You Are A Masterpiece: A Getaway Takeaway
You are His masterpiece.
Getaway is over, but don’t forget:u00a0God uniquely designed you. You are His masterpiece.
We have been reflecting on the powerful message fromu00a0Getawayu00a0Women’s Event in September and wanted to share the weighty-but-freeing truths that keep looping in our minds u2013 truths shared by Teaching Pastor Shawna Schwaninger.
God has a purpose for your specific design.
There is purpose in our creation. We are to transform the world for Jesus by living out how God has designed us.
u201cItu2019s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, hadu00a0designsu00a0on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.u201du00a0Ephesians 1:11-12
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And if we really want to live out how God has designed us, we need to embrace how He created us. To personally embrace our quirkiness, our sweet side, the fun parts, our charisma, whether we are aggressive, passionate, feisty, bubbly, outgoing or shy, or quiet and reserved. To embrace our passions u2013 things like literature, healthcare, seeking racial justice, caring for the elderly, providing support to other moms, running, and working out, or bringing dignity to the less fortunate and the list goes on and on u2013 the things that spark life, a passion that burns from deep within us. Often, we want this but get sidetracked or stuck.u00a0
We get stuck because we compare.n
My body isnu2019t good enough, my wardrobe isnu2019t trendy enough, and my house isnu2019t Joanna Gaines / Magnolia enough. Comparing ourselves as women, moms, wives, friends, co-workers, neighbors, as u201cgood Christiansu201d – constantly measuring ourselves against someone else whom we deem is smarter, prettier, or better. Most of the time comparison leaves us with the thought:u00a0Iu2019m not enough.
I’m seeing how Sally is living her best life at the beach…walking along the water, skipping rocks, playing volleyball, BBQing, laying out in the warm sun. I think I need to be more like her to be happier, to be fulfilled. So, I decide to try and do all that stuff too. But I start to sweat because I’m not like Sally. Iu2019m dressed for winter skiing. I canu2019t move fast enough to play the beach games effectively. Laying down to enjoy the sun is a comical feat. Iu2019m uncomfortable.
I wasnu2019t designed for the beach. Iu2019m designed for the cold winter. Iu2019m designed to swish down a mountainside. Me trying to live my best life at the beach in this winter gear is not going to work. And Iu2019m missing out on how God designed me and His purpose for me.
When we compare, we try and live someone elseu2019s design and purpose. And the thing about comparison is that it steals our joy, our paychecks, our sanity, and our unique, God-given purpose.
u201cGod has never looked in your mirror and wished He saw someone else. You are enough. You are loved. You are His. Own that.u201du00a0u2013 Bob Goff
You have EVERYTHING THATu2019S NEEDEDn
u201cHis divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,u00a04u00a0by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.u201du00a02 Peter 1:3-4
We get stuck because we feel insecure.n
We all struggle with insecurities at different times in our lives. u201cI donu2019t have what it takes.u201d u201cWhat if I fail?u201d Insecurities keep us stuck from living out our design.
How can we overcome our insecurities? How can we eliminate those negative, insecure voices? As a Christ follower thereu2019s only one way and it comes through a relationship with God. Focusing our hearts and minds on who He says we are allows His voice to become louder. The insecurities shrink and Godu2019s voice becomes the prominent voice.
His voice is one of love, admiration, value, and celebration of you!
You are LOVED
u201cThis is real loveu2014not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.u201du00a0(1 John 4:10)
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You are CHOSEN
u201cBut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Godu2019s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.u201du00a01 Peter 2:9
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You are MORE THAN A CONQUEROR
u201cNo, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.u201du00a0(Romans 8:37)
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You are VICTORIOUS
u201cBut thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.u201du00a01 Corinthians 15:57
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You are Godu2019s DAUGHTER
u201cSee what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!u201du00a01 John 3:1
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You are Godu2019s HEIR
u00a0u201cNow if we are children, then we are heirsu2014heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.u201du00a0Romans 8:17
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You are COMPLETE
Colossians 2:10 NLT
u201cSo you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.u201du00a0Colossians 2:10
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You are MADE NEW
u201cTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!u201du00a02 Corinthians 5:17
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You have EVERYTHING THATu2019S NEEDED
u201cHis divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,u00a04u00a0by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.u201du00a02 Peter 1:3-4
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You are WONDERFULLY MADE
u201cI praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.u201du00a0Psalm 139:14
And this is just a snippet of what Godu2019s voice says. But you must pursue Him to hear His voice. We see everything weu00a0are notu00a0u2013 God sees everything weu00a0areu00a0u2013 who Heu2019s designed us to be! Itu2019s time to tear off what has been holding us back and keeping us stuck.
Itu2019s time for you to celebrate and live out the unique design given you by the Creator.