here goes nothing

pour - /pôr/

p o u r i n g - to cause a liquid to flow from a container in a steady stream by holding the container at an angle. 

Here it is. 

After many sleepless nights, hopeful dreams, and countless thoughts, here it is. Here is my heart - the pouring of my heart. Better yet, the pouring of God's heart in the form of my words. 

This is for me.

I'm no writer. My words are messy. They're unpredictable. They are me. 

These words come straight from my heart and on to this page. Words are a powerful, beautiful, life-giving method of expression. Today, I am choosing to take part in this beautiful mess we call life through my words. You may not know me, but I pray that my words speak to you. I pray that they would inspire you to take a chance and use your words too. They're too beautiful to pass up. 

Stop hiding. Your true self is waiting for its release date. Truth is waiting for you to finally come home after a long time of believing that you were home sweet home in your comfort. Let God awaken your soul and step in to His outpouring of love. It’s okay to be uncomfortable. 

Open your eyes to the lies you are seeing as truth. Your best self is NOT your perfect self. Your best self is your beautiful, messy, unpredictable, humorous, loving, and unapologetic self. 

Let yourself be poured into by love. Let yourself pour out love. Love is steady but it's not stagnant. It is beautifully overwhelming. Not the stressful kind. The kind where you're swimming in it because it overflows out of your own cup and into the lives of others.

The human body is like a cup. We hold things in and we let things out. We were made to hold things for the sole purpose of the contents being poured out. When there are unhealthy substances in our cups, it is evident in our lives. We reap what we sow. After constantly being sick from shitty substances in my cup, I'm choosing a new substance. 

Water. 

I'm choosing to let water be the substance in my cup. I'm choosing water because it gives me life; it sustains me. I'm letting (THE) living water flow through me and give me life. I'm letting living water fill up my cup for the sole purpose of pouring out onto others. Water isn't meant to stay in its cup. It's meant to pour into someone or something. It's meant to seep through the crevices of our innermost being and invade our space. It quenches our thirst and brings us back to life. The living water gives us life, but more importantly love. It is only when we choose to be brave that we can allow ourselves to pour out that water. That love. 

Love is uncomfortable. It exposes the secret crevices of our hearts without permission. 

Pouring out of a cup requires us to hold the cup at an angle. Just like love, pouring is uncomfortable. It makes us stand funny and look silly.

Trust me, it's worth it. We don't get another life to live. We don't get new cups to fill up. We get one beautifully and intricately made cup that we can choose to love or choose to hate.

So let your words pour out without a filter. Let your love pour out unashamedly because you never know who you'll inspire. Allow your words to give someone life. Watch your words come to life for them. It’s worth it just for that one person.

This is my challenge: live your life as a beautifully, un-choreographed, "sorry not sorry" dance that represents who you are and who our Creator has made you to be. Express yourself through the confidence you have in the God who gave you those gifts and talents. Refuse to apologize for your beautiful self. Stop setting yourself to unrealistic standards. Extend grace to yourself and others. Love recklessly. 

In the words of Hannah Brencher:

"Don't write fear a love song. Fear has never deserved your love songs...You are human. Not superhuman...Accepting yourself will prove to be one of the biggest journeys of this lifetime."

Today, I am thankful for you. The one reading this. You are beautiful. People should know how beautiful they are. I’m choosing to live my life telling people just that.