#TruthAboutWhoYouAre

Title: #TruthAboutWhoYouAre
Materials: Ink, Brush, Paper
Description: The #TruthAboutWhoYouAre series was created to dive deeper into the Bible to discover who God says we are so we can live out our fullest potential. God has created all of us to do extraordinary things. You have what it takes to make great things happen. Not only that, you were created to do great things, according to Ephesians 2:10. Many times, we will feel like we are “not enough” or “not qualified” but those are just feelings. Our feelings are valid but we can’t let them determine the course of our life. The #TruthAboutWhoYouAre series reveals the truth about who you are.

Sharing written By Melissa Miller

“I’m just trying to find myself.”

I said those words many times during my early college years. For the first couple years, I thought finding myself consisted of reading self-help books, deciding on a major and listening to Coldplay while journaling. There were some students who seemed decided and resolved, they knew who they were and what they stood for. Those people intimidated me, I knew it wouldn’t take them long to see me for the lost girl that I was. No matter which veneer I put on, under the surface, I was searching for my identity and drowning in my attempts.

There was one confident and resolved young man who didn’t make me feel inferior. Brandon made me feel safe and accepted. It turns out he was the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) President (and my future husband). I didn’t know sending him an email would change the course of my life.

I asked Brandon in the email if I could meet with him and ask him questions about his faith. He invited me to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes that Thursday night, and even though I thought spotlights would shine on me and announce that I was a sinner, I agreed to attend. Brandon spoke about Peter walking on the water and said, “Every time we take our eyes off of Jesus we will find ourselves sinking.”

I knew I was sinking, drowning even. I raised my hand and accepted Christ into my life, even though I didn’t yet understand the extent of that decision. Brandon’s boldness and joy-filled life were what I desired and if he gave credit to Jesus for that, then Jesus was what I wanted.

Read full entry here.

This series follows the same bible verses as those from Joyce Meyers download, “Who God Made You To Be”.

Sharing written By Janice Moore

One of the most difficult realizations in my Christian walk was the fact that I am not and could not be in control of my life. I am responsible for my actions and reactions, but to “drive the bus” is not what I am called to do. I accepted Christ as my savior while in grade school, but I didn’t give up control until much later in life. Instead of deeply rooting myself in a relationship with Jesus, trusting when I couldn’t see the outcome and being full of thankfulness whether the times were good or not so good, I would look for ways to manipulate situations for a positive outcome. This didn’t produce growth or cause those roots of faith to go deep and become established, it fed the selfish desire to always be in control.

In Texas I worked in ministry and my husband was my number one volunteer for 22 years which resulted in developing lifelong friends. For those who know me well, they have heard me say (and quite often) that I would never move to California. I truly believed that it would be impossible 1) to change careers, 2) to be able to afford to live in the beautiful state where the cost of living is not so great and 3) to leave friends and family behind. God had other plans. He brought my husband and to the place where we had to make choice. There were multiple circumstances converging much like the perfect storm so I tried everything I knew to find a way out, around, over, but He knew best. I chose to trust Him. As my trust grew and as I gave up control He paved the way to bring us to one of the best times of our lives.

Read full entry here.

This series follows the same bible verses as those from Joyce Meyers download, “Who God Made You To Be”.

Sharing written By Meghan Robinsons

You and I are the handiwork of God. His masterpiece! Yet, how often do we criticize and question ourselves? Our criticisms and doubts are nothing but a slap in the face to a brilliant designer who had a plan before we took a breath. He fashioned you exactly as you are with a purpose.

Now as you begin to walk in confidence in the YOU that you were created to be….remember it’s not just about YOU! God is always working in us so that He can work through us. He fashioned you with a purpose to do great things that were prepared in advance for you to do.

So how do you identify what that is?

What are you passionate about?

1. What are you good at?
2. How can you take those two things and use them to affect the kingdom of God?
3. Ask a leader in your life what they see you being great at and how you can begin putting your gifts and passions into action.
4. Do something! (It’s not enough to come to a realization that God was intentional in designing you. It’s time to live intentionally! It is always easier to steer a car that is in motion rather than standing still. So just start somewhere and allow God to direct your path!)

Read full entry here.

This series follows the same bible verses as those from Joyce Meyers download, “Who God Made You To Be”.

Sharing written By Kelly Goff

10 years ago I found myself ready to face and overcome an eating disorder that I had given in to for about 3 years. I was 5’6, 95 pounds, weak and lost. Not being sure of really where to start,  I did all I knew to do…I turned to Jesus. I threw myself at His feet and asked Him to heal me. I began a journey with Him unlike anything I had experienced before. I remember one day as I was studying, 1 Corinthians 6:19 leaped off the page.

“Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” I realized that day what I had been doing and my heart was grieved. This earthly body I was abusing every single day was the very place the Holy Spirit had chosen to live and the instrument He had chosen to use on this earth for His glory. Here I was just throwing that away because I didn’t see myself as valuable, I didn’t see myself as anything special…I definitely didn’t see myself as anything worth dying for. But this verse told me God thought so highly of me He chose to buy me back from my sin at the cost of His Son AND He chose me to do His will here on this earth. What a gift I had been given!

Read full entry here.

Artist Feature | Kristen Stansell

The day I was born, my Grandmother gave me a poster that says, “God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow into them”. I have always been a dreamer. I believe anything is possible through Christ. That poster hung on my wall and I read it every day. The words helped encourage me to keep pursing a dream even when it seems so much bigger than myself. Those words helped shape my thoughts, which helped shape my life. I want to do for others the same thing that my Grandmother did for me. I create words because I know that words have power to them. They either bring life or death. I believe that each life giving word we speak or write to another helps push out the negative words.

I have drawn letters long before I had ever heard the word calligraphy or hand-lettering. I love writing, encouraging others, and I love design. So lettering is the perfect combination the things I am very passionate about. Two years ago my brother really encouraged me to do something with my lettering. He came up with the name Crafted By and I have been lettering since.