Who are you?

Are you an entrepreneur? Are you an at-home-caregiver? Are you a blogger? Are you a cleaner, a doctor, or a running shoe maker?

Whatever your day job is, does that title encompass all that you are? Or are you more than that?

What if you lived your life becoming and embracing the whole you?

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I want you to be free to be yourself.

I hope, that as you read stories about my journey to freedom, you will be encouraged and inspired to: 

Continue your own journey to freedom.

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Pieces of Me

I am a woman learning to embrace each piece of me on a journey to become my whole self.

Three years ago, I experienced an empowering event that unveiled yet another piece of who I am and spurred me down a path I had never before imagined I could travel…

It began in the garden.

I was resting outside on the concrete patio behind our house. (I do this a lot.) I sat in my favorite brown, wicker patio chair – the one with the wide armrests and sea-foam green cushion. My legs were propped up in front of me, warming in the afternoon sun. My cold glass of Pepsi stood beside me on a wooden table I had painted aqua-blue the summer before.

I breathed in deeply. Sweet summer air filled my lungs while I scanned the lush trees that bordered our property. Leaves rustled. Birds flitted from branch to branch, chirping cheerfully. I smiled.

This was my spiritual haven.

It was my calm place, my happy place.

On my lap lay an almost filled journal. I opened it and uncapped a blue pen. As my pen moved across the page, I described the gift of my simple life. I thanked God for the beauty I saw in nature, for my good husband, and for my three children.

A Surprising Message

At that moment, while I was reflecting on my family, I heard a gentle voice whisper into my soul:

“Sara, it’s time to take writing seriously.”

I sensed that this was God speaking to my heart, and I felt peaceful and loved. He continued:

“Journaling has been good for you, but now I want you to write for Me, too.”

I was surprised. I loved to write, but to proclaim myself a writer or to pursue a writing career seemed absurd. These were steps I had not previously explored; and I knew at least one reason why I hadn’t.

Living the Dream

Having grown up in a traditional home, my father was the bread-winner, and my mother was a homemaker. We were happy. Naturally, my child-heart believed that this was the healthiest version of a family.

As a teenager, my dream was to mirror this idyllic life. I had planned to get married, have babies, and be a stay-at-home mom.

By the time I heard those loving words in my backyard, I was living my dream. Yes, I was living up to my perceived calling in life – except:

Being a mother wasn’t all I thought it would be.

I had assumed that being a mother would totally fulfill me, that it would be enough to determine my worth and purpose in life.

To be sure, when I was a young mom of three little ones, motherhood felt like more than enough.

But over the years, my children had become more self-sufficient; and I, too, was changing. My dear children were still my constant joy and certainly still needed their mother, but there was something else stirring inside me.

Letting Go of Traditional Expectations

God’s message to me that day on the patio confirmed what had already been growing in my heart: a desire to write.

God’s words freed me from the rigid traditional expectations I had placed upon myself.

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I could be more than a mom; it was okay for me to change and dream new dreams.

With excitement, I dove headfirst into the writing life. I read books upon books about writing. I journaled more frequently. I even printed a list of writing prompts to force myself out of my writing comfort zone.

A Fantastical Adventure

One day, about two months after my patio encounter, I read the next prompt on my list. It said, “Write a story about a rocket ship.”

I rolled my eyes.

I had no interest in writing a science fiction short story, but I did it, anyway. I figured that when it was complete, it could be a fun gift to read to my children. Instead, my little rocket ship story grew and weaved itself into a middle-grade adventure novel.

Months later, as I finished typing the last words, I laughed aloud. I had written a novel? This was something I could never have imagined only a few months earlier.

Today, I feel liberated to be both a mother and a writer.

What Does Embracing My Whole Self Look Like?

I am currently pursuing publication of my first novel, drafting a sequel, blogging (I explain a bit about why I started my blog here), and writing short stories.

Some days, this all feels like too much.

I find it difficult to juggle my time and energy amongst nurturing children, enjoying marriage, making sure everyone has clean underwear, and meeting writing deadlines. Some days, I wonder why I ever dared step into this writing life.

More often than not, however, the joy far outweighs the struggle.

So, who am I?

I am Sara, living free.

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So, who are YOU?

You are uniquely made and perfectly loved by God.

And I encourage you to valiantly continue your own journey to freedom to be your whole self.

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Looking For More?

• Find out how God freed me and is freeing me still (and how you can feel free, too) here: How to Find True Freedom.

• Are you a blogger? Be inspired by Vee’s article Blogging Tip: Stay True to You on www.milleniallifecrisis.org.

• Fill out this self-assessment worksheet from www.socialworktech.com to evaluate which areas you feel free in and which you want to pursue more freedom in.

• Read The Insanity of ‘Self-Care’ by Marshall Segal on http://www.desiringgod.com. (WARNING: I found this article down-to-earth, humorous, and true; but it may offend some. And I actually don’t have a problem with self-care. Marshall’s is just a fresh perspective on a rampant trend.)

With love,