Lately, God has been teaching me some things about acceptance, and honestly, it has been a beautiful, uncomfortable, eye-opening journey.
For a long time, I think I worried too much about how I was perceived by others. Was I too loud? Too much? Was I saying the wrong thing? Did I make someone uncomfortable just by being myself? Sometimes, I would hold back parts of me because I was afraid of being judged. Other times, I would overthink a moment long after it had passed.
But what happens when we allow ourselves to simply be without constantly questioning whether we are acceptable?
What happens when we learn to accept others without judgment, too?
I'm learning that acceptance doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. It doesn't mean we have to understand every decision someone makes or see the world through the same eyes. It means we can love people where they are, give them room to be themselves, and stop making every difference something that needs to be corrected.
And just as importantly, it means allowing ourselves that same grace.
Recently, I found myself enjoying the little things without worrying so much about how I looked or sounded to others. I could be excited, laugh, explore, and just enjoy the moment. I could pick through seashells like I had stumbled upon a free bin at a craft store! 🤣 And you know what? It was wonderful!
I wasn't worried about being too much. I was simply enjoying God's beautiful creation, one little shell at a time.
That might seem like such a small thing to some people, but for me, it represents something bigger. It's a little piece of freedom. It's learning that I don't have to shrink myself to make other people comfortable. I can be excited about the things I love. I can be curious. I can laugh loudly. I can be me.
And I'm realizing how incredibly blessed I am to have people in my life who help me learn this.
I'm blessed to have my relationship, my church family, and my sisters who continue to show me love and support every chance they get. People who encourage me, walk beside me, and give me opportunities to grow. People who remind me through their actions that I don't have to earn every ounce of love by being perfect.
Most importantly, I'm blessed that God is teaching me something I have struggled to believe about myself for a long time.
I am worthy. I am loved. And I am not alone.
I don't have to have everything figured out to be worthy of love. I don't have to hide my struggles to belong. I don't have to be the loudest person in the room, the quietest person in the room, or anything in between to deserve a place at the table.
God created me with my own personality, my own heart, my own experiences, and my own journey. He's still working on me, and I'm learning that the process doesn't make me any less worthy of love.
I still have things to work through. I still have moments when fear creeps in, when I question myself, or when I want to retreat into my little corner and avoid the uncomfortable feelings. Growth isn't always pretty, and it certainly isn't always easy.
But I'm learning to give myself grace in those moments instead of judgment.
I'm learning that I can be a work in progress and still be someone worth loving.
And maybe that's part of what God is teaching me through all of this: to look at myself and others with a little more compassion. To listen instead of assume. To love instead of criticize. To let people be human, including myself.
Because we all carry things that others cannot see. We all have stories, fears, insecurities, and battles that shape the way we move through this world.
What if, instead of judging someone for being different, we became curious about their story? What if we offered kindness where we might have once offered criticism? What if we allowed ourselves to experience joy without immediately questioning whether we deserved it?
I don't want to spend my life hiding from the world because I'm afraid of being misunderstood. I want to live it. I want to love people well. I want to keep growing in my faith, building meaningful relationships, and discovering the person God is helping me become.
And I want to remember that the people who love me don't need me to be perfect. They need me to show up as myself.
So today, my heart is full of gratitude.
Grateful for the people God has placed in my life. Grateful for the lessons that are stretching me. Grateful for the moments that remind me to slow down and enjoy His creation. And grateful that even when I struggle to see my own worth, He continues to surround me with reminders that I am loved.
I'm still learning. I'm still healing. I'm still growing.
But for the first time in a long time, I'm beginning to understand that I don't have to become someone else to belong.
I can be a little loud, a little quirky, a little emotional, a little messy, and still be loved. ❤️
And so can you.
Let's give ourselves and each other a little more grace. Let's practice acceptance without judgment. Let's make room for differences, celebrate the little things, and remember that nobody has to be perfect to deserve kindness.
After all, we're all works in progress, and God isn't finished with any of us yet.
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” — Psalm 139:14 (KJV)
With love, grace, and a heart that's still learning,
One day at a time, one lesson at a time, and one seashell at a time. 🌿🐚