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Hello, dear Sugar Pie! I have a question for you! When you’re alone with your thoughts, what do you tell yourself about YOU?  Are your thoughts sweet, encouraging, and grace-filled? Or are they unkind, discouraging, regretful and hurtful?

reflectionTo be honest, I’ve struggled with feelings of inferiority and thoughts of not being good enough my whole life…not smart enough, talented enough, pretty enough, not the perfect weight or personality. Even now at my age, I think those thoughts especially when I compare myself with others (comparison… that’s a whole other blog post!). Thoughts of not being the best mother, wife, homemaker, or person that I could be. Are you in the same boat as me?

Well, I want to show you something that I hope will change those negative thoughts and instead bless sweet, adorable you!

Watch this before reading the rest of this post:

So powerful!!

Little Ruthie

Little Ruthie age 6

No way would I tell little Ruthie to her face the negative things I’ve told myself! I have to remember that cute little girl is inside of me! No way do I want to say unkind things to her! That is so sad and mean! We need to be our own best friend, our own nurturing mama, our own cheerleader!

You know, when God looks at you and when God looks at me He’s thinking “That’s my sweet girl!”.

He delights in you and me! He sings songs over us! Wait. What? Yes!!! Read this;

“For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Zephaniah 3:17

I can imagine God singing His own version

of Stevie Wonder’s song over us!

“Isn’t she lovely!

Isn’t she wonderful!

Isn’t she precious!”

think about what you're thinking about

We need to change the way we think about ourselves. The way we speak to ourselves. It’s not to disregard the need and desire to change and improve because growing and becoming a better person is a good thing. But as my sister-in-law says “we don’t need to spank ourselves every day” when we don’t meet our own expectations.  Instead, let’s give grace to ourselves. Because we are all a work in progress! And I say progress, not perfection! When we don’t feel like we did our best at something we can just say I’ll do better tomorrow!

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

I love ya, tomorrow,

you’re only a day away!”

– Annie, the musical

Here’s the thing, God’s mercies are new every morning.

YAY!!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

Oh! God is so good to us!Looking to the Lord for love

Here are a few things my pastor shared at church this week (click here to hear his message):

  1. You will not change your life until you change your thinking.
  2. The enemy puts self-defeating thoughts in your mind…He attacks us in our thoughts. It’s a stronghold. Recognize it when it happens.
  3. Instead of dwelling on those negative thoughts, replace negative thinking with God’s Word and worship.
  4. Quote the Word of God.
  5. Don’t believe the lie that you are not good enough!

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 139:13-18

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. 15 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

17-18 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!”

“Three persons of the Trinity – Father God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – gathered close together TO IMAGINE YOU!”

 -Ann Voskamp

 

little ruthie annie

Little Ruthie age 4

When we belittle ourselves we discount the workmanship of God, our Heavenly Father, the creator of the universe! It’s like telling him He didn’t do a good job. Ummm, that’s a big fat lie from the enemy.

I want you to find a picture of your little sweet self like I did. Put it somewhere where you can see it often. Think of grace-filled, encouraging and nurturing words to say to her…YOU! Words that remind yourself that you are loved and precious in God’s sight!

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.”  Psalm 36:5-6

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! ” 1 John 3:1

So no more putting yourself down. Deal? Here’s the thing, our negative emotions affect us so deeply that it also affects those around us. So the more grace and kindness that we fill our hearts with the more grace and kindness we will be able to pour into others. And that’s a good thing. 

Take good care of yourself

and guard

your beautiful little girl heart!

Aunt Ruthie

 

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