Set apart because of the God I live for

Earlier this week at camp, we were introducing ourselves and after saying my name, I had the wonderful opportunity to share "a weird talent about myself." By wonderful, I mean not at all. Talk about a moment of panic when everyone else gets to share their favorite ice cream flavor or movie, and you get stuck with this?! If you're anything like me, the moment you hear that, your brain starts scramming to find something- anything really- that sets you apart. Can I do something unusual? I can't move my joints into weird positions. I can't paint works of art. I can't go unicycling down mountains (yes, believe it or not, that is a real thing). Is there anything I can do extremely well? I love sports, but I'm no professional athlete. I love to sing, but my ideal stage is the shower. I love working with animals, but then again who can't resist the big brown eyes of a puppy? Every physical talent I possess... When it comes down to it, doesn't seem so "weird." It doesn't seem to set me apart.
The more I began to wonder how I'm set apart- what's special about me- the more I began realizing I'm not set apart by one single talent, one single action, one single idea or thought. All of the things I'm passionate about, all of the things I enjoy and work at, the things I'm successful at or even fail miserably at- combined, they're all pieces of who I am as a person. Not only the things I'm great at but even the things I struggle with are a part of who I am. I'm not set apart because of a single talent I have. I'm set apart because every aspect of who I am is working to align with every aspect of who Christ is. I'm set apart from this world because I choose not to follow it, but instead choose to follow the footsteps of my Creator.
Showing relentless love to people the world deems as undeserving- that sets you apart. Forgiving people when they've broken you- that sets you apart. Being kind to the stranger next to you in the checkout line- that sets you apart. Its weird. Its unusual. But it shouldn't be, because if everyone lived the way God had first imagined, there wouldn't be any other way to live. That sets you apart because you aren't listening to what the world tells you is acceptable. You're following how you know Christ tells you to live. You are set apart because when you succeed, you point the glory straight to God. When you fail, you trust God to turn your mistakes into a testimony used- you guessed it- to glorify Him. Your life as a whole sets you apart because your life is centered not around yourself, but around the only one who is worthy.
What's my point? Don't let your success- or more importantly your failure- define you. You are special. You are unique. Not because of anything you've done to become so, but because of the God you live for.

Live Original

     "See that girl with the flat tummy and Kylie Jenner lips over there? Wow, GOALS!" Our generation throws around the word goals way too much. Stomach goals. Relationship goals. Hair goals. Goals goals goals. We've basically redefined the word from quality dreams we hope to achieve to shallow desires based off of others we see. How did our goals switch from holding a good job and living a happy life to having smaller thighs and bigger lips? Why should that even be goals in the first place?

     Goals in life are great to have. They keep you working towards success and help you progress. But I have to think that past a certain point, goals can do more harm than good. And that point is exactly when your goals become "hair goals" and "#relationshipgoals." The problem with these goals is that you are comparing yourself to someone. Someone smarter. Prettier. Stronger. You see these traits in someone else that you yourself lack. Comparison is such a confidence killer because you're right, there always will be someone smarter, prettier, and stronger. You will never reach the ideas of perfection in your head if those ideas are based off of other people. Setting goals based off of others is just setting yourself up for disappointment, because you'll never be that person. No matter how hard you try, you can't be someone else. Kylie Jenner has big lips. Can you imagine if EVERYONE walked around like that? Weird, right? Don't try to shoot for someone else's standards of perfection because you were made to be YOU. If God wanted there to be a billion Beyonce's, he would have made that many. But he didn't. He made you to be you.

     We all have insecurities. The blonde hair you like so much on so-and-so may be the very thing she's insecure about. If you chase this idea of perfection based off of others, you'll never be content. One thing will lead you to the next, because while trying so hard to be another person, you aren't staying true to yourself. You can never be content trying to be someone else if God made you to be you. You are special and you are set apart. YOU. That's right, you. Insecurities and all. You are made special by a perfect God who cherishes all of you, even your imperfections.

     Be the best you you can be. Live original. You have something unique that sets you apart from everyone else, but you'll never find it if you're too busy being somebody else. Embrace your flaws. Don't be afraid to be yourself. Stop undervaluing who you are and overvaluing who you're not. You are beautiful because God made you.

     You were born an original. Don't die a copy!