My head has been racing with material to write on the blog. I figured before all else, I should get my testimony out there. This one has been a hard one for me to let go of and put it out here publically for a couple of reasons. 1) For obvious reasons...I'm out there...my sin, my shame, but His mercy and forgiveness come through 2) I feel that testimonies are more powerful when spoken...one would get to see the emotions and brokenness that comes with it. After thinking and praying about it, I still feel it is necessary and it will still be powerful I hope...it's done. To make it more effective and further humiliate...(clearing throat)...I mean glorify God, I also included some lovely pictures of me as a child, youth, teen, and young adult. I decided to leave it as a page on my blog (link on the right hand side)...that way I can change it as needed. I took the document that I presented when I gave my testimony last year and combined it with the material that I used and spoke on at the "Beauty From the Inside Out" conference and there we have it. A big, fat, juicy testimony!
You probably know by now that I am full of disclaimers and often repeat myself. This is just to make sure I am being clear...and that I have 2 legs to stand on if something were to ever come back and attack me. I know I have readers out there that really don't understand where this is all coming from. I tried to explain it in my very first post but the testimony should help answer that. And just because I have felt called to do these things or live this way, does not mean I feel everyone else must too. One of the biggest things Christians are criticized for is being hypocritical and judgemental. If I could somehow close the gap on that criticism, I hope to. I want you to know that judging is never my intent and if someone thought I was, I would want to be called on it. For me personally, this where I want my life to be and I still want to be friends with you, even if you aren't in the same place as me. Okay? Good. So those of you who have been ingoring me and not keeping in touch, please do. I miss you!
Oh, and remember the actual "Testimony" is on the right hand side under page links. Click on the link to "my testimony" and read away. It is rather long so feel free to skip it if you don't have time! :) You can leave comments about it here if you want (I am not sure if you can leave comments to pages). If you have any questions about any of it, feel free to ask! I'm an open book now!
Okay...so disclaimer time...I'll use the one I used before:
***not responsible for typos or other grammatical errors, laughter, tears, or any other emotions brought on by this post or posts there after. You may choose to not read this blog if you have any of the following conditions: pride, sin, a weak stomach, pregnancy, unteachable spirit, watery eyes, or a convicted heart.
4 comments:
If some of those you are referring to are your lunch pals from your old work, we aren't ignoring you! Don't you worry, we won't let God stop us. ;-p It's just been busy here. And since only one of us takes the initiative to email/call you (hint hint to those who may be reading), they have to wait until I'm unbusy. But I still love you and miss you and am ready for lunch!
And now I feel the need to say, the 'won't let God stop us' section of that was a joke, for other readers. I love God, and love Lindsay for admitting she does too. Okay, I'm done now!
compliment to Lindsay you are great at masking. you are who you think you should be for your audience. do you know who you are? it appears you are a different person with each social circle. did you post the picture of your chest because you want to show off your abs. was it really necessary? you are so hung up on image and who you think you should be instead of being true to yourself.
I feel the need to finally respond to an anonymous post. I feel if you really knew me and spent time with me at the present time, you would know that I am being honest and transparent and not masking. I know that I have done this for many years in the past. I did feel it necessary to put the picture in the testimony. I prayed over it before I spoke at the conference and I felt it was necessary at showing the degree to which we do things to ourselves in order to change us to feel more beautiful. I thought it would be a real eye opener for some. I know there are readers out there that have considered the option and I wanted to throw it out there. I work more and more each day to be true to myself and to who God wants me to be. I am sorry you have felt the need to leave numerous anonymous comments and can't be true to who you are by leaving your real name. I am open to critique and always want people to feel they can do so without me becoming defensive. I feel alot of the comments left have been to tear down and not to build up so I have chose to leave them off. Maybe they were meant to help me but truth spoken gently is more readily heard and more easily obeyed. Truth does not always have to be delievered from a refle barrel. Our words should be filled with grace (eph 4:29) and should mimic those of Jesus who came in grace and truth (John 1:14)
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