My Story

The equation for “love” by the world’s standards looks something like this: Job Title + Connections + Physical Attributes + House + [brand-specific] Car = Acceptance. And, flattery flips to, “What have you done for me lately?” without a moment’s notice.

It’s easy to lose control of your life in this “game” called people-pleasing. And, as you do, the things you desperately need to survive begin to sift away: Sleep, peace, well-being and healthy relationships. Your body tells you this is not a sustainable lifestyle, and life becomes a balancing act, as you attempt to hold up a house of cards. It feels fragile, painful and unstable, and you begin to wonder, what happens if it all falls? Will I no longer be “loved” and accepted?

Fortunately, the Lord loved me too much to leave me – even on a mountaintop, by the world’s standards. The Bible says, the Lord always provides a way of escape. Admittedly, His methods look different from ours. After all, He sees the full picture and knows what is best for us long-term. He knows we will remain unfulfilled when out of alignment with His will for our lives.

The way of life Jesus offers us is light and life-giving. It is worth relinquishing all else for.

As we invite Him in, He begins the work of correcting what is distorted. When we release what we have been holding on to for so long, whether it is success or pain – and, it is usually both – He does not desert us. In fact, we see Him more clearly than ever before. And, He does all the work to heal us. With His way, we can live and not die in a pressure cooker of expectations and exhaustions.

So, what does success look like in the Bible?

In Matthew 19:21, Jesus told “the rich young man”, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Wow, this is so countercultural. I thought that if I had enough faith, perhaps He would love me more and a bi-product of that would be that I was rich. (Wow. It’s hard to read my own truth!) But He does not say, “Come follow me, then I’ll make you rich.” The Word says, “put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22 – 24).

Money is man-made. I don’t want to be a slave to man. The Bible calls money a master. I felt that. And I do not want to live my life as a slave to sin. With money and “things,” comes pressure to constantly perform, and pressure is baggage that weighs us down and keep us from freedom. How can we clearly hear the voice of God when we are constantly responding to the shouts of people?

To be successful as Jesus describes it, we must rid ourselves of the baggage that keeps us from following Him. When we ask Him for help and freedom, for new life, He will help. He will help remove the burden. The house of cards will fall, and many of your fears must be faced. Yet, the Word says, when you see the truth, the truth will set you free. Seeing the truth removes you from chaos to see things clearly and eternally, bringing you peace.

So, as we let go of what we know, of what the world has served, what can we cling to?

Jesus is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He promises that, when we turn from the world and turn to Him, we will not come up empty handed. We will not be alone. The Bible tells us, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'” (Hebrews 13:5).

What’s your story?

Can you relate? Are you tired? Alone? Do you feel trapped, isolated, even desperate? If you are holding on for dear life, knuckles white, barely able to keep your grip, let go. Ask God to remove this burden from you. He will. And, as He does, be prepared, be open, to changes.

The Holy Spirit will come in to expose light into the darkness, into those areas that have been holding you captive. Here, the Lord will begin a process of deep healing, deep cleaning, inside of you. He will excavate that which does not belong.

As He unpacks the sickness, reveals idols you have adopted, and uproots lies you’ve accepted, just trust Him. Allow the tears to fall. Be prepared to release vices, even some relationships. Release your grip.

Though it may feel like you are losing everything, the Lord is actually purging you of the illness so He can transplant fresh life within you. The results will be renewal, transformation and reclamation. Like me, watch and be amazed as God trades beauty for the ashes of your wordly life.

Join me on this journey, as we reflect on how to live a life of truth and Godliness, leaving our former ways behind. You are not alone.

About Me

I’m a Christian, a wife, and a mom. I’m also a Media Producer and Marketer of 20+ years. I’ve worked for big-box media groups, owned two ad agencies, and, most enjoyably, worked with a couple of great, Christian media organizations.