Sorry.

Recently "sorry" has been tumbling from my lips as easily as water from a tap. Everyone has habitual phrases/words which pepper their speech and conversation, and worryingly, "sorry" and "it's so bad..." are just a couple of mine.

I say worryingly because most of the time I am apologising when I have done nothing wrong. I have apologised for other people's mistakes, I have apologised for things I cannot control, like the weather (?!) and I have apologised for simply being me.

Psalm 139 tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God put me here for a purpose and he knew every part of me before I even existed. He knows everything I will ever do and has made me the way I am for a reason. The Bible also says that we are made in the image of God. God is perfect. Therefore, how can he have created us to be anything less than wonderful?

When we believe ourselves to be inadequate, broken, ugly, unlovable, surely we are going against what the bible says about God and his love for us? Surely we are questioning the creator? We forget our security, and that our identity is not formed and found in the opinions of the world, but in the opinions of Jesus.

So next time you feel the word "sorry" about to roll off the tongue, ask yourself why you're apologising, and remember that you were perfectly formed and are made to be you for a reason.

Who am I?

"Know who you are. Know what you stand for."

I am Helen. I stress about nothing. I wear more nail varnish than I should. I nearly always wear makeup. I value the opinions of others more than I should. I let myself fall too easily. I am a sucker for a cute smile. I can be extremely superficial. I love writing. I want to make a difference. I will never be skinny. I find it hard to stop talking. I am like a magpie when it comes to bright colours. I love my friends. My family are precious to me. I horseride. I play tennis. I am a Christian. I have never been a rebel and I probably never will be. I fear failure. Downton Abbey is my guilty pleasure. I love Jesus. I am always going to be in awe of what he did for me. And I will always need him.

I stand for Jesus. I live for Him and Him alone. He has given me hope and life and freedom that I have never known before. I want to imitate Him through my actions and through my relationships. I know that I am imperfect, and that I cannot get through life on my strength alone, but that through Christ I am made perfect and I am made whole. I do not need to seek approval from those who will never give it and I don't need to seek acceptance from those who will constantly reject me. I stand for values getting lost today; I stand for love and hope and courage. I want to love what is good, hate what is bad, trust those who are loyal and keep my heart guarded against those who could steal it.

That is who I am.