Remebering Who I Am

Who am I?  You all know me as Andrea.  Mother to Iliana and Julian.  Daughter to Ruben and Evangelina.  Sister to Veronica, Ruben, Erica and Sophia.  Friend to many.  But who am I?

First, I am daughter to The King.  At times I forget this title. I am an heir to the throne.

Romans 8:17(NIV)- Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Galatians 3:29(NIV)-If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

I am not going to lie and say that I have always remembered this.  There have been times when I have felt so unworthy of this title.  Being a daughter of the King has its advantages: a relationship with The Almighty, eternal life, peace (to name a few).  It also has its responsibilities: complete faithfulness, obedience, surrender, etc.  It is so easy to accept the benefits of being royalty, not so easy to fulfill the responsibilities, (especially when the trials seems so overwhelming).  At times I have tried to run from my position in the royal family.  No,  I did not abandon my morals and beliefs.  I just tried to do things my way. Fortunately His grip on me is eternal.  

Second I am forgiven, a new creation, and set free. 
Ephesians 1:7(NIV)-In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.


2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV)-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here.

Acts 13:39(NIV)-Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.


If you have ever been locked up you know the beauty of freedom better than anyone who hasn't.  I can say with great pride that I have never been "locked up", but I have enjoyed the sense of freedom.  Once when we were kids we thought it would be cool to roll each other up in blankets like a burrito.  The moment I was not in control of my limbs I began to panic.  You couldn't have gotten me out of that blanket fast enough.  As I write this I am recalling the overwhelming need to be free.  I couldn't breathe.  I wanted to scream.  I had to break loose.  As my limbs experienced freedom once again I vowed never to allow myself to be wrapped up in that, or any, blanket again. 

Sin is like that blanket.  Why is it that we allow ourselves to bound up over and over again?  As though we were wrapping ourselves in a blanket we grab sin, throw it around our shoulders and wonder why we feel trapped.  Our sin doesn't have to be on of "the big ones", (you know murder, sexual immorality, gossip).  It can be one of the "little ones", like letting something  come between you and God.  The reality is that there is no difference in size, sin is sin.  For me the hurts and pain that came via Christians was the thing that was causing the chasm between me and Jesus.  Let me be clear.  I ALLOWED those things to come between us.  Instead of turning to Him and allowing Him to carry me through the trial, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  If He wasn't going to protect me than I was.

Oh how wrong I was.  I am not equipped to protect me.  Only He can do that and believe it or not sometimes he allows trials: to grow us; draw us nearer to Him; make us more like Jesus. The result of my "trying" to take control was what always happens when one of us mere mortals tries to take matters into our own hands.  I made a mess.  Good thing that along with the list of God is to us, (Father, Counselor, Prince of Peace, etc) we can include "mess cleaner upper".  

Finally,  I am worthy.  

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5(NIV)-Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
Perfect, no.  Worthy, yes.  Why?  He says so.  Can I live up to that?  Probably not, but I am going to die trying. It has been and always will be about living for Him.  None of the challenges of this life, the trials that weaken me, or the lessons that I must learn (even if the are hard) can steal from me the one thing that is true, Jesus.  Through it all, good and bad, He is the one thing that stays the same.  Why lean on anything else?

I remember, on a night not too long ago, I  was contemplating all that has and was going on.  The last three years have been an emotional roller coaster. The good: adopting Julian, starting culinary school, my daughter starting high school.  The bad...let's not dwell.  The one thing that I kept coming back to was Jesus.  Through every trial He has been there, unseen at times, but there none the less.  Oh how blessed I am that He has called me. 

My prayer is:

 for those who know Him, remember who you are and live it!

and, for those who don't know Him, that you would meet Him, know Him and come to know who you are in Him.

Andrea

Other things I am: grateful, funny, blessed, joy-filled, at peace, set apart, beautiful, created in His image, a nerd, chosen, precious, unique, NOTW (Not of This World), salt, a light in the dark world, a runner (yeah,  I'm in this race), a princess, focused, talented, organized, triumphant, a follower (of Christ),  a mommy, trustworthy, a teacher, a cook, redeemed, hardworking, a warrior, a gift, content, a rebel, rested, confident, protected, a writer, waiting, being healed, courageous, a friend, a servant, on the narrow path, not afraid,  fearfully and wonderfully made, rewarded, His bride, complete in Him, never alone, a vessel, upheld, real, guilt-free, His masterpiece, a delight, seeking His face.....