Probably no surprise, but I’m a bit of a messy Christian. I won’t share the whole list, but I do many of the things I write about – compare, people-please, feel guilty, and worry, to name a few. Here are a few more confessions of a messy Christian.
- I’m an ADHD pray-er and praying-out-loud challenged
- I don’t say grace before I eat (didn’t grow up doing so, never stuck)
- I wasn’t a Christian until my late 20s – and have spent some years wandering in the wilderness since then
- I have a bit of an off-color sense of humor
- I love me some wine and probably indulge a little too much
And that’s not even close to all-inclusive. So, why in the world have I become a Christian author? Good question. It never even crossed my mind as something I would do. But I kept feeling a nudge to start writing and started a blog which grew into two books.
I think that I’m likely called to minister partially to those that are on the fringes, which wouldn’t be achieved very well by Christians that have it all together (or seem like they do anyway). Who knows? Maybe hearing from someone who is willing to share their hot mess will provide some encouragement or at least make people realize that they aren’t alone in their mess.
But can I tell you a secret? We are all kind of messy. Look at the Biblical heroes – David, Moses, Paul, Abraham, and Peter. They all had their moments, and God used them. Rahab was a prostitute, and he used her. And she was even David’s great-great-grandmother, a part of the royal lineage of Jesus.
What is the MESSage here? It’s sometimes hard to tell with me, right? My message is this – You don’t have to be a “perfect” Christian that has it all together to be a Christian and make a difference in the lives of others. You don’t have to be that woman that is:
- Always calm, cool, and collected with well-behaved children
- Looks put together at all times
- Goes to church every Sunday
- Plans and cooks delicious, healthy meals
- Works outside the home and somehow gets everything done seamlessly at work, at home, at church, and even in the community
And you certainly don’t have to be the Proverbs 31 woman. In my first book, I wrote a comparison between the Proverbs 31 woman and Hot Mess, and it was a blood bath. The bottom line is that God loves you, even with your mess, and I’m pretty sure that he has an awesome plan to use you for good in this world.
If you don’t have a relationship with Him, I would encourage you to read, pray, and talk with a Christian friend or leader. I’m telling you that I’m not sure how I would make it through life without Him and the hope that He brings.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Leslie Speas
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