A friend of mine recently gave me an endearing gift. My friend, Maya made flashcards for me full of encouragement and scripture for the whole month of January. I love this gift because these cards are personal and they are hand written to me. They have helped me speak truth over myself and begin my day with Jesus. When I have felt unworthy and insecure I have looked back at these flashcards and they have given me the encouragement I need to get through the day.

We live in a success driven world and many of can get up in the temptation of placing our value in what we are doing rather than who we are. I find that when I focus my time on tasks or “worldly things” such as grocery shopping, meal planning, cleaning, scrolling through Instagram or caring too much about what others think about me I focus less on what matters most- who I am in Christ. I do this so often!! Maybe you do this too. We all have lists to do and full lives. Some of these things are unavoidable but we don’t have to let these things define who we are.

I love what Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

When I notice that I am getting caught up “in the world”, comparison begins to peek it’s way into my life. Comparison leads to judgment towards others and can cause me to have negative self-talk. Next thing I know, I feel more insecure and less confident about myself and the things God has called me to.

If you’re in the same boat, I think we can change this habit.

What I have tried to do lately is begin each day speaking truth over myself through God’s word. I find that when I begin my day with Jesus I don’t get as caught up in the stresses of life or what others are doing. My value gets placed back on God and less on the world.

Here are some practical ways we can do this:

• Read Psalms. I love reading the book of Psalms. David praises God often for who he is and describes the ways God loves him even in his struggles. This is a great way to start your day. Centering yourself on these truths helps you stay grounded and focused on Him.
• Carry a flashcard around with you with an inspiring word, scripture, or personal truth that you can reflect on. You can even put one on the dashboard of your car or on the bathroom mirror. Repetition like this will help “renew your mind”.
• Write out a personal prayer for yourself for 2018 and read it to yourself every day. I wrote down 4 purposes for myself this year and they have helped me stay focused on what God wants me to do this year instead of comparing myself to what others are doing.
• Talk to yourself out loud. It sounds crazy but one of my counselor suggested this and I promise it can help. When we get anxious about things we have going on or when we start to think negatively, try saying those thoughts out loud and combat them with truth. Speaking to ourselves out loud helps us realize what we are thinking whether our thoughts are true or not.
• Ask a friend to encourage you. The friend who gave me the gift that I mentioned has been such a light to my life. I told her that I needed encouragement and she acted on it. Sometimes I feel so undeserving of it but sharing our struggles and needs with others paves the way for encouragement and accountability. Opening up to a friend may just be the thing you need right now so don’t be afraid to ask!

What practical ways do you speak truth over yourself? In what ways do you avoid the temptation of getting caught up in worldly things? I’d love to know!