Vunerable

Hey All,

In order to fully be able to change who you are and the world around you, you need to be willing to be vulnerable...completely and totally honest, with yourself, God and everyone you come in contact with. It is scary. It can be messy. It is HARD. BUT it is rewarding. It is healing. And it is worth all the pain, once it becomes a habit. Vulnerability needs to be seen as a strength, rather than a weakness. 

I'm not one to wear makeup around the house, if I'm not going anywhere, or one who feels the need to put a full face of makeup on before I can go anywhere. However, I do rarely post pictures of myself, on social media without at least mascara on, or without a filter to at least help me look a little bit more "presentable" to the public. haha! Though, lately, I've become, more and more comfortable with little to no makeup on, and with going places without doing anything to my hair. I'm somewhat of a girly-girl, so I do like to put some effort into my appearance, but the more comfortable I become with who I am, on the inside, the more comfortable I am with how I look on the outside.

Ever since I was 6 years old, or maybe even younger, I've had guys tell me I'm beautiful (even gotten marriage proposals at that age ;P), but that doesn't mean I fully believed it then, or sometimes don't even now. The more honest I become with myself, and the more I choose to accept my flaws and mistakes, the more comfortable I am with how I look,but at the same time, I still don't think I'm all that pretty sometimes. I'm not saying that, to receive compliments and for people to tell me, I'm wrong, and that I'm gorgeous; it's the truth. 

I posted the above picture awhile ago on Facebook/Instagram because I figured it'd help in my process to love myself. This picture, is me with no makeup, no filter, and nothing done to my hair, (I'm pretty sure I'd just recently woken up when I took this) and I'd encourage all of you to be okay with posting similar pictures, of yourself.

The above picture was taken last night...no filter, and only lipstick and a little bit of eyeshadow/mascara. I was going to church so I wanted to wear something, but I didn't put on much makeup, and the best part is I felt pretty without it; such a freeing thing!

Makeup isn't the only thing we hide behind and anything that you're using as a shield from the world, or yourself needs to go. I pray you can find the courage to lay it at the feet of Jesus, today, because He cares for you! He is here in this place, and He is wherever you are, right now. No matter what you feel is holding you back, you can let it go because it is not worth it!

I know some people who think that the fact that I'm painfully honest and that I'm so open isn't appropriate, but I beg to differ. If we are going to come to any change in our lives, or if we are going to change anything in this world around us, we need to be so brutally honest that there is no doubt about where we stand. We are all the same underneath all our circumstances, all our mistakes, all our lies, and all our pain. If I can help one person realize that they are not alone in this world, because I was open and honest with my own struggles, and they can relate, than it was worth any "embarrassment," it may have caused me in the process.

I may be only 21 (well it's my birthday tomorrow), but I'd like to think that because I've decided to go about my life in away that cultivates change within myself that I'm one step ahead of some of the rest of those who are years older, yet still trapped in their past. This is not to say that I am better than anyone else, because we are all on our own journey, and we all need to get to certain places at different times because of who we are; however, I pray that I might be able to be used to help more people get there because I've done it while still young.

Honesty is always the best policy, and it doesn't matter if you think it'll ruin something great, because if it is really something great, it'll withstand you being true to yourself. It is tough when we loose friends or we loose opportunities "because we told the truth," but let me tell you something; if they were meant to be in your life they'd still be there, regardless. We can't control our circumstances or how people treat us, but we can control how we react to all that. If we stress about trying to control all of that by not being truthful than you are mistaken, my friend...if they react negatively towards our vulnerability than that is their problem and stressing about that, is only going to rob you of your joy, and it's not worth it!

This is not to say that sometimes we can be brutally honest in a bad way and that we don't need to be careful how we word things or act out our morals. There is a time and a place to reign in ourselves a bit, as long as we are not compromising who we are because of it. If you ever feel like you can't be yourself around someone or that you have to change who you are in order to please them, than more than likely, they are not worth your time. Obviously, relationships can change if you speak to the person about your concerns, but don't ever change who you are for someone else, ever!....unless that "person" is Jesus, than by all means, change! haha!

A friend of mine is going through similar changes that I am, this year, and it has be such a blessing to have someone who I can relate to! We have our difference,s sure, but having someone who sees where I'm coming from on so many things is amazing,  That said, I, also,  know so many people who are so trapped in their pasts or lies they've come to believe about themselves and those around them, that they can't break  free from, and it's so sad to me! Jesus offers us a life of freedom, joy, love, and peace, and far too many, choose to try and find all these things, without Him, which is next to impossible! You can find, earthly versions of each of these, but they will NEVER compare to what you can have with Jehovah!

I encourage you all to search for Truth in Scripture and to find the courage to live your life in full blown honesty, no matter what it seems to cost you! Jesus loves you and you always have a Friend in Him, I hope you know that!

Until Next Time!
<3Abi