telling your truth. People want to be accepted and give a certain appearance. Someone once said, "If you live by people's likes on social media you will die by it as well". I personally believe it is harder to appear to be a certain way instead of just living your truth. Who cares if someone doesn't like you, I bet you will find out that there are more people willing to accept the person you are if you just be yourself. Just tell the truth, no I'm not perfect, yes I sometimes can have a attitude, I'm broke, I failed at this, no I don't like this choice, I want to be healthier, I need to lose weight whatever your truth is LIVE IT! Embrace and accept the woman you are.