When I look around me these days I see a lot of upheaval in a lot of people’s lives. Things they always believed to be God’s Truth have turned out to simply be some Wemmick’s version of it. God’s Truth mixed up with some Wemmick lies. It can be confusing.
It can be devastating.
This will sound so elementary, but it is something God has had to teach me:
Christians aren’t heart shaped sugar cookies.
Can’t you see them all lined up on the cookie sheet? All the same size, shape, color, and flavor. You could be a chocolate chip cookie before you’re saved, and then WHAM. You suddenly become a heart shaped sugar cookie when Jesus invades you and brings you to life.
It doesn’t work that way. You’re still a delish chocolate chip. (Thank goodness. What would we do without that?)
It’s not just who you are that will look different from everyone else. It’s what you do. I’m going to risk stepping on toes here. If it helps to know this – I would be TOTALLY stepping on Natalie’s toes one year ago had she read this post then. (I’ve been stepping on her toes, incidentally, almost non-stop this past year. It’s been a joy-ride, let me tell you.)
Not every Christian woman will:
Have 15 children.
Breast feed.
Wear dresses.
Have long hair.
Give birth naturally.
Have children who choose a path of surrender to Christ.
Have perfect children.
Be healthy.
Be debt free.
Be gluten free.
Have a home business.
Get their college education by Clepping.
Home educate their kids.
Be emotionally healthy.
Be a stay-at-home mom.
Be a rock star at hospitality.
Go into missions or raise a future missionary or pastor.
BUT every single Christian WILL be:
Unique.
Loved.
Broken.
Held.
Incredibly beautiful to the Father.
Wanted.
Planned.
Given a purpose.
Can we strive to accept the fact that we are all in a different place with God? Can we love one another without laying on the pressure to be a heart shaped sugar cookie – like we are? Ginger cookies are nice. I like coconut macaroons too. If God is patient with us and faithful to complete the good work He started in each one of us, then we can snuggle in close to Him and rest in His different plans for all His different children.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Psalm 34:8
I love this. Freedom! I love your editorial comments, too!
If I were to be judged a Christian by that first list, I’d be out of luck! I only met 3 of those things… and not very well, may I add. 😀
Oh Natalie… this is so refreshing! I have been embracing this concept for the last two years, finding freedom in Christ after having been ensnared by other people’s standards… that godly women have 15 children, eat everything organic and made from scratch, never lose their cool, and raise children who are perfectly quiet, sweet, and never rowdy. I started out my parenting journey wanting to find THE parenting manual that would tell me step-by-step exactly what to do to produce spiritual champions. And I read over a dozen of them, many which promised you could avoid all kinds of hardship and annoyances by simply training your kids right. Then, when I saw that my X (training) and Y (discipline) didn’t equal Z (my children’s perfect obedience) — I was devastated. I went through a long period of despair (2-3 years). One author indicated it was all my fault. Ugh! Too big a burden for me to carry! Finally I just turned my back on the books and turned to THE WORD for the truth. And realized that just because a method worked for Suzie Christian’s family didn’t necessarily mean it would work for mine — because my husband is not her husband, and my children are not her children, and our circumstances are completely different… and since when did God ever say we should all look the same anyway?!??? If He thought it would be neat to have about 400,000 different species of beetles, surely He loves the variety of humans! Besides, if all of us Christians were the same, we wouldn’t be able to relate to and reach every people group, would we? (I figure if my kids were next-to-perfect, I’d likely fall into the trap of judging other people’s parenting and thinking, “Why don’t you just TRAIN them?!” So perhaps this is the thorn that keeps me humble.) Sorry this is so long!
What can I say? Amen!
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been embarking on this same journey after years of thinking I had all the answers. A friend encouraged me just yesterday to read this post, so I’m a newby. Thank you Natalie and Sara. Guilt and insecurity are difficult to overcome. I feel vulnerable, and always wonder if I have the right to make decisions after having made so many that I now believe were based on error. I am experiencing a transformation; relying upon Christ’s love for me rather than my performance for Him. I’m also trying to take care that my pendulum doesn’t swing so far in the other direction that I have a critical spirit toward those who are still following the “rules”. So many things wrapped up in the former mindset. Legalism robs us of joy, but it does give us a sense of security; it is scary when that security is pulled out from under us…but it forces us out of our comfort zone and to find that security in Christ alone. Thanks again for the support.
T Chaney — agreed! Legalism does give a sort of warped sense of security — we think if we just follow this list of rules, we’re good to go! But once we start trying to follow the “rules” we realize it’s unachievable. (That’s what happened to me.) Perhaps that’s why things go the way they do… God wants us to rely on HIM in everything, not a [predictable?] list of rules. I think God is happier when we rely on Him — for direction AND for His grace to cover our messes! — than when we strive to do everything “perfectly” or “the right way” (whatever we perceive that to be!). That’s where the freedom is — knowing we are SECURE IN CHRIST, as you said — in the midst of our messes [thinking of King David’s life!] — not in our “good deeds.” My big thing right now is trying to grasp that my “rightness” with Him is because of what HE did, not because of anything I have done! (The moment I start thinking I’m a “good Christian” I am already counting on my good deeds!)
I love chatting about this stuff! And I’m SO thankful for God’s patience and His grace!!!
Long-time reader, first-time commenter.
Your writing is always such an encouragement to me. Natalie, your honesty is really refreshing. Today’s post truly blessed me. Thank you.
Thank you for commenting Amy! Comments give me a boost. I’m a Wemmick – motivated by boosts.
I am beginning to appreciate the differences in Christians more and more… I think I was putting us all in a cookie cutter, but as I started to look around, I realized how great our differences can be. Thanks for the reminder.
Good post. We’re all different and need to realize that! =)
(By the way, my cut-out cookies never come out “cookie cutter perfect”… they’re always lop-sided, fat, thin, burned, etc. Guess I’m doing something wrong… lol)
Well said, Natalie!
If you’ve been reading my blog lately, you’ll know where I’m at in this crazy walk with God. Often confused, but never forsaken. He has such grand plans for those who look to Him.
Thanks for the encouraging words!
Yes. YES. Hang in there, Terry. You are not alone.
Bra-vo.
Love this, Natalie! I think what turns a lot of people off of Christianity is this view that every Christian is self-righteous about how their way is the only right way. You nailed it here.
Oh to have read this before getting pregnant (our babe is now 18mo old)- I didn’t even know about the lovely Wemmicks, but I did know the “granola” type of mama and felt the calling to BE her and TELL ALL!
But God has given me so, so much peace. He may only bless us with little Santiago boy, not the 8 children I imagine raising. I might not be able to breastfeed a baby #2, home schooling may not work for us and/or our son.. We do not know.
Bottom line is, as Christian women we have one Rock that makes us strong and united: Christ Jesus. It’s all about the person and work of Christ.
If my fellow mama friends aren’t doing the list of things you stated above – it doesn’t make them less Christian OR make me more Christian.
Thank you SO much for this reminder!
May our Father keep blessing you, and blessing others through this great post!