VICTORY!

 

Dear Readers,

Sin.

We all struggle.

We all have things we do that break God's heart.

Hating another person. Hateful speech. Gossip. Dishonesty. Objectifying others. Stealing. These are all things human beings struggle with; ways we can cause harm to ourselves and others.

I too have my own demons that have followed me my whole life.

When I was 16, I was baptized for the remission of my sins. God came into my life; walking with me in my tumultuous existence.

What a journey we’ve had together.

Even through tears, bitterness, anger, self-harm, self-hatred, temptations, and dumb choices in general, He has been a constant friend. He is, and will always be, the reason I am still here.

For years I would strive and fight, hoping I could be good enough. I strove for perfection, hoping for favor from Him. 

You see, God knows of my imperfection. Knows every bit of it. He knows me down to the very cells and atoms that make up my body. He knows my heart, and my mind. He knows ME. He LOVES me. He still cares for and cherishes me. I don't have live in constant striving. I already have His favor; I don't have to fight for it.

But, the shame, the struggles, the attacks of the enemy-they get no say in my life. None.

Have I grown over time? Yes. I am not the same person. He has used my pain to refine and prune me. I’ve grown and changed through the struggles.

It all began when Jesus breathed His last on the cross. It all began when Jesus took on my sins, and the sins of the entire world on His shoulders. He allowed the weight of it all to grasp His life between their bitter, poisonous fingers. He was the final sacrifice.

But unlike the sacrificial animals of times past, Jesus had a far different ending.

He was buried for three days in a tomb that had a large, heavy stone guarding the doorway. Then, on that third day, an Angel pushed it away with absolute ease.

Jesus, the Son of God, crushed the enemy, and Death, beneath His feet. He walked away in freedom, carrying Freedom to those who accept His love and His sacrifice. His Holy Spirit is the seal for every person who bears His name, and walks in love with Him. (Ephesians 1:13-14.)

We can live victoriously, because Jesus was victorious. 

God has already won, beautiful friend. Keep hanging onto Him.

Happy Easter!

Love,

Chelsea

Bodies Change; Hearts are Forever.

The other day at the gym, while I was in the locker room getting ready to go, I met this other woman. We got to chatting about our personal health journeys. We found out that in the past year, we’ve both lost about fifty pounds each and had a similar starting weight. 

I told her that I had been swimming since last year, and started strength training in January. I told her how much I was loving it. She told me that she had been doing strength training as well.

But then, she told me something that disheartened me a bit: 

She said that there were some women in her life that told her not to do too much strength training. The reason? She would bulk up and look “manly”. I could tell by the look on her face that the statement from her friends made her feel deflated.

I went on to explain that for me, I didn’t care if I bulked up much (and probably wouldn't...at least, not to the extent her friends picked on her for). Strength training has so many wonderful health benefits. The challenge for me has been great. I love being able to see how much stronger I get from week to week. I love being able to feel better physically.

I also said, jokingly, that the idea of being able to flip a grown man over my head would be pretty cool. Not that I actually would; but the idea is funny. Also, my genetics have blessed me with curves. I doubt I would be mistaken for a man even with more muscle tone. 

Ladies, why do we say things that would put another woman's body down? Why do we say things that would make her feel ashamed and not seek the best for herself? Making negative comments about each other’s bodies is neither encouraging nor helpful.

If I hear of a woman, regardless of any size going and doing things to challenge herself, improve her health, and defy the status quo, that is incredible to me. 

You know what that says to me? That woman has strength, perseverance, and isn’t afraid to be herself. To fight for herself. 

Going off of that, our bodies are not the most important things about us. Our bodies are incredible vessels that carry who we are. They carry our souls and minds. They carry our personalities. They carry the things that make us unique.

Regardless of our body’s shape or size, they will inevitably change over time. We all age. We all gain weight, lose weight. We may have hanging skin and stretch marks. We all get gray hair, or some of us lose our hair. We all get fine lines or wrinkles eventually. We all lose hearing or eyesight. When we can accept ourselves where we are, and for who we are, we can find more peace and happiness. Beauty is a light that comes from within.

‭‭"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear;‭‭ but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” 1 Peter 3:4-5.

A woman of a “gentle and quiet spirit” is one who finds peace and contentment in God. It is a woman who finds purpose in loving God and people. A woman of a gentle and quiet spirit seeks out God more than the praise of others. It is not about personality or clothing tastes. It is the realization that there are things more important than appearance.

God made me to be uniquely me. God made you to be uniquely you. 

If you want to have more muscle tone go for it. If you don’t, that’s fine too. If you want to be somewhere in the middle, you do you. 

Our main focus should be on growing closer to God, growing as people, and growing closer in our relationships. Doing good for others. In short, Love. 

Love is what makes life beautiful. 

The beauty standards change about every ten years. I will never fit those standards. I don’t care to. The more we obsess over those standards, the more they suck our peace and joy away.  

I would rather have peace and joy than comparing myself to standards that are unattainable at best. 

However your body changes, however you grow, you still have worth, and you still matter. 

Love, 

Chelsea

Finding God in Our Trauma

 

Dear Readers,

Pain envelops and saturates much in our lives doesn't it?

And, oftentimes, it lives inside of us to the very core of our being.

Our pain can cause us to mistreat others, mistreat ourselves, and create chaos in our lives. 

I spent years in bitterness, hurt, and anger towards individuals who hurt me deeply. For years I would beg and cry to be seen, and to be heard. I would scream for my pain to be recognized by the ones who caused me harm. It consumed so much of my heart and existence.

And here, on the other side, is this very poignant truth: they won't know my pain. They can't. Because they aren't me.

Then I had a choice to make: keep downing and filling my entire being with bitter poison; or release my pain and trauma to a compassionate God who sees them. 

As anyone who has been through trauma can tell you, the experiences become etched into the core of who we are. Life isn't the same when you go through incredible pain. You will still inevitably have moments of anxiety triggered by things that remind you of the trauma. There will be times when you suddenly feel overwhelmed by grief. There will be situations where you realize that your trauma led you to make very poor decisions. 

However, despite my trauma, I can choose to forgive; or I can choose to have bitterness. I can choose to find things to be thankful for; or I can wallow in self-pity everyday. I can choose joy; or I can choose bitterness. I can choose to hate myself; or I can choose to give myself love and grace, and accept my humanness. 

Whatever I go through, I know that my God will be more than enough. I used to constantly ask ‘Why God?”. And while, in a sense there isn’t anything wrong with asking God ‘why’, I have come to understand that I don’t necessarily need to know the reason. I have come to start accepting that pain and frailty are a part of the human existence. 

In what is probably my favorite passage in all of scripture, 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10, the apostle Paul talks about a thorn in the flesh that tormented him. He begged God to take it away. In the end, however, God tells Paul that His grace will be sufficient and enough to see Paul through. It is in our weaknesses and hardships that we meet the power of God.

When we can humble ourselves to God and hand our worries and cares over to Him, (including other people) he can bring so much peace into our lives despite the pain.  (1 Peter 5:6-7)

I hope you can start to find that today, my beautiful friend. 

Love, 

Chelsea