REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE

How do you like my new banner (above)? Kind of over-kill, huh? Those of you who know me probably aren't surprised by that at all. Almost any time I set myself to do something, I tend to "over" do it, don't I? Yeah. I know! It's the bane of my old nemesis, perfectionism, rearing its ugly head. But that's a subject for another day.

Today - and for awhile - I have no idea how long - the subject will be REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.

I heard one of my favorite authors say that REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE is her family's motto. She said that when her teenagers go out the door, she doesn't caution "don't drink," "don't drive too fast," "don't have sex," or any number of other warnings mothers of teens are want to impose upon their kids' thinking one last time. Instead, she calls out simply "REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE". She has spent all of their formative years faithfully teaching them that they are responsible people who don't drink alcohol while they are underage, who obey speed limits for safety's sake, who keep themselves pure because it's part of God's holy plan for their lives, etc. - so all she has to do is encourage them to REMEMBER WHO they already know THEY ARE.  Remembering who they are helps them deal with the temptations they face in the truth of what they have been taught.

I don't know about you, but that really spoke to me. Now admittedly, I'm a looooong way from being a teenager - but I still face temptation every day. Who am I kidding? I face temptation every MINUTE of every day!You'd think that by my age I'd have this "how to handle temptation" thing down pat, wouldn't you? But. No. You'd be wrong. Dealing with temptation is a MAJOR problem for me. My temptations aren't alcohol, speeding or promiscuity. But they are powerful. And they are enticing. And they are hard for me to resist. And many times I fail. Many times I yield. Many times I am defeated when I should be victorious.

I wonder - would it help me, an old gray-haired grandmother, deal with the temptations of my life if I could REMEMBER WHO I AM???  I really believe it would!

I am in a major spiritual battle right now to overcome an area of temptation that has held a stronghold in my life for many years. This is WAR. And, I'm here to tell you, it is not fun. I'm finding strength and courage difficult to maintain. One of the battle strategies the Lord has given me is, of course, to wrap His truth around me by continually REMINDING MYSELF WHO I AM.

I'm going to do that on my blog. I've been kind of at loose ends with my blog lately. Perhaps blogging about some of the things God teaches me about who I am will help me remember them. Goodness knows, I need some reminding!! I learned a long time ago that blogging is cathartic for me. Many times I sit down to write about a topic that is on my heart and as I begin to write, God takes my thinking in a whole different direction from my original intent. I'm feeling encouraged - and even a little excited - about truths God may want to teach me afresh as He reminds me who I am this summer.

Maybe you are like me. Maybe temptation haunts your days as well. Maybe you, too, would be well served to REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE when it dangles its lures in your face. If so, you are welcome to join me on what I hope will be a daily journey of REMEMBERING WHO WE ARE so we can walk in victory instead of defeat.