Chosen {Day 1}

As a kid, I was a tomboy. Growing up the only girl with two brothers, it was bound to happen. My mom tried to make me girly by forcing me to wear dresses, shiny patent leather shoes, and putting ribbons and bows in my hair. She gave me dolls to play with (which I liked) and allowed Nana to enroll me in modeling school (which I hated). But really, deep down, all I wanted to do was play baseball (or football) with my brothers. I wanted to be on whatever team they were on at the time.

As a girl growing up in small-town Ohio in the 80s, playing on a boys baseball team just didn't happen. Not in little league, middle school, or high school. If you wanted to play ball, you had to be on the girls softball team. And you had to wait until middle school or high school to try out.

Not me.

Luckily my dad was a coach for my brother's little league baseball team. So I landed a spot on the team. Even though it was by default, I was chosen.

Here lately I've been chosen for several teams. Not baseball teams, but a role on a team nonetheless.

Being chosen is an honor. It means that someone thinks I have value. Something to offer to the team.

Because let's be honest, there are many days when I think I have nothing to offer. That my life has no value, nothing worthy to give. 

There are days when staying in bed sounds way more inviting than getting dressed and heading off to work, to church, to a meeting, or whatever it is the day holds. Sometimes I would rather just pull the covers back over my head and say heck with it than have to wash another dish or make another meal or fold another load of laundry. I'd rather live in my dreams than the reality that my life sometimes is.

On those days, when life is so overwhelming and messy and hard, sometimes I hear Him whisper:

I chose you.

You are mine.

I'm here.

Holding you.

You have value.

You are chosen.

These words breathe life into me every. single. time.

They remind me that even when I think I have nothing - am nothing - He has chosen me. These words have been an anchor for me for so many years, reminding me I have purpose and I am loved. 

Being chosen is a honor. It means that He thinks I have value. That I have something to offer Him.

Do you know that He has chosen you? Have you ever been through a time when you did feel chosen but He reminded you that you are?

October is Writers Unite Month

This summer I declared to the world that I'm a writer.  I started to blog more frequently, even creating a series called the Manic Monday Challenge.  I linked up with other bloggers, such as Lisa Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday, and Eileen Knowles who goes Into The Beautiful each Tuesday.  I even had a couple of guest posting gigs (Inspired by Love & Crazy Love) with Kirsten LeBlanc and Michael Perkins.

All these things are good.  

The above projects have enabled me to write more. They have allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and engage with new people, some who have become friends.

Yet I've lost a bit of my focus along the way.

My hope for my blog was to write about my heart, my passion, my faith.  And to some degree, I've done so.  But I've always focused so much on doing what others are doing, and writing what everyone else is writing.  My true heart and passion hasn't had a chance to come out because I've been trying too hard to be liked, to make friends.

As much as I want to be liked and to make friends, it's time for a change.

My friend Jim decided to start a writing revolution.  During the month of October, writers will unite to focus on writing what we really want to write.  For me, this involves four things:

1) Writing what I know I should be writing - my heart & passion of faith and outreach

2) Writing for an audience of One

3) Writing on my blog, but also in my journal

4) Encouraging other writers

Did you join the revolution? What is one thing you're working on?

P.S. Another thing I will do is work more on my fiction project.  Unfortunately, my fiction project has taken a serious backseat to blogging.  Oh, and remember that short story I said I was going to write by the end of September?  That didn't happen.  Yet.  While I make no promises to write it this month, I really want to write a short story some day soon.