Finding Freedom in Our Stories – My Good Side

My story is nothing dramatic or tragic. I am blessed. My parents are kind and giving. My husband is my best friend. My kids are sweethearts. But my story is to pretend that I can do it all, that I love everyone, and that everyone adores me. I check off the list of smiling and serving and all is well.

I pretend that I’ve got it together.

Here is the problem with that – it leaves no room for God.

Pretending that I don’t actually need Him because I’ve got it all under control is a very real side affect of me pretending that I only have one side – my good side. When I show you the pretty pictures without showing you the real, when I tell you the “nice: stories, without telling you the hard ones, I’m only showing you my good side.

“Good” - morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious; of high quality; excellent

That is exactly what I want you to see. I want you to see me – as good.

But that isn’t fair. That isn’t fair to the one who Created me. I am not perfect – I need Him every single day in all things.

I can pout, I can fuss, I can give a guilt trip with the best of them. It’s not pretty.

Not one “good” thing I do is without Him. When I am at the end of my road and all strength is lost, He is the one that I lean on. I need your story because I need to remember that it is OK to be broken. I need to hear your story because I need to know that if I love you after hearing your story, that you will accept me no matter what happens.

I need to be able to put my feet up on the coffee table and know that you aren’t going to tell me that I’m annoying or “holier than thou”. I need you to pour me a cup of hot tea (2 sugars, please) and tell me that I’m still beautiful. I need you to tell me that I don’t have to smile and be happy all the time.

We can love each other just because we are children of the one true King.

And I promise not to only show you my good side!

Love you,

Kate

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