Blog : unashamed

What happens in the quiet moments in your life? When you press pause on social media, when the tv goes dark and the only sound is your breathe, the only movement is your body in your cozy bed. I find myself in my most vulnerable form in those moments. When I reflect on my life – what I’ve suffered and accomplished, the areas in me I see growth and the areas I ache for freedom. When I let my heart wander through the opportunities I’ve been given to leave a simple reminder of Jesus’ love for someone who needed it & if I’ve been faithful in my calling to be His hands & His feet in this world. I know the quiet moments can be hard for so many people, anxieties sneak up so easy in the dark & quiet – A.W. Tozer said, ‘we need never to shout across the open spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thought.’ Even further, God doesn’t run when we have a dark thought, struggle or emotion…He simply remains. I crave the quiet, maybe because I’m a mother of 3 and quiet is so rare around here but maybe because instead of fearing the quiet, I’ve learned to embrace the chance to sit & be present with a God who challenges me to grow beyond the limits I’ve set for myself and embrace who He created me to be. (((Be still & know that I am God. Psalm 46:10.)))
? @kelseyhettinga

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Photo taken at: Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Only a liar can make you feel isolated in a world full of people fighting the same battles as you. Depression, anxiety, divorce, miscarriage, grief, insecurity, self doubt, fear… we’ve ALL experienced something that’s left us feeling broken, all of us. (Yeah, it’s gettin real up in here) The catch is that we tend to choose shame and isolation from our brokenness over believing that it doesn’t define us or determine our future. A perfect Insta photo is lovely but it’s too easy to hide behind & we can’t maintain a life that appears beautiful when everything behind the scenes is falling apart. It took me a long time to stop feeling shame for miscarrying 3 of my 6 babies. Who told me that was MY fault?! Who says you deserved to be abused? Who said you aren’t good enough? Those are lies that are too commonly tucked away in our minds and left to torment us. When Jesus gave His life He made it possible for us to walk THROUGH our pain, not live in it. For us to be free from guilt & shame! We weren’t meant to figure it all out alone, we were meant to huddle around the broken and surround ourselves with people who love the way Jesus loves – without judgement. Jesus says, come all of you who are weary & burdened and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).Jesus loves the broken & beaten down! He calls us His beloved & He prepares a way of escape when it feels like there isn’t one.
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Photo: @happyphotoco

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Photo taken at: Grand Rapids, Michigan

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