For today’s faithful Friday post, I want to share some thoughts I have been having about authenticity.

For me, this word is both beautiful and challenging. On some level, we all long to relate authentically to those around us. We long to be fully known, yet also fully loved and accepted. We yearn for a community in which we are free to be 100% ourselves.

Recently, I have been writing quite a bit about both knowing and accepting ourselves. What I keep coming back to is that I must practice what I preach. Upon reflection, I have found that usually what we are most passionate about; what we most long for others to experience, is ultimately what we wish we were experiencing ourselves.

Although I am still wrestling with all of what that means, I think it has something to do with the fact that writing this blog has called me to a new level of authenticity. It is scary to write what you are passionate about, because you begin to hold yourself to new standards. I have found myself longing to have it all together, so I can be more of an “expert”. I realize now that this is not how I want to approach this process and that I need a paradigm shift. Passion should be about journeying with, not being an expert over.

As I am still seeking to find my authentic voice in the blogging world, I challenge you to ask yourself:

Where have you lost your authentic voice?

Are there places in your life where you are caving into the pressure to be something other than who you were created to be?

I have felt the pressure of the world in a couple of areas of life this week, and needed to remind myself to “practice what I preach”. Part of doing that is forgiving myself for my mistakes, and seeking the grace I need to make better choices.