Letting go of the “try-hard” life….
Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful idea?
If you’re a recovering Martha like me, you know what a “try-hard life” is like. No wonder the thought of letting go resonates so deeply.
Though we want to be good and do good for Jesus, it’s such a relief to know that Jesus invites us to “abide” rather than “strive”.
I met Emily Freeman a couple of years ago as I wandered the aisles of our Christian bookstore (one of my favorite pastimes!).
Oh, she wasn’t there in person, but her book reached out and grabbed me by the heart!
The title? Grace for the Good Girl. (affiliate link)
Girl With a Mary Heart
When I started working on this new podcast, I knew I wanted Emily to be one of my first guests. She has an important message for all of us: good girls and not-so-good girls alike…
You are loved. You are accepted. You are enough. Click To TweetI can’t wait to share this beautiful woman and her message: It’s time to embrace grace and let go of the try-hard life!
[AUDIO VERSION: For those who prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio player just below the video.]
Show Notes – Episode #2
There were so many wonderful nuggets in this interview! Here are a few that stood out to me:
When you believe a lie - you live out of it - Emily P. Freeman Click To Tweet
The problem with performance-based Christianity is…
When you perform well, PRIDE flares up…
When you fail or mess up, SHAME comes in the back door…
And meanwhile, Jesus isn’t even in the room.
Because I performed pretty well in comparison to other people, I wasn't sure I needed grace. Click To Tweet
When we say, Christianity is way too hard. How can anyone do this?” God hears what we utter in our soul and says, “Finally, she gets it!” We can’t do it! That’s why He had to come.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the Spirit's fruit, not mine! Only He can produce it in me. Click To Tweet
Shame sneaks in the back window and takes up residence in our hearts without us knowing it. Guilt points to our behavior, but shame attacks our identity.
Our Father doesn’t speak words of shame; He speaks words of love and belonging. Click To Tweet
More About Emily
Emily P. Freeman is wife, mom of three, and a Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books include:
- Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life
- Graceful (for Young Women)
- A Million Little Ways
- Simply Tuesday
Emily has been writing online for over 10 years and co-founded a growing community for writers at hopewriters.com. She recently created “The School for Creative Direction with Emily P. Freeman” which sounds amazing!
You can connect with Emily online at emilypfreeman.com and on Instagram @emilypfreeman
Space for Your Soul
If you’d like to hear more from Emily, check out her FREE audio devotional called:
{ “7 Days of Still Moments” }
Perhaps you (or someone you know) need help creating breathing space for your soul. You don’t want to miss this special offer. I know it will be a blessing.
I’d love to hear from…What part of your “try-hard life” do you need to let go of?