{"id":1655,"date":"2021-09-08T05:08:37","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T09:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/08\/i-just-gotta-be-me\/"},"modified":"2021-09-08T05:08:37","modified_gmt":"2021-09-08T09:08:37","slug":"i-just-gotta-be-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/08\/i-just-gotta-be-me\/","title":{"rendered":"I just gotta be me."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You ever tried to act like someone you\u2019re not? You ever tried to fit into a crowd that just wasn\u2019t on the same page as you? Ever tried something because all the \u201ccool kids\u201d were doing? Ever lost a part of yourself trying to be something you weren\u2019t meant to be? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, me too!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve tried short skirts, marijuana, tequila with the worm in it. I\u2019ve tried living on the wild side and going to the bar with my homegirls, going to the club, I\u2019ve even tried the strip club. I\u2019ve dyed my hair purple, had blonde highlights, cut it short, wore it long, done the weaves, and rocked the natural. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll admit some of the things I enjoyed, some I just tried for the experience, some to proof a point, and others just being young and dumb. I\u2019ve experienced and I\u2019ve grown. Some things I\u2019m not proud of but I don\u2019t live life with regrets because it made me who I am. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see that was the problem all along. I couldn\u2019t accept who God created me to be. I always looked at the magazines and saw the images of people who didn\u2019t look like me and it was hard for me to cope with the girl in the mirror until one day it hit me- I\u2019m not those girls- and they are not me. I\u2019m exactly who I am- and that\u2019s who God created me to be! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I gained self confidence, I finally realized I am who God says I am.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not who the enemy tells me I am, I\u2019m not the girl I used to be, I might not be the woman I should be, but I\u2019m exactly who God created me to be. I\u2019m walking in my purpose and I\u2019m delighted God is lighting my path. I\u2019m not defining myself by my flaws, but instead I\u2019m allowing those scars to be shown gracefully through my writing, through my story, through who I AM! I\u2019m a strong, black woman and I WILL STAND AGAINST ALL ODDS because God gives me the strength to endure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many folks have tried to knock me down, while I was down, they kicked me and spit on the thought of me ever making anything of myself. I\u2019ve had fake friends, phony \u201cso called\u201d family members, and I\u2019ve even had folks in church underestimate me but there lies the problem- I put too much faith in man and lost focus of whom I live for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a Lone Ranger now in a certain sense, but God comforts me in my lonely hours. He reassures me that my mom and dad are watching over me and their teachings still hold strong in my heart because though they are gone their teachings and love with love on forever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daddy didn\u2019t teach me to hide my scars and cover my feelings to mask the pain. Mommy didn\u2019t teach me to paint my face like a clown or hide beneath make up. No daddy didn\u2019t teach me to quit, he taught me to rise up and be bold and courageous. Mommy taught me how to love, how to be kind, and how to worship God. Daddy taught me not to take no crap from man nor to dish it out to woman. Mommy and daddy taught me about Christ and how to live in His purpose for my life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish daddy and mommy could see me now. I smile, though I shed tears. I am confident, though I hide beneath my writing. I am strong, though God uses my weaknesses. I am blessed because I am a child of God. I want daddy to know I finally get it, I tried so hard to be someone I\u2019m not because I thought I wasn\u2019t good enough but God is enough! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every time I take a jab at myself I\u2019m calling the Lord a liar and He cannot lie. Every time I allow the enemy to knock me down, I\u2019m allowing God\u2019s purpose to go void. And every time I try to hide who I am- God breaks me down and puts me on my butt. And then He blesses me with another day and He renews my mind so I can live to tell you today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like 1 Peter 3:4 says, it\u2019s not about our hair, our clothes, our bodies, or none of that. All of that dies but our spirit lives on. I\u2019ve waisted too much time in my life trying to \u201cperfect\u201d what is pleasing to mans eyesight that I\u2019ve waisted valuable time perfecting my heart and trying to be more like Christ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you were once darkness, but now you are<\/em> a light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the spirit is an all goodness, righteousness and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:8-10 NKJV <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Since I\u2019ve come to grips with reality and I stopped fighting God\u2019s calling for my life (had some ups and downs but I told God \u201cYES, have Your way over my life) it\u2019s time to get back to spreading the Good News, it\u2019s time to be that beacon of light that God intends for all of His children to be, it\u2019s time to \u201cwalk it like I talk it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t know if you want to call it a mid life crisis or a rude awakening but I know God intended me to share my life through writing and that\u2019s what I intend to do. So many I\u2019ve tried to give up, so many times I didn\u2019t want to share, so many times I had all the excuses in the Book because of feeling I wasn\u2019t \u201ccutting the mustard\u201d not having a lot of comments, no likes, minimal readers, not a lot of subscribers, and honestly I felt like I was lacking the support. But then it dawned on me, this isn\u2019t about Whitnee\u2019 and it\u2019s not for man, but I\u2019m doing it for God. I\u2019m spreading the Good News while showing people through positive encouragement that no matter what we face we are never alone. God is here every step of the way. Don\u2019t ever doubt God and His infinite wisdom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do nothing be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:15-17 NKJV <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
God\u2019s word tells us that He commands us to be strong and courageous. He doesn\u2019t want us to be afraid, discouraged, nor live in fear. Again the Bible tells us the Lord Our God will be with us wherever we go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have to trust in God and lean not on our own understanding. The enemy wants to steal our joy. Stop giving it up freely. We have to fight the good fight with faith and we have to \u201ckeep on pushing baby!\u201d We have to keep it moving and be at peace. We can live in peace because God\u2019s got it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes we going to go through some stuff, heck we going to go through some crap, but God will work in and through it. He will have the final say so why not allow our Yes to be Yes and we start living our best life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s start, continue, and maintain being who God created us to be. Find strength in His word! Strengthen your faith. Allow His word to manifest in your spirit. Allow the Holly spirit to dwell in you. Fall in love with Jesus and allow God to be your groom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It don\u2019t matter what your momma, daddy, cousin, sister or brother says if it doesn\u2019t line up with the will of God for your life. Be careful of false teachings and make sure you aren\u2019t spreading \u201cmans gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
For You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother\u2019s womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
I am a child of God and I\u2019m not going to let nothing hold me back anymore. I\u2019m living my BLESSED life and God is continuing to do a new thing in me. It feels good! I feel good! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can\u2019t worry about the \u201cwhat if\u2019s!\u201d I can\u2019t focus on the likes, the views, the subscribers, the support. If it comes, it comes. If it doesn\u2019t, then at least I know I\u2019m living my life and telling an authentic<\/strong> story and ITS<\/strong> GENUINE<\/strong>! I\u2019m done fighting myself, I\u2019m done hiding who I truly am because someone may not like my truths or take the time to read about them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This feels right. I\u2019m exactly where God intended me to be in this very moment. I\u2019m going to walk with my head held high! God is giving me strength like I\u2019ve never had before. I\u2019m going to smile, I\u2019m going to laugh, I\u2019M GOING TO LIVE! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12

Let us then approach God\u2019s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
God thank you for always being here for me and showing me how to love myself again. Thank you for allowing me to find my way back to Whitnee\u2019 after hiding in my own grief. Thank you Lord for your shelter during this storm and thank you Lord for restoring my faith and confidence in You. I\u2019m not who they think I am, I\u2019m not who they say I am, but I\u2019m grateful I am WHO YOU CALLED ME TO BE. And because of that I just gotta be me! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You ever tried to act like someone you\u2019re not? You ever tried to fit into a crowd that just wasn\u2019t on the same page as you? Ever tried something because all the \u201ccool kids\u201d were doing? Ever lost a part… Read moreI just gotta be me.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[109],"class_list":["post-1655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-identity","tag-liveingodspurpose","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4941546496.jpg?fit=687%2C1222&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1813,"url":"https:\/\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/index.php\/2022\/03\/04\/semper-fi\/","url_meta":{"origin":1655,"position":0},"title":"Semper Fi!","author":"Whitnee","date":"March 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I sit speechless as I think back one year ago to the exact date. My mom entered into Heavens gate and finally got the healing God had for her. It was the day life changed forever. Not knowing how to feel, what words to say, if it is okay to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Joy"","block_context":{"text":"Joy","link":"https:\/\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/index.php\/category\/joy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/5c0f44f3-9a64-42a2-8cd3-5b29011b3dab.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/5c0f44f3-9a64-42a2-8cd3-5b29011b3dab.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/5c0f44f3-9a64-42a2-8cd3-5b29011b3dab.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/5c0f44f3-9a64-42a2-8cd3-5b29011b3dab.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/5c0f44f3-9a64-42a2-8cd3-5b29011b3dab.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2560,"url":"https:\/\/inspirationallaroundme.org\/index.php\/2025\/03\/04\/seeking-time-to-just-be-with-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":1655,"position":1},"title":"Seeking time to just BE with you.","author":"Whitnee","date":"March 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Matthew 6:6 Memory Verse of the Day I\u2019ve tried all day to write these words and it seems like distractions are at all time high today. 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