Real
This is real
This is me
Won't back down on what I believe
So take it, or leave me
What you get is what you see
I'm about as real as they come
I march to the beat of a different drum
There's something about me you should know
I'm genuine down in my soul
This is real
This is me
I'm not worried about who "I could be"
Not here for the fortune or fame
I don't care about having a well-known name
All I want in this life....
is for others to see Christ in me
I am a very real person, and if you have known me for any length of time, you will realize that my main goal in life is not to blend in with the crowd. I have always been a little different, and I struggled with that when I was younger. I was always the girl who was more serious, the deep thinker, and the rule-follower (a.k.a goody goody). At the same time, I was the one who loved to laugh, I was the dreamer, and the one who wasn't afraid to stand out. I was frequently made fun of because of who I was. As a sensitive young girl, I took every word to heart. It's not that I wanted to be offended by everything everyone said about me. I just wanted people to like me. I wanted to feel loved and included. Who doesn't?! As I got older, I slowly began to realize that trying to suppress the kind of person I truly am would never help me gain the friendships or the happiness I had been searching for.
Trying to become someone you are not will never achieve the results you are hoping for. I tried to be more outgoing, I tried to be funny, and I tried to toughen up. I attempted to laugh off the jokes people made about me, but I still went home and cried because I really didn't find them funny. I would have been ashamed to admit it then, but I'm not ashamed of it now. I am, by nature, a sensitive person. It's just not something I can get away from. A lot of people see this as a weakness. They think being sensitive means you're incapable of suppressing your feelings, and that you wear your heart on your sleeve. This is the farthest thing from the truth. In reality, a sensitive person feels things so deeply that others cannot begin to imagine all the thoughts racing through their minds, the way every emotion touches their hearts, or the countless sleepless nights they spend imagining how their day could have been different, or who they could have reached out to, but didn't. Sensitivity is not a weakness, and finding who you truly are is not something to be ashamed of. We all have areas in our lives that we know we can work on, but we don't have to be ashamed of who we are...who God created us to be.
Each person is special and unique in their own way. God had a master plan and design for every heart, every life, that was ever created. He breathed the breath of life into us, created us from the dust, and He's making a masterpiece one person at a time. God is the potter, and we are the clay. He molds us and makes us into who He wants us to be. This is something I had to learn over time. I had to embrace the parts of myself that did not merit change, and let God do the rest. If there were flaws in myself that I needed to work on, I prayed about them. I still do. But God is slowly revealing to me that I am unique, and I don't have to be ashamed of who He created me to be. If I am not becoming the person God wants me to be, then I am failing Him miserably.
My blog is called Heart and Soul of Me. So, if you don't know me yet, this is the real me...
I'm the girl who always follows the rules. I respect those in authority. I want others to feel loved, and I strive to establish relationships with every person I come in contact with. I'm the girl who quietly listens. I don't want to be the center of attention. I'm the girl who puts herself on the line for her friends. I'm loyal to a fault. I'm the girl who always tries to see the good in people, no matter what anyone else says. I'm the girl who won't listen to the gossip because I know there are two sides to every story. I'm the girl who feels every harsh word-whether directed toward me or someone else. I stick up for others, and I reach out to those who aren't considered 'popular.' I'm the girl who would rather have one real best friend than a bunch of fake ones. I'm the girl who doesn't care if everyone knows who I am. I don't try to look perfect on social media. I don't post every detail of my life. I don't have to get a certain number of likes to feel good about myself. I'm the girl who has doubts and insecurities, but I am also the girl who is learning to overcome them.
I fight for what I believe in. I don't back down when others come against me. I'm the girl who loves Jesus, and I am unashamed to admit it. I am the girl who has a quiet strength people may not recognize...a strength that does not come from myself. I am the girl who you might be afraid to talk to, but I would willingly talk to anyone. I'm the girl who has big dreams and a passion for helping others. I want to make a difference in the world. If I could touch one heart, then I feel like my life would be worth something. I want to be an Educator because I see the value and importance of learning, as well as investing into young lives. I love Children's Ministry. I'm the girl who is a passionate writer. I pour my heart into every piece before I hit "Publish Post." I am the quiet girl, the deep thinker, the dreamer, the Jesus-follower. God has made me who I am, and I am not ashamed of that. Whether you want to know me or not, it makes no difference. This is the real me. But I pray that through these blog posts, and through my life, that you will see how real Jesus is. The only reason I can be so real and honest is because Jesus is real, and He is living inside of me. Mark 8: 36-For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
I would rather be real for one person, Jesus Christ, and reach one soul, than be fake for the whole world and never make an impact.
I hope the real me has Jesus written all over her.