These past few weeks have been a few of the most exciting in my life. For several reasons.
On January 3rd I celebrated my first year anniversary with my beautiful wife. It has been such a blessing being married to Ketlin! She’s the best wife I could have ever asked for. We celebrated with a spontaneous trip to Riga, Latvia.
Additionally this week I fulfilled one of my life-long dreams: to write, and publish a book! My Book is now available!
So the past few weeks have been pretty busy, but very very exciting! I truly am a blessed man.
With the whirlwind of all these great happenings, and the additional fact that it is now a new year- I have been reflecting on my history.
In my reflection I have decided to share with you all what I would consider one of the most powerful tools I have cultivated over the last 5 years of my life: Positive, and intentional mindsets.
So here are 5 mindsets that have radically shaped my life. Enjoy, and I hope you can cultivate them yourself.
1. I am accepted
God unconditionally accepts you, and He unconditionally accepts me.
This mindset is one of the most comforting and freeing mindsets you can cultivate. You and I are unconditionally accepted, loved, embraced, and free to be ourselves.
We are free to be fully alive, and we are free from rejection.
When God accepts you- when God marks you as His accepted, beloved child- there is nothing that can every reject you.
The word of God over your life is more powerful than any accusation, insult or attack you can suffer.
God accepts you, and that makes you un-rejectable.
2. I am a saint
When I got the revelation that the cross changed my nature, I felt like it rewired my brain. I stopped thinking of myself as a “dirty rotten sinner” and started seeing myself as a beloved son.
The Gospel of candy and grace joyously announces that the cross changes your nature.
Paul writes many times throughout the scriptures about our sinful nature being crucified with Christ, and replaced with His divine life. (See Galatians 2:20, Romans 6, Col.3, and elsewhere)
Your sin nature was lost in the death of Christ, and replaced in the resurrection. You now share in His life, which is a divine life of infinite happiness, holiness and freedom.
This mindset caused me to stop looking inward introspectively, seeing if I’m being good enough for God our not. This mindset set my eyes singularly on the Cross, and the beautiful face of Jesus. I ceased trying to find out what’s wrong with me, and I started discovering Candy Land – the reality that Christ has brought me into, in union with Him.
3. I have what it takes
God is not Schizophrenic. He does not create you with talents abilities and gifting’s only to use you in a completely opposite way.
If you’re wondering what God “called” you to be or do, stop it. God is asking you the very same questions you may be asking Him.
“God what should I do with my life? Should I be a pastor, a missionary, or a business man?”
“Well Johnny, what do you want to do?”
God has equipped you to succeed in your life. He made you specifically, and uniquely.
You have what it takes.
God made you to succeed not to fail. He doesn’t make junk, and He made you.
I dare you to believe in yourself as much as He believes in you.
4. I am important
I’m a generally shy person, I don’t usually speak unless someone talks to me first. I mostly just keep to myself. I do communicate to people, and I am friendly. However, being vocal with my opinions hasn’t always been within my comfort zone.
But I’m learning to make it easier. With this website, and my new book I am learning to see that my opinions matter and that I am important in this world. I may be shy, but what I have to say matters.
As I began to discover who I am in Christ, I began to discover that I love writing and communicating. Even public speaking has been a strength of mine. (I spoke at my high school graduation in front of 5,000+ people.)
I realized that my tendency to stay quite and keep my opinions to myself was not doing the world any favors. I am important and my ideas matter. I do the world a disservice when I don’t speak up and share my ideas.
You matter too. You may not be a speaker or a writer, but your life matters. You do the world a disservice when you deny them the privilege of knowing you, your ideas, and your personality.
5. I like me
Jesus told us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” The problem is that many people don’t love themselves.They don’t even like themselves sometimes.
I used to beat myself up every time I made a mistake, sinned, or forgot to read the bible. I would condemn myself regularly because I honestly didn’t like myself. I would had never admitted it, I would often mask it under religious duty, but looking back it’s true. I didn’t like me, and I had a hard time knowing that God liked me.
So I spent my time doing religious duties like reading the bible and praying a lot in order for me to earn this acceptance. But it was never enough. I burnt myself out.
But towards the end of high school I began to learn how to love myself and accept who I am. I would look in the mirror and stare myself in the eye saying “Stephen, I like you!”
When you come to terms with who you are and you learn to like yourself- all jealousy, pride and bitterness with fade away. You will be okay with who you are and forget all about who you’re not.
I like me. Do you like you?
Declarations
If any of these mindsets stood out to you, do this: declare them.
Look yourself in the mirror, and say them out loud. Say them as many times as you need to, every day until you get it.
You are accepted, you are a saint, you have what it takes, you are important, and you are likable.
These mindsets radically changed my life, and I hope they can impact yours.
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