Do you ever feel like you’re not enough? Not pretty enough, not clever enough, not perky enough, not young enough, not old enough? Believe it or not, there was a time . . . long, long ago . . . when I could hardly wait for the time that I’d be old enough to attain the respect I felt was my due. I’ve overcome that 🙂
Welcome to FREEDOM FRIDAY – A devotional, emotional, spiritual and sometimes hysterical series that I will be sharing on occasional Fridays, in addition to my regular Old Things New posts. Why? Because though once bound in chains Christ has set me free – FREE to live, to love, to dance, to sing, to be who God created me to be!
I was raised by hard working, salt-of-the-earth type parents who instilled values in me that said, “God helps those who help themselves” and, “Do everything you can and leave the rest to God.”
Hmmm . . .
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Today’s culture tells us that we can become whatever we want to be and that success is ours for the taking. We simply have to strive harder, reach farther, believe in ourselves, and never give up. Good positive thoughts right?
So what if we work and strain and struggle to be the best we can be and fail? And we will all fail eventually. What room does all this striving leave for the miraculous, the extraordinary, the astounding, the incredible, the unbelievable?
Oh . . . that’s what I want! I don’t want to do it on my own power when I can have the power of the living God working in and through me to accomplish things greater than I could ever ask or think.
The following is a list of *STEPS I’ve personally taken to change my feeling of not being enough to being exactly what God wants me to be.
- Let go of your perception of being in control (because things will eventually spin out of your control).
- Acknowledge that God is God and you are not Him.
- Turn your life over to God (if you haven’t already), accepting Jesus as Savior and allowing Him to fill you with His Spirit.
- Confess past sin and believe that the shame, guilt and condemnation you’ve carried no longer have power or authority over you (I feel a “how to” post coming on that one).
- Forgive those who’ve hurt you (and maybe a “how to” post here as well).
- Take responsibility and acknowledge wrong to those you’ve hurt (and here!).
- Keep a short record of wrongs . . . or, in other words, take responsibility for your actions as soon as you “mess up” and choose to forgive others quickly when they “mess up”.
- Spend time with God – in His Word and in prayer – seeking to know Him intimately as “Papa God”. Don’t rush in and out of this time, making it an empty ritual, but stay . . . wait . . . and listen for Him to speak to you. In this time with Him He will affirm you, comfort you, wrap His arms around you and whisper sweet secrets into your ear. He longs to reveal Himself to you, to tell you who you really are in Him and to open up to you what He can do in and through you! It is in this place alone with Him that He will strengthen you to go out into your daily life so filled with Holy Spirit power that the overflow will spill over onto the lives of those around you.
- This is the last step: When you come out of that place of fellowship with God, filled and strengthened by Him, go out and let the overflow of His love spill on to others!
Please know this from one who once felt like she was not enough: As a redeemed child of God, a Christ follower, filled with the Holy Spirit you have everything you need.
What a relief!!!
Blessings,
Prayer: Dear Papa God, from the depths of my heart I pray and ask that all who read these words will be touched by You and that they will come to understand that they no longer have to strive in their own power but that real strength can be found in You. You are all we need and You give us all we need at just the right time. Lord, please strengthen, affirm, encourage and do a new thing in the lives of those who need it today. Amen.
Scripture to ponder: Psalm 28:7; Psalm 46:10; Isa. 43:19; Zech. 4:6; Matt. 11:28; John 15:15; I Cor. 2:10; Gal. 3:3; Eph. 2:10; Eph. 3:20; Phil, 4:13; Phil. 4:19; II Pet. 1:3
The *STEPS mentioned above are loosely based on The 12 Steps of AA. Freedom Session teaches a Scriptural basis for all 12 steps in an excellent 9 month healing/discipleship program. As a former Director, along with my hubs, I can’t help but plug this life changing ministry here on my blog! For more information about Freedom Session I’ve included a link to their website.
I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:
Mondays Making Your Home Sing Mondays The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings A Proverbs 31 Wife Darling Downs Diaries The Art of Homemaking Mom2Mom Linkup
Tuesdays Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky Cornerstone Confessions Titus 2 Tuesday Teaching What is Good Time Warp Wife Solo Deo Gloria Sisterhood More of Him Testimony Tuesday
Wednesdays A Wise Woman Builds Her Home Juana Mikels Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays A Little R & R Whole Hearted Home So Much at Home Mom’s Morning Coffee Women with Intention
Thursdays Serving Joyfully/Thriving Thursdays
3-D Lessons for Life/Thought Provoking Thursdays The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop I Choose Joy
Fridays A Look at the Book Christian Mommy Blogger Fellowship Fridays Blessing Counters Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays Faith & Fellowship Bloghop Grace & Truth Linkup
Saturdays Still Saturday The Weekend Brew
Sundays Spiritual Sundays Sunday Stillness
Good Morning Patti!! I so want to THANK YOU for your prayer today!! It so touched my spirit!! I LOVE following your blogs and your projects!! You, my Pacific Northwest Friend, inspire me!! Blessings to you and Kelly and to your beautiful daughters!! Love , Jodi Scott!!
Amen! We are not enough, but He always is! We need to be intentional don’t we in our relationship with Him. This seems to be a theme I keep running across. So much so it will probably be an upcoming message I’ll speak on!
You are an amazing, refreshing sweet spirit, Miz Patti! I’m glad you’re in my life, even if only through your blog!
Have an extraordinary day!
Beautiful Patty! I love the list and know that letting go of who we want to be and giving the control to God will lead us into a deeper relationship with Him. That is what I crave! Blessed you shared this at The Weekend Brew.
What a relief indeed! Praise God! He is more than enough and because of him we are just right. Thanks for the reminder, neighbor. Blessings upon blessings!
Well said. I love the steps you have laid out. I also love the image of the house. It’s beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this. I need to spend more time with my Creator. I find I’m just checking in and not soaking in His glory. I have an important job as I’m mama to 8 eternal souls! And just as Eve was seduced from her husband’s, side I find I’m an easy target for the enemy. God bless you as you encourage other ladies.
Blessings,
Leslie
Beautiful, Patti! Freedom session is indeed a great program. Looking forward to your blogs on the how to’s. Sounds so easy… But so hard to do!
Thank you for this. You’ve listed some great steps to avoid feeling not good enough. I appreciate your encouragement and truth you shared. God bless you! Following you at Coffee For Your Heart.
It’s a joy to visit here from Holley’s link up!
Patti,
Simply the fact that we were created by an awesome God Who uniquely designed us as His , should be enough to sink deep into our hearts. The world tells us such a different story though. Thank you for the reminder and the steps to keeping that truth in our hearts, minds, and tips of our tongues! I’m thankful I was your neighbor on #ThrivingThursday!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Patti, I loved your post, I am a strong advocate of Freedom and chose to write about how the steps to freedom saved my marriage. I love your steps. One of the other steps I had to learn was I was not the Holy Spirit and God did not love me best and He loved my husband. Your neighbor at Live Free Thursday
Thanks for sharing this lovely post with us at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
Wonderful words of encouragement. The most important thing we can do is spend in communion with God–who wants to work through us.
Patti,
I have been reading through your past posts and getting to know you better, they have touched my heart because you write from yours. I have always had a strong faith and my relationship with my Heavenly Father is what has seen me through the bitter and rugged times of my life.
Staying as close to Him in word, heart, soul, studying and worship is the mainstay of my life too.
Thank you for your kind visit and warm comment-means so very much to me.
Through His Grace we are never alone~
Jemma