Do you want to embrace who you really are? To become all God created you to be? To better share Him in your own amazing way wherever He places you?
In the You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide, Holley Gerth leads us through an interactive journey of discovery of who we are and into a deeper relationship with the God Who has created each of us to be an amazing masterpiece for a special purpose in life. The LifeGrowth DVD is meant to be used along with it. With each session, Holley sits with her cup of coffee and offers additional hugs of encouragement. Both are intended to be companions of the book she previously published – You’re Already Amazing. These resources can be used whichever way works best for you: a group study, an online study, one-on-one, or an individual study.
Sometimes I still fear that thinking of ourselves as “amazing” is prideful. According to the church we grew up in, it was prideful to say anything good about ourselves. And for sure we were not supposed to love ourselves. I still struggle with this, and it’s hard for me to grasp the thought that it hurts God when we condemn ourselves just as much as when we condemn others. I’m learning, but I’m still a work-in-progress. Holley’s books have helped me a lot in this area. I can no longer ignore those two words at the end of this verse – “as yourself.”
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
Holley believes that “seeing who God made us leads to praise, not pride.” Her purpose in this book is to give God praise and to encourage us to go out and love as only each of us can, equipped with the strengths and skills God has uniquely gifted us with.
“For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things
He planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
1. Who God Created Us to Be
2. What’s True No Matter How We Feel
3. Our Amazing Journey with Jesus
4. God’s Plan for Our Relationships
5. God’s Purpose for Our Lives
6. How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime
Each session is filled with heart-freeing truths along with questions and activities that help us to better understand who God really made us to be and to discover our LIFE (Love Is Faith Expressed) statement.
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision has any value.
The only thing that counts is
faith expressing itself through love.”
Galatians 5:6
With the help of lists of specific strengths and skills, the choosing of which ones fit me, and the guiding prompt Holley gives, I have discovered my LIFE statement: “I am created to express my faith through love, especially by bringing encouragement and hope in Jesus to hurting hearts through words.”
Probably my greatest “aha” moment of this book is that I’m exactly where God wants me to be. I have been beating myself up far too much that I’m “not doing enough,” but I need to just be me, the me God created. I need to quit putting so much pressure on myself and to let go of fears and insecurities that are holding me back.
As Holley writes – “Insecurity or fear of rejection keeps us alone.” And when this happens “we let the world miss out on who we are, what we have to give, and the beauty God has placed within us.”
Friends, we all have something to give because of the beauty God places within us. I encourage you to prayerfully read and personally interact with the truths in this book. Try to discover your own LIFE statement, and let it guide you and free you to be who you really are.
Perhaps your shoulders will droop and your eyes will look blankly at the lists of strengths and skills and think – I don’t have any. I remember thinking that the first time I read Holley’s previously published book You’re Already Amazing. That’s what happens when we’re all down on ourselves. I hope you will not give up on yourself as I often have. I believe as surely as I am writing this that everyone who reads this does have God-given strengths and skills. Sometimes we may have to dig deep past the garbage of our insecurities and toss out lots of lies to find them, but they are there.
Once we’re more clear about who God created us to be, will it always be easy? No way. Satan doesn’t want anyone to use their God-given gifts for God’s glory, so he will sometimes sock us right in the gut of our vulnerabilities. There will be days where we feel so weary that we don’t think we can take the next step. Days we will fall down. Days we will feel like failures. But let’s remember that in our weakness we are strong in the grace of Jesus. With His power in our hearts, we will keep putting one foot in front of the other.
And remember that no matter what, God loves you just as you are.
“God loves you for who you are.
You don’t have to earn His love.”
~ Holley Gerth
GIVEAWAY – Visit Lori Schumaker for a chance to win one copy of Holley Gerth’s “You’re Already Amazing” Book and Study Guide.
Linking up with:
Holley – Coffee For Your Heart
Jennifer – Tell His Story
Kelly – Cheerleaders of Faith
Barbie – Weekend Whispers