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I love my oldest niece with all my heart. She has my stature, my brother's goofiness, and my sister in law’s Type A personality. She is the first grandchild on my side of the family and has been adored her whole life. As she’s getting older, her sassy side is coming out more and more. Be careful with your words around this one-she’ll take your words and bend them to her will. “Take a bite please.” “Ok, I’m taking a bite of air.” You get my point. Her smart aleck replies can be entertaining but also - how do i put this lovingly… tiresome. But in the end she’s not wrong. I have to be increasingly careful about my words with her or at least explain the intention behind them. Kids are impressionable but so are people. Words are important. They can give clear instructions or further confuse. Words are powerful. They have the ability to lift people up or tear them down. Words are purposeful. They can serve a goal and enable growth or be a waste. God created the universe by speaking it into existence. Jesus performed miracles by his words alone. The Bible is called the Living Word. Christianity places so much emphasis on words, but how do Christians use words? Sometimes I’m embarrassed by the way some “public figure” Christians talk. Honestly, sometimes I’m embarrassed with the way I talk. Does every sentence, every phrase you utter, sound as if it’s from a saved person? A person that has a greater purpose than anything this world can imagine? I know that’s not true of me, although I try to be better. We could all do better. We must be mindful of the words we use and how we use them. Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 16:24 - Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Christians are called to win over the souls of (wo)man for the kingdom by sharing the gospel. What message are we sending to the world when all they hear are bitter, angry, shaming words? Jesus taught us to act out in love and rebuke evil, not people. As the classic Mahatma Gandhi quote goes, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Let our words be the vessel that someone finds hope, love, comfort, and salvation. Use the power of your voice, whether it's written or spoken, because whatever words you choose will leave an impact. You have the ability to choose what kind of impact you wish to leave on this world. Love, A Woman of Worth

Stacey always had the best hair. Even when we were 5, and all 5 year old’s look like incomplete Picasso pieces. But not Stacey. She was always put together and knew what she wanted in life but still had a sweetness to her that made people like her, regardless of her perfection. She sailed through life with that pretty people privilege, and I resented her for it. I was awkward, uncomfortable, and always the foreigner. Yes, Stacey was also Indian, but something about her made her inviting. I attributed it completely to her good looks. She even tried to work her charm on me, but I knew better. I was smart enough to see through the façade of niceness that there was something wrong with her. No one could be that pretty, nice, happy, and smart. God is fair, isn't He? So I stayed far away from the grips and friendship of Stacey. But like any other person who has too much time in her hands, I kept up with Stacey’s life. We graduated school, went to the same university, and graduated school together again. I went on to have a successful career after majoring in history, becoming a secretary to a delightfully cranky accountant. And according to Instagram and my parents, Stacey was a successful nurse practitioner…why couldn’t I be more like her? But I waited. I was patient. I knew one day that like the wall of Jericho, the façade of her glorious life would crumble. So imagine my surprise when I saw her crying in the corner of my church on a cold Sunday morning. The service was over and most people had rushed out to get to lunch or that sweet Sunday nap. But not her. She had her head bowed down and her shoulders shook for a good 10 minutes. A part of my cold heart was rejoicing that I was witnessing the fall of Stacey. But not like this. It was unmistakable that she was hurting. But hurting from what? From having the perfect husband and kids? The beautiful house in Sunset Rose? She deserved no real sympathy. She probably deserved it. So imagine my surprise when my feet started to move towards her and I sat beside her. God was obviously pushing me to talk to her, and my flesh had no part in that decision. What would I say to her? How would I talk to her? We have nothing in common and I had no words of comfort. But something kept me there. I nervously ask, “Hi Stacey. Are you ok? Do you want someone to talk to?” I handed her the Kleenex next to me. “Thanks Beth. Oh I was just having a good crying session with Jesus. It’s good to have those sometimes you know. I have been having a hard week with my dad in the hospital again. He’s had cancer on and off since I was 5, but this time things look worse for him. My family has kept his diagnosis pretty private all these years, but I wanted to let someone else know and maybe that’s why God sent you to me right now.” I was shocked. Pretty and perfect Stacey had a rough childhood? I mean teenage acne is a pretty hard hand to be dealt, but her dad had cancer her entire life? It made sense now why he seemed so tired sometimes, but it didn’t make sense how she seemed to have such a happy life despite it. “I’m really sorry to hear that Stacey. I didn’t know that your dad and your family was going through such a rough time for so long” “Yeah we kept it on the down low. It was hard not letting people know. But God has been really faithful to us, Beth. We never expected for us to have this much time with dad, so every day has been a gift. It’s like Pastor Tom said, when you have trust that God is with you through everything, your heart and body will be glad and secure in Him. I won't lie, its not always been easy to say that, you might remember I had lost my job last year and things were pretty rough for us there.” No I didn't remember that, conveniently my parents had left that out of my weekly updates. “But that verse out of Psalms 16 has kept me going. I learned that looking to Jesus. Even when the going gets rough, I get this peace that can’t be explained, I feel secure that no matter what happens, Jesus is going to get me through it safely and soundly. I’m sure you know what I mean.” Actually no, I didn’t know what she meant. I had a sinking pit in my stomach as I heard her describing this peace and security in her life. I wanted that. In fact, I realized that’s what I despised about her the most all these years. She always knew who she was and had a peace that seemed profound and unreachable. Of course, being in church, I knew Jesus, but I didn’t have a close relationship. He was more of an acquaintance that I was obligated to meet every Sunday because of family rituals and traditions. I was part of Sunday school, went to VBS every summer, and I volunteered at church. I even thought I was a pretty decent Christian, but listening to Stacey was making me uncomfortable. Squirming in my chair, I started to reflect on my relationship with God. Is this why I was so miserable all these years? Is this why my self-esteem was at an all-time low? Maybe it's not that Stacey was faking being happy. She just turned to God to give her strength, and He gave her the peace to be happy. I gave her a weak nod. She gave a grateful smile and said “Thanks for talking to me Beth. It feels really good to have someone to talk to about this stuff and can understand what a girl goes through. I’m going to head out now, I think Steve is waiting for me out there, but let’s talk more next week? You always seemed like someone who I could connect to really well.” I shyly replied "Okay," and watched her walk out the church doors. I sat there feeling equal parts shame, guilt, and longing. I despised Stacey all these years, not for what she had or what she accomplished. I despised her because I longed for what she had with Jesus. I reached for the Kleenex next to me, as I silently wept. Jericho was falling, but it was not Stacey crumbling. It was me. And just like her, I submitted all my fears and failings to Jesus and asked that He would give me peace that passes all worldly understanding. And as I breathed, God rushed into me. It’s amazing how one prayer can change your life, because I opened my eyes and I knew things were going to be different. Psalm 16:8 says, 'I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.' It will take time to heal and love who Jesus created me to be, but God’s restoration of my soul was well on its way. I wanted to know God like Stacey knew Him. And I couldn’t wait to tell and ask Stacey all about it next week. Love, Merlyn A woman of worth

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt a little out of place, not fully comfortable in my own skin. Born to immigrant parents who moved from India to Canada, I’ve always felt torn between two cultures. I’ve known myself to be a combination of both, but never truly fitting into either. Now add in religion, heavy laden with legalism that can blur the lines between faith and culture, and the product was a truly confused kid. I know that is a feeling many of us in the South Asian community can relate to. Needless to say, I never developed a strong sense of identity. I learned early on to alter the way I dressed or behaved to fit whatever my surroundings required. I was never truly sure who I was or what I was passionate about because my greatest aim was simply to exist without making too many waves. I wanted nothing more than to conform and blend in wherever I went, and so the people pleaser in me was born. It became apparent to me at a very young age the one thing I had control over was my achievements. Earning good grades, being visibly involved in church, keeping up appearances and winning the approval of others brought me a sense of identity. Now, anyone who has lived a little can tell you that none of these things are a solid foundation to base your identity. Grades can drop, you can lose a job, the opinions of others are fickle, and girl, some days you’re winning and other days you lose hard. It took a series of failures, heartbreak and humbling moments throughout my early adulthood for God to break down those barriers and help me realize that no amount of striving or accomplishment would ever win me favor in the eyes of the only One who matters. You and I have been made in the image of our Father. Each of us is uniquely gifted and beautifully crafted to reflect facets of His character and yet, many a time, we don’t believe that is enough. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." No detail about your existence or mine was a mistake. Even the parts of us that we think are too broken or ugly to show others are a part of a grander design and can be used by God if we submit them. Striving to win the approval of the world will only leave you exhausted and oftentimes wanting. It is so much more fruitful and fulfilling functioning in the knowledge that you are already loved and fully accepted. You have so much worth that you were bought at a price with the very precious blood of Christ. It is from that place that our life’s work no longer becomes about status or approval, but about bringing Glory to our Maker. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:10-11) Love, Melissa A Woman of Worth

Every Friday, my coworkers and I go around the room asking each other what our weekend plans are. One of them would usually say they are going fishing, and another would say they’re going to work on their garden. When it’s my turn to answer, no one is surprised when I say that I am spending most of my weekend volunteering or leading various ministries and events at my church. I absolutely love serving at my church and in my community. I know it is what God has called me to do. I also enjoy staying busy in general. However, there was a time this past year where I found myself feeling overwhelmed by how busy my schedule could be. It got to the point where I wouldn’t be spending as much time in my personal devotion with the Lord than I should have been. There were even some days where I would feel so tired after coming home from serving, I would go straight to bed and not take time to pray or read the Bible. The time I spent serving Jesus was starting to outweigh the amount of time I would spend with Him. In Luke 10:38-42, we find a story that is quite similar to this type of situation. Jesus was passing by a village, where a woman named Martha invited Him over to her house. First off, can you imagine inviting JESUS to your house? The Son of God? The One who has been performing miracles left and right? The One who came to save me from the cost of my sins? I would be freaking out! Just as any of us would, she began to work on different tasks to make her home more hospitable to Him. While Martha attended to those tasks, her sister, Mary, sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him speak. Martha was too distracted by the preparations that had to be done, she didn’t even see what she was missing. She may have been so focused on cleaning and having food made, she did not set aside time to actually sit and listen to Him. I am guilty of following what Martha did here. As the Bible states that she was distracted with serving, I recognized that I had also become distracted by doing so. I allowed myself to be so consumed in what I can do for Jesus, I didn’t take time out of my day to truly just be in His presence and hear from Him. When my personal time with Him started to lessen, I noticed that my anxiety and worries would increase. Instead of giving my burdens to Jesus, I was holding on to them without realizing, which affected the way I served. Seeing that Mary was sitting by Jesus rather than helping with the preparations, Martha went up to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40). When Martha complained about this to Jesus, He replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41 & 42). There is nothing wrong with serving the Lord; He wants us to honor Him and be vessels for His Kingdom. That being said, He does not want you to overwork yourself to where you are serving Him more than spending time directly with Him. Jesus told Martha that really one thing is needed, which is to sit at His feet, just as Mary did. He would rather have you sit and listen to His Word than you trying to serve Him with no growth in your relationship. Your personal time with God should always come first before serving. How you serve should be an outpour of how your walk with Him is. By having a flourishing relationship with Christ, the way you serve will be fruitful. When I realized this, the way that I served changed. I was able to lay down my burdens and serve by surrendering and growing closer to Him. My prayer has become that my devotion with the Lord would be reflected in the way that I serve. Whether you are working, a full-time student, and/or involved with serving at your church, be sure to set aside time to spend alone with God each day. More than anything, He wants you to sit at His feet and grow closer to Him. Love, Allisa, a woman of worth

Introvert or Extrovert, which one are you? I am, and have always been, an introvert. As an introvert, I get lost in thought a lot and tend to daydream. I’ve noticed this is a common trait that I share with my fellow introverts - we are very introspective. We reflect on ourselves, on our lives, on situations past, present, and future; we get in our head. In these moments of reflection, I’m able to assess situations and have an honest talk with myself and God. “How did I get to this point in my life?” “Am I following God’s course for my life?” “Am I happy?” At a certain point in my life, I stopped making New Year's resolutions. What was the point of having these grand expectations of my life and what I would accomplish only to fail and let myself down in a years’ time. It was better to go in with low expectations. However, that all changed one Sunday morning. As I was driving to church, I heard a sermon by a Preacher who stated that New Year's resolutions were important because they gave us the ability to reflect and see the progress and change we’ve made throughout the past year. As someone who constantly reflects on her life and wants to better it, this really spoke to me. Ever since, I’ve made resolutions. Even though I don’t hit all my goals for the year, I still get some joy out of it because it shows me the progress I’ve made. “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” Proverbs 27:19. The act of reflection and meditation in our life can play an important role in making sure we are one with God. You check in with your friends from time to time to see how they’re doing, but do you ever do that for yourself? Reflection on God’s word and how you live your life can provide you with the opportunity to assess and reevaluate if you’re truly following your calling and passions. Jesus himself would reflect and meditate on God’s word. This allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the scriptures. “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” 2 Timothy 2:7. Have you ever watched a movie or TV show multiple times and always noticed something new? That’s how I think God’s Word is sometimes. Just when we think we know what’s happening, we get hit with another perspective or something that we've ignored will stand out in a whole new way. Constantly going back to it and re-reading it will offer that opportunity for further insight. Reflecting on our current positions in life can be a powerful tool to grow us further, but it can also be a destructive force if we are constantly wallowing in regret. Don’t be hard on yourself if you’ve discovered you have strayed off course. Instead, do something about it. Do what you can to get back to God’s calling in your life. Now that you know, let’s work on ourselves together. Love, A Woman of Worth

She was going to be my best friend, I was sure of it. My mother in law was someone I looked forward to meeting and longed to have a relationship with her. Meeting her for the first time, I was elated. My smile quickly turned into a frown as I quickly realized her disappointment after meeting me. I wasn’t what she wanted. She waited all my husband’s life to arrange a marriage for her son, only to be disappointed to find out her son chose me be his forever. Over the next few years, I couldn’t understand why she was so bitter. What was wrong with her? I loved him with all my heart. I worked so hard to finish college and worked hard to bring home a paycheck. Why was I not good enough? It was ongoing. The silent treatment. The lack of communication. I kept telling myself over and over I didn’t deserve this. Days of resentment between us turned into months, and months turned into years. I began focusing on having a good relationship with my father-in-law; seeing him as my second dad and embracing his acceptance for me, all the while, intentionally ignoring my mother-in-law and her bitterness towards me. I would ask myself over and over again why God would allow my lifelong expectations with her to be shattered. One day, many years later, I passed by our guest room and heard my husband praying. I stopped suddenly to not only see him on his knees but hear his prayer to God for things to be mended between his mom and I. It was at that moment that God really broke me and opened my heart to see and feel the hurt my husband endured not only for days, months but for YEARS. I realized that this broken relationship hurt the person I loved so much more than I could imagine and that was not okay. It was in that very moment God began to open my eyes to see that this was the mother of my husband I loved so much. Without her, there would be no him. And that was enough reason for me to love her. So I began my journey in letting my resentment go and chose to love her simply because God called me to love her without question. My mother-in-law sat across from me at my baby shower. She was taking part in a game and began answering questions without looking up. Needless to say, she won that game. It was in that moment, I saw my husband in her. A highly intelligent, classy, competitive and driven individual. I realized how blinded I was by my resentment that I couldn’t see just how much of her was in the man I loved so much. In John 15:12, it says “My command is this. Love each other as I have loved you” Here I am today, years later and I whole heartedly love my mother-in-law like my own mom. Is there something that holds you back from loving others? John 15:12 is a reminder that God doesn’t just ask but he commands us to love each other as he has loved us. I hope we can look within ourselves and just do that. Love, A Woman of Worth

My nose is big, it takes up most of my face. My lips aren’t as full as I’d like, over-lining can only do so much. My hair is coarse and curly, a puzzle to my mother. They say “beauty is skin deep”, but in a world dictated by visuals and aesthetic vibes, the definition of beauty has become skewed. We now stare at ourselves in the mirror psycho-analyzing every feature and every freckle. We don’t look like the influencers that now dictate our standards of beauty, and maybe we shouldn’t. Growing up, I was what I would call a “triple threat”. In basketball, “triple threat” is used for a forward that is in a good position allowing them three options-to shoot, pass, or dribble down the court. In my world, triple threat meant I had acne, glasses and braces all at the same time. Obviously my version wasn’t a compliment. These insecurities were worsened by a community that did not hold their tongue as to your insecurities. Growing up never truly feeling beautiful, I threw myself into learning how to tame my hair so that I would fit in more with the pin-straight heads of the early 2000's. Youtube taught me how to use makeup to hide my acne so that when someone spoke to me, they would get to know me instead of gazing blankly at the mountains erupting on my face. Although all these tactics worked to mask myself on the outside, the inside remained the same- cold, isolated, unworthy, unloved and alone. It was finally when I turned to the Word of God that things clicked. 1 Peter 3:3-4 states that, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” This verse was my beacon of light in a dark world. This verse showed me my importance in the eyes of God. Not only was I valuable to Him, He thought I was beautiful. He wasn’t distracted by my out-of-style clothes or the abrasions on my skin, he saw my inner self and claimed it as beauty. Proverbs 31 is heavily quoted as depicting an ideal woman of the Lord, but if we look in those verses, her appearance isn’t the main focus. She is described through her character, her intelligence, her work ethic. Verse 30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” God loves faithfulness. Women can win Miss Universe and still be looked at as ugly if their character is rude and narcissistic. Isaiah 61:3 says “bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." It was after realizing what beauty meant in the eyes of the Lord that I finally learnt to love myself for who I am. So yes… My nose IS big, but it was given to me by my grandfather, who everyone describes as “pavum” in my language (homely/modest). A man who came from nothing and worked his whole life to provide a better life for his family. A man who was so adaptable that he took on my grandmother’s family name rather than keep his own. A man loved by everyone. My lips aren’t big, but they are my father’s, who learned and spoke several languages on the path to move to America. The lips that taught hundreds of students the depths of science, and then on the weekends, taught individuals the Word of God. The lips that he laughs and jokes with, the lips that I’ll have because of him even after he’s gone. I love these lips because I love my dad. My hair is coarse and curly, unruly and wild, just as my spirit. It is tame some days and reaching the heavens in every direction on other days. It is free-spirited and natural. It does not play by rules set by this world. It is in command of its own fate and its own path. I decide the path I go down in life with God’s guidance. The environment may sway us, but we’re persistent and resolute in His word. I now realize the art God created within me - I am the embodiment of my ancestors before me. I was not pieced together randomly. I am a compilation of years of art unfolding. My looks showcase my heritage and God’s love through generations of believers who talked and walked with God. I am beautiful, and so are you. Realize your worth. Love yourself girl, you deserve it. Love, A woman of worth

Can you believe we’re already in February of 2022? Time flies by really fast. Recently my husband, Dennis, got a new job and we moved to a beautiful area called Overland Park in Kansas from our hometown in Oklahoma just 6 months back. Leaving everything was hard. I was used to knowing where everything was location-wise and having family within a few miles of us, but we left everything within a few weeks of my husband getting a new job to start a new life in Kansas. Coming to a new place where we didn’t know a soul and had to find new friends, a new church, and use a GPS was all challenging for us, but we were sure of one thing. God called us here, and we wanted to be obedient, no matter what the cost. Just a week back, I received a phone call from my husband, Dennis, at 7:50 AM, waking me up with not-so-great news. I thought maybe he was rear-ended or got into a car accident. He went on to say his car suddenly stopped in the Chik-fil-A drive-through and he couldn’t get it to start again. Even though I had a full day ahead of me, getting 4 kids ready for school and working, I felt this peace from God and not frustration. After dropping the kids to school, I met Dennis at the Chik-fil-A and we had breakfast together while we waited for the tow truck to come get his car. God opened my eyes to see that even though we don’t have family here to come to our rescue anymore or familiarity, He is all we need. That day, I chose to see the beautiful in what could have been hours of frustration. A 30-minute breakfast with my husband I normally wouldn’t have had, followed by 5 days of fun car rides with our family of 6, doing drop-offs and pickups before and after work until his car was ready. In Romans 8:28, it says: “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose”. Are there things out of your control that tend to frustrate you? Situations that seem to never change? We can never predict our day or situation, but we can choose to see the beautiful in every situation no matter how bad it seems. I encourage you to practice seeing the beautiful in your situation. I promise it will change your hour, your day and your week. Love, Amy, a Woman of Worth

Recently my husband signed us up to run a race: a 5K for me and 10K for him. This is not his first rodeo so he’s already at an Intermediate level whereas for myself, I am a beginner. Though I do enjoy running and cardio (on the treadmill, that is), I never cared for participating in marathons or physically-fatiguing challenges yet here I am, two months prior to my 5K, training for it at the local gym we attend regularly. As I was training, I felt my body physically starting to adapt to the pain and the fatigue, helping me to become stronger, faster, and improving my overall stamina. I pushed through each mile continuously to hit that 3.1-mile mark. I was in awe at how moldable our frame is and how God created the human body to adapt and adjust through whatever physical and mental demands we must endure. This experience has also challenged me to reflect on how I practice my faith. During the training period, I compared it to the times when all is good in my life and I have no complaints. I feel as if I am in good standing with God: I do my daily prayers, readings, devotionals, quiet time, and life is good. But I often fall short when the unexpected happens, equivalent to race day where you are expected to put all the training into action.  In other words, it was due time to activate my faith and recite the scriptures I have meditated upon as I sought guidance and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. It was time to put my trust in God and find the strength to push through the difficult time I was going through. But that’s often easier said than done. So, the question I asked myself here is, “Do I push through or pull out? Give up and slow my pace down? I am fatiguing and letting weakness overcome my body.” This thought really convicted me and made me realize how I tend to go through this roller coaster pattern in my faith. My performance day when it comes to activating my faith is not as good as my performance when training and prepping; I am easily overcome by external and internal factors. Isaiah 40:31 states “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” On the day of my 5K run, I was able to perform much better than I anticipated. There were moments where I wanted to give up and walk the remaining distance out but the competitor in me wanted to keep going and push myself to reach that finish line. Once I reached the end of the race, I had to sit down and take a moment to sit in awe of the extent I pushed my body to get to the finish line. And just like that, when it comes to the race of pursuing Christ, it is my prayer for myself and other women of God that a in season of despair and sorrow we can expand our faith and push through by leaning on to Christ and not pull out and give up allowing weakness and emotions overcome, pulling us away from Christ. Love, A Woman of Worth #christianity #push #pull #mentalhealth #faith #race #God #endurance

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you feel stuck or frozen? I’ve found myself in a spot of “paralysis by analysis” in the last couple of weeks, where I can’t move forward in the situation I’ve found myself in. I was stuck. My mind was racing at 1000 miles per hour with different thoughts and worries but I couldn’t bring myself to do anything about it. Needless to say, I hit my breaking point which was followed by multiple emotional breakdowns. When I finally opened up about it to loved ones, I kept getting the same remark, “Why did you think you had to do it alone?” That really got me thinking and I realized that I was trying to do it all alone. I realized that while I didn’t let anyone around me know what was going on, I also let God out of the problems too. I couldn’t recall the last time I just sat there and talked to God. Sometimes we try to do it all by ourselves for the sake of not burdening anyone else.  Sometimes it’s because we like to be in control. sometimes it’s all of the above, but what that usually leads to is more chaos and heartache for ourselves. When I finally threw in the towel and cried out to God, I felt a sense of peace come over me. This verse came to my mind “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).” Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not just another person in your life dismissing your problems as a cause of not praying enough. Let me tell you what i experience when I sit in the presence of God. When I finally stop trying to do it all on my own, I not only surrender but I acknowledge that in my shortcomings, My God is still bigger than my problems. He is very much in control even when I lose control. When I come into his presence, I escape from all of the chaos. I get to lay it all down and just be.  We all get so caught up that we forget to take a moment away from all of the chaos and sit in silence. The silence allows for us to clear our minds and sometimes hear what God has been speaking to us. When I come into the presence of God, I’m reminded I’m not alone. Though I can’t feel his tangible presence, I’m reminded that he is with me in the stillness. When I cry and vent in frustration, I feel an overwhelming sense of peace that tells me that He is there. I know life can get hard and it can feel like there just isn’t enough time in the day, but I ask that you take a moment in each day to remove yourself from the chaos of the world to just be and to be reminded that He is with you. “RUN TO THE FATHER" #community #christianity #mentalhealth #faith #God #loneliness

Life of South-Asian girl: Graduates from exclusive high school – “So what? My classmates are going to MIT but that’s not me”. Graduates from college – “Do you see how many other people are graduating today? I’m not anything special”. Graduates from graduate school – “Well duh, because how else am I going to get a job nowadays”. Lands a good job – “I’m thankful for my blessings but I’m just one of many here, there’s still nothing extraordinary about what I’m doing here”. Growing up in the Asian community you’re constantly compared to others, whether it comes to their grades, marital status, career, physical appearance, or pursuit in ministry. Judging a person based on where others are in life seems to have been something our parents were subjected to when they grew up, so it was only natural for them to continue that cycle when they had their own children. This concept is still prevalent today through the usage of social media. We no longer require the judgmental aunty asking why we didn’t go to medical school like her daughter. This goes for every aspect of our life. Our generation has problems realizing that we’re good enough and more so that our hard work and effort is something that should be applauded. Even when we reach heights of success, we still don’t give ourselves grace and acknowledge the levels we’ve achieved. Although others around us might celebrate us, internalizing that celebration is something a lot of us struggle with. I’ve noticed that there’s a strong correlation between this comparative nature prevalent in our community and the surgance of Imposter Syndrome. Imposter syndrome is defined as a condition in which a person doubts their abilities. It typically affects high achieving individuals. While there has been academic discussion between the differences of imposter syndrome and the overall bias that women of color have to deal with, there is an overarching problem emerging in that women struggle with their worth. Sometimes this makes no sense to me, especially when I see women that inspire me downplay the heights they’ve reached or when young women still doubt their strengths. In our community, we’re so easily impressed and awed by the accolades of others but not our own. Even though I may fail to acknowledge my own accomplishments, I have to remind myself that God gave me the abilities to raise myself higher. God blessed me with the position I’m in. God enabled me to pave the way for others to follow after me. As Ecclesiastes 10:10 analogizes, your success was earned. Throughout the Bible, we see different leaders such as Abraham and Joseph that had journeys leading them through hard times but they were able to rise to high status’ due to their faith in God and the opportunities that God opened up for them. Although they may have doubted their worth and abilities in the beginning, they remained faithful to God and believed in his purpose for their lives. Note that arrogance and cockiness are not at all what I am referencing. Proverbs 2:7 states that success will come to the upright. If we stay faithful in God and truly believe in the abilities and opportunities he’s opened up for us, why doubt ourselves any longer? Why doubt what has been blessed upon you? Have faith sister, you are more than enough. You have a purpose and be courageous in the path that God has set you on. Love, A Woman of Worth #asiancommunity #opportunity #christian #changes #faith #impostersyndrome #abilities #struggle #life #God

Actions speak so much louder than words, and they truly define our character. There was a popular “life motto” followed by the Israelites and other generations preceding the initial coming of Christ known as “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” Exodus 21:24. I recently heard Pr. Rick Warren say that if you don’t know what to do in a situation, ask yourself “what would I typically do?” and then do the opposite. An example he gave was, “if someone punches you, you’re probably gonna want to punch them twice as harder back, but that’s not what Jesus would do.” One of Jesus’ greatest desires is for us to be like Him in the way we love others. Additionally, the way that someone can tell we are followers of Jesus is through our actions. Are we placing labels on people and shoving them into categories, or are we showing our love for our father, and our father’s love for us, by the way that we treat others? Are we forgiving and forgetting, or are we remaining bitter? To be completely honest, when someone is rude to me, my first instinct is to be salty and petty. It is so easy to treat evil with evil, and hatred with hatred, instead of treating evil and hatred with love. When Jesus was mocked by the Pharisees and teachers of The Law before Pilate, did He sneer back at them? Or was He instead respectful and humble? It may be easy to discuss the topic of loving like Jesus loved, but it is truly hard to live out. That is the exact reason why people take notice when we love the way Jesus loved. We are not called to be selfish in our love, but rather to serve and care about others more highly than ourselves and expect nothing in return. Jesus lived out what it says in Luke 6:27-36; He taught us that followers of Christ will have different values and so will be distinguishable from the rest of the world. In addition, He reminds us to “let all that [we] do be done with love” 1 Corinthians 16:14. God’s love should fill our hearts, souls and minds. Allow His love to sweep over you, and pray that all that you do be done with love. Love, A Woman of Worth #decisions