A constant in my life is Chai Tea Lattes. For at least a decade now, that has been my drink of choice and it hits the spot every time. Well tonight, I sit here writing and sipping on a particularly excellent Chai. Some might even say perfect. But what makes this Chai so special? Is it the perfectly white cup it’s poured into? Was it the beautiful foam design made by the barista? Or how about the yummy bits of cinnamon speckled on top? Nope. What makes it so perfect is all of the delicious ingredients on the inside of the cup! The perfect combination of Chai and steamed milk, the cinnamon flakes that have seeped down from the top that I can taste in every sip, and the warmness it fills me with after every gulp.

So, what’s the point of me so intricately describing my amazing Chai Tea Latte?

I have grown up in a Christian home my whole life and I attended Catholic High School, so one verse that has been permanently ingrained in my head is Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his own image.” Well, God is perfect so by default that means I’m perfect, right? Well, technically yes! So that’s pretty cool but do you know why you’re perfect? For twenty years I have lived knowing that simple truth and yes it’s powerful, but it wasn’t until recently that I truly discovered why.

For me, the real power comes from understanding who I am in God’s image! As I have began my journey of deepening my relationship with God it has lead me to spending a whole lot more time in the Bible. And let me tell you, that book has got a lot of good stuff in it! But the coolest thing is really learning who I am to God and who God is to me. I feel like it’s easy to see God as this untouchable, controlling man if you don’t really understand who He is, but as you discover more about God and His never ending love for you, you begin to understand little parts of yourself. Because that’s exactly it, YOU are made in GOD’S image. That means all of the amazing and wonderful parts of God are also inside of you! And the closer you get to God, the more you’ll discover those amazing qualities you had no idea were even there before!

So, here is my top three list that I have made so far of who I have discovered that I am through God’s image!

1. I Am A Light.

Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation-” and Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look for [God] will be radiant with joy;”. The definition of radiant I found with a quick google search was this, “sending out light; shining or glowing brightly.” Do those two things not literally go hand in hand? When we are close to God He shines His light through us in so many ways! Have you ever been around a joyful person? They are so easy to be around because they are so light! They look at the positives, they aren’t concerned with the bad, but rather just have this overall cheerful outlook on life! That is God given. That is special. And that is something that is inside of all of us if we choose to invite God into our lives and let Him shine through us!

2. I Am A Forgiver.

Psalm 86:5 reads, “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive.” Later on, in Matthew 18:21-22 we read very clear directions given to us from Jesus,“Then Peter came to him and asked,“Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,”Jesus replied,“but seventy times seven!” I think we can all agree that forgiving others can be so difficult, especially when they hurt us deep. But think about it this way, God forgives us for everything and I mean EVERYTHING. He knows our deepest, darkest secrets and He knows what our future sins will be before they even happen, yet He still forgives. Better yet, He still loves. So, if He can do that don’t you think we can forgive somebody for that crummy thing they said about us when they were most likely hangry? Or maybe they truly meant what they said! Either way, the best part of this is that God is our source of forgiveness! When you feel like you don’t have the strength to forgive someone don’t worry because it is not meant to be something you do on your own! Ask God for His strength and through Him, you become the forgiver you were created to be.

3. I Am Broken And That Is Totally Okay.

There is such a stigma on being “broken” in this society. We are told to be strong, have thick skin, not be emotional and just move on. But how do you be that person on your own? The negative view on brokenness needs to stop. Who decided you can’t hurt and who said you can’t have help? In my own experience, the times when I try to internalize and deal with things on my own is when I am at my worst and and feeling like I’m stuck in a dark pit that’s impossible to get out of. That dark place is where we lose ourselves, but we don’t have to be lost. God is there with us every step of the way if we would just open our hearts, our eyes and ask for His help. The best apart Him is that He doesn’t require us to be perfect in order to have a relationship with him! In fact, He knows the kind of state we’re in before we even come to Him but He’ll still be there to listen, to love, and to help. When you finally admit to yourself that you need help, He is there to make you stronger. Even when you feel like there is no going up from where you are right now remember 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.That’s why I take pleasures in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” To me, there is a power in knowing that I am broken and it is one hundred percent okay to be broken because it is not my job to piece myself back together. That’s what God will do for us if we let Him and not only will He piece us back together but He’ll create us into a more beautiful masterpiece than we could ever imagine! He is the ultimate healer!

God reveals so much of who we are in the Bible and I am so thankful. It is so easy to try to just go with the flow and be like everyone else, but you weren’t made to be like everyone else. You were made to be a unique, wonderful, and beautiful individual. And just like my Chai Tea Latte, it’s what’s on the inside that creates the beauty on the outside.