The Cards Life Deals Us

I used to think that a lot (probably more than I’m willing to admit).

I knew that it was pointless to compare the highlight reels to my everyday existence and I even came to terms with the fact that I am way too much for some people while not being enough for others, but I don’t  think anyone is fully immune to the comparison trap.

I still end up there from time to time, but I am grateful that I actually find myself helping others navigate comparison and perfectionism more often these days.

Last week, three students (in three different schools) asked me why I want to teach such heavy topics and one of my private clients wanted to know how I can talk about drunk driving without crying since a drunk driver killed my brother.

My answer to all four of them was basically the same - 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳.

I don’t want anyone to think they are alone and I want everyone to know that help is always available and there is always light on the other side of the darkness.

My Danger Girl story is one of the most vulnerable things I’ve ever shared… and it is also the thing that has helped the most people.

Since I wrote that blog, I’ve shared a lot of other tough stuff because I know that I’ve been given these experiences for a reason. On the flip side, I’ve also been intentional about sharing a lot of amazing things because I’ve 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 been given 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕖 experiences for a reason.

In the midst of my nervous breakdown/spiritual awakening eleven years ago, I remember posting something along the lines of “𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗛𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲” and, although it felt true (and funny) at the time, I take that back.

From this perspective (much higher on the mountain), I can see more of the plan and I’m grateful for all the 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 and all the 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.

I’m actually really proud of myself for taking the cards I’ve been dealt and choosing to use them to help other people, so I 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 enjoyed the message at church today because it gave me some new perspective on a few things and it reinforced what I’ve come to believe.

I definitely encourage you to check out the whole sermon but I wanted to share my Uno card and a little encouragement from Pastor John at LCBC Church for anyone who might be feeling a little overwhelmed by cards you’re holding right now.

He reminded all of us that:

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲.

𝕎𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖’𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕤 (& 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕝𝕪, 𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕦𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.

𝔹𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕨𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖 - 𝕚𝕟 𝕌𝕟𝕠 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖.

【Cａｎ　ＹＯＵ　ｓｅｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｌｅｓｓｉｎｇ　ｉｎ　ｐｌａｙｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｃａｒｄｓ　ｙｏｕ’ｖｅ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｄｅａｌｔ？】

If any of this resonated with you, definitely check out today’s message and the whole “𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩” series from the last few weeks.

I'm pretty new to this church, but it has been really amazing for me to take my knowledge of mindset (ie. thoughts become beliefs, beliefs become identity, and identity drives our actions) and learn how powerfully it aligns with scripture.