Crucial Steps Before You Can Stand in Your Truth…You Have to Find It, Accept It and Step Into It

Standing in your Truth. For me this means standing in and following what you believe in and what path you believe you were designed to take. Unapologetically. Boldly.

I’d love to say that this is something that has always been a passion of mine, but quite honestly, I am a people pleaser. For many of my early adult years, I tried to blend in and to be who people expected me to be. This. Was. Exhausting.

This was most glaringly obvious when it came to the decision of whether to stay at home or go back to work after we had children. I know that this is a decision that every parent faces and the decision is truly complex with many factors to take into consideration.

For me, I loved being a mom. I won’t tell you I loved every moment, but I loved most of them. It has and will always be the best gift God has blessed me with. So when it came time to make that decision about whether to go back to work or not, I couldn’t imagine leaving these precious gifts with someone else other than me. I knew what each cry meant. I knew how to make them laugh. I knew what their schedule was and how to make sure they didn’t get overly hungry or tired. Most of all, I didn’t want to miss a single moment of time with them. This was my truth.

But I also loved my work. I was good at it. I enjoyed it. Working in the field of early childhood, I felt like I made a difference in the lives of children and families every day. It was a part of my identity. How could I let it go?

This is where I got stuck. Letting go of who I was and grabbing on to who I was becoming. I wanted to hold onto both. I knew (and quite honestly was jealous) of parents who were able to stand in their truth. I looked at those parents that made the decision to stay at home and were so happy because they were where they knew they should be. I also saw parents that knew they wanted to go back to work, to continue doing what they were designed by God to do.

I was stuck in the in-between. Wanting to have both but not really able to. I couldn’t stay stuck. So I went on a journey. At the time I didn’t know how amazing the journey would be. I just knew I needed to make a decision.

The first step of the journey and probably the most important one was finding my truth. This meant figuring out what I wanted in the moment and in the long term moments. It was not only about where I would spend my days, but about money and what having (or not having) my income would mean on a weekly, monthly and even long term basis. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be at home with my children, but I needed to know that financially it would be okay. The decision to stay at home would make a big impact on our finances and we would have to make some intentional sacrifices.

Once I figured out that my truth was staying at home, the next step in this journey was accepting my truth. I loved my work and found a part of my identity in it. Leaving my work meant that I was losing a part of me that was really important. The tougher part to conquer though was knowing that this decision did impact us financially. I often allowed that guilt to get in the way of this newly identified truth. And I am sure that had my truth been in going back to work, guilt would have found its way to me there as well. It took time for me to accept that this was my truth. And every once in awhile I would wafer just a bit on it. When that happened, I would look to God for that reminder and for the strength to push away the guilt and accept my truth.

But, once I finally let go of the guilt and stepped into my truth, it was an amazing feeling. It allowed me to savor each moment (well most of them). It freed me from wondering about the “what ifs.” And finally God was able to use me in the place that He had designed me to be in at that time of my life. I could see God in big and small moments throughout the day, week, and month.

Obviously this was one decision of many for me as a parent and a professional. I am sure that each of you have had and are praying about where God wants you to be, and what your truth is. That struggle might be like mine focused on staying at home, working in the profession God gave you talent in or a combination of both. No matter what truth you are currently trying to find, God will help guide you there, and it will the place you are meant to stand. If you are in the midst of a journey where you are searching to find your truth, working on accepting your truth or have just stepped into your truth and are trying to get your bearings, please allow me to pray for you:

Dear God, please help this parent who may be frustrated with their current situation and the truth that they are searching for. I ask that you give them clarity to know when they find it. I ask that you give them strength to accept it. Finally I ask that you give them courage to step into it. Give them what they need to get to that place you have designed them to be at. Thank you for the blessings you have given them to be where you want them to be.

If you would like me to pray for your situation specifically, I would be honored to do that. Please reach out to me and let me know.

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Also be on the lookout for my next blog which will continue this conversation on our truth and talk about how we can, with God’s help, not just stand in our truth but stay in our truth as well.