Captivating

In the past, I have been very wounded and the result of that was me being very guarded and refusing to show emotion. It took me a good year to even consider opening up to the Lord and forgiving those who had hurt me. Since the forgiveness process has began, the Lord has slowly and very patiently worked with my wounded heart. He has and is still shaping me and mending everything I have hidden from Him for so long. One of the major things He is helping me with is showing my emotions. I am finally getting to the point of being able to talk about what I am feeling and what I think. I am over coming the lies the enemy has planted in my head. Lies like "It's unsafe to show your emotions." "You will get hurt if you let others in." "You and your emotions are too much, but you as a person are not enough." Through the power of forgiveness and Christ, I am free from those lies. Now this is not to say that I do not struggle with those thoughts still, but they have no power over me anymore.

Today, I was struggling more than usual because I have been showing and investing more emotion into something than I ever have and my worst fear started to become true... I showed emotion and I was too much. I felt shame today for what I felt rather than captivating. I began to feel as though closing up again would be the safe and easy route (as it probably would be); however, I talked to my amazing sister in law instead. She spoke the awesome words of God to me. She reminded me that I am valuable and my emotions are too. She reminded me that who I am and who the Lord has made me in the past year is so much more important than something that makes me scared to be who I am.

It's amazing how the truth can penetrate so deep to the core of you. So, today I want to encourage the girls in my life and remind you of a few things:
1) You are Captivating to the core of who you are and you are loved by a God who is fiercely devoted to you.
2) You are enough as who you are and whoever you are meant to be with will never see you as too much.
3) Do not be afraid to be vulnerable and show tenderness because the Lord is and made us to present that side of Him to the world.

Love,
Heritage Marie