Come As You Are

Earlier this week,  I aired all my dirty laundry for all to see.  Actually,the laundry was clean, and technically I didn’t air it.  I folded and put it on hangers.  Then, I took a picture and posted it on Instagram.  My caption alluded to how far behind I was and said something along the lines of “this is real life” with a few hashtags saying #justbereal and #laundryfordays.

Shortly after posting, something profound happened.  I began to get text messages and private messages thanking me for posting something that helped someone else feel normal, like they weren’t alone. One even said they’d felt so defeated that they couldn’t stay on top, when it seemed everyone else had it all together.  There were  6 or so brave posters, who openly admitted on my post that they too were in the same situation.  Some even confided with all my Insta followers, where their pile o’ laundry resides. Privately sent words like “it made me feel so good to know that I’m not the only one who struggles to stay on top of this!” resonated through my ears and straight into my heart. I've had this sort of reaction plenty of times when I've bared my soul on my blog, but never about laundry!

Though these posts and private messages were thoroughly entertaining to me, it also really impacted me.  The act of being real, in a raw moment and just laying it all out there for the world to see made a difference in someone’s day. Even more in my own.  I’m nowhere close to having it all together. Neither are you.  Allowing others to see how behind I was on one of the mundane tasks in life felt vulnerable.  I’ll admit, I wondered who out there would whisper to their friend, “I can’t believe she’d post something like that…” but the desire to be imperfectly real in all I do and even more, to be completely okay with that, outweighed my fear of ridicule. I’m sure it was said by some, but really who cares?  I’ve learned a lot this year about how little the opinion of others truly matters. Allowing myself to be fully “Nicole”, just as God created me, so that I can live out His purpose for my life is so much more important to me.  

Friends, can we commit to just being real with one another?  Can we do life together in a way that tears down the walls of fear and rejection and instead opens pathways of freedom to just be who we are, where we are, fulfilling the daily calling that God has placed on our lives?  That looks different for everyone. Where I’m at in life is different than where you are.  How you react to, handle and carry out situations unique to your circumstances, could very well be entirely opposite to how someone else does.

Giving others the gift of allowing them to be nothing more than who God created them to be, in all their imperfections is a powerful conduit to a beautiful friendship. Sensitive, Strong, Brave, Introverted, Outgoing, Insecure, Confident, Emotional, Guarded. We are all different, created by a God who knew just what this world needed and sent us to fulfill a special role.

Let us agree to flee from judgemental thoughts and words.  Can we just cease to stop embracing the belief that because it’s not how we would do it, it’s not the right way?  Rather, let’s embrace one another with unconditional love, offer grace and encouragement where needed and love well.  Christ loves us in all our imperfections. He places no demands on us to have it all together when we come to Him. It’s his love, grace and forgiveness that escort us into holy perfection and an intimate relationship with Him. He wants “Nicole” just as she is, flaws and all. What better gift to give a friend, than to imitate the example Jesus set for us through the Scriptures and through our own salvation?  I want you in my life, just as you are, fully you.  Your messes, your flaws, just you.

Let me love you well, the real you. Come as you are.

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