Childhood is a very important time in a person’s life. Those who raise children can either make or break them. If broken during these fragile, formative years, the outcome can be drastic. It can take a whole lifetime to heal, and oftentimes there are wounds that scar until death.
Do you agree with the above?
Identity:
Thinking back to how I used to be, and pondering all of what I’ve gone through, I consider myself nothing less than a miracle. The need for the sense of identity is very important to human beings, both on an individual and social level. My identity was so lost and confused in the past, but God has brought me through so much.
I love the passage in the Bible where God calls a prophet to choose a new King. The prophet went to the house of a certain man who had seven sons. When he saw the biggest and strongest son, he thought definitely he was to be the new king. God told him ‘no’. In fact, the answer was no for every one of the sons that this man had presented to the prophet. He then asked the man if he had any other sons, and he said that there was one more, but he was out in the fields tending the sheep. A very humble position at best, for that day and age. When the prophet saw this son, right then and there God said, “That’s the one”. God wasn’t looking at his outer appearance. He was looking at his heart. I love that.
Today, I am comfortable in my own skin. I am sure of my identity, and of what is expected of me. I know that what really matters is how God sees me, and He knows my heart. And He should. His finger prints can be found all over it.
Where, or in what do find your identity? Are you comfortable in your own skin, and secure in who you are as an individual and within a group?
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have been invited by Geralyn, from Where My Feet Are, Sibella, from Arts & Rhymes, Himali, from Decoding Happiness, Sagarika, from In Depth, and Christina, from The Wordy Rose to participate in a ‘3 quotes/3 days challenge. I don’t think I’ll be able to do this consecutively, but I will get all three out sooner or later 🙂 (this is post #2)
I’m a huge fan of being counter-culture (I touched on this a bit in a past post here). I want to be who I am meant to be. Not what society says I should be. Not what others say or think I should be. Not trying to live up to the expectations of others.
I used to be really insecure and my self-esteem was sooooo low. I remember when I was a teenager trying to decide what kind of ‘style’ I wanted to ‘be’. What for? Why not just wear what looks good on you, and what you like on yourself? Why not just do what you were made to do? Why not just be who you were made to be? Why not be an original, and not a copy of someone else?
How about you? Do you try to live up to the expectations of others? Have you tried to be someone you’re not? If so, why? Are you comfortable and secure in who you are? Are you living that out?
Erika, oh Erika
Why do you cry so?
When I tell you you’re beautiful
Why do you cry so?
When I say nice things to you
Why do you cry so?
What did they tell you
When you were a child?
What did they tell you
While you were growing up?
How did they hurt you?
How did they make you sad?
You are a beautiful girl
You are a beautiful girl
Erika, oh Erika
Why do you cry so?
When I tell you you’re beautiful
Why do you cry so?
When I say nice things to you
Why do you cry so?
I’m so glad I got to know you
To hold you and share with you
I’m so glad I got to love you
The privilege is mine to have known you
To me you are so precious
A jewel to be treasured
You are a beautiful girl
You are a beautiful girl
Erika, oh Erika
Why do you cry so?
When I tell you you’re beautiful
Why do you cry so?
When I say nice things to you
Why do you cry so?
This song was inspired by a girl I met in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. As the title suggests, her name is Erika. My husband and I were leading an arts team and one night, while doing some street performing in a slum area of the city I met her. I believe that God values each person as an individual, so I had made it a habit to pray and ask God who he would have me approach and what he would have me share with that person. I saw Erika watching in the distance and what came to my mind was a passage from the Bible, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavey laden and I will give you rest. Take my burden upon you for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I decided to take a step of faith and share that with her, and as I did, she started crying. This was during the beginning of our month-long stay in that place. Erika and I developed a really special relationship. So much so that she started calling me mom. She would come and visit us all the time and I would share God’s heart with her and she would cry, and cry, and cry. She is such a beautiful girl, and so precious. She is a jewel, as all people are in the sight of God. I don’t know what had caused her so much hurt and pain. I just know that her maker loved her, and wanted to make her whole. And so was birthed this song, ‘Erika’.
Have you ever felt like you were no good? Have you ever been belittled by someone? If so, how has it affected you as a person? How did it make you feel? Did you see yourself differently? Did you think of yourself any less than you had thought before? Did it affect your self-esteem. I know that it did for me. Penny for your thoughts hmmmmm…..
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