I'm Kelly Ann Snyder. Welcome to Living Perfectly Loved, the podcast created to encourage, equip, and inspire you to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God's perfect love. If you're longing to stand firm in Christ amidst the storms of life with a faith deeply rooted in God's perfect love, stop anxiety and fear from stealing your joy and controlling your life, shine brightly and love fearlessly, confident in who God uniquely created and called you to be, then this faith-inspiring podcast, full of practical help and spiritual tools, is for you. You're listening to Season One, Episode Eight, Rebuild your Identity and Secure Your Faith in Christ, brought to you by Living Perfectly Loved Ministries and my new book, Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear. For all recommended resources, products, and freebies discussed in this episode, please see the notes for this episode. I'm happy to announce that in each episode this season, I will be sharing an excerpt from my book containing each of the 12 steps the Lord used to deliver me from the grip of anxiety and fear. In this way, you'll be getting a sneak peek into my book, Living Perfectly Loved. I'm so glad you've decided to join me. Subscribe to my email list today at kellyandsnyder.com and you will be kept in the loop with all book and ministry-related announcements I make, and be eligible to receive all free resources I create and share with my subscribers. Visit my website at kellyandsnyder.com to learn more about Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including direct links to purchase my book and information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey. If you haven't yet listened to my podcast trailer, I'd like to invite you to do so after listening to this episode. All right, let's get started! The following is an excerpt from Step Seven of my book, Living Perfectly Loved, titled, Rebuild your Identity and Secure Your Faith in Christ: To remain free from anxiety and fear, we need a mature faith, one that will stand through trials and storms. Rock solid faith built on a sure, eternal foundation. What if we have placed our hope in something that can be burned up, used up, broken, or removed. Or perhaps our faith is dependent upon our own strength or ability, or that of someone else? If our foundation rests on something temporal or of this world, we will likely find ourselves right back where we started, slaves to anxiety and fear. With our feet firmly planted upon Jesus Christ, however, and with His Word rooted deeply in our hearts, we will not be shaken. Before learning the truth of God's perfect love for me, before finding my identity in Christ, I would get up to look in the mirror each morning and count the many blemishes and imperfections I saw staring back at me. It was frustrating and embarrassing to still be struggling with acne into my thirties. No matter how many different products and treatments I'd tried over the years, I continued to battle bad breakouts. I pleaded with God to take it away. I was tired of fighting it, of trying to control my problem skin, but God continued to allow acne to afflict me, despite my desperate pleas. In the midst of my frustration, helplessness, and shame, I couldn't see that who I was in Christ mattered more than whether or not I had clear skin. I only saw someone who didn't measure up on the outside. I'm guessing this is why God did not make my skin problems go away. He couldn't have me believing myself worth was only skin deep. Unfortunately, I couldn't let it go. As a result, I battled insecurity for years. Starting in my teen years, I turned to makeup in an effort to conceal the imperfections on my face. I thought if I could cover up my flaws, people would be more likely to accept and love me. With makeup on, I felt confident and beautiful. Without it, I felt unworthy and ashamed. It wasn't long after starting to wear makeup that I no longer felt comfortable in public without it. I began avoiding social situations where I couldn't cover up with makeup, such as the beach or pool. I stopped looking people in the eye for fear I would catch them staring at my broken out skin and feel humiliated. I didn't realize I was establishing a dependency on makeup. A dependency that would lead to a fear of letting others see the real me. All this striving for perfection and control opened a door for pride to grip my heart. I didn't recognize my pridefullness at first because it masked itself as anxiety and fear. But where fear was present in my life telling me that others would reject the real me, pride was not far away. I was surprised to discover some of the anxiety I was experiencing was actually a pride issue at its core, because I had never equated insecurity with pride, but what I discovered is insecurity is self-focused rather than others focused. God began revealing to me that to gain complete victory over anxiety and fear, the sin of pride had to also be removed. It was wrong for me to build my identity and self-worth upon foundation makeup rather than the foundation of my faith, Jesus Christ. It wasn't until years later on this journey with the Lord to overcoming anxiety and fear, that I sensed God calling me to stop wearing makeup. He gently revealed to me that it was time to remove the mask. I had heard God telling me this in the past, but I was never willing to listen to Him. This time around, I suppose I was a little more open, or maybe a little more desperate for healing. I heard God saying,"Stop letting the mirror tell you who you are. Stop believing it's lies. Let Me tell you who you are in Me. Don't look to the world, which says you don't measure up, which says you aren't enough. In Me, you are enough. For by one sacrifice, I've made perfect forever those who are being made holy," Hebrews 10 verse 14. It was time for me to find out who I really was, to let others see the real me, and to learn to love myself. At first I tried to ignore God's still small voice again. Honestly, I wasn't sure I could commit to giving up wearing makeup completely. It would feel like I was walking out my front door, stark naked, completely exposed. However, His voice persisted. It was July 4th, Independence Day, when I heard Him say,"Cover up your bathroom mirror and tape Scripture to it. Declare your independence from makeup today! I thought, my husband is going to think I'm absolutely crazy. God, there is no way I can actually do this. Still, I couldn't shake the conviction I felt in my spirit. So after mustering up as much courage as I could, I told my husband what I had been thinking about doing. His response took me completely by surprise,"You've struggled with this for a long time. I think it might be a good idea. You're beautiful with or without makeup." What is sweetheart? His response was confirmation to me that I wasn't in fact hearing things, and losing my mind. God was in this. Why else would my husband agree to let me cover up all the mirrors in the house with plastic table cloths and post Scripture to keep me from looking in the mirror, criticizing myself, and picking at my skin. I mean, come on, seriously? As much as I didn't want to go through with it, I knew I needed to be obedient to follow God's leading. Plus I really wanted to be free from my bondage to make up. Thus, not a drop-off primer, foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, blush, or even lip gloss touched my face for a whole year and a half. I didn't cheat once, not even with a tinted moisturizer, translucent powder, or clear lip gloss, tempting as it was. It was difficult to do at first. I felt very insecure and I feared what people might think or say to me. God met me in my insecurity, though, and reassured me I was doing the right thing with the truth of His Word. He showed me Isaiah 54, verse four, which says,"Do not be afraid. You will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace. You will not be humiliated." Much to my surprise, I never once heard a negative remark about my appearance the whole year and a half I fasted from makeup. Instead of being shamed and rejected, I experienced tremendous freedom and healing. I learned that people didn't just love the me who seemingly had it all together, but the real me, imperfections and all. A huge weight was lifted, one I didn't know I'd been carrying around with me for far too long. Unmasked, I learned to receive the love, acceptance, and approval that was mine in Jesus Christ. As a result, I grew more confident in who I was in Him. During the time of my makeup fast, I learned to stop letting the mirror tell me who I was and God rebuilt my identity and self-worth upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, according to His Word, not foundation makeup. God revealed to me that I was loved, beautiful, flawless, and clothed with the perfection of Christ. He took away my fear of rejection with the promise of His unfailing love, and He showed me His plans for my complete restoration. Mark Batterson writes in his book, Soulprint,"Scripture is the only perfect mirror because it reveals how our designer sees us. Most of our identity problems are the result of looking in the wrong mirrors." Our worth is not self-made. It cannot be found in any of the following: our job titles, our relationships with others, our parenting skills, our net worth, our physical appearance, our list of accomplishments, the good works we do, the number of volunteer hours we work, the success of our ministry, or even how well-versed we are in Scripture. Our worth is found in being adopted daughters of our heavenly Father. It is found in who we become in relationship with Christ. Jesus' death on the cross allows us to proclaim,"I am loved because Jesus Christ found me we're dying for. The end." Right before Jesus breathed His last breath here on earth, He declared,"It is finished," John 19, verse 30. Therefore, since His death and resurrection are final, and there is nothing anyone can do to improve upon or add to what He already accomplished, we have to start believing that who we are in Christ is truly enough. According to the Word of God, we are children of God, Galatians three verse 26. Heirs to a kingdom not of this world, Romans eight verse 17. Chain breakers, Isaiah 58 verse six. The salt of the earth, Matthew five verse 13. The light of the world, Matthew five verse 14. Chosen, holy, and dearly loved, Colossians three verse 12. Wonderfully made, Psalm 139 verse 14. Altogether beautiful and flawless, Song of Songs 4 verse seven. The bride of Christ, Revelation 21 verse nine. All of this, God says and more. If our faith is built upon a foundation of false beliefs, misconceived notions about who God is, what He has done for us, or who we are in relationship with Him. Then we are likely living as an unbelievers on some level, deprived of the fullness of life we could be living in Christ. For this reason, it is vital we rebuild our identities and secure our faith on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. My experience has taught me that the primary way this is accomplished is through the reading and hearing of God's Word. Not only will you find peace in His presence, as we learned in Step Six, but His truth will penetrate your heart. As you allow God's Word to grow deep roots and dwell within you, you will gain a greater understanding of who God is, what He's done for you, and who you are in Him. This understanding will consequently establish your identity and secure your foundation of faith in Christ. Paul put it this way:"Then by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life," Ephesians three verse 17, The Passion Translation. Then you can begin using your faith to step out and take action as God leads you, confident that His perfect love can be counted on in all things. And you will discover as God establishes and perfects His love within you, that fear cannot exist. It is driven now. Hallelujah! Matthew seven verse 24 through 25 says,"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Thank You for establishing me on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, my rock. Thank You for Your Word, which tells me I am a child of God, an heir to the kingdom, and fearfully and wonderfully made. At times I struggle to believe that who I am is enough. Please forgive me when I allow pride to harden my heart, preventing the seed of Your Word from taking root. I confess that at times I fear man's opinion more than I fear You. Father, forgive me. Help me remove any masks that keep me from being who You created me to be. Remove any barrier to Your love so that I may be able to receive it, allowing its roots to grow down deep. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Living Perfectly Loved podcast. While it's true that God is love and we are perfectly loved by Him, we all struggle at times to live like this true. While we should strive to grow in Christ likeness, we can rest in knowing God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are or anything we could ever do for Him. In Jesus Christ, we are enough! Remember, you don't have to be perfect to live perfectly loved. You have always been and will always be a completely forgiven, fully accepted, deeply loved, daughter the King. Beautiful friend, His grace is for you. Please subscribe to my podcast now and stay tuned for another episode of Living Perfectly Loved. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He shine His face on you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace, in Jesus' name.