Welcome to Being True
An invitation to live authentically and courageously.
A space that offers freedom and healing.
A sanctuary for personal and spiritual formation.
A place where you can be true to Christ who lives in you.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
- John 10:10b
For the glory of God is the living man, and the life of man is the vision of God.
- Saint Irenaeus of Lyons
There are sacred spaces on earth; places where the barrier between heaven and earth is so thin that God's love and presence is unmistakable.
That is the kind of place I hope Being True will be: a refuge for those who are tired of wearing masks.
A space where you can be honest, vulnerable, and true; knowing that there is no pressure, no judgment, and no hurry.
A space where you can ruminate, reflect, meditate, think all the things and feel all the feels.
A space where you can hear yourself and make yourself heard.
A steady, grounded place to reconnect with Christ who lives in you and by extension, with yourself.
A place where you know and feel love, because you are loved.
Being True was born out of frustration.
Frustration at not being able to voice my true thoughts or feelings because there was an unspoken expectation to perform.
Frustration at helpful, loving people who wanted to help me fix things or give me advice when I just needed someone to be present and listen.
Frustration at continually being told to 'keep my chin up' or 'cheer up'.
Frustration at stories of victory over life challenges that, while encouraging and heartwarming, glossed over the honest, mundane, boring, day-to-day, loooong periods in-between - periods when nothing happened but life kept happening. Times that are more valuable than the triumph, because they form and transform us.
I craved a place that provided this freedom but couldn't really find it .... so I decided to create it.
So here's what you can expect on here.
This space will primarily contain raw, honest stories.
Stories of things that happen and the thoughts/feelings that are a part of living an ordinary, mundane life.
Stories that contain details of one person's journey - me - being true to Jesus and to myself.
You are invited
I hope that this space and the stories it holds will serve as an encouragement and an invitation to you.
As different as we may be, the human experience is a universal one. Regardless of our circumstances, I am willing to bet that we will have experiences, thoughts and/or feelings in common.
And so here's my invitation to you: that you stay with and reflect on the things that resonate with you.
Let my stories serve as a loving presence, as a witness and a mirror to your own experiences. Allow them to encourage and validate your own thoughts and feelings. You are not alone.
As for the stories that don't resonate: let them gently pass you by like water in a stream. We don't always have to agree in order to love.
I'm saying a prayer for us all as we step into this space: that we slow down and give ourselves permission to just BE.
That we allow ourselves to be wholly present without worrying about productivity or other people's expectations, or (insert other cause of other anxiety here) ..... so that we can experience the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit throughout our time here and beyond.
Just like the Lord's arms, the doors are always open here.
Welcome, my friend.