Living Free

Are you saved (Salvation through the death of Jesus on the cross and accepting him as your saviour) and holding tight to your salvation like a saved seat to the most amazing party?

or

Are you saved and living in the freedom of salvation, inviting everyone to the party knowing that there is always enough room for you and everyone else?

Galatians 5:17

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Living free looks and feels different and the Bible says that our freedom is not just for us.

For years I have struggled with my thoughts when wearing a bikini on the beach. In some form, I was always wondering what others were thinking of me and never felt completely free but I actually prefer the feeling of a bikini on my body to the feeling of a one piece. In all my seasons of my body changing shape over the last 15 years, my own personal experience is that the only thing that will change how I feel in a bikini on the beach, is my mindset.

This past weekend we attended a lake party. We were invited by a homeschool family to their church BBQ, other than the one family that invited us, we did not know anyone else. Evelyn and I were standing at the edge of the water and she was tugging at my hand to go in with her. I had my bathing suit on under my beach dress, I wanted to go swimming with Evelyn so bad, I love swimming with my kids, the lake was warm and it was a hot day. I considered swimming in my beach dress because I was worried about what all these new people might think of me in my bathing suit and then I began talking to God. I just told Him how much I love swimming and how freeing it feels and He responded with, “who do you serve?”. I decided to take off my sun dress and swim with my daughter. I served God first and then I was the best mother to my child by focusing on having fun with her.

When I got out of the water two moms my age said to me “you are so confident wearing a bikini, we only wear one pieces, you look great.” I said thank you and as I reflected on this story this morning, I wished I had told them about the prayer they didn’t hear, before the sun dress came off and that my confidence was me trusting God. Next time!

I hope they borrow some of my confidence next time they consider throwing on that two piece.

And

It was another reminder of my journey to release people pleasing and trust God with all He made me to be.

As a recovering people pleaser, I am learning that in this place of comparing and people pleasing, I am either making other people Gods in my mind or I am making myself a God to others. When I focus on God and what He is calling me to do, even if it is as simple as wearing the bikini, I am living free and I am sharing that freedom with others by the way I live.

If you are needing help in your recovery from people pleasing, there are a few ways I can serve you:

Group Coaching, where we learn to focus on our self care and building healthy habits and boundaries.

One On One Coaching, where we get more specific about your unique struggles, limiting beliefs and goals.

We can change and lead the life we were made to live and when we do that, we change the world.

Send me an email heatherlapier@gmail.com

Let’s grow,

Heather