Yet as I sent my kids off I knew my little girl, would possibly face another challenge. One her confident and mostly popular self does not encounter very often. It is the challenge of not fitting in.
You see, last week there were a group of girls who she was keen to join in with. One was her age and the other an older sister. Boldly she went up to them and tried to join in with their game. They walked off. My Lucy followed them and asked what they were talking about. Probably thinking this would surely make them accept her. Yet they still walked off and did their own thing.
I heard later my little girl was crushed. She went up to my baby sitter Becki and told her about it. Which she was able to lure Lucy away and help her join in with her game. Thanks Becki!
When my husband picked her up she told him all about it. When she came home she told me all about it.
My first thoughts was of course...What girls would not include my daughter! How dare they!
But, thankfully I knew my past wounds of many, many years of not fitting in were not my Lucy's present day norm. My once was very unpopular, awkward, painfully shy and incredibly low self worth self was not my daughters reality. My past was not her now. I knew my days of not only not fitting in but being teased and bulllied were behind me. Oh thank God they were behind me. Far far behind me.
So that night as my daughter went to bed I prayed over her and my son. I prayed prayers that were possibly not considered or prayed over me. I prayed for them to grow in God's unwavering love and unchangeable acceptance of them. I prayed for them to stand tall with their heads held high. Confident in who they are. Proud to be the unique and incredible selves that God made them to be.
Then I wrote Lucy this little note.
I imparted wisdom into how she might better handle the situation next time. Including maybe not asking them what they are talking about.
But most importantly I reminded her of one very important truth. The one God wants us all to know. Of how much value we really are.
SO as I dropped her off today I said again "remember you are fun and very special"! These words sure would have helped my aching heart duirng my childhood.
Then later on I got this pic from Becki. She was having fun. Being her fun loving goofy self. No skin off her nose! Yep her today is not my past and it is not full of the painful rejection that took oh so long for my tender heart to overcome.
So maybe you are reading this and like me was one who regulary did not fit in and it hurt your heart. It formed your identity of maybe a looser, geek or dork?! Worse yet maybe you were told these things. I certainly was on many occasions! I endured being bullied and or teasing aswell as not fitting in for 20 years straight. Trust me friend I've been there! I know the hurt I know the pain.
There is hope and new life on the other side of this pain of rejection. Did I forget the pain? Absolutley not. WIll God use this pain to help others. Absolutley He will and He is. Which is why I am writing to you now.
How do I know you ask?? Well, because he did it for me. He took my very broken unpopular self and put me into a church family who loves and accepts me. He gave me friends who love me for who I am. He has given me a loving husband and wonderful kids. He is healing my pain through watching the lives of my children. But more than that He has given me his all powerful and every changing word which tells me He loves me and is with me always Phillipians 4:5. That I am precious to him (Isaiah 43:4). He chooses me and you too 1 Peter 2:4. And above it all I can stand tall (2 Timothy 1;7)
Just like Toby Mac is singing behind me right now... "He can take your brokeness and make it beautiful." Dooh do do dooh do do doooh.
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