The battle of the mind is a fierce one that is not easily won.

What I tell myself when no one is looking can–and will shape the person that I am becoming.

You may look at my profile picture and see something very different than I intended. It has been awhile since I updated it, and so as not to deceive, I plan to get that taken care of very soon! You may also think that at my age, there is no more of the “becoming”… that I should just accept who I am, what I look like, and the stage of life that I am in.

Maybe you would even go as far as to remind me that it is too late to make a change–or that because I have not many years left, there is little to be done about making much of a difference in the future.

You couldn’t be more wrong.

Sure, there are things in my past that I cannot change. I can’t go back and I can’t “undo” mistakes. The choices that I made sometimes didn’t turn out quite like I thought they would, and they will never mysteriously disappear or be insignificant. These choices shape us and mold us–but they don’t have to define us.

‘Dear God, my Master, you created earth and sky by your great power—by merely stretching out your arm! There is nothing you can’t do. You’re loyal in your steadfast love to thousands upon thousands—but you also make children live with the fallout from their parents’ sins. Great and powerful God, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies, determined in purpose and relentless in following through, you see everything that men and women do and respond appropriately to the way they live, to the things they do. —Jeremiah 32:6-19 The Message

Here is a snapshot for you: I am an introvert. I have struggled with my weight, am seldom happy with how I look and often felt insignificant. My life’s passion was to be a wife and a mother, and many times I failed to “measure up”. I carry with me pain from my past and have regrets over some of the choices I made that are now affecting my children and my grandchildren…

… but that is not the end of the story. While returning to the past is not an option, I know that this day is an opportunity for good.

Some things cannot be undone, but I can weigh my options carefully and make decisions today that will be for my good and God’s glory.

I could toss out the scale knowing that I’ll never measure up, or I can see it as more of a barometer. If my expectations are to reach a place where I am perfectly content, then I will never find the peace I am looking for on this side of heaven. On the other hand, if I instead seek the truth about who God created me to me, I can find fulfillment in knowing that I am pursuing Him and His plan for the life He wants me to have. Don’t forget: He knows you. He loves you. He wants you to know Him. Faith is so much more than “I hope I can trust God with my life”, it is choosing to trust Him even when you can’t see how He can make something beautiful out of the mess that you see in the mirror.

~~~When I am honest with myself about where I am, who I am and whose I am, I will be better prepared for the path that is ahead of me.

So often we forget that God has already demonstrated how much He loves –not just humanity in general, but us. Like a father knows his child, He knew we would make mistakes. Not just the “uh-oh’s”, but the flat out rebellious, in-your-face, taking the Lord’s name in vain kind of sin. This word sin–it carries a heavy implication because it carried a heavy price. Do you realize that, of course Jesus knew, even as he was dying on the cross, that one of His closest companions would deny even knowing Him? Did that end His relationship with Peter? Nope. That was a pivotal moment for Peter, because in that moment of failure, he would decide to continue to deny the truth or choose to turn around (repent) and return to what he knew was the truth. Peter would later die because of his loyalty to his Savior.

As heavy as this all is, my heart is crying out for those of you who only see yourself according to what the world sees. Look deep within. Let the measure of your worth be found in the God who created you for a purpose. Weigh your options, and think about more than just the past–or even the number of days you might have left on this earth. Might you take time today to consider that what you choose to add or take away will affect more than just tomorrow–it will affect eternity! Repentance is a actually a beautiful word picture. It is when you or I return to the Father with surrendered hands that are ready to receive forgiveness in His open arms. He waits for you and He welcomes you. Whether you’re a believer that already knows Him as Father but you’ve tried to live for yourself, or a doubter who is seeking answers, I urge you weigh in on these truths. Consider the cost for not following Him.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 CSB

If you want to know more, go to my page titled, FAITH. I love getting comments! (below)

If you have questions or want to share your story, you can email me @ wateringcanblog@yahoo.com