You are beautiful. You are priceless. You are made in the image of God. You are His treasure, His masterpiece. The Creator of the Universe created you and me, and He loves us just like we are. But some days we don’t see it. Some days we can’t. We lose sight of our true reflections.
 
There are days when we fail to believe that we have value, or tend to distort our self worth as the images and comparisons of the world barrage us with the false pretense that we need to be perfect, as the world defines perfect, and that we need to reach that level of perfection all of the time. We don’t. We’re already perfect in God’s eyes. Let me say that again. In God’s eyes you are perfect! Just the way you are.
 
But there are days when we trip and fall, when we can’t pay the bill, can’t do the balance in yoga, don’t get the joke, are left out of the conversation, aren’t invited to the party. There are the days we get horrifying news, we get rejected, and we fail. And it’s hard to remember that our true reflection is that of beauty. It’s hard to find anything of value left within us. But it is so worth seeking.
 
How do we find our true reflections? I urge you to go on a treasure hunt today to remind yourself of who you are—Christ’s masterpiece.

Clue #1
Hang out with people who love you for your true self. You are more valuable than gold, and you’ll be reminded of this by the people who truly understand and appreciate you.

1. Call one of these people today.
2. Text another.
3. Set up a time to grab lunch or coffee or go on a walk with yet another.

The gems you’ll unearth from being with them are priceless. Accept their compliments. Allow yourself to be yourself around them. Savor the acceptance, and know that God loves and appreciates you even more.
Clue #2
Dig for your true reflection in The Word of God. Use these coordinates to unearth the treasure of who God created you to be:

1. Psalm 139:14 – fearfully and wonderfully made
2. Genesis 1:27 – created in the image of God
3. 1 Thessalonians 1:4—loved, full of potential and purpose
4. Romans 12:6—excellently formed and marvelously functioning

Clue #3
Discover your full potential by doing something you love. Are you energized by a run? Go on one today and allow the adrenaline to course through your veins reminding yourself that you are strong and capable. Does music soothe your soul? Sit down at the piano bench and let the notes flow from you, reminding you of the beauty you can create. When we do the things God made us to do, we realize more fully our capabilities and worth.

DIDN’T I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT FREE BOOKS?
Amy Parker’s children’s books also remind us how much God loves us. Her two new releases Night Night Mommy and Night Night Daddy are treasures in themselves. Amy is giving away free, autographed copies of her new books all over the country and has asked me to join in the fun. For a treasure map of where to find the books click on her website, AND….for any of my readers who live near Oxford, Ohio, a copy of each of these books have been hidden within your reach. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could find one and read it to someone small reminding them how awesome they are, how loving our God is? Who knows, you might just be reminded how much God loves you, too.
 
Find the free books, keep, read, share or pass them along. It’s not that tricky.
Clue #1 Night Night Mommy It's easy if you Tri, just go to the front door and open your eye
Clue #2 Night Night Daddy This used to be a place for only women students to live, now it's a place for artists to dance, sing, paint and give
 
Is anybody on the hunt for the books? Leave a comment describing your treasure hunting adventures and how they pan 

This summer I took a Zumba class for the first time. Zumba defies letting go of control. I grew up dancing—ballet, high school dance team, and out and out jamming to R.E.M. and New Order at clubs and college parties. But grown women aren’t supposed to shake their hips, do the snake, or wiggle their behinds. Unless, apparently, they’re doing Zumba. The first couple of classes I was like a robot, learning the steps and memorizing the combinations. Somewhere during the third class, I realized when I stopped focusing so hard on getting the footwork right, I could feel the beat, find my groove, and actually do the routines better. But I had to convince myself that it is, after all, okay for a grown woman to shake it (at least in Zumba class). And when I did, it WAS SO MUCH FUN!
 
Sometimes we need to shake things up to find our groove, do our routines better and experience life more fully. One area I fear I might try to control too much is my faith walk. I go to this church, at this time. I read “this much” of the Bible each morning. I do Bible study on Wednesdays, and do the homework for it at lunchtime when my kids are at school to refocus midday. Which is all great. Because it keeps me in step with God. It keeps me faithful. But what if I redefined walking with Jesus as dancing with Him? What if I let Him spin me and dip me, always trusting Him to catch me, and twirl me back to Him? 
What if I shook it up a bit?
 What if you did too?
 
So, I’m challenging myself, and you, to shake up your dance with Jesus this school year. Try a new service, a new station, a new podcast, listen to a different preacher, read a new book, join a new group, pray outside (or inside if you’re usually an outdoor girl), write with a crazy-colored pen in your journal. 

Go for a hayride. Eat a caramel apple and don’t worry about the mess. Rake a pile of leaves and then pounce in it. I can’t wait to hear how all of you shake up your school years!
 
FREE BOOK
To get your shake-up started, I’m offering my book, It’s Complicated, which just so happens to revolve around four college roommates as they go back to school, for FREE through the end of September. Share with your friends. Click here to download now.
 SHAKE UP YOUR GROUP
I’d also love to shake up things in your group by coming to speak to you about how beautiful and beloved you are, because you are made in Christ’s image. Click here to find out more about my speaking.  And just message back if you'd like to book a date.

It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s only FOUR days away! HOORAY! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what music they're listening to in their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer.

Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new,It’s Addicting. 

This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day four. So today, we’re counting down our favorite music addictions.

It’s Addicting?
We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ!

For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer.

Today is music addiction day, so tell me one of your music addictions.

Me? I’m currently addicted to the letter F on my iTunes feed. I was listening to "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country, on a run the other day, and just let the music play from there. I had a blast of a run listening to everything from "Faster" by Matt Nathanson to "Fez" by U2 to "Flake" by Jack Johnson to "Friday I'm in Love" by the Cure to "Focus" by Holly Starr. Even Beethoven's "Fur Elise" was in my F stream. Now I'm stuck on the letter F and letting the melodies entertain and inspire me. How about you? What's your music addiction?

Today’s guest post is written by my friend and fellow, Playlist Fiction author, Rajdeep Paulus. She discusses inner strength, character development and her latest release, Seeing Through Stones, the sequel to her heart wrenching debut young adult novel, Swimming Through Clouds (both from Playlist Fiction).

At a recent book signing for Seeing Through Stones, an attendee asked the question, “Where does Talia (the protagonist) get her strength?”

Talia, as those of you who read Swimming Through Clouds know, has a heart-breaking background, one of which will require her to muster immense strength to get through. But like the average human (we’re talking all of us who don’t have super powers), she cannot hurdle life’s struggles without help. Talia’s help comes in a tri-fold package. 

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SOME SEEING THROUGH STONES GOODIES ENTER HERE

Primarily, the first book opens with Talia finding a Post-it note. And then a second. And then several more. Her initial source of strength trickles into her heart via the words of a boy, Lagan, who is smitten over her. He not only drops petals of hope in her pathway, but he also asks her questions, never demands an answer, and shares his heart with her in little yellow square sheets. When their relationship develops to more face-to-face conversations, Lagan promises to “fight for her.” So, the hero has a crush on Talia, and as she starts to fall for him, she finds strength in him. 

Talia’s second source of strength comes from her mother, or rather the memories of her mom. Talia remembers some of her deceased mother’s words, especially the plea to take care of Jesse, her brother. Deep down, Talia wants to honor her mother’s broken hearted life by not giving up, and perhaps fulfilling some of her mother’s extinguished dreams in her own life. In Seeing Through Stones, Talia has escaped the wrath of her life and found sanctuary at a women’s shelter. The women at the shelter are another huge source of strength for Talia, sharing their stories to remind Talia she’s not alone, suggesting ways to fight back she had never thought of before and filling in some of the gaps of the mom she’s lost.

Finally, the source of strength that allows Talia a new perspective of her life, shows her purpose, and reminds her of her worth comes from a Friend who speaks to her at a garden and in her dreams. A Friend she cannot see. He is referred to as The Gardener. I never name who The Gardener is, but I use symbolism to point readers to see He is no one other than Jesus. Thinking of how C.S. Lewis created Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia, I longed to create a character who offered the main character hope in a way no human could. When I placed Talia under the willow tree in Chicago’s Botanical Garden, the idea of The Gardener naturally arose.

What I love about The Gardener is His ability to speak to Talia through nature. The broken branches of the willow. A sunny or cloudy day. The dirt of the earth. I also treasure the fact that He slowly becomes the father figure Talia always longed for. But my favorite aspect of their relationship is the freedom Talia has to disagree with Him. To not embrace everything He says without questioning Him. To not always get answers. I think these details authenticate Talia’s journey with The Gardener, because the strongest relationships are the ones that have been tested, and His omniscient nature allows Him to show up, regardless of Talia’s day or situation.

In the end, I think Talia’s journey is not unlike our own. We need friends and family to help us through the madness of this life. Similarly, our pasts shouldn’t dictate our futures, but we are shaped by what we’ve been through and by loved ones who have left us. Finally, many of us depend on someone bigger than ourselves. God. The Creator. The one who invented love, faithfulness, peace, and hope.

And if by changing Jesus’ name to The Gardener, a few more people connect with the universal longing to be loved and accepted, pursued and treasured, Talia’s journey will be more than a success for me. 

Ultimately, all these sources bolster the muscles of Talia’s resolve and influence her not to give up. Because in the end, we all need someone who won’t give up on us. That’s what helps us to keep on keepin’ on. Yep. We all need that.  Especially for those times when we give up on ourselves.

And you? Who is your source of strength? Ever receive a Post-it love note? Just curious.