Who am I?
At the core depths of me
When the mask falls away and I’m raw and exposed
Do I even recognize myself?
Who is that woman staring back at me in the mirror?
Do I believe the truths I’m declaring to myself, peering into those intent brown eyes?
Is what’s in my head actually transcending down into my heart?
I’m distinguishing between the identity I took on because I felt I had to be a certain way and the one that resonates with my spirit
That inner Holy-Spirit filled place that knows me, the true me, and has always known from the beginning
You see, I’ve existed since eternity and my Father knitted me together in my mother’s womb to grace the world with my presence for this specific time
He created me perfectly with His DNA for a specific purpose
He chose me!
Do you believe it??!
Do I believe it?
Yes, I believe I do.
In this season of stripping away and unlearning, I am becoming my truest self
I always was her, you see, deep down
I’m just aware of it now and allowing my Daddy to chisel away at the untruths and layers of false self
To reveal the shimmering, pristine beauty that lies within
He is patient with me, so patient
He gives me a say in this process
No forcing, just nudging
And He delves as deep as I allow Him to go
As I open my heart more and surrender a new piece of it, He re-opens a wound
But not to hurt me
Oh no, He allows me to feel the pain and acknowledge the hurt so that He can bring healing
I’m realizing the amount of things I stuffed down so deep
I locked them away and numbed myself and repeated “I’m fine” so much that I believed it
These neglected wounds are festering and affecting all spheres of my life
And when I allow Him to enter in, to the mess and the ugly and the pain and the stuff I don’t allow the world to see
He gently applies the salve and it hurts something fierce
But then, I am light and free and at peace
Healed and free to be my most authentic self
He loves me at my “worst” in my most vulnerable state where nothing is hidden
But, that’s just it!
It’s because He can’t and doesn’t see that version of me that I despise and am afraid of
When He looks at me: He sees captivating beauty, wholeness, perfection, His beloved daughter
So, I’m learning to see myself through His eyes
It’s a process and it’s hard but it’s beautiful and worth pursuing
We’re told to love our neighbor, but how can we love our neighbor if we don’t first love ourselves?
I look again into the mirror and lock eyes with the woman of God, steadily meeting my gaze
Those deep brown eyes, reflecting warmth and a calm knowing
I am loved.
I am chosen.
I am good.
I am enough.
I am beautiful.
I am bold.
I am persevering.
I am a warrior.
I have something to say and I’m gonna say it.
I belong.
I am confident.
I bring life and truth.
I am a Daughter of the King and He alone tells me who I am.
Beautifully described Raina! I can resonate with being stripped deep down with the old to make room for the new.. This is going to the core of your being ..where the true you come alive! Thank you for being so vulnerable. A new awakening! How exciting!! Bless you!
Beautifully described Raina! I can resonate with being stripped deep down with the old to make room for the new.. This is going to the core of your being ..where the true you come alive! Thank you for being so vulnerable. A new awakening! How exciting!! Bless you!
Raina, this is beautiful. As I continue my journey getting to know Christ, I continually feel that i am failing… in the flesh, we cannot always live at Jesus lived. But I know that our Father loves us and sees the good in us. He sees us as perfect in His eyes. It’s a continual journey to practice love, kindness, humility, honesty, compassion, SOOOO many of the things that we learned as PA’s. But it goes much deeper than that. I know that I’ve grown in my faith since i feel like I’ve truly become one of God’s daughters. It’s indescribable and it’s the best feeling. I treasure you so much for spreading His word and the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Much love,
Kimmy
What a great reflection and reminder to all of us as to our identity in Christ. I love watching your journey.