How are you today? No really, how are you?

Daily demands we women face can be a bit overwhelming, ok, a lot overwhelming.

Cheerful givers we are, but sometimes the cheerful is a stretch.

We’re pulled in different directions, like rubberband girls, as we balance hats stacked on our heads. There are hard times, and there are just-doing-life times, and don’t we want more abundant life times?

Do you feel people always expect something from you?

Well, I want something for you.

I want for you to know, when you feel like giving up, when you’re tired and you’re weary, that everything you do matters.

I want for you to know, you are important, significant, and special, no matter how unimportant, insignificant, and not-so-special you may feel. I don’t want you feeling that way, and God doesn’t want you feeling that way either.

I want for you to know, those plans God has for you? They’re not just thrown together, like remnants in the pantry we try passing off as dinner. God’s plans were formed long ago with perfect faithfulness.

Now consider this:

What if we could overlay a transparency graph of our life, atop of the graph of God’s plans for our life? How closely would the lines line up? It would show times when our own plans veered us off track. Then hopefully it would show times when the lines became one, when we’ve drawn near to God, and listened for His voice and direction. How many lines would we see today?

You know what makes me sad? When those lines don’t line up. You know what makes me sadder? For some, those lines will never line up. I don’t want to be that person missing opportunities to help someone’s lines line up. I want to be the woman God calls me to be, to share His love and grace with others, and I want that for you.

I want to live my real life, not a palatable version I created in my head. I want to live who I’m really supposed to be, not who I think I’m supposed to be. I want me to be me, and I want you to be you.

I see hurting people, struggling with a life of addiction, lies, darkness…

That’s not supposed to be their life. God doesn’t create a work of art to waste away.

I want for them to live their real life, and I want for you to live your real life too.

I want for you to feel joy, and love, and peace, and I want that for them. Sometimes the them is us, because we all fight battles and we all fall down.

I want for all of us to see ourselves the way God sees us. That it isn’t us and them, we are all just us.

Be encouraged today. Did you ever notice when we encourage others, we are also encouraged?

We can’t afford to leave our calling and our purpose on the table like crumbs from breakfast.

Our real life was bought and paid for by Jesus Christ, and I want for us to live that truth. When we follow Jesus, we are living our real life. We’ll still mess up, but I am me and you are you. The real me and the real you, not a version the world tries to convince us we should be.

Let’s speak that real life truth to encourage others to live theirs.

I want for you to hang tight to faith, and know you make a difference in this world. The world wouldn’t be the same without the real you.

Are you living your real life?