I don't know about you, but I'm digging deep to heal my heart.
Peeling back the layers of that onion is never easy, and it always comes with a bit of pain. But I know that God never has us go through pruning or cleansing without our best interest in His heart.
In this season, the Lord has me digging beneath the superficial to find victory over the lies formed against me.
Years ago, when the Lord started my healing process, I read many self-help books, listened to even more teachings, and watched a boatload of ministers. It felt like some weren’t there to provide Godly direction, but for self-gain. So, I decided to stick mostly with what the Holy Spirit had to say. Don’t get me wrong; while I’m not against self-help books, I’d rather have the Holy Spirit tell or lead me into wellness, wholeness, and healing.
There is an exception to every rule.
I discovered an author who'd written a book on soul care. Her name was Tina Yeager (https://tinayeager.com/), and she was amazing. Anointed by God, I felt as though she genuinely got me. It was as though she was reading my journal. While reading her book, Beautiful Warrior, she found that place deep inside me that rubs just a little raw. That hurts too much to uproot.
You know, that place that you protect and keep hidden?
That was it. Right there.
In the past, when I stuck my foot in the water, or even just my big toe, the pain and fear of rejection were always so huge I went back home and shut the door.
My need for the approval of others exceeded my need for God's blessing. I always knew God loved me; He must. He’s God. It’s not God's nature—not to love. But people? Honestly, I thought I was disposable to others. I grew up bullied in school and raised in a dysfunctional home. I thought I was unlikable. Not good enough. Unworthy.
I know that to see who we are in Christ, we must shed who we think we are. We must come before the Cross empty. He can fill us up with Himself. But I had a fear-based image of myself that kept me from doing that. It affected how I looked at myself; and how I thought others looked at me.
But you know what? It's not the labels others give us, but the ones we give ourselves that matter. Reading Beautiful Warrior taught me that realizing my future means accepting my past. It also means accepting the new label of a beautiful warrior. And that, my friends, is how we learn to live in the present.
If you want this highly anointed and original book, here is the link from Amazon. It is amazing. https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Warrior-Finding-Victory-Against/dp/1563092301
Blessings.
Kelly
Dear God, help me to live in the present, realizing that my future means accepting my past. Thank you, Father, for helping me to become the beautiful warrior I was meant to be. Amen.
Your Turn:
Have you read Beautiful Warrior? If so, what do you think?
Are there any other good books you'd recommend? Please share!
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