The Greatest Gift From Father, Son & Holy Spirit:
A Healthy Identity
What is the greatest gift which makes everyday a Christmas?
Yes, salvation in Christ would top the list but an added bonus would be understanding who you are in Him: a healthy identity.
I thought I’d continue to take the mask off to share with you, praying it helps in your journey of love with HIM of some of my journey toward a healthy identity.
I grew up with four brothers which instilled a massive competitive spirit. They played sports and I followed them in determined pursuit. (They were never real competitive which is interesting). Soon my hours practicing sports started to put me in the spotlight.
For example, I remember practicing for hours in the cold winter months outside my home with basketball, especially free throw shots. I later entered a contest in my local area competing for the most free throws made out of 25. Because I had a basketball game close to the time of this contest, they let me shoot my 25 shots all at once instead of shooting 10 and going to the back of the line.
I liked to get my dad’s attention and make him proud of me. MAJOR identity factor for me as I scrambled with my four brothers for his affection. He was a very loving man and rarely did I see him angry. The most anger I ever saw out of him was when I was 10 and beat him in 9 holes of golf. I think he quit the game after that.
Anyway, this is simply one small illustration from my life that shows the beginning of where I really lost my identity in performance.
Even as I grew in my relationship with Jesus in my college days, I still had the MONSTER of performance raise it’s head and take a bite out of my heart nipping it with fear to perform, whether in class or in my then collegiate golf career.
I did crash.
That is another story. But what came out of my crashes was the activation of my pen to write.
I have a box (somewhere) of all my journals where I’d write out verses or things God was saying to me. Now a days, I mainly write with a Mac on my lap, as my chicken scratch of writing is hard for even me to read.
I did recently find one thing I wrote during a time where I was really coming to understand my identity as HIS much loved daughter. I had just walked through feeling like a failure from not getting my LPGA card (golf), in addition to a major mess full of trauma and drama. It was 1993 and this flowed out of my heart on to paper.
I thought I could give this as a gift to you.
Would the pages be full of grief, strife, and bitter pain.
“Would I take the mask off of me, with some paper and pen, revealing the darkest parts of my rebellion and sin?
“Could I express to You what’s really on my heart; How I’ve shattered my own life, only for You give me a new start?
“I can write this letter to you, God, and it’s full of your praise and glory;
For I know You do not condemn me, but see me pure and holy!
“I’ll write this letter to you God simply wanting to express how glad I am to be Your girl, your bride, your princess.
“I am writing to you God, let all heaven know:. Your child has been set free to bloom like a rose.
“I am writing to you, Jesus, simply wanting to express: How thankful I am to be–
(©Theresa M. Croft in the upcoming Book: “The Breaker Anointing: My Breakthrough Is Your Breakthrough”)
Why do I share such personal thoughts here lately? Because I want to see you walk in your own true identity so you can be free from the drama of any trauma. I desire to see courage arise in your creativity so you can put into motion the dreams that may be locked inside you. I see you using your skills and wisdom to impact others because He has give you extra ordinary solutions to other people’s pain points. I see you ready to get unstuck and go forward so you can arise from the ash of your crash. I see the identity as the starting point so you can find the physical healing or restoration you have longed for.
Coming next a Prophetic Word for 2019 that I will be fuel to your dreams.
IN the Vine,