Musings of an Imperfect Girl

Perfection. That’s a struggle I know so well of. I’ve made mistakes before and did things that I shouldn’t have done. Every so often I’d wake up feeling guilty and condemned, wondering why I was still struggling with the same issues. Sometimes I’d think that I really couldn’t get things right, how could God love me and bless me with all my imperfections? I thought that once I overcame my weaknesses, only then could I have favor from God. I limited the possibilities of my God, like he could only bless me if I was perfect. I was wrong.

As I was doing my daily devotion the other day, I read a verse in the Bible that mentioned how God’s eyes search the earth and how He shows Himself strong to those who are committed to Him. Right then I realized that He is not looking for those who behave perfectly and make no mistakes. He is looking for those who genuinely want to please Him despite the mistakes that they make or have made. That deep down, despite everything, they want to truly honor Him with their lives. That He is more pleased with those who sometimes make mistakes but have the right heart, than those who always perform perfectly but have the wrong heart.

The Pharisees, for example, did everything right; they prayed, tithed and performed religious ceremonies like they were required to. Even after doing all these things, God compared them to tombs, which were kept clean on the outside but were full of dead bones and unclean things on the inside. They were hypocrites and full of wickedness and their hearts were not right with God. On the other hand, while he was choosing His disciples, he did not go for people who had it all together, He chose people who had weaknesses and flaws, but when he had handpicked them all, he told them that He had chosen them not because they were perfect, but because their hearts were turned towards Him.

The thing about God is that he sees what others cannot see; He sees the heart while others concentrate on the behavior and performance. We might not have it all together, we might need a change of attitude or an improvement of our character but as long as our hearts are sincere and right with God, He is willing to show Himself strong in our lives and mold us to become better persons. If God can accept me with my flaws, as long as my heart is committed to Him, I think it’s only fair that I accept myself with my weaknesses and seek Him daily as I allow him to change me.

For the longest time I have let the enemy convince me how I don’t deserve God’s favor and blessings by always reminding me of my struggles and mistakes, essentially trying to keep me away from my destiny, forgetting that God already put a mark of approval on me when He created me. I have to stop remembering what God has forgiven and forgotten. I have to stop listening to the enemy accusing me of everything that I am not. The Bible says that I should put on God’s approval as my breastplate, this way, every chain of condemnation, guilt, disapproval, inferiority and low self-esteem are broken. When you know that you are approved by God, there’s a kind of feeling of freedom that comes with it.

I understand that in this process, there will be moments of self-doubt, not everything will be perfect all the time, but I also understand that I am an unfinished product. God is the porter and He is still molding me every day taking me from one phase of glory to another. I can either choose to sulk and beat myself up for the mistakes I have done or will do, or choose to accept that I am not perfect and focus my heart on Him instead as I let Him take care of my struggles and weaknesses.

I thank God that He has approved me, that He is not a fault-finder, that He is full of mercy and shows us favor when we least deserve it. If He saw straight through the heart of the woman with the alabaster box and forgave her, then I am not far from restoration and healing. His grace is sufficient for us all, and for that, I am grateful!

I Am Bush_Locked 🙂

Kiss my Bruises Away

I was going through my office inbox and came across an article I sent to my workmate about two years ago. I did not indicate who the writer was, but it was a good read then, and I believe it’s even a better read now. True men of honor who deeply value and respect women are alive and among us, and true love still does exist. I have to admit I am a hopeless romantic. For those who still haven’t found ‘The One’, delight in this beautiful piece. You are worth this kind of man. May you find the one who will kiss your bruises away 🙂

“There are men out there who will respond to your text messages. Men who will initiate conversations because they simply can’t wait to see what you’ll say next. There are men who will never be too busy or too preoccupied to wish you good morning, regardless if you’re a country or a block away. Men who remember to call when they say they will – because they want to – and those who surprise you with their curiosity about your sometimes monotonous days. There are men who aim to be the last person you talk to before you sleep and the first name you see on your screen when you rise. Men who show up on time – or even early – men who are genuinely excited to see you.

There are men who want to go on dates. Real dates. Men who want to take you out to their favorite restaurant and will never expect you to pay, but always appreciate the gesture. There are men who want to talk to you for longer than one drink after work, and longer than what’s enough to get you upstairs. There are men who you won’t have to convince to see you. Men who aren’t purely motivated to be your sexual company, but just love being around you. There are men who won’t wait three days — or even three hours– to ask you out again. Men who have grown past games and cryptic messages that you don’t have time to decode. There are men who simply, truly just want to get to know you.

There are men who want to hold your hand in public. Men who enjoy walking around department stores shopping for things they can’t afford but love the feeling of your tiny fingers interlaced with their adorably-bony knuckles. There are men who love sitting next to you on the downtown train just so they can look at your face, even if they notice the uneven lines and imperfect skin in the terrible lighting, because they can’t imagine another way to spend their Saturday afternoon. Men who wish they could capture the wonder on your face when you see a new part of the city you didn’t know you loved, but now do. Men who want to show you off to the strangers on the street because they find you so incredibly intoxicating. There are men who are happy to be seen by your side, thankful to be someone you chose to roam about town with.

There are men who want to be your boyfriend. Who are totally excited to introduce you as their girlfriend to their friends, to their families, to the women who try to pick them up in bars. Men who aren’t unavailable, who are ready for a relationship, who aren’t ripe with excuses why the timing or the situation, the feeling or the possibility just isn’t right.  Men who don’t blame yesterday on their immature inability to develop something today and imagine tomorrow. There are men who wouldn’t pass on the chance to be yours because they know how amazing – how special – how superbly wonderful you are, and that they’re lucky you want to be with them, and only them. There are men who don’t hesitate on title changes or commitment. Men who want to grow with you and learn with you, love you the best they can, be with you as long as you allow them to. Men who don’t reply “thank you” when you say those precious three words. There are even men who say that incomparable phrase first, not second.

There are men who are proud of your successes, not intimidated by them. Men who are amazed by your determination and passion, who see the things inside of you that you can’t notice yet, or decide to ignore. There are men who believe in your future as much as they believe in the world you can create together. Men who want to witness your bad times and your good, be there when you fail and celebrate when you find that sense of belonging that we all look for, but never know quite what it means until we stumble across it. There are men who know to buy yellow tulips and kiss your forehead when you’ve had a rough day, men who remember you don’t ever take advice in the worst of situations, but you’ll want to hear it in the morning. Men who remind you of all the things to come and promise to be there when you get to the top of that mountain you’re climbing. There are men who really mean that and are there at the peak. And in the valley.

There are men who listen. Men who linger on each and every word you say because they know they will never know too much about you, and are intrigued to always learn more, regardless of how long they’ve known you. There are men who have the ability to put your needs before their own, who remember the first time they noticed something different about you. Men who like the way you look right after a long shower or a night run, when you’re dressed to go out and when you’re in your sweats from college. Men who see your insecurities but find them only a small part of what makes you beautiful. There are men who will remember your birthday, the day you met, the moment they knew they loved you and when you made them want to be a better person. There are men who love your thoughtful heart as much as they’re turned on by your soft body. Men who know how hard you like it, what part of your neck gets you going and that sometimes, you really just need to be spooned until you fall asleep. There are men who will accept you for whatever you are, whoever you are, whenever you decide to be that person in that place. Men who will stand by you – and fight for you – because they know you’re worth it. Because they know you’d do the same for them.

There are men who will spend weeks, months or even a year planning the perfect way to propose. Men who not only realize how special that moment will be to you, but how important of a story it’ll be to the children you don’t have yet. There are men who want to watch the wrinkles form around your eyes and especially around your mouth, because they’ve spent decades listening to that laugh they love come out of the sweetest smile they’ve ever seen. Men who will leave you notes by your morning coffee or send you sweet – or dirty – text messages at work, even after you’ve been married fifteen years. There are men who will adore all of the things that make you a woman, even when those things bear babies instead of nights of sexual release, even when those things drag instead of rise to occasions. Men who will always remember what you looked like that day you walked toward them in a white gown with glitter on your eyes and the purist of hope in your heart. There are men who truly, honestly, completely will love you.

There are so many men out there. But you’ll never meet them if you don’t let go of the guys you really don’t want to find the men you really deserve. The men who are waiting to meet someone just like you.”

I Am Bush_Locked 🙂