So Worth It

Hi all, Natalie here. Alana's still on vacation so I'm stealing her spotlight for a little bit. I really struggled with what to put here in her corner of the universe, but then after my small group meeting tonight I knew what I needed to write about.

I struggle daily with feeling important and worthwhile. But tonight I had a new friend speak some light into my life, saying words that I desperately needed to hear.

The thing of it is that I am so worth it, do you know? Because God created me and He loves me and He forgave me. Not only has He forgiven me for all the sins that I have already committed, but He's also already forgiven me for every mistake I will make in the future. And that's some really big news right there, I mean if you have to pause for a moment to just let that sink in, I understand.

Our God is so big and so loving and His plans are so great that we need only to trust in Him and have faith in His timing. I often forget this. I forget to trust Him with every aspect of my life and it might only be one step at a time, one different area that I leave for only myself and sooner or later I find myself over here while God is waiting patiently right back there where I left Him.

But it's never too late to go back. It's never too late to turn yourself around - but don't expect to be able to do it by yourself. Not only do we need God and need faith and guidance, but we also need each other. It's important to have people that you can go to with the "big stuff" and confide all your secrets and hardships and trials in as well as all of the good stuff too - praises, triumphs, and answers to prayer.

We were created to be in relationship with other people and with God. And it's God who can work in us and through us to be an example and speak into people's lives when they might need it most. Even if all you are doing is listening to someone vent their frustrations to you, sometimes that's exactly what they needed in order to have a weight lifted off their shoulders.

Other times, like for me tonight, it wasn't so much about venting my frustrations to my new friend, but allowing his words of wisdom to infiltrate my thoughts. He doesn't know me very well, or my story, or the journey that I am walking so the preciseness of the way the words hit my heart had to be God calming my spirit. I couldn't help crying to him, because I was feeling so broken, but he told me just what I needed to hear over and over again.

I am forgiven. I am worth it. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you're not worth it, because you definitely are.

I feel like I am so screwed up sometimes. I feel like I have just made mistake after mistake in my life, and while that is somewhat true, it doesn't mean that I'm not lovable. It doesn't mean that nobody cares about Natalie. And it doesn't mean that I'm not important.

Not only does my family love me and deeply care about me, but God does too. And I need to remember that, because when I have faith and trust Him things always work out in the best possible way. When I try and go it alone and walk by myself, I get into big trouble. It's really easy for me to forget that too, and then I find myself far away in need of being pulled back in.

It's a constant battle to stay afloat, but I promise you it is so worth it. The peace that passes all understanding. A love that knows no bounds. A God who is so big and so awesome that He created the entire universe and He put YOU in it. We are here for a reason, we have a purpose. And as long as we are trusting in a mighty Savior, who can stand against us?