It starts with you.

I believe that deep down...and in some it may be really buried, but that deep down in everyone is a longing to make a difference. To have lived a life that left a legacy - or as I like to say, "to write a story that's worth telling." We all bring something special and unique to the world in just our very existence, but in our culture, "fearfully and wonderfully made" tends to translate to "not normal".

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that normal is highly overrated...and really, who are we allowing to define what is "normal"? If we're looking to the world to define it, then I guarantee we're getting our information from the wrong source.

If you go to the Source of Life for your definition...here are just some of the truths you will find (and trust me, this is a very condensed list):

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).
I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9-10).
I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).
I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25).
I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).
I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).
I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).
I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Phil 3:14).
For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

You see, I am a pretty "intense" person. I'm a deep-thinker, have a lot of words, super enthusiastic, passionate when stirred and quite often I can feel like I overwhelm everyone around me - myself included! :) But "it is not I who live, but Christ lives in me." He created every nuance that makes me ME and I can either shy away from who I really am because of fear of how others will receive it, or I can walk in the unique way that God created me and use it for his glory. So if I'm going to be a deep-thinker, then I'm going to keep my mind on Christ. If I have lots of words to use, I'm going to share what God is doing in my life. If I'm super enthusiastic I'm going to be affirm and encourage those around me. If I'm passionate I'm going to ask the Lord to stir my heart for what stirs his. If I'm going to be overwhelmed, I hope it's the kind of overwhelmed that feels like God's extravagance and I hope that pours out onto every person I come into contact with.

You see, we're not called to "change" everyone, we're called to walk boldly in who God created us to be...and in doing that, impact the lives of those around us. That impact can be either be a positive or a negative one, that choice starts with you. Are you going to embrace what makes you YOU? I guarantee, when you finally walk in the freedom of that, there's a fullness to be lived that you can't even imagine. Yes, you will certainly freak some people out, but just be obedient to be who God called you to be and let him handle the rest.

Just imagine a world for a moment where there was no fear and we all lived in the confidence of who God uniquely created us to be. You can live in that world. It simply starts with you.