Each Thursday for the next few weeks, we are talking about breaking free from insecurity, comparison, and shame. We are sharing our raw and messy real life stories. But also, more importantly, we are sharing the truths that set us free. We have bathed this series in prayer and ask now that the Father knit our hearts together and strengthen us to slay this giant called “insecurity” in our hearts.
As part of our “Verdict on Value” series, today we have the privilege of interviewing Jennifer Dukes Lee and giving away a copy of her brand new book, Love Idol: Letting Go of Your Need for Approval – and Seeing Yourself through God’s Eyes
Here is a snippet of the interview, which you can read in it’s entirety here. Here’s Jennifer:
“Approval is a powerful force in our world. We want to be loved, and liked, and known and validated. And sometimes, we want all that from people – more than we want it from God.
I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy since I was a child – even though I was a perfectionist child with the As to prove it. I had always hoped that my good performances would fill the desire for significance and value. I wanted the approval of parents, peers, and pastors – of everyone.
Retraining my heart would take years. But I knew it was worth the fight – not only for me, but for our daughters. Children are mirrors, reflecting what they see in us. I’ll never forget one Thanksgiving several years ago. I found one of the girls crying in the corner of a bedroom. She had drawn a self-portrait and labeled the parts: “Boring brown hair. Stupid glasses. Dumb freckles. Bad teeth.” She had scrawled across the top of the paper: UGLY.
So many of us – as girls – feel like we’re never enough. And we grow up into women who feel the same way.
I sat on the floor next to my daughter that afternoon and held her for a long time. I vowed that I would provide a firm foundation for my girls to know that a woman’s identity is found in Christ alone. But I would need to live that truth out. I would need to model my Christ-identity.
My girls and I started saying these words out loud: “We’ve had enough of the not-enoughs.”
I started journaling my experiences, writing on my blog, and speaking about the issue of approval. On paper, I could see how my life had become a long journey of seeking approval in the classroom, the corporate cubicle, and my own family tree. After talking with women across the country, I’ve learned that my journey is every woman’s journey – even though the details of our stories differ.”
Click here to read the entire interview and a chance to win Jennifer’s just released book!
Be sure to catch all of the posts in our Verdict on Value series:
March 27th – Kathy from Free to Fly (Approval)
April 3rd – Interview with Jennifer Dukes Lee (and a chance to win her new book, Love Idol!)
April 10th – Kerry from Plenty Place (Reputation)
April 17th – Arabah from Arabah Joy (Shame ~with a free printable)
April 24th – Jen from Being Confident of This (Confidence)
May 1st – Leah from The Point (Insecurity)
May 8th – Wrap up at Arabah Joy’s place
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