Wednesday, April 24, 2013

You're Already Amazing- Chapter 1


Chapter 1: A Heart to Heart Talk

I hope you have had the chance to get your copy of the book, You're Already Amazing. If not, you still have time. This is designed to be an outlet for open communicaton between a community of girls who are trying to grow to be who God created them to be. Chapter 1 for me was a beautiful way to start this book. Holly describes three different types of women in this first chapter.

The friend sitting across the table at lunch- this is the woman who is constantly trying to juggle it all. It is the woman who is always trying to keep up with life. She feels like she has to do more, be more, give more of herself... only to be losing peace in the process. She's the one who says, "Sometimes I don't even like my life. And I feel so guilty because I am so blessed."

A women settling on the couch at the counselors office- She has dealt with abuse, with rejection, words spoken that have broken her heart. This is the woman who, because of deep hurt and brokenness, whispers, " I will never be enough".

The woman who writes the email from across the world- She feels meaningless and wondering if she has anything at all to offer. She says, "Everyone else matters but me. Everyone else has something to of offer but me. God must be so disappointed."

Holly says that there is a commonality of the women she encounters: "I know what it's like to wrestle with insecurities, guilt and the impossible standards of my own making."

On page 16, Holly describes the "it girl". Everything she wrote here, I related to. I don't know about you, but there are many times that I just don't feel like I can measure up. I tend to compare myself a lot. It may be with the girl who is running down the street, as I am driving in the car eating my children's leftover lunch. It could be the mom who has sent her child to school with the personalized snack, while I forgot to even pack one that day. Or the friend who's house always smells as if Mr. Clean actually lives there. It is the race we all run, and can never seem to finish...the exhausting race. I love how she says, "there aren't 'it girls'. There are only 'is girls'.

"God looks at you and says, 'She is loved, acceped and valued. She is created just the way I wanted her to be."

That is what this book is about. Us learning that message of Him creating us for something beautiful that only WE can accomplish. Everyone has their part in this beautiful design. Our goal isn't about looking at everyone elses, it is about finding ours.

She writes, "There's no competitition-only complementing and completion. Part of the beauty of that is how different we are from each other."

I am so excited about diving further into this book. I hope those of you reading this, will dive deeper with me.

So let's get this girl talk under way. In the comment section, would you mind sharing your answers to any or all of the following questions...

1. Which story at the beginning of the chapter could you most relate to (the lunch friend, counseling client or the woman who sent the email)?
2. The "it" girl is thought of as a woman everyone wants to be like in our culture. Do you ever feel pressure to be like women in the media or community? Share an example.
3. God says we are the "is girl". From the list in the picture below, which one does your heart need to hear the most?
 
I found this great printable from the website below:


Click on the link below to print a copy
http://deepsouthsweets.blogspot.com/2012/03/sweet-life-bloom-book-club-youre.html
 
 
Beautiful song by Bethany Dillon

2 comments:

  1. I'll kick off the discussion. I'm loving this book so far!

    1) I can definitely relate to the woman who sent the e-mail, who feels she has nothing to offer. I'm just in a season in my life where I'm having a hard time figuring out what my gifts are and how God has called me to use them. I'm longing to serve, but can't really figure out how to. I'm trying to have faith this will pass.

    2)Yes, I definitely feel the pressure to compare myself to others. For me, the pressure comes from Facebook. Too much time on Facebook makes me feel inadequate, because I don't have the "perfect" husband and children that so many of my friends seem to have. I know in my head that I am right where God wants me, and that their lives aren't really as perfect as they seem on social media, but sometimes it is hard to remember in my heart.

    3) Right now, I think my heart most needs to hear "You're called."

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    1. Catherine, I totally get what you are saying about facebook. I saw a quote that said, "Stop comparing everyone's hightlight reel to your behind the scenes." I too, will find myself looking on facebook and then feeling so defeated about being a wife, mom and friend. This book is really helping me see that God only wants me to be ME and no one else. Catherine, thank you so much for putting your heart out there and starting the discussion. You are "called" my friend. He has a place for us at a time for us. Just continue to seek Him and you will know what you are called to do. It may be different things at different times in your life. Just rest in His presence like you are. Thanks for sharing in this discussion with me.

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