Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? These are the words to a famous nursery rhyme that most of us learned as children. These words weighed in my spirit recently, so I decided to take a closer look. The word contrary means to willfully be disobedient or uncooperative, and that is where I am today. It has been a long, hard journey to get here, but I made it! I decided to bust loose from the cookie cutter mentality; if it works for you, doesn’t mean that it works for me. For far too long, I allowed the real me to be shut down because of other’s expectations of me. Now, I am saying yes to myself and who God has created me to be. I am loving who I am and celebrating my differences. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from being who the Lord has made me to be, but I have decided to enjoy the journey along the way! I may not be the best looking, the best dressed, the richest, or even the wisest, but this one thing I do know- I know who I am.

Today we work too hard to conform to the norm and everyone else’s expectations and we lose sight of our true identity. Romans 12:2 tells us Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you] AMP. The latter part of that scripture says which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you, so why is it that we make it a point to line our lives up with what pleases everyone else. It is time out for being who everyone else wants you to be and time to work towards becoming who God has made you to be. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made. We are unique in our giftings and abilities. We have been created in the image of our Father. His desire is that we come into the image and likeness of His son. Take some time to discover the real you and enjoy being yourself.

Father, thank you for setting us free from the opinion of others. May our daily walk reflect our growth and build upon who you have called us to be. I pray that we will celebrate who we are along the road to becoming who you have made us to be. In Jesus strong name, Amen.

Grace and Peace to You,

Mary

© Mary Pinckney, revised February 2015