I met Tom while we were flying from Viet Nam to Malawi. He was from the UK and naturally asked questions about the World Race and what we were doing. But then he did something that I didn’t expect: he prophesied over my squadmate and me.
He used the analogy of a cane being broken. If I was broken in half, my name would still be inside. Who I am is still inside. So what does that look like? He told me to ask God, who do you say that I am?
My initial reaction was, of course I’m still the same person on the inside. I thanked him and didn’t exactly know what to make of it. I was touched that he took the time to give us words and wrote about it in my journal.
It’s been over half a year, and I’m finally beginning to understand what it meant. In September, as I prayed over the year and my squad, I realized that God stripped me of all the identities I had been holding on to.
Rock climber? Singer? Guitarist? Cook? Baker? Writer? Midwestern? Wolverine? Adventurous? Servant? In my 20’s? Asian? American? User experience designer? …Punny?
There will always be somebody who is BETTER or will take away what makes that part of my identity unique.
He stripped me away of all the identities I associated with so that I could cling to the one that can’t ever be taken away…
MY IDENTITY AS HIS CHILD.
I knew I wanted to live for God in the boldest way, but I had no clue how that would happen and what that would look like. It happened through His constant reminder that I am His child. Through that reminder, my fears have gradually transferred from what others think of me to how He views me.
Through that reminder,
- I can pray with confidence, knowing that He gives me grace if I say the wrong thing. He just wants to hear from me.
- I can ask for healing, knowing that I have the authority to do so under His name.
- I can preach the Gospel without feeling like I’m forcing it on people, understanding that I am not doing anything but allowing Him as the Holy Spirit to work through me.
So if you are a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a husband, a wife, a teacher, an athlete, a musician, an artist, a chef, a couch potato, a workaholic, a student, a roommate, a leader, a follower, young, old, religious, not religious, rich, poor, famous…
There will be a point where you will fail in that.
And it’s okay.
We are all made in God’s image. We are His. That’s our core identity, and I hope that you cling onto and live through that.
—
Life Update: I am now back in America and must start fundraising for my time with the Fellowship and continuing my journey to live out my passion in showing the world the God that I’m still getting to know more and more every day.
Please be praying and sharing as I step into this new season that involves even more trust in Him that I can imagine. I am in need of $9605. I still have t-shirts left, and let me know if I can help out with any of your Christmas shopping or user experience needs 😉
