What a love story...

So I am going to be honest here.

I'm just getting tired of seeing things about love and relationships and marriage proposals because there's a part of me that gets hurt and feels discontent with life and like there's something wrong with me for being single at 21 when what seems almost every other "good Christian girl" is settling down by this point. (Which I know isn't totally true but it sure seems it on social media.)

The body of Christ has bought into this "fairy tale pure romance" story that every girl gets a Prince Charming chosen by God and they should get married young to stay pure and then have children to raise them up in Christ to build up more warriors for Christ because that's what life is all about.

I am not saying that is a bad thing. I know so many young girls, younger than my 21 year old self who are happily engaged, married, or even having babies with men who are amazing men of God and I can see God's hand at that. I am so genuinely happy for them. That was God's will. For them.

What I am saying is that when I see articles saying "it's our job as Christian women to get married young and raise Christian babies" I feel the pain of someone raised in a world where fairy tales and looking for love are the norm and those who haven't found it should keep looking and striving for it or else they aren't worthy of anything.

Cinderella found her worth in a guy who didn't even know her name after dancing with her. Aurora found her worth after a kiss from someone she danced with once upon a dream. Belle fell in love with a beast because she saw his heart.

We crave these stories as a society. Everything has some sort of romance story in it.

It's all we know. It's what we want.

If we don't reach those goals then we aren't worth anything. We are cat ladies.

I decided that there's nothing wrong with me, it's society and the church that does that. God has a different time schedule for everyone and in singleness I am learning that Christ is the only one who can love me completely without flaw or hurt. He is who my worth is found in. Those stories are not my life and nothing is that easy. I was made with purposes and plans that far exceed just a simple Cinderella story, I was made to proclaim Christ in whatever he wants me to do. Even if that means never falling in love with anyone other than Christ himself.

We as Christians are children of Christ and God designed us to crave love and affection. We try to fill it with nostalgia, food, people, pets, books, movies, material possessions, charity deeds, and so much more. But after it all, we end up with a bigger need for love. A hole that can only be filled with Christ. His love. His cross. He was pierced and has nail holes in his hands and feet so our empty holes in our hearts could be filled without anything we had to do except ask.

Now that's a love story. A man dying for his bride all so that she could live in peace and covered in grace and blessings.

That is what everyone needs.

So for all the people who are in love and have families, I bless you and pray God covers you and pours out his spirit upon you and your families. I pray you and your husbands are blessed and kept together in good and bad. I pray your kids are strong in the Lord and leaders and warriors for Christ.

And for all the single Christians out there, hang in there. Fill the lovesick feelings with more Jesus. He does not return void. Hide under his wings when you feel the sting of loneliness. Breathe in his grace and promises and his truth when you feel hurt and unwanted. Focus on the passions you have that you can use for Christ to make your love story with him more beautiful. You are worth just as much love as anyone else.

Christ thought so. He came and died on the cross so you could feel his love.

You are worth it. You are loved already.

Sorry for this rant and if you don't agree, please know I did not say any of this to offend anyone(though I doubt anyone reads this). This is my open journal. I write what my heart is crying.

Much love and blessings this end of the year,

Lexie

Nobody left behind

What if the goal was to leave nobody behind?

What if instead of having lost causes we saw everyone as deserving Jesus and the chance to see him face to face?

We, or at least I'm guilty of, seeing some people as just too far gone sometimes. They deny Christ. They trash him. They mark their religion as none on Facebook or something really mean. They are rude to you. They trash you. They trash your beliefs. They trash your God. But the thing is. He is not just your God. He is a God who reigns over everyone. He is a God who loves everyone. He is a God who sent his son to die for everyone. Before you were born he was saving people and loving people and he will after you are gone.

Our goal is not to get saved and arrive safely at death with no one else in tow.

That is not being a good and faithful servant. That is being selfish and poor.

This is a ticking time bomb that we need to be aware of. All we have is our life and we need to use it to help others, show Jesus, and rescue and save people for him.

John 6:35–40 (NIV)

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day

He wants to lose none of these that are given to him.

That shows he doesn't want to lose the mean atheist down the street who was made in God's image.

He doesn't want the orphan down the road to be lonely without Jesus because they're too low on the food chain to be dealt with.

Your addicted cousin or aunt or old friend, they aren't too far God for the hand of God to touch them. Rescue them. Heal them. Give them life.

Everyone has two things in common, saved or not saved:  they are made in the image of God and loved by him,  and they have potential to do something great for God's kingdom.

So don't plan to leave some people behind and think some will just be left behind, but plan to take as many people with you to heaven someday.

It's the great commission.

Laments

Do you love God enough to tell him how you feel for real

Lament- a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

I have been dealing with a lot lately and have had to learn an important lesson. Lamenting to God is okay. Crying out to him and telling him how you really feel is totally okay. In fact. It's encouraged. 

David and the other psalmists lamented. Job lamented. Jesus. He lamented. 

So why do we feel like it's not okay? We act like we have to hide our real feelings from God and act like we should only give him our praise and keep the rest of ourselves to ourselves. 

I think it's because of the world we live in. I have a question: how many of you share your true feelings to the people around you? 

If your like me... Probably no. I have like 3 people maybe that I open up to. I've always been like that. Super selective to who I share my heart to. And sometimes i misjudge who is a good steward and I get burned. 

But. That's what I'm learning. God isn't a person. He won't burn me and turn his back on me.   He loves me and cherishes me. All of me. 

So I am now trying to find words to lament to God about how I feel. Telling him I am tired and frustrated. And then when I can't find the words, I just sit and trust that God knows what my tears and my feelings mean and that he is holding me. And that he has a plan that I cannot see. 

I'm trying to be okay with lamenting. But I also won't live there. I will lament. Then I will praise. I will cry. Then through tears I will smile knowing that God has a plan and a purpose and that he has never let me down before. 

David lamented. Job lamented. Moses lamented. Jesus lamented. So I will lament. 

But David praised. Job praised. Moses praises. Jesus praised. So I will praise. 

Life is a learning process, but the teacher is good and someday I plan to hear ,"well done my good and faithful servant." And have no more tears. No more pain. 

So I will continue this marathon that is full of little races and sprints. 

I will lament. I will praise. I will get through this season. God is good. 

-Lexie. 

It's a label thing.

I have been labeled different things all my life as all of us have. Short. Ginger. Too pretty. Too ugly.  Too skinny. Too fat. Too loud. Too quiet. Too bold. Too shy. 

Notice how these all seem to contradict each other? 

That's because it is just one person's opinion about you. About me. About everyone. We all formulate our own decisions on what we think of someone. I know I can tell if I will like someone in the first 5 minutes of a conversation.  At least I thought that. Then I realized that you cannot learn anything about anyone from five minutes. Stories and joys aren't heard in five minutes. Dreams and callings and passions are heard in five minutes. Five minutes is nothing. 

Girls are bad about this(I can't speak for guys so...). Girls do "the scan". They look each other up and down and instantly judge what they like, dislike and if they want to talk to that person in that scan. This is heartbreaking to me because as women we should not be judging other women who are in the world and probably fighting the same battles we do. And as christians, we should know to look at the heart. 

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7 KJV)

Another thing that's just been on my heart is that people let the labels "introvert" and "extrovert" label themselves into chains sometimes. I hear so often "oh no! I couldn't go to that, I'm an introvert". Or "its okay that I'm loud and outgoing, I'm an extrovert" or "I just can't deal with any people today because I am an introvert" or the most shocking one I've heard this week, "I don't have time to have time with God because I'm just such an extrovert so I have a lot of social activities."  

To me, this just seems like another labeling process that happens to match our personalities. 

Why can't an introvert break out of their comfort zones(in their own way, I'm not saying we have to be a head cheerleader. There is a place for introverts in the body of Christ. Small groups are an amazing place) to get closer to where God wants them?  Why can't the extrovert use that social gift they have to reach people, but also have time all alone with God?  

Why not be introverts and extroverts and not use it as an excuse to settle for less than who we are made to be?  Why not just be Children of God who are not conforming to the ways of the world and just stand on the truth that God made us how we are and the labels he has for us aren't what the world uses?

The world says we are all imperfect, and that is true. But we are perfectly loved by a perfect God. The world says we are not good enough,  and that is also true.  But God is more than enough. The world says we are better off in our comfort zones. But God says that the best things come from Him and he doesn't stay in that comfort box. 

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 KJV)

So I challenge you to push past labels and step into who you are made to be in Christ. 

He is worth it. 

-Lexie 

PS- Girls, stop scanning. Every girl is fighting a hard battle in this world. We need to stick together and lift each other up. 

Create November

I woke up early this morning before everything got crazy on this visit home and I had some great time with God. I realized that I have potential. We all have potential. But we rarely realize this potential. 

I have been plagued my whole life by seeing people and my heart breaking over their potential not being reached. There were amazing artists, musicians, teachers, potential spiritual leaders...all had one thing in common....they had no idea how great God had made them. They had all these talents that were given to them but they never used them for his glory. Some never used them at all. It always broke my heart. 

That's what I realized this morning.  We probably break God's heart more than just when we sin. We probably break his heart when he gives us gifts to use for him and to be our life, and we put them on the back burner. We don't want to put ourselves out of our comfort zone. 

The things that God formed for us. Our voices. Our hands that can draw or paint or craft such amazing things. Our brains that are studious. Our hearts that are open to caring.  We put them aside to chase money and the American Dream. We forget that God made us to chase his dream. 

I felt really convicted. I am in school to be a pastor and a worship leader, but I was gifted with more than just those things. Yes I was born to do that and was called to be a student for this season, but I'm also called to live a creative life and to reach out for God and to listen to what he wants me to do daily. 

So this November I am going to try harder to use the gifts God gave me and develop them. I am going to try to seek God more and put the American Dream aside for his dream. I am going to try to create at least one thing daily. I am going to try to love people more. To slow down and just breathe. To dream bigger dreams and start going after them with God's blessings. 

This is my twenty first year of life, and I have so much more life to live. I can either live it screaming at the dark and being frustrated that no one is doing anything happy anymore and no one is reaching the lost and not many are making beautiful things, or I can turn on the light and realize that maybe why I am so frustrated is cuz only I can make the things that I am dreaming of seeing. Only I can do what God designed me to do. God knows me better than anyone, any friend, any family, or any man can ever know me because he formed me. He knows that what he created me to create will bring me joy, and that is what I am missing lately. 

I'm sorry if this is rambling and this is naive to some, but this is my blog and it's my journal and if you don't like it then oh well (pretty sure my dad is the only one who reads this haha). 

I just wanted to write today. And to challenge myself publicly, and hopefully challenge someone else as well to stop dreaming and start doing. Create November is starting. 

Love and Peace,

Lexie 

Broken into Beautiful...

Hey everyone! or anyone....Hi dad...

So I am at Lee University now and I am really loving it. I am making friends and having fun, I actually enjoy the majority of my classes. My roommates are great. Everything is just really lovely.

I am also learning what it means to be healed in really unexpected ways. God is showing up so much, it's like I can hear him directing my days and to me that is new and beautiful.

I have always felt left out in this world and different because I have had a strong and stubborn belief system that I do not deviate from, but the differences that used to make me feel broken make me feel proud now. I know who I am and whose I am and that is something most 21 year old's cannot say.

I have grown a lot in the past two years. I have had my life uprooted by God several times, three really big times and all of them have taught me different lessons.  The first lesson was that my worship is for God alone and that trusting in His plans is all that will get me through some seasons.  The second lesson was that even when I am far away and all alone, I am never really alone as long as God is with me. I cherish the year of loneliness with God even in the midst of being around people. He is all I had in the hardest year of my life so far. And the third lesson I am learning now is that the obedient will see God and that new seasons bring new challenges, but God is still God.

I am so tired right now from the peak of a semester but I feel so strong and so blessed. I am covered by a God who knows everything I need and a God who chose me to be where I am.

How amazing is it that God knows all we need and supplies it, but also hears our cries when we feel empty surrounded by all we need. He is all that can fill us, but also blesses us with fellowship and relationships. He is amazing.


I am also learning that this life is not about me. Many college students are in an "all about me" mentality and God has been breaking me of that so very much over the past two years. If it is all about me then how can I live for Him? How can I see miracles happen and lives transformed for His glory if I am only looking to serve myself?

Over the past two months I have been helping every Monday with Family Promise of Bradley county as a way to start the week with focus on others instead of myself. I told God I would sacrifice the few hours every week just to show Him that I would still follow where He wants me to be.

Boy has He shown up in such crazy ways.

The first week it was just me babysitting for 6 kids.
A little back story on Family Promise, the kids I watch and their families are homeless for one reason or another and move every week from church to church for 8 weeks while they work through a program and are looking for jobs and homes. I did not know any of that going into this. I just saw babysitting and figured, "Hey I can do that."

What I didn't expect was to be welcomed in by one of the families I was watching kids for and to be able to pray over the parents and kids and stand in the gap with them for a place to live.  Every Monday I would come and the 10, 3, 2, and 1 year old would yell "LEXIE IS BACK!" and we would play and I was blessed to be a light and sort of stability to the kids that they didn't have otherwise.

I left the first night just crushed for them and praying that God would use me in whatever way he could to bless this family and strengthen their faith in Him.

What I did't expect was God to use this family to strengthen my faith and to bless me.

About two weeks ago from yesterday I got there like I had every Monday and the kids mom pulled me in the church kitchen to tell me some news.  "I wanted you to be one of the first to know, God gave us a house, two jobs, and two cars this week, We are not homeless anymore. Our prayers have been answered more than I could have asked."   I was floored! I knew that God would give them a home eventually, but I hate to admit that my faith was stuck on the "eventually" part. I just knew that God was a God who provides and I told the kids that every week.  God used this to build all of our faith in His provision and miracles.

What a great God we serve!!

So now they have invited me to see their house when it is all set up and I do not see them every Monday. I am so happy to say that, because that means that they are moving forward in their God story. It means that the kids can live in a house and grow up normally and will always have this miracle to look back on. They can understand God's love.

I still volunteer every Monday. I have a new single mom who I can watch her two year old and 3 month old for. Who I can pray over and be there for. But I also can tell her without a doubt in my heart that God WILL provide for her. That He has done it before and He will do it again. That He loves her and cares about her needs and the needs of her kids.

That he takes what is broken and makes it into something Beautiful. Again and Again



I hope you all have a great week,


Lexie

Gratia

Grace is: From the word 'grace', derived from the Latin 'gratia', meaning God's favor. (http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/grace)

That is what I am praying over this upcoming school year. Gratia. God's Favor. 

I will be at a new school(Lee University), in a new state(Tennessee), with new people, new classes, new chances. New everything.  

I am so excited and apprehensive at the same time. This is a new adventure. I was made for these things. 

Most of you probably know what my name is Alexis Grace. What you may not know is what those names mean.  

Alexis means Helper and Defender of Mankind.  Grace means Grace and it comes from a word meaning God's favor.  

You also may not know that I was named after someone." Lady Grace". My mother's spiritual mother, my spiritual grandmother.  

This woman was an amazing woman and a worship leader with a voice "anointed like no other".  

That is who I am named after and what I pray is my Elijah/Elisha anointing will be blessed in.  

My mother chose to name me after a woman who was a blessing in her life, and also chose to give me a strong name to live up to. 

The Jewish people believe in giving their children strong names with good meaning's because they believe that every time you say that person's name, you are speaking the meaning over them. That they will become what their name means. 

Jacob meant supplanter, so God changed his name to Israel. Isreal means Who prevails with God. 

If God believes in the power of a name, then who are we to question.  

So this year I am speaking my name over myself.  I pray I can be a helper of people and of God. I pray I can be a defender of mankind. That I can stand up for those who need it, be there for those who need a friend, look after orphans and widows, love on everyone.  I pray I can be covered in God's grace and favor.  

This is a new school year. In a new place. With a new start, comes new responsibilities and opportunities.  

I pray that this is a great year and that I, and all of you, remember who you are and whose you are. You may not have a name that means anything really, but God calls you by many new names.  Loved. Child. Blessed. Covered in grace. Prevailer. 

Do not forget what God calls you in a world that will call you other things. 

Make this a year to remember. 

-Alexis Grace

You Make Me Brave

Bravery, the act of being brave...what is that to me? 

As a young girl I would picture soldiers  or a knight fighting a dragon to save a princess. Then when I got in my teens I thought maybe  it was a boy who would sweep me off my feet. 

I didn't seem to realize that God was the bravery I needed, and he lived inside if me. 

I have struggled my whole life with anxiety and a fear of being inadequate. I have heard it all; from anxiety is a sin to put your trust in Jesus. I realized that is a lot easier said than done and thankfully God knows my heart and knows my struggles. He knows I have always tried to be brave. But without Him it is impossible. 

At this stage in my life I have had to be brave for a lot of things. From moving several times, and then moving away alone, to transferring schools and being out of my comfort zone again. Then to singing on new worship teams and stepping out in faith that God made me for worship and that glorifying him is my destiny. Every step, no matter how small has taken bravery. Bravery from God. Peace from God. Trusting God. 

And He has never let me down.  I learned that it is so much easier to embrace the waves then run from them, because regrets leave me feeling unfulfilled. 

Again, I am just journaling on here so I can look back someday. But I challenge you to be brave. To follow Him wherever He leads.  It will be glorious, even if it is only you and Him...that's truly all you need. 

-Alexis Grace 

(I encourage you to look up "You Make Me Brave" by Amanda Cook, it's my life song right now)

What does He look like to you?

A question that popped into my head today was "What does the devil look like to most people?"
I instantly pictured the satan horns and red faced guy that causes trouble on ones shoulder, or the scary movie versions that just creep me out totally.
I think that is what most people picture when they think of him. Maybe that is why there is so much trouble now of days.
See in reality the devil doesn't always show up as a bad guy, in fact right away he rarely does. He normally will show up as all your hopes and dreams, or fun.
I see a lot of people get into really bad relationships because they don't have the discernment to realize that the guy that the devil is making look so good for the moment is actually a jerk. By the time they realize it they are in over their heads and don't know how to get out. He shows up as a promise to be loved by someone and as a dream of a life together, not as the snake that he is.
When he appeared to Adam and Eve in the garden he didn't look threatening.(side note: a talking serpent would be crazy threatening to me but they didn't know to fear snakes yet since there was no reason to) He looked like any other animal, except that he spoke, and he offered them hopes and dreams of knowing everything....then came the fall.
He came and offered them a wrapped up gift that looked so appealing, but inside that gift was the worst thing they could have imagined. It separated them from being with God.
We find it so easy to criticize other people's sin, heck we think,"Well if I was in the garden walking with God and he said not to eat the fruit, no snake is going to talk me into it."  But don't we all do that in different ways?

God is standing there saying to get out of a bad relationship because he has better and only He can love you unconditionally, yet it takes us years to realize it and damage has been done.

God tells us not to lie because he knows it will only cause trouble for us, but the devil makes it look like lying will make the situation easier for us...until someone finds out.

God says to not be quick to anger and not to lash out, but then the devil says that it will make us feel better to let it out and not hold stuff in...and that works until we lose valuable relationships and then all we have is ourselves and our bad attitudes.

God says to flee from sexual immorality, the devil says that the momentary pleasure will be worth it...then someone may end up pregnant or emotionally scarred and have damage that can only be fixed through the cross.

The devil shows up and puts on a show for us, and without discernment we fall for it every time. We are weak, but God is strong. We are meant to walk with God and to resist the devil as he waits like a lion to destroy us.  Nothing that comes from satan is good in the end, it is all to hurt us and keep us away from God. But everything that is of God is good.
I pray that we all strive to pray for more discernment in life as it a constant battle. Thankfully we are saved and loved by a God who loves us unconditionally, even when on our best day we are dirty rags. He calls us chosen and beautiful. He is a God of forgiveness, and He wants to keep us safe. And the battle has already been won.


Much love,

Lexie

New Seasons...

I have been kind of lost lately. Really homesick. Really stressed from school and really busy from it as well. I have been in my own little world trying to get everything done and have been facing mountain after mountain. God is faithful and has not let me down in even the smallest parts of my life.
You see in the past nine months I have learned that God cares for even the little things in my life, because he cares for me. I firmly believe I would not have gotten any grade I have gotten or completed anything or been able to accomplish all I have in the past two semesters without God's help and his constant hand upon me.
He's always been faithful.

A year ago God spoke the words of New Comfort to me.

Over the past nine months I have left home, been placed in so many uncomfortable situations, shared a room for the first time, broken up with someone that was not meant to be in my life, changed my major, made new friends, learned that not all girls will try to screw me over like most in the past, and have learned that when I am down to nothing and feel alone...God is there and He is all I need.

I heard this quote once, it said, " I am fiercely independent,but terrified of being alone."
I am this way. I am a really independent person and responsible to a fault sometimes, but I have this fear of rejection and being alone.  God really showed this to me this year, because he took away all my comfort zones so only He was there.

I am so thankful for that. I learned to sing a new song to my Lord that I would have never known otherwise. I cried out to God so many times this year in loneliness though surrounded by a sea of people because I just felt so overwhelmed and I needed some of my comfort zones.
And you know what happened?

God became my comfort zone.  His arms embraced me. His hands held me.  He held me under His wings. And to top it all off be defined my purpose in life.

His grace is made perfect in my weakness.

 HE SHOWED UP. Without fail.

I am so thankful for this past year as it comes to a close, though it was the hardest season of my life because it taught me just how deeply God cares for me and it also helped show me the priorities in me life like family, worship, the great commission, and how a kind word is worth more than gold.

So now God is speaking new words to me.  New Season.

I looked up verses on new seasons and this is what I found:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 43:18-19

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”  Psalm 20:4

“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”  Habakkuk 1:5

So as I head into a new season in a new place that is closer to family, I look forward to how God will help me, test me, love me and show me His glory over and over. I choose to trust in him.  I may not understand exactly what will happen and how it will all workout. But I will be okay. 

"From victory over the grave. To victory over this day, you reign high and lifted up. Seated on your throne, countless glory you've shown over us. Worthy is your name. Jehovah Shammah. Ever present God. You never leave me alone, in darkness your my rock. This victory is yours, as are all the ones before. The battle is won in your name... For Forever You Reign."

In Christ,

Lexie

HAPPY SPRING :))

Messy Message

I am in no way perfect.
 I will never have a day where I do not want to wear leggings as pants.
 I will never have perfect AG hair(In fact my hair can look like a lion mane some days). 
I will probably never have straight A's on my own power. 
My voice will never be flawless and Broadway ready. 
  I will probably never be satisfied with good enough.
 I am a perfectionist, but I will never be perfect.  

My life is full of holes and pain and splotches.
 I desperately need the blood of Jesus every day. I will feel cheesy and awkward one second, and be on top of the world the second. But my mess of a life is full of God's message.

Everything that has happened in my life is to be a message for His Grace. His glory. His Love. 

You see, today in chapel the speaker told her story and it was a lot like my story in some ways.  Always needed to be perfect. Hard time forgiving myself. Shameful cloud over life.  Then she said something that shook me to the core...
"No matter what we walk through, it is a part of our story and He can use it for His glory."

She spoke on how God doesn't deal in the currency of shame. How guilt says, "I did something wrong." Shame says, " I am wrong."   She spoke on how we need to get rid of the toxic in order to make a difference. That really resonated with me, because that is my life goal: To make a difference.   
 She mentioned my favorite story in the bible.  It is found in John 8. It speaks of  woman who was caught in an act and was shamed by members of the church by being brought to Jesus:
John 8:1-118 

New International Version (NIV)

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This woman was caught in an act, but Jesus did not shame her. He got down with her and protected her and loved her.  He picked her up and changed her life. 

Unlike the members of the church that condemned her, Jesus loved her for the mess she was and saw the potential in her.  Shame says you have no potential. Jesus says Leave your life of sin and live out your potential.  

Restoration is a process and it does not happen over night, but God believes in you.  In me.  

God loves my hair the way it is, he made my voice and my love of worship and singing. He gave me the brain I have and knew I would struggle in classes and have to depend on Him for every single grade. 

Shame says I am not good enough.  That I am unlovable. That I am not talented. That I have messed up too much to be loved.  

Jesus says I am enough with Him. I am loved by Him. I am talented for His glory. And that nothing can separate me from His love. 

What is shame saying to you? What is Jesus saying? 

I encourage you to listen. 

You may be a mess, but He can use your mess for His message.