January 2022: Keeping it Real, for REAL—A New Year Self-Exam.

Wow! What a way to begin the New Year—with a personal self-examination. Truth is, most of us can’t handle the truth about ‘ourselves' very well.  

I once heard someone say that 'real is rare'.  So if we can't be real with ourselves...what's the use.  So, here I  go....

Dark brown skin… Graying hair color…Aging gracefully.... That was easy.

A wife of 37 years…Mother of four…Grandmother of four. Not too bad so far.

A proclaimed Christian… True. But here comes to hard part.

Sometimes selfish… Sometimes arrogant… Sometimes prideful… TMI (too much information)!

Truth is, all of us have some unpleasant TRUTHs about ourselves. Whether we dare to share or even admit it privately, the reality is still the same. And even when we fail to admit it, the truth glares in the faces of others when it's unapparent to us.

In spite of who I am and what I claim to be, the Bible declares that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Psalms 139:13-14 reminds us of this, ”For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”

This verse does not excuse my shortcomings.  The Word encourages me to look up to God—My Creator—because He alone, causes me to recognize and acknowledge that He makes all things perfect.

I don't claim perfection, but when I look to God and put my trust in Him, I realize that He is able to strengthen and mold me into the woman of His choosing. 

So, God...you have some work to do and so do I.

Help me to examine myself with opened eyes and an opened heart so that I might understand “Me” more clearly.  Help me to look to “You” more completely knowing that  You (Alone), can change my mind so that my actions please you more and more everyday.

In 2022:

• I choose to know and to continue facing the truth about ME (good, bad and ugly)
• I choose to seek God’s strength in becoming a better ME

SIS Challenge:  Ask God to help you to understand the TRUTH about YOU and acknowldge the TRUTH about HIM.