Enough

Being enough.

Who decides?

In a perfect world, you decide. You make that decision based on your personal emotions and it isn't based on anyone else’s opinions. After all, it is your life and God created you to be the perfect version of who you are.

Although, I am pretty sure no one has ever walked up to my face and told me that I wasn't enough. 

Those words usually come to me at the end of a long day when I am tired, my house is a mess and the only thing I can say is my children smiled at some point during our chaos.

You are not enough.

You should have done more.

Or when I choose to not take on that one extra committee or responsibility.

You are not enough.

You are selfish.

Or when a friendship disintegrates or my children get in trouble at school or when my family has to eat beans and cornbread because my budget didn't stretch as far as I needed it to.

You are not enough

You are a failure.

I sat in a room last night with women I had little or no relationship with. The devotional we were there to listen to centered around women not feeling like they are enough. Moms dealing with hardships and fighting a fight they feel is an uphill battle. I listened to personal stories and quotes from books trying to build mothers up, reminding them that they have a purpose and the fight against the world is worth it for them and their children. I looked around the room and there were a lot of moms nodding theirs heads in agreement to these words. My heart was screaming yes to these words, but I knew deeper that these words weren't me.

There were moments in my life. There have been afternoons where they were true. Nights where I believed nothing else. But they aren't me. They are the moments that build me up to be a better woman, person, mom, friend. But they are balanced by all the successes I have. All the love I give, the growth I've done, the time I spend and the tears I shed. The negative and the positive, the good and the bad come together to make me who I am.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9.

I am enough.

And please know that you are, too.