If you know me, I love causes. Maybe I love them a little bit too much, considering that most of the time I'll hear about something, I'll get super worked up about the matter, and then I'll forget about it two weeks later.

See, here's the thing. When I don't have a cause to fight for, I look for things to fight for in my personal life. Some change of circumstances. Some kind of accomplishment. Basically, I strive to change things - and occasionally, things don't need to be changed. And when I try, sometimes people I love get hurt. If not by me directly, then by the aftershock of my emotions.

Maybe my problem is that I'm an idealist. Up until the past nine months or so of my life, I've lived in a sort of fantasy world where all I needed to do was wish for something and it would be mine. Then I would do whatever I needed to do to get it. When something didn't work out, I must have been doing something wrong.

See, not only is that a super selfish viewpoint, but it's entirely inaccurate.

Some things are just not worth the time and effort it takes to fight for them. For the past few months, I've been exploring what is worth fighting for. Some of it is personal, some of it is in general. But I've come up with at least five things.

1. My relationship with the Lord.

I never fully realized just how precious this was until this year. But for a long time, I just saw it as a tool. If I was faithful, life would go better for me - in spite of how much I proclaimed that I didn't believe that, and how much others told me it wasn't true.

Life isn't a Disney movie, and sometimes things just plain suck. But God isn't there necessarily to change that. He's there to help you through it. And that's something you have to keep in mind for the good and the bad. No matter where you are in life, on a hill, in a valley, or somewhere in the middle, THIS is what you absolutely must continue to fight for. Because I guarantee, He's fighting for you.

2. My relationship with my family.

Once again, for the longest time, I let this go by the wayside. To put it mildly, I'm an angsty ball of fluff, and I am big into the external screaming about it. When they didn't understand what I was going through, I would take it out on them and allow anger and bitterness to settle in. I realized though, these people aren't going to be around forever.

So I decided to fight for restoration. In a lot of ways, it's still mending, but it's getting better. I praise God every day that my mom and I can talk about as much as we do. There are certain things that are not worth compromising for the sake of peace in your home. I wasn't dealing with any of those.

And it's pretty beautiful when they pull together and fight with you.

3. My girls.

Let me get one thing straight with you. My mama-bear instincts kick in here - A LOT. Mess with my girls, you will see a side of Rachel you really don't want to see. But that's not the kind of fight I'm talking about.

I'm talking about their well-being, mentally, spiritually, occasionally physically. I figure I can get away with it, considering they get on me about diabetic stuff all the time. But when you're surrounded by as many wonderful women as I am, the time comes when you realize not all of them think they're as great as they are.

That sucks. And therefore, fighting to show them how much they're loved? That's worth it.

4. Freedom.

I've compromised my mental health so many times for the sake of things that, let's face it, were keeping me in chains. In fact, I still struggle with this. It never seems bad at first, but eventually, I go into this downward spiral of angst and bondage that leaves me depressed.

Guys. I guarantee whatever is holding you in chains right now, it is not worth your time and energy. Taking care of yourself isn't a bad thing.

Fight for you. Fight for your own freedom.

5. Other women.

This is the most recent thing, but guys, I kind of love other women. I'm surrounded by strong, capable, beautiful ladies at school, at home, at church, everywhere I go. But I know firsthand that insecurity can creep in. The world tears down. And Eve's daughters are under the curse of believing that they are somehow not enough.

Lies. Complete, absolute lies.

I want to fight for restoration. I want every woman someday to know her worth, and that she is not, in any way, alone.

This is what's worth fighting for, friends.