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"There is an inner beauty about a woman who believes in herself, who knows she is capable of anything that she puts her mind to. There is a beauty in the strength and determination of a woman who follows her own path, who isn't thrown off by obstacles along the way. There is a beauty about a woman whose confidence comes from experiences; who knows she can fall, pick herself up, and move on"

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it." Matthew 16:25

There is much pressure today for people to develop a strong sense of "self identity." Many try to sort through the issues of their past to discover who they are today. In contrast, Jesus gives us a tremendous key: to enter the Kingdom we must lose our life for His sake, and then we find out who we really are.

Through the hurts and pains of life, many people turn inward in self-preservation by building a wall around their hearts. Their past has been so devastating that they never want to feel that pain again. The bricks that are put in place around the heart are often held together with the mortar of alcohol, drugs, or illicit relationships.

On the other hand, many people try to patch the pieces of their childhood by pressuring themselves to fit some perfect standard of the world's image. Jesus says above that if you are trying to save your life by hanging on to this world's ideals, you are going to lose your life. But if you let it go for Jesus' sake, you are going to find life.

In a sense, it's as if people live life trying to pull all the broken pieces of their life together like a jigsaw puzzle, hoping to form a coherent picture of "self." But this pursuit is a dead end; life happens in just the opposite direction. Only God, your Creator, can see the full puzzle. Only God, the Designer, can assemble the broken pieces to form the true picture. The deception is that you will find peace and happiness by living for self, but the truth is that if you'll die to self, Jesus can work and show you who God created you to be, and how God sees you. Realize today that the denial of self is the only place where one can discover true peace.

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

.. DISCLAIMER

Who I am in Christ!

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
I have the Holy Spirit power living inside of me.
The die is cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.
I will not look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.
My past is redeemed.
My present makes sense.
My future is secure.
I am finished and done with low-living, sight-walking,
small-planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotion, or popularity.
I do not have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded or rewarded.
I now live by faith, lean on God’s presence, walk by
patience, are uplifted by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven.
My road is narrow, my way rough, my Guide reliable,
my mission CLEAR.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away,
turned back, deluded or delayed.
I WILL NOT GIVE UP, LET UP, OR SHUT UP!
I will go on until Christ comes,
and work until Christ stops me.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Original artwork by Marah Johnson.