Confessions is about more of the day-to-day stuff in my life. I think my story is something that needs to be shared, and it makes sense to do it first so that you all can get to know me better and understand what I mean when I say I am imperfect. But once my story is told and it brings us to present day, my life will continue, and so will this blog. That’s where Confessions comes in.
Let me give you some context by using a couple examples. You’ll notice that it’s all about comparison.
- When I go to church, I look around at all the moms, many of whom have more kids than I do, and I can’t help but compare myself. How did she have time to curl her hair this morning? I must have missed the memo about wearing a long-flowy-dress. Wow her kids are so well behaved. Why can’t my husband put his arm around me and act like he loves me? How does she have time to volunteer? The thoughts consume me, sometimes to the point that I can’t even concentrate on God, which is the whole reason I’m even there!
- Scrolling through social media. It’s the same sort of thing. I can’t believe how good she seems to be at her job. Her husband looks perfect. Her children look perfect. Her pictures are perfect. Her house is perfect. They all look so happy. How does she have time for all of those arts and crafts? She’s so much smarter than me. She’s so much prettier than me. She’s in much better shape that me. You get the idea.
I would imagine everyone can relate. When the majority of our interactions is through snapshots on social media and very short increments of surface-level conversation, it’s natural to assume that what you see is what you get. And we’re always seeing people at their best; the parts that they want us to see. But let’s be real. Those Facebook posts or Instagram pictures don’t depict what our real lives are like on a day-to-day, or even minute-to-minute basis. It’s 1% of our lives, and we make very broad conclusions about others based on this 1% of what we see.
Confessions is meant to show you the other 99%. The 99% of me that is a Sinner. The 99% of me that is imperfect. The 99% of me that makes mistakes. The 99% of me that is broken. The 99% of me that has no idea what it’s doing. The 99% of me that is hanging on by a thread. The 99% of me that is constantly wanting and never content. The 99% of me that acts contrary to what I preach or believe.
I can’t speak for anyone else. Maybe other people out there really are close to perfect and really do have their lives together. But my hope is that if any of you are feeling the same way I do, maybe reading about the 99% of me that I really am afraid to let the world see, you’ll realize that your life is no better or worse than mine. And if you’re someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus, maybe exposing my sins will help you confront your own sins and, consequently, your need for a Savior.
Get ready. I’m not holding anything back. This is me. This is perfectly, imperfect me.
To God be ALL the Glory!
Love, Grace
P.S. I’m not here to give advice. You are perfectly welcome to agree or disagree with me. What works for me may not work for you, and that’s okay. If you are looking for parenting strategies, marriage advice, healthy eating, etc., you’ve come to the wrong place. Sure, I will share plenty of this kind of thing with you. But that doesn’t mean I think you should be like me. In fact, you probably should NOT be like me, because, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m not perfect, and I’m a sinner.
