Ashley Jennifer Sears; one of my gorgeous, smart, and amazing older sisters. Although 9 years apart, we pretty much look identical. If you were to take a look at one of our baby pictures, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell which one of us it is.
For as long as I can remember, every family member or friend would say the same thing when they looked at me… “You look just like Ashley”. I really hated when people said this. I know that they never had bad intentions, but I was always left feeling annoyed. Why did everyone see Ashley when they looked at me? Why didn’t they see Briana? I always felt like I was compared to my older sister; almost like I was living in her shadow. I just really wanted to be myself, Briana Alexis Sears, and look like myself, not like my sister.
Here’s the thing… I was being fed these lies. Satan uses even the smallest things to make us feel terrible about ourselves; that we are not worth while, or in my case, that I am not unique.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
God calls us out individually. He knows our names. This is something I have always heard growing up in church. “God knows everything about me, even the number of hairs on my head.” Actually understanding this fact is mind blowing. God not only knows all about me, but He knows all about you, and every single person that has ever lived and that will ever live. I mean, God has called me out by name for my purpose specifically. Our divine creator has a very detailed plan in place for each of us.
“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” 1 Corinthians 7:17
The World Race is not a vacation. I won’t be staying in 5-star hotels, or lounging on the beach. I will be fulfilling what God is calling me to do. I will be living out my specifically designed plan! I will be serving in any and every possible way I can to bring the Word of God to those who have never heard of it before. I will be God’s hands and feet. My prayer is that he uses me and stretches me further than I ever thought I could go. I pray for an open heart and mind as I step out of my comfort zone, abandon all of expectations and just surrender to the Lord.
Megan and Ashley are beautiful and I am so proud to call them my sisters. Knowing that my identity is in Christ is such a wonderful thing. I am unique and special and extraordinary in the eyes of the one true King.
