Day 2.

Hi loves! I hope you have read my first post and didn't find it too tiring or wander too deep in my old posts to not return today. Or maybe you did but came back any way because you want to know the title to this dang book. Or maybe you just want to see if I do in fact "change because of this God I am talking about."

Either way, I am glad you are back.

I have to say my heart is so heavy to continually draw closer to God that I keep buying book after book to continually draw closer to Him. And God really just told my sweet heart to slow down and take one concept at a time.

Because He knows that is just my speed. I am all or nothing. 100% or 0. Black or white. Passionate or over it. He did make me this way, that is why I know it is He who says, "Whitney, as much as I admire the passion I ignite in you, slow down, baby girl. You CAN'T learn it all at once."

And rightly so. Before I can truly GET what He is showing me and practice it, I am on to the next lesson. He is teaching me to LOVE the process, not just the POINT. Or the end result. But instead the whole, sweet ride.

So let me just tell you sweet ones that I have read the book of my life... but if YOU know ME... You have heard it before.... so let me rephrase... Wild at Heart was once the life changer.... as well as Captivating... as well as The Grace of God... which I highly suggest each of you to read... but for now... So Long, Insecurity is the life changer.

Did you just gasp? Did you just say, "Oh no she didn't?" Oh yes ma'am and sir I did. Half of you are probably thinking, Whitney? Insecure? The talkative, loud, presense that she is? And the other half are thinking... I knew her loud, talkative presense was a cover up all along!

But what if I told you... and please forgive me, that WE ALL suffer from Insecurity. Would you hate me? Not believe me? Will you at least hear me out?

By definition, Insecurity in its purest form means, not secure. I'm sure you wouldn't have figured that one out on your own. Wink, wink.

But seriously, Insecurity, anything that makes us feel not secure. Not sure.

Come to think of it a lot of things make me feel un sure. Not secure.

This economy for one. How am I supposed to get a job after graduating?
This sex-crazed society. How am I one day suppose to raise innocent little girls and honest young boys who will not value themselves on their sexuality but in God alone?
My future. Will I ever find the one? Will I have the sweet, Godly, manly, sexy, tall, husband I so dream about? Will I get married? Have a good job? Have healthy children?
Myself. (That's the most NOT secure part of us all, I believe.) Am I good enough? Pretty enough? Thin enough? Smart enough? Godly enough? Southern-bell enough? Will I be a good wife? A good mother? Am I a good friend? A good daughter? A good sister? And so on and so forth... and the many more You and I feel on a daily basis.

Insecurity looks pretty normal, right about now, huh? Pretty staple in our lives. But what if Insecurity doesn't have to. What if we didn't wake up in the morning questioning ourselves, our future, our jobs, our passions, our self esteems.... What if we could just be secure.

Well, that is exactly what this book is about. BUT. First you must admit it happens to you. You don't have to be a basket case, or not worry about your looks, or not worry about your future husband for it NOT to affect you.

Just keep with me, love....

According to So Long, Insecurity, "Insecurity refers to a pround sense of self-doubt- a deep feeling of uncertainty about our basic worth and our place in the world. Insecurity is associated with chronic self-consciousness, along with a chronic lack of confidence in ourselves and anxiety about our relationships. The insecure man or woman lives in constant fear of rejection and deep uncertainty about whether his or her own feelings and desires are legitimate."

That being said, "Insecurity's best cover is perfectionism."

You can be insecure and still be confident AND self-conscious. Most of the time we are confident because at the time we feel better than those around us when we compare ourselves to them as we are self-conscious. Do we look better? Do we have it together better? Is our car better? Is our job better? Is our boyfriend/girlfriend better looking? Is our family "better"? You can keep on going....

And when we don't feel we are "better" in those areas we feel less than, or NOT secure. So what do we turn to? Perfectionism. What we can "control". Our diets, our workouts, our jobs, our educations, or intelligence. Our clothes. Our shoes. Our cars. Our friends. Our boyfriends/girlfriends. Keep going....

All to make us "secure." "Sure." But, does it really? Or even better, is that security lasting? Let's just be honest with ourselves. How many times has having a good looking boyfriend made us feel prettier, skinnier, healthier, sexier? Maybe momentarily. But usually we want to work out more, eat better, buy better clothes, prove we deserve them. He doesn't secure us. How about a job? Or money in the bank? Or a new outfit? Do we feel just right, no insecurities just because we have these things? No. Never. At least not for long. And especially not forever.

Look, I don't want to over simplify this subject because it IS deep. And messy. And comes from our past losses, disappointments, parents, situations, relationships, etc, etc, etc. We have all been hit in many different ways. I just wanted to confront this issue. And I wanted to once again show that only the One can give us ETERNAL security... NOW and FOREVER. How? He tells us how. And He has certainly shown us how.

But first. If this insecurity comes from our past why is it in our present? And future?

Our Insecurity comes from fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear that we aren't good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, enough enough for a husband, a job, a family, a _______ (fill in the blank.) Fear that our past will repeat itself. Or worse. Or that our present will be our future.

But this is what He says. Our God. Our father.

He says that He will:

perfect everything that concerns you (Psalm 138:8)
work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)
contend with those who contend with you (Isaiah 49:25)
fight this battle for you (2 Chronicles 20:15)
equip you with devine power (2 Corinthians 10:4)
delight to show you mercy (Micah 7:18)
meet all your needs according to My glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
give you grace that is perfectly sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)
be your power in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)

AND MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE:

do immeasurably more than all you could ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within you (Ephesians 3:20)

And what does he ask of us?

To delight ourselves in the Lord. (Psalm 37:4)
To not fear. (Isaiah 41:10)
To wait on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

I hope you are not overwhelmed. Or confused. Or think I have just made a tremendous simplicity out of true insecurity that you have tried to diet away from, run away from, buy away from, date away from, marry away from, etc... because we each have our own story of how this crazy, ugly, life has made us NOT secure. Not sure. Scared. I KNOW I HAVE. YOU KNOW I HAVE. And we both know you have, too. We are human. Life has rocked us to the core. Surprised us. Scared us. So we tried or still try to take control. But, control is not ours. And who wants to try to control this crazy world, anyway? When someone WANTS to take all of our burdens, worries, fear, sadness, past, present, and future and GIVE US IMMEASURABLY MORE! Hallelujah!

But what I have done here is given you ONLY the beginning of the book. And the end. That life has given us all insecurities and that God promises He will do EVERYTHING in HIS power, which is bigger and greater than anything we can imagine and greater than anything that exists to get us through it, to fight it for us, to keep us from it, to be there with us, and so on and so forth. He already said He would. He already has. He is. And He will. All we have to do is give it to Him. Which is FAR easier said than done. But it is sure doable!

Please, please, please... if you are reading this, buy the book. Guy or girl. She interviewed LOTS of guys and girls, men and women, Christian and NOT, single and married, divorced, sad, depressed, happy, loved, miserable.... from every possible background and who has made every possible mistake and who has had life shaft them.

If you don't want to buy it, I will buy it for you. I will Amazon a used copy to you before you even can say please. Why? Because I love you. Because I want you to be secure. I want you to not look at your neighbor who is prettier, has more money, has a husband, a baby, a nice car, a big bank account and hate her. And even more, I don't want you hating yourself. I want you waking up in the morning knowing that no matter what your dress size is... a 0 or 16... that you are secure. You are enough. That God is enough. You don't need anything else. He is always enough. He is constant through the happy times, the sad times, the downright ugly, bad, lonely, single, misunderstood, WHATEVER times. That you know He will fight for you, hold you up, love you, be right beside you, and most importantly wants the BEST for you and will give you IMMEASURABLY more than you can imagine or ask for. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. And believe. And stop trying to find security in things or people in this world. In beauty. In money. In relationships. Only God.

Until then. Buy the book. So long, Insecurity. By Beth Moore.

And if you don't... please know I am praying for your security every day. Along with mine. It is a constant seeking to keep our eyes on God and NOT things of this world that will "make us look, feel, be... better."

Just let me know you are reading this and know your name will be specifically prayed for. If not, I lift up all my family, friends, acquaintances, and blog readers, and anyone and everyone because we all do... need God.

God has changed my heart because people have been praying for me since I was a child. And He has changed my heart not because of a book I have read. Or church I have attended. But because His grace found me exactly where I was. Like it will find you. Just call out to Him. Tell Him you need Him. We all do. It's not about weakness. We are made to need Him. Every.One.Of.Us. Like it or not. He made us that way. But if you read this and you feel a desire to buy this book, please do. It can change your life. Your heart. If not, stay tuned. I will keep inspiring, I hope. Through God's word and GRACE for me.

"We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Love always,
Whitney

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness." (Who I want to be)

Proverbs 31:25-26