Who am I?

 In Uncategorized

Do you ever wonder who you are?

Have you struggled to accept yourself?

Have you tried hard to break away from the identity someone else tried to place on you?

Maybe it was a parent, or a teacher, or a friend. They told you who they thought you should be. Who they expected you to be.

Did you believe them?

Photo credit: Creative Commons (Snapshot 19)

I was fortunate to have many people who supported and encouraged me, including my parents. I had great teachers and coaches who believed in me when I didn’t always believe in myself. They continually spoke empowering words to me. But I also had some people who told me I needed to be someone I wasn’t.

People told me I wasn’t creative. I wasn’t an idea person. I didn’t have what it took to be successful. I shouldn’t allow myself to dream. Instead, I needed to be responsible.

Was that identity true?

Is that who I really was?

Because something happened when I listened to what those people told me.

I believed them.  

I stopped dreaming.

I lost myself.

I also struggled with how I thought God saw me. Who He knew I was.

I wasn’t good enough.

I could never live up to the rules and check boxes.

Why?

Because I didn’t believe it. Deep down, I didn’t think God really believed in many of those things either. But that was how I was raised. That was what I was told to believe. Luckily, I now understand that God loves me exactly as I am. Not as I think I should be.

He doesn’t only love me when I get to a certain destination.   He loves me exactly as I am.   No matter what I’ve done. No matter how many times I’ve messed up. No matter what I did yesterday, or today, or will do tomorrow.

And do you know what happens when you finally get this and truly understand it?

Something amazing.   All of those labels, and the lies, and the misconceptions about who you are disappear. They’re gone. Vanished.

And you are surrounded by a love you’ve never experienced. A realization that His opinion is the only one that matters. And there is incredible freedom in that.

So, who am I?

I am a child of God.

I am loved.

I am a wife, Mother, daughter, sister and friend.

I am creative.

I am a writer.

I am a dreamer.

I am me.

Have you struggled with understanding who you are?

 

Recent Posts
Showing 6 comments
  • TCAvey
    Reply

    Inspiring post.
    I’m learning more and more who I am!
    Thank you.

  • Leigh Hudson
    Reply

    Tammy, thank you for your transparency. I too, have listened to the “liars” in my life. That is, until the Great Truth-Teller God hijacked my life and wrecked me for HIS ways!
    YOU are a fantastic writer, creative and beautiful!

    • thelfrich
      Reply

      Leigh – Thank you for your honesty. Your story blows me away. I am honored to know you! Keep sharing it, as God will use it.

  • Sundi Jo Graham
    Reply

    You go girl!

  • Amy
    Reply

    Yes I have struggled with that. Funny part is. I thought I knew who I was, what I was, what my purpose was and what it was NOT. Nothing is more shocking for a woman convinced she’s an extrovert to discover that in truth… she’s an introvert. For someone who hated art class because she is certainly not creative, to discover she’s been holding a writer hostage for more than 20 years. (This isn’t Misery… I meant myself. Please don’t alert the authorities.) No one really told me I was these things, I just conformed myself to meet the needs around me and that left little room for silly stuff. 😉

    • thelfrich
      Reply

      I can relate to that. I have never considered myself creative or an artist, but didn’t realize my love of writing and what was trapped inside. Look forward to hearing more from you!

Leave a Comment

0

Start typing and press Enter to search