Beginning Again

It’s been seven years since I attempted regular content anywhere but Facebook. And as I sat in the corner of my room in my grandmother’s old blue wingback chair, I was thinking of you. If I’m going to do this again, I want to bring value to your life.
I was also thinking of myself seven years ago.
What would I say to her as she was just testing the waters of becoming an “influencer”.  And I think I know what I would tell her.

I’d tell myself:
You are already an influencer and better than that, you are an image-bearer.
Whether you choose to or not, you will be viewed by others who are searching for something. You are the one with the choice of how you influence.
Choose well, sweet girl.

Not every feeling you have deserves lip or keyboard service.
Being right means nothing 99% of the time.
Humility. Now that speaks volumes.
Be still and wait patiently.

Only God knows how many times you’ll take offense to someone’s attitude and make it about you, but one day, you’ll be convinced that your dear friend is mad at you and people will even call to ask you why she’s so mad at you. *You’re going to do the right thing and wait, and when you are face to face with her and the words come, it will break you. It will break you and heal you from your sickness all at once. She’s going to tell you that she has suffered a terrible blow and just like that, being still and humble will make sense. You’ll be running a big community beside her for years to come. You’ll be thankful often for that sweet whisper to be still and wait.

Preserve the hearts of those you are in community with. Be a value bringer instead of a bargain shopper when it comes to human connections.
*(i.e. “Look at you!” instead of “look at me” and “How can I help” instead of “What do you have to offer to make my life easier?”)

Speak what is good for encouragement and lifting up.
Anybody can sit in the mud, but it takes muscle to pull a friend out.
The more you use those muscles, the easier it will be to do good work.

Your greatest work will start at your home. Help those closest to you before you take to the keyboard to go and save the world. Influence by displaying the ability to learn, believe and obey through service and daily encouragement.

Every single time you think about that line you read in blog tips post about leaving your faith at the door, forget about it. You aren’t called to elevate yourself with carefully crafted words. You are called to look awkward and trudge through this life with dirt and scars visible. You are called to glorify your God and elevate him. To allow him to use your messy life to make an appeal to all who have yet to decide about him.

*Read GraceLaced by Ruth Chou Simons as soon as it is released. Pre-Order it.
You are loved and you don’t want to wait until you are 33 to try and understand that.

Buy the dorky glasses even if they are too big for your head. They will stop the headaches from staring at your phone screen helping people.

I hope you are excited to walk out this journey of motherhood, womanhood, marriage, life, retraining my brain and body to be healthy, and more with me.

–Courtney