Words of Wisdom Wednesday

Judy Garland once said:

"Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else"

I love this!  I'm not ashamed to admit that I spent a great deal of time in my 20's worrying about what people thought of me, constantly comparing myself to the women around me, and needlessly agonizing over whether I measured up or not.  The scary thing about this is that I was putting myself up against society's standards.  It makes me really sad to think about the time I wasted and how I did not put my full trust in God.  The reason I can confidently share this with you is because God has done amazing things in my life since then.

Now, as a wiser woman in my 30's, I've learned that putting any weight on the world's standards is pointless, painful and more importantly not God-honoring.  I've learned the hard way that what God wants from me is to continue striving towards the woman he has designed me to be.  This always helps me when I need a reminder: 

I am BLESSED, CHOSEN, ADOPTED, ACCEPTED, REDEEMED AND FORGIVEN!  This was something from a Beth Moore study the ladies at our church did a few years ago.  It has stuck with me and has reminded me so many times how God sees me.

I am not perfect, but I am striving to be a better Me:  the one He created me to be.

I'd like to leave you with one of my favorite passages from Romans:
Romans 8: 38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you striving to be a first rate version of yourself?