My worth is in my creator. Not in this world.

Last weekend was Women's Weekend. Probably one of my favorite weekends because I love seeing women strive to love the Lord! We had 300 women, maybe more, wanting to worship, praise, honor, and give glory to ONE GOD. How cool is that?! It was a beautiful site to see.

We talked a lot about our worth and because we have Jesus, what he frees us from ("For freedom in Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery"-Galatians 5:1).The speaker, Tammy Smith (who is amazing! Check her out, here!) said there are four things (among many) that we are free from: comparison, condemnation, others approval and opinions, and insecurity.

One of those really stood out to me. I realized that I take others approval and opinions and make them my own opinion about myself. This is something that is very dangerous to do, but it is something that I struggled with all of my life.

When I was in fourth grade a girl began to bully me. She would turn all my friends against me and would talk about me behind my back. She didn't just stop there. My mom worked at my school as an aide for outside. She helped with recess and watching over the kids. This girl sent a petition around my class to try and get her fired. I remember crying and running to my mom and then going to guidance counselor to talk about being bullied. I thought it would end in fourth grade. But in high school it started again when we were sophomores. Again, she turned all my friends on the volleyball team against me. I remember feeling like I was a nothing, she made me feel like I had no worth because of what she told me I was. I let her words effect me for so long.

Another instance when I let words from someone else tell me who I was is when I was in my first year of college and I dated a guy who sexually and emotionally abused me. I remember him calling me stupid, retarded, fat, and the list goes on. I thought that was who I was.

I thought I was over this, but then I realized I had done it again. Just recently this semester, someone said I was too serious and that I was dramatic. Even though I knew that if he thought that about me, he didn't really know me and never took the time to get to know me. But I still took it serious, so much so that I would try to be super funny with my friends. I tried to be less serious and more funny. I thought that was what society wanted. Then someone else, who was very close to me, said that I was way too passionate about Christ and that it wasn't normal to be that way. Can you believe that I didn't hear satan loud and clear?? But then I remember this:

I love Jesus, and if you're not taking it serious, then maybe you should rethink YOUR life. 

So. What do I say about all of this? 

Maybe I am a little dramatic, maybe I like to have serious conversations, maybe I love Jesus too much (is that such a thing??), maybe I mess up in life. But NO ONE has the right to tell me who I am. I am a daughter of Christ, my Savior and King. HE made me, not you. He gave me all the qualities that I have for a reason. I am loved by Him and you are too. If you someone has said something about you and you're letting it become who you are, DON'T LET IT! Instead, check out what Jesus says about you: 

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by words, so that no once can boast. FOR WE ARE GOD'S HANDIWORK, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:8-10

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made; your works are WONDERFUL, I know that full well." -Psalm 139:13-14

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. FOR HE CHOSE US IN HIM before creation for the world to be hold and blameless in his sight. In love he PREDESTINED US TO BE ADOPTED as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his PLEASURE and will--to the praise of this glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Ephesians 1:3-6

He delights over you...He loves you with an unimaginable love. Don't let others tell you who you are, because they weren't your creator. He was. 

P.S. Check out this really awesome video about bullying. It's pretty legit. 

NOTE: If it was you that made these comments about me, thank you for saying them so that I can learn these lessons. Don't feel bad, or feel like you did anything wrong. You were only making observations and I forgive you :)