Why do we stress so much about making the classroom Valentines cute? Or, bringing the perfect dish to the potluck? Or, wearing the right outfit to the home party (where you’re going to be obligated to purchase stuff you don’t even want from people you may not even like).

Where do these self-imposed and ridiculous notions come from?

It seems as though we’re constantly adding extra stress, demands and expectations to our lives…  and for what?

What do we have to prove and to whom?

I think it takes a brave mom to be a real mom.

It takes courage to invite a friend over after MOPS, knowing your house is not in pristine condition.

It takes courage to ask for help when you feel like you’re drowning.

It takes courage to admit what’s scary, what keeps you up at night, and expose it all to the light.

This level of authenticity is not one that comes naturally to most.
It is a skill that is developed, practiced and intentionally utilized.

When this skill is mastered, it’s beautiful.  True freedom is found in authenticity.

It is only when we let our guard down that we can have deeper conversations, develop intimate relationships and be truly known.  After all, we can only be truly loved to the extent we are known.

If we are always guarding ourselves and hiding behind a mask, we will miss so many opportunities.

Authenticity is the path to freedom.

Today I would like to give you some guideposts for meandering down this glorious (and unbeaten) path.

  1. First, you must ask yourself what the lack of authenticity is costing you.  For some it may be sleep or a peaceful home.  For others, it may be a strong marriage or deep friendships.  For some, the cost may be confidence and self-worth.
  2. Next, you must realize and believe that you’re valuable even without the mask. You are valuable, simply because the Creator of the universe loves you.  You must remember God loves you everyday despite your shortcomings.
  3. You are enough, just as your are. It doesn’t matter what you do, what your marital title is, what you own or how you look. Jesus covered it all. You are covered. You don’t have to strive for perfection. YOU. ARE. ENOUGH.
  4. Finally, you are not alone. In this season called motherhood, you are virtually never alone, yet, you can still feel so lonely. I am here to tell you that we are all weary sojourners, simultaneously wandering down this path. None of us really know what we are doing. None of us really have it all together. [Some of us are just better at faking it than others.]

The moment you start to feel isolated and alone, try to remember that other moms around you are probably feeling that way too.

My challenge for you today to is to go first and put yourself out there…

Trust me, you will be setting the table for something beautiful.

You will be setting yourself up for intimate relationships, real friends, a thriving marriage and authentic motherhood… all the while feeling as though you are enough.

You are brave, you are beautiful, and you are oh, so capable

Until next month,
The World’s Okayest Mom
Christen Spratt

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Christen is the wife to one (he is the coolest engineer you will ever meet) and a mother to four… (one from her teen pregnancy, one with epilepsy, one with SPED needs, and the fourth may or may not be related to the Hulk.) She is a recovering “perfect wife/mom,” up to her eyeballs in all things motherhood. She doesn't have a Pinteresting life, she doesn’t cut sandwiches into dolphins, she doesn’t have a perfect marriage and she regularly shares all this good/bad/ugly with her sweet readers over at christenspratt.com. She is passionate about authenticity and breaking down the FaKebook walls. Christen frequently writes about the FaKebook phenomena, parenting, marriage, and faith while keeping a canny sense of humor.