There are always things that spark me to want to have a continually deeper and better relationship with God. A more fervent one. So what's stopping me? Myself obviously, but what? What keeps me from deep, daily conversation and commitment? What keeps me from that connection? What keeps me from surrendering my will, my stubbornness, my life? Am I afraid? Am I too lazy? Am I too lackadaisical? I need to take that step, take that action. It is THE ONLY THING I can be sure of in this life.

Self, get out of the way! Self, get over your fear! Self, be willing to give up secret sins and things you cherish! Grow grow grow! Trim and cut off and grow some more! Don't let anything or anyone stop you. Be you, love you! God made you and He knows how He created you to be. He knows what you desire to be, He sees the potential you see in yourself and sees a million times past that.

You have an ideal for yourself, well He does too. Seek that ideal, but seek after His ideal even more. Believe in yourself, because He does! Even when you think you are the lowest, most disgusting, despicable, debased thing on earth, He sees you as something that can be fit for Heaven! Work for it, practice for it, reach for it with all you can muster, so that you can say "God I gave my all to be with you," and so you can be proud of yourself and so God can be proud of you too. And you know something? He already is proud of you - because you are HIS. You are the apex of His creation, His glory. So act like it! Claim it! Have confidence in it! You hear that? BE CONFIDENT! Because He is confident in you.

Let your personality, your joy in yourself and how He made you burst forth. Let it out. Show others what you are made of. Show yourself. Let who you are be an expression of praise because that is what you were made for. You will never know how precious you are, but try to. You are precious to others and you are precious to God. Self, listen up! Learn these things, know these things, and hide them in your heart. Grow, love, seek, work, claim, express, praise.

You are beautiful, so multi-faceted and intricate. There is no one else like you. So self, be! Be yourself! Be the image of God. There is nothing better, and an amazing future awaits you. Don't get in the way. . . because you don't have to. You don't have to. Just step aside and reach. Reach for your dreams and the One who made those dreams come alive inside of you. You have purpose, even if you don't see it. You have a part to play. It may seem small, it may seem big, but you can't do your part according to what others may think.

Don't give into doubts because doubts only bring you down and take your focus off of God. Do your part to the best of your ability, because then you can be satisfied with yourself. And no matter what you think or what you think others may think of you, try your best to cast it aside. Concentrate on what God thinks of you because He is really the only one that matters in the end.

Self, take heart! Your troubles are only light and momentary, and are achieving for you a glory that far outweighs them all!