Tip of My Iceberg

She dresses in princess gowns most days, enjoying the feeling of being and playing like a royal. But her favorite toys are cars and trucks.

Kolly is an outside-of-the-box thinker. She doesn’t tolerate anyone brushing her hair, but at times it bothers her that it’s in her face. She’ll try anything that any of the cousins do, even if it means pushing her past her comfort zone. She can be fearless in some situations, but then she’s bothered by flies in the house. She doesn’t fit any category; she is spread across many categories.

She’s our Kolly.

At three, she isn’t expected to know what she wants when she gets older, what career she’ll pursue, or where she’d like to live. She enjoys each day with impressive energy, feeling big feelings that seem greater than she could possibly contain.

Kolly knows how to be present in the here and now. Her acceptance by her family isn’t dependent on what she produces, how useful she is, or what skill set she brings to the table. She’s confident that she’s loved and enjoyed because her whole family treats her with delight.

She knows how to be. Just be.

I find myself more times than I care to think, where I question whether I’m enough, whether what I’ve done is what’s expected, or is sufficient.

A lot of that is my story. I grew up believing I had to reach a certain standard to please parents, teachers, even friends. I became a people pleaser at a young age, and it has taken me quite some time to make actionable the truth that I’m not what I produce.

That’s not the narrative of the world, however. We are valued for what we do, how successful we are, and who we’ve influenced or impacted. Our identities are founded in our ability to produce. The “who” that we are doesn’t seem nearly as important as the “what” that we do.

God sees us as more than what we do. When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, we become His beloveds, loved more than we can imagine. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below–indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39. Our value is not what we can do; our value is solidly grounded in God’s love for us. When we know Him, nothing we can do or think will make Him stop loving us.

I’ve made more than my share of mistakes. I’ve hurt others with my words and actions, I’ve offended people with my attitudes, and I’ve made poor choices even though I knew they were wrong.

God still loves me. He sees me as whole and beautiful because of what Jesus has done for me. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

I don’t have to “do” anything special to make God love me. He chooses to love me.

Kolly does what she does because she enjoys life. Her world is complete with people who love and enjoy her.

God loves and enjoys me.

Do you know that you’re loved and enjoyed?