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by:  Staci Stallings

Today we’re going to start a new series.  As I was writing a speech for a recent event, I sought to put into words what I have experienced over the past 9 years–the transformation my life has taken.  My hope was to put it down so I could give others a glimpse into how to experience this transformation as well.

I called my talk:  Vision & Voice, Becoming the You God Made You to Be.

I’ve decided to share the talk with you here in this space, in the hopes that you, too can begin a new path of how to relate to God, others, and yourself.  My hope is that through this series, you will lay down some of the habits and things that have not worked in your life and begin to make some changes in how you see yourself and your purpose while you’re here.

One of the things I learned about the process I have experienced in writing my speech is that this was not a journey I made alone–though to the outside world, it probably looked like I made it alone.  I did not use the services of a counselor (nothing wrong with counselors, but for this journey, you’re not required to get one).  I had friends along the way, but none that were exclusive to my making the journey, each was a piece but none were the whole.

However, I was never alone.  I have had a walking companion every step of the way.

That companion was God.

When the first few steps of this journey occurred, I gave the credit to God for putting those pieces into my life, and that connection has only grown stronger over the years.

Therefore, in beginning this series, I want you to consider that God has brought you here, to this spot, to learn these lessons.  This is a journey you will take with God, for He is the One Who set it upon your heart and put it in your life to learn at this moment.

He will help you seek out, lay bare, and realize what YOUR vision and what YOUR voice looks and sounds like.  HE is the director of this film.  I am just the first draft script writer.  

Along the way, I hope to share with you stories from my own life so that you can see how I crossed the terrain.  However, understand that YOUR path will necessarily look completely different than mine (or anyone else’s) has.  Because you are YOU!

Your journey, your path, your vision, your voice is different than anyone else’s on the planet who has ever been or will ever be.  And God has given you a specific and unique road map to who you are and how He wants to work through you in the world.  That’s what we will set out today to discover.

Just remember, that on this journey, you are not alone.  God is right there, revealing Himself and His Plan for your life to you.  Take Him along.  Acknowledge His input, seek His input, open your heart to Him, and let Him show you all the ways He ordained this journey long before this moment!

Also remember this journey is not FOR God.  It is made WITH God.  This is not about making you a better “worker bee” for His Kingdom.  It’s about making you more authentically the YOU He made you to be.  The “work” that will flow from doing that will benefit the Kingdom, but you won’t feel like you are doing it for God.  You will feel like you are doing it with God, and there is a world of difference between the two!

And so together, we will take the next step next time.  Get ready for a brand new way of living because if you take this challenge and step into these lessons, you really will come out a different person than you went in!