Friday, October 23, 2009

keeping it real.

I can't STAND it when people are fake with me.

I once knew someone that I didn't see all that often, but when I did I got that over the top, fake bubbly attitude, and plastered on smile. I could never figure out who she really was underneath all her words.

I've thought about it though---that while I might not be a complete fake with people, I might not be as real as I can be with people.
What I mean is on a personal level am I willing to admit my faults? Can I'd admit I can be weak and weary? Do I ask for prayer and help with my struggles?
Not enough.
In the past few years, my best friend and I who are now separated by hundreds of miles have been better at being more genuine with one another. Being more open and honest than we ever before---even when we lived together in college. We have worked through some hard things together. Things that needed to be revealed to each other so we could help each other and heal, to point each other to Christ.
I've only recently realized the need to be more authentic, more real with the people I see most. It's been three years since we torn up our roots in Wisconsin and moved to Kentucky, and in those short three years Justin and I have met some amazing, lifelong friends. We have been so blessed to find and become members of an amazing church body.
A church plant, and still relatively small, we have a group of amazingly tight knit people who genuinely love and care for one other. The display of love from friends who are excited and passionate about Christ has shown me that I can be more open and transparent with them.
It has been so rewarding and encouraging to be able to humble myself, and confess my struggles, my weaknesses, my pains.
The articles this month over at Ungrind have been so encouraging to read as I see these woman struggle as I have. As I think about who I am, what I want to be.

"An authentic, godly woman -- from the depths of me -- this is what I long to
be. And I want to struggle well to become this. I'm thankful that God is
continuing to show me more and more about the healing He wants to give me, most
of all, in my relationship with Him.
As Tim Keller says, "all of life is
repentance." So if that's the case, and I believe it is, then confession must
happen all the time to God and to the people he has put in our lives."


Like Samantha talks about in her article, An Uptown Confession I too hope I can become a more authentic and godly woman as I swallow my pride and become more honest, transparent, and real with others.

1 comment:

Daughter of Eve said...

Amen. :) I've been thinking the same thoughts lately.

~Queen Lucy~