Breaking Free in September

Saturday was the Sheryl Crow/Colbie Caillat concert, and hands down it was the best show I've ever been to. Vanessa and I danced the night away under the stars with a few thousand of our not-so-closest friends. The ages ranged from probably 60-20...Colbie and Sheryl truly appeal to many generations.

It's now September. Summer is unofficially over, school routines have been (somewhat) established, and homework for the kids have begun. Homework has started for me, too, in the form of a new bible study I started a few weeks ago called "Breaking Free."

"So often time it happens, we all live our life in chains,
and we never even know we have the key."
~The Eagles, "Already Gone"

When I mentioned to two girlfriends I was feeling called to delve into this reluctant topic about breaking free, I was so thrilled when they said they'd join me. I thought I was going to go this alone...that maybe I needed to work through some stuff all by myself...but I should know better than to think God wouldn't call amazing friends to journey with me. The bible study is all about breaking free from every type of bondage that keeps us from being who God has called us to be. This includes obvious bondage like lying, cheating, and stealing. But, what's really speaking to me this wicked thing known as captivity of the mind. This means that anyTHING (such as a situation or object) or anyONE who consumes our thoughts constantly (can you say obsession?) can be identified as a stronghold or something that has us in bondage.

"Every thought is a seed.
If you plant crab apples,
don't count on harvesting
Golden Delicious."
~Bill Meyer

For me, this was a life-altering realization. I'd never thought of negative thought-processes as "ball and chains"...something we needed to break free from in order to be all we can be.

This first week of study has seriously prompted me to break free from two situations and several thought patterns that could have been destructive. It's hard to believe, but our thoughts alone can send us careening towards disaster, for it is those thoughts that propel us into negative action...causing hurt and pain for ourselves and others.

As I was driving home yesterday I thought about what it takes to break free from the negative stuff in our lives. That negative stuff that we're unwilling to rid ourselves of because it's familiar. Comfortable. That negative stuff that appears to make us feel secure. And one word came to mind. Courage. Ironically enough I then stumbled upon one of the most inspiring blogs I read. She had this on her daily post:

I love being creative! Little did I know I was extending my creativity by being courageous.....

And then when I thought of being courageous I was reminded of my daily authenticity practice...and that it takes real courage to love our imperfect selves.

My 40th birthday was a real turning point for me as far as practicing authenticity. For the most part I have genuinely let go of who I think (and who others think) I am supposed to be. It is so freeing! I think I'm pretty good at embracing my completely imperfect self. It gets a little trickier when others' expectations of me exceed my capabilities, but that's when communication becomes the key, being honest and sharing these pressure-inducing thoughts with them. Sometimes they're receptive...sometimes not-so-much. But at least I've put it out there.

Yep, today was definitely the day for deep thoughts. Powerful epiphanies, I tell ya. I know I can definitely use this stuff.

And, I know a lot of women who could, too.