I Am Declaring War

I was about eleven when I first really looked at myself. I looked at my passions, studied my image, questioned my motives and examined my heart. I was also about eleven when I first began comparing my findings to others.

Just under a decade later, I am finding that the same comparisons I was making at age eleven, I am making at twenty. Someone once told me, the enemy is really not that smart. He knows your weakness and so he will keep playing and playing that card. He plays it so often, though, that he shows his hand. He plays it so often that I have begun to recognize it, despise it and wage war against it.

I am going to talk brains for a minute. Do you know that our brains actually carve out paths for our thoughts? It’s kind of like a river. The more frequently water flows through it, the deeper and wider that erosion becomes. It is the same concept with our brains. On a cellular level, our brains create new cells for thoughts within just ten minutes. The more we think about it, the more cells we create for that thought and that is how these paths are conceived. It’s like building an empire – in our own brains! And when we are triggered by that thought, our bodies begin reacting with fight or flight responses.

I have always been a girl who desires to be liked by everyone (which is really an incredibly unrealistic desire). When I don’t feel accepted, a part of the group or welcomed, I obsess over it. I try and figure out what I’ve done wrong, how I can be better or what is wrong with me that they treat me differently than everyone else. It is on my mind when I go to bed and when I wake up… throughout the day when I’m on social media. My brain literally built an empire around this and about a couple months ago, I declared war on this empire. It is a battle I’m still fighting and probably always will be fighting with my flesh, but that’s why we need God.

I don’t want to wake up at thirty, sixty, or eighty years old (if I am blessed to have those years) and think… “Is that really what I spent my days considering, giving my time to, or caring about?” I want to lean into my sweetest friendships and relationships with my future husband, my family and my mentors. I want to cherish sweet and meaningful conversations. I want to travel, try new foods and come to know God even more intimately. I want to soak up each and every day that I have been given. I think a lot of us want these things but are not able to get over our own brains and meaningless thoughts.

I have done a few things to start tearing these empires down:

First, I don’t run from them. When I have the thought, I talk it over with God. I let myself process it without allowing myself to be consumed by it. I recognize it for what it is, and I do not try to convince myself it is worse or better than it actually it is. I invite the Lord to bring healing to those sore parts of my heart through worship, prayer or quiet time in nature.

Second, I take care of my body. Exercising plays a key role in stabilizing hormones. Take a walk, run, stretch outside or turn on a HIIT workout and literally WORK.IT.OUT. Eat healthier foods (big fan of green smoothies) and drink lots of water. Let your body detox. (A great detox tea: Hot water, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of lemon!)

Third, get passionate about something else. Want to tear down that strong thought path? Stop thinking about it. Pick up a new hobby! Try baking, yoga, art, reading or journaling. Go on more coffee dates with productive, authentic and joyful people! Let yourself live this precious life you have been gifted. Focus on building new brain cells for more productive, healthy and lifegiving thoughts!!

In my honest words,

Samara-Faith

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Matthew 10:11 – 16

Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.