Wild and Free

I've found my "Book of the Year" and I have to share it.

Oh man, this book  gets me right where I am, like it was written just for me. So many books I've read lately feel like self-help books that weigh me down with one more way I'm falling short; if you can master just one more thing, you'll be a better version of yourself. And the thing is, I already keep a running list in my head of all of the reasons I don't measure up. This box-checker really doesn't need one more item added to that never-ending list. 

What I loved so much about Wild and Free is that it reminded me of who I already am and that I have everything I need as a child of God. For a while now, I've felt restless, like God's calling me deeper in certain areas of my life. And I don't know exactly how that looks yet or where it will take me, but I know that I'm afraid to even take baby steps because I'm afraid of failing and can think of so many other people who can do it better than me. 

Even this blog is a great example. I've always known that I'm a writer. I love the written word and there's always this longing in me to just write. I constantly feel this tension that I just need to get my thoughts out of my head, into written form. But I stay away from writing on this blog because what I have to say isn't anything earth shattering or spectacular. So the perfectionist in me says I shouldn't do it at all. Maybe one day, when I've finally arrived as that person I want to be, whoever she is, I'll have something great to write down.

Another example, I know that God's calling me to deeper relationships and to be more intentional with people in my life. But that gets me way out of my comfort zone and I can think of plenty of people who can do that better than me. Automatically, I think of the friendships I've failed and anyone I've known who thinks poorly of me. Fear keeps me from cultivating community and I know surely there are people more qualified than me. Of course, I'm sure one day, I'll be better at that, but I'm not there yet. 

I know that I'm called to a purpose, for God's glory, but I'm so afraid of messing up that I don't pursue it. But there's this one page that I've dog-eared and read over and over:

This called me out. I do this in every area of my life. If I can just be this or just be that. One day I'll have it together enough.

This chapter of the book goes on to say, "You can stop running, stop striving, stop hoping that one day you'll be the better or best version of yourself. You can walk away from comparison, throw shame in the trash, and stop skipping around worrying about whose toes you step on. Because of Jesus, we don't have to try so hard."

And this: "as daughters of God who are redeemed in Christ, we're not just ornaments to sit pretty on a shelf. We are pronounced as having purpose, conceived with an objective, given gifts and callings, and put on earth to help move the kingdom of God forward."

God has pronounced me as having purpose, conceived me with an objective, given me gifts and callings and put me on earth to help move the kingdom of God forward. 

I don't want to miss out on that because I'm waiting on a better version of myself. God has already deemed me qualified. And you know what? He's done the same for you.

We're already enough and we're never too much. Let's walk in that. 

I have to stop myself because I could keep pulling more excerpts from this book, but trust me, you just need to read it. I hope it's a breath of fresh air for you in the way it has been for me. 

(source)