Sunday, November 11, 2007

Masks

Our pastor recently preached on taking masks off, my friend Carol posted about masks, last week our Sunday school teacher touched on this topic. My real life friend Angela and I continually talk about taking the mask off and getting "real". Seems to be a theme over and over in my life.

To say I live this way (mask free)all the time would be a lie. For the most part, I try to be transparent. I never want to leave an impression that I think I'm "all that and a box of chocolate" as one of my dear friends would say. :) The truth is, I can't take a step without Jesus. One of the hardest things for me to do is make friends. Sure, I love all the fellowship! I crave that. I can talk to you, pray with you, socialize with you but to enter into deep friendship scares me to death. I am very guarded in "real life". Granted, every time God places this in front of me and I choose to take this step, HE blesses me beyond imagination.

How I love to watch and be apart of women interacting with each other. We talk family. We share details of our husbands, our children, our in-laws (or out-laws!). We spend hours talking make-up, clothing, underwear :) No topic is left untouched. But I would venture to say that 9 times out of 10, that's where it stops. I love to talk about all those things, what woman doesn't!! How much do we miss because we're afraid to go any deeper. Deeper in our relationships with each other and with God.

My most meaningful friendships are shared with those few ladies that I am totally mask free with. They know my weaknesses, my fears, my failures. They are the first to pray, cry and rejoice with me. They know those little details about me that can only come from a mask free relationship.

The longer I am in this land of blog, the more God shows me the importance of mask free living. It's easy to do here via the "interweb" as boomama calls it. Most of you will not see me in the grocery store, or at church! So it's easy to be the real me here. But God doesn't always operate in the "easy" mode does He?!

Here's what He is impressing on my heart for this time.

First. He's working out this fear issue in me. The fear of rejection. It's something we've been working on for several months, but I haven't been able to post about that just yet. This fear has been an idol in my life. I have hid behind it for the last time. He's asking me to take a huge step and be as transparent as I am in blogland, in real life.

Secondly, there are several ladies in my neighborhood that He has placed on my heart. I've felt since the summer that I was to host a Bible study in my home. To make an effort to develop authentic relationships with people that live around me. In January I am going to start this, so I ask you blog siesta's to pray with me that God will show me all the little details. ( What study, how and who to approach...) Pray that I will not chicken out of this. He's placed it on my heart for sometime and I can't do this without Him.

Okay girls, this next thing is the scariest of all. Brace yourselves. I'm taking the mask completely off here. On Monday, I'll post perhaps the most revealing thing I've ever posted. It's just what God is asking me to do and that is the ONLY reason I would ever do this.

I love you siesta's!!

8 comments:

God's girl said...

Praying for you! Amen to that. I feel the exact way you do as you know. Transparency is easier online than in person.
Love you!
Ang

Fran said...

Praying for you and with you. Its easy to be real behind the screen. To hit the road of daily life can be a different story.

I will pray for you. I will pray for all of us to be the real deal in every aspect of life. We would not want to mislead anyone.

I'm proud of you. You are encouraging us all Steph. God will bless you because of your obedience. He loves you so!

Anonymous said...

Steph -
Thanks for the sweet comment you left on my blog. I am so excited about what God has in store for the women that surround me and myself. So glad to find your blog and look forward to reading your posts. I can already tell that God can use you to inspire me.
Please visit me again. I have just started and also have to get started on my 2 youngest sons' blog. We are also homeschooling.
Our oldest son is in his first year of college. I have homeschooled in the past and have just started back a couple of weeks ago.
Blessings,
Robin

Anonymous said...

Praying for you as you rip off the mask...be prepared for a new found freedom! You inspire me.

Melissa said...

Amen! Like you, I only have a handful of really close friends who know the WHOLE, UGLY me. Well, now that I think about it, there are probably only a couple who have that kind of access to my heart.

Step out in faith, siesta! He's calling me to do the same. Like you, I know without a doubt that I can NOT do it without Him. Praying for you.

Leah Adams said...

How exciting!! Bible study always excites me and I think this one in your neighborhood will be such a blessing to you and to others.

You know the good thing about taking the mask off--God already knows what we look like behind the mask and He loves the stuffing out of us anyway. Doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks! Oh, I know in some ways it does, but when it all comes down to it, He loves us unconditionally and those who really love you will love you that way as well.

Those of us who are "blog siestas" will love your transparency and it may just motivate someone else to be transparent.

go for it, girl!! Visit The Point and answer the questions if you have time. It is fun seeing what everyone else is studying and learning.

Leah
www.thepoint-leah.blogspot.com

Heather C said...

Praying for your study! How exciting!

I love authenticity... but you're right. It's so hard to be totally mask-free. I have a very few close friendships that I cherish. God is slowly helping me to take off the mask with others as well... little by little.

God bless you, Stephanie!

Heather

DeAnna said...

I am walking that same path with you in regards to "true" friends and being transparent. Thanks for sharing and taking off the mask. Here's to seeing the warts and all--- and still loving each other inspite of it.