Messy.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.”
- Nelson Mandela

We all struggle with this – the ability to reach our full and real potential. I have been reading an amazing book that I got at the Youth Leaders Conference – “Messy Spirituality” by michael yaconelli. The entire concept, in a nutshell, is how we as Christians lead messy live, but that doesn’t make us less in God’s eyes. Obviously, I have shrunk this book down to one sentence and I would encourage you to read it for yourself.

As human beings, we’re like that – we cling to darkness because everyone else is in the darkness with us and no one can see our flaws. When we move to lightness, we are exposed for who we are and others around us can see that – that is what scares us.

I don’t typically talk about my “feelings” or express myself. Instead, I let the emotions simmer inside of me until the proverbial pot just boils over. I struggle daily to share myself, not only with those around me, but with myself and with God.

On this day, I encourage you to reach for the sun, the moon and the stars that they might bring you into the light. Let’s stop asking God, “Why me? Why now?” rather “Why not me? When?”