Thunder cracked across the sky. In the middle of a park, halfway through the video below {subscribers, click here if you can’t see it}, it suddenly seemed as if our best-laid plans would soon be washed away.
We hoped, prayed, pretended not to feel the first raindrops on our shoulders.
And then.
The sky opened and poured buckets on a morning of hard work. Our sheet painted with “In God’s Heart I Am…?” words soon became soaked. Rivers of color drenched the sidewalk.
We retreated to a nearby coffee shop to wait for a reprieve from the weather so we could try again. New supplies. New sheet. New beginning. Fifteen minutes later–the same result. Torrents of rain.
At the end of that soaking wet day, I dropped my umbrella and raised my hands to the heavens. Because sometimes it’s just time to surrender. As we drove away, four little girls splashed in puddles in front of us and I couldn’t help but smile.
The sheet you see at the end of the video isn’t the original one. It was lovingly and meticulously reconstructed {thanks Mandy and Jesse!}.
And while I wish that extra work could have been avoided, in many ways that’s such a picture of how life happens for us. We decide, “Yes! I will take hold of who God says I am. I will even declare it for all the world to see.” Then the storms of life come and it all seems washed away. So we start over the next day. And the next.
I used to see that as some sort of failure on my part. But through this process I’ve realized that it simply means we are in a battle. God’s mercies are new every morning because we need them again every day.
We need to speak the truth to ourselves. To each other. Over and over again.
You are loved.
You are chosen.
You are strong.
Even in {especially in?} the middle of life’s pouring rain.
What helps you remember what’s true? What is God whispering to your heart today that someone else might need to hear.
–Holley Gerth, www.InGodsHeart.com
God’s Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman. Get it now as a book or ebook.
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I love this video. I am working on staring a girls group at our church that can meet a couple times a month to let them talk about and know who and what they are in God. This will be for junior high girls. I am loving this idea from the video as an idea to do with them, it is so powerful. Thank you so much for the idea.
I also really like the Blessings Unlimited catalog. What beautiful products.
Thank you for your post Holley, it is beautiful.
What a beautiful message and just what I needed to hear today. Thank you,
Reading this makes me love the video even more, Holley. And the verse you mention from Lamentations is in my post that will go live later this morning. God whispers in my heart this morning that I am who He created me to be. Thank you, Holley, for all the ways you are who He created you to be that encourage the rest of us. Love, Patricia
Writing down what’s true–this is how we can diligently train our mind to be renewed. You help people to find freedom and live. it., and that’s worship–that’s beauty lived out!
Again, love this video. Going to show it to my kids and there helping me with the contest….should be fun 🙂
Hi Holley,
I’m in. Thank you for this giveaway. These have been such encouraging posts and I thank you for writing them.
Thank you for encouraging us to see ourselves as God sees us. I am loved and cherished–and forgiven.
Love, Love this video. I’m going to do this activity with me boys and see what I get from them and their friends at Saturday Night’s Pizza Party. Should be interesting!!
Again, Great message and Video!
And I think of “Grace like rain, it covers me…”
Love your heart sweet friend. And your desire to take women with you right to His!
Perfect words–just what I needed to put me in the right spirit today. Thank you.
Cheryl Sims
Dear Holley,
I needed this reminder so much right now. I’ve been hurting and feeling so bad about myself and how things are going.
I especially loved this: (I need to post that part about “God’s mercies” somewhere to help me remember. If I post it at work and share it on Facebook, maybe it will be a nice reminder for others, too.) — “I used to see that as some sort of failure on my part. But through this process I’ve realized that it simply means we are in a battle. God’s mercies are new every morning because we need them again every day.”
Thank you so much, dear Holley!
Love and blessings,
Since watching the video yesterday, I haven’t stopped thinking about what I am in God’s heart! The devotion today was such an encouragement to me. Thanks so much for being used of God & sharing your heart with all of us =]. Love, Stacey
I lived the video yesterday and shared it with all my friends. I think I will do a similar sheet project with my Bible study girls. I thought about that message all day yesterday! Thanks Holley!
I am in LOVE with this video!!!!! Knowing all the effort that went into making it what it is just makes it that much sweeter!
Knowing who we are in HIM is soo important. And a daily struggle for me, living in a place where criticism is constant and I never quite measure up to the expectations. It is definitely a daily start over and over, but a learning experience. So thankful for who I am in HIM!!
Thank you so much for this post. Love the video and the reminder of what my heart needed to hear this morning.
Thank you for this opportunity! I am not on Facebook, is there somewhere I can send my picture/word for the other contest? Blessings!
Would love to have the journal. Journaling is new to me, I’ve only been doing it about a year. It sure is helping me to work on the discipline factor.
This sounds awesome! I’ve been needing some inspiration for a photo to do. God works in mysterious ways! 🙂 I adored this! Thank you for making this video. It put a smile on my face today.
Love always,
)(ope*
Remembering what’s true about me is turning into a daily discipline. Verses on index cards and your posts, Holley, point me to truth every time. Thank you!
Loved the video. I need to daily see who I am in Him. My mind seems to forget what my heart knows. Thanks for the encouragement.
What a timely post!
There seems to always be times where in our head we “know” who we are, but when life keeps pouring out on us, we forget in our heart there is someone that calls us “Beloved”. I needed to see the word Beloved because that is the one that speaks to me most and I forget the most. At a retreat we had to write on a rock the name that we felt God called us, and mine was Chosen Beloved. I carry that rock everywhere, and yet still forget to live in the truth of it.
I loved this simply because I just wrote last night about being in the desert, and now I read about being in the rain; and was washed in the truth of what God can do in the hearts of those that love Him. That is speaking to me. And I feel a little refreshed.
Thank you so much for your posts! I’m a new subscriber and these have been a breath of fresh air each day. I loved the video also and shared it with other folks. When it comes to beliving certain truths about myself, I tend to believe the negative and not what God sees. But thanks to this video and your posts, I can see that I can start new and fresh every day with God and start believing every day what God sees…not what I think I see. Thank you!
Thank you for encouraging us to see ourselves the way God sees us! I know that am loved–even cherished–and forgiven!
Loved this today, exactly where my head and heart were when I woke up!
Loved the video! 🙂 I know people everywhere that need to be reminded of who we are in Christ!
In love I am…forgiven, saved, beloved daughter of a King, precious, beautiful, one of a kind – Unique!
I love this video and, Holley, your blog is so awesome! I am whole, loved, chosen, forgiven, loving, cherished. God is so wonderful. Grace is beautiful and so are you 🙂
I was scrolling to the top of this post and “You are chosen” caught me and brought tears to my eyes. What a reminder that I’ve needed over the last few days. Thank you for the encouragement!
Thank you for the giveaway. I love the idea of writing down truths to remind ourselves when things might get hazy.
So excited for the second half of this great message! I am RENEWED.
That was lovely Holley, thank you so much for your words! I am amazed how everytime it is exactly what my heart needs to hear! xx
Wow! Forgiven was my word … In God’s Heart I am forgiven …
Thanks Holley!
I will be walking through Neil Anderson’s Steps to Freedom on Saturday. I would appreciate your prayers that when finished I will know that
In God’s Heart I Am Free!
Beautiful Holley!! I’ve been reading your Rain on Me book..love it!!
Thanks so much for your wonderful comments today and sharing your words! So glad you’re here…
I loved this post. It does need to be repeated in our hearts that we are His beloved…
I’m always so glad when I pop by here. Thanks!
I so did not know this about the video… and it makes me love it SO MUCH MORE. because we all need to learn to dance in the rain a little…
Hallelujah! In God’s eyes, I am gifted (Eph 2:10)…This is a off topic, but one of those ladies wouldn’t be Janet McNair would she? I haven’t seen Janet in a while. There is a lady in this video that looks just like her….Great video- very encouraging!
That was a great video.
What a beautiful thought! Wonder if the rain could have been God’s signature of promise… creating a rainbow of colors from the many words and the situations that prompted them?
So true, and how I needed to hear that today!
Thanks for the message, it is definitely something I needed reminding of today.
This is awesome a good friend passed it along to me thanks very encouraging