For Halloween, we usually wear family costumes: we pick a theme and all of our kids dress around it. As we hashed out the Halloween costumes this year, there was a lot of discussion from our kids about how the family costumes could be too embarrassing for their school parties. The boys wanted to be something tough, funny, or brainy, and our daughter wanted to be something pretty. 

It makes me wonder if we as women are doing the same thing…are we morphing in our situations and dressing for our audience? 

The same God who created us has given us everything we need to be just who He created us to be, and we don’t need extra accessories. We may need to take some time to recognize ourselves; we may be wearing a mask and not even realize it. We can leave our ideal selves behind because the gal that God is using isn’t the textbook version of yourself, it’s your real self. The gal with the backstory and the relationships she is working through, who tries and apologizes, asks her kids for forgiveness and tries again. 

As you dare to be yourself and drop the mask, others will too. In fighting the temptation to blend and having the confidence to be yourself, you give others the courage to follow suit. 

We don’t need to dress up anymore. No more costumes…no more “should be’s.” We can drop the mask and live trusting our God as the gal He created us to be.

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