The hardest lesson for me to learn was being ok with being different. I was born and raised in Virginia and have faithfully attended and volunteered in the church for as long as I can remember. I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to be raised under such powerful teaching. But it was still hard for me to grasp the concept of being “set apart” because as a child “being set apart” meant “not being able to fit in”. But I knew I was different.

Growing up, the culture of my church and home reflected a life submitted fully to God’s word. I am so grateful for this upbringing today, but if we’re being real, the younger Steve wasn’t having it. I wanted to have fun! Now my personality was never wild or reckless but I did often times find myself in places I had no business being in. I wouldn’t have admitted it then, but I was living a dangerously lukewarm lifestyle. Thankfully, God’s grace chased me until one day I just stopped running! And it wasn’t until then that I realized, my issue wasn’t a need to fit in, it was a need to realize who He created me to be. My need to be accepted had already been met; I just needed to see that.

I tried so hard to fit in, but now I realize I was trying to take the easy way out. By forcing myself to conform to practices and ideas that were pressured on me by the current social norms, I was simultaneously abandoning the beautiful calling that God designed for me. But if I’m being honest, it wasn’t enough for me to know that God had great things planned for me; my heart really shifted once I realized that His plan for me didn’t effect just me. I realized the talent and wisdom that I was given were never meant to die with me. I love that God saw my heart, accepted me, and pulled me right where I needed it. See, I knew for a long time that God chose me. But it took awhile for me to realize what being chosen by God meant. It meant “fitting in.” Not into a social norm or a certain crowd of people, but perfectly fitting into an intricate plan that is so much larger than myself.

Flaws and all, God designed me for a purpose. I’m satisfied knowing that he could love me and accept me into his beautiful plan. In my journey of discovering who God is, I’ve discovered who He was to me, and that my need to be accepted had been filled all along.

I am FREED from acceptance; and FREED to passionately pursue God’s purpose for my life!