Hey y’all!
My name is Elizabeth and I feel so privileged to introduce myself to you all and journey with you as we dive into faith, freedom, truth, all the things! I hope and pray through my post that you will feel seen, known, loved, and inspired to continue to press on in whatever season you find. May these words not only be encouraging but bold, faith-filled, and challenging.
To start off I thought I would share a little about myself so you might have some context for what I share down the road.
Is that okay with you? (I know I can’t hear you audibly respond but I LOVE to pose questions as I write!).
I always have a hard time finding a place to begin when I share my story with people, so let’s just jump right in.
…Young Elizabeth, she felt broken, hurt, and like she could never amount to anything. These lies began to shape her life and caused her to see no hope, or purpose for her life. As a teen she struggled with suicidal ideation, self harm, and an eating disorder. Trauma from her childhood caused a lack of trust in other people and feeling like she didn’t belong. Years of being perpetually stuck in these lies really took a toll. In her second year of college she began to feel like there was absolutely no hope left and was content with death. Through faithful friends and mentors, she was able to accept that she did not want death to be the outcome of her actions and decided it was time to get help.
Sharing my story with people is not something I felt comfortable with for so long, even after going through a residential treatment facility and finding freedom that I didn’t have for so long. I was ashamed and felt like I wasn’t bad enough off to need help (which is a lie that I believed for SO long). I am thankful that was able to receive support and counseling through a Christian treatment program in Northern California. During those nine months I grew in my walk with the Lord, learned to replace truth with lies, and realized that I am more capable and stronger than imagined.
In the last several months there has been a stirring in my heart to talk more openly about the things that I have experienced or walked through. Because the thing is, we cannot grow if we are sitting in darkness, and the only way to come into the light is to be HONEST and VULNERABLE, which let me tell you friends: it can be so challenging.
Nine out of ten times it is not always comfortable in the moment to expose the things you have struggled with or are struggling with, but there is FREEDOM in doing it. A freedom that we cannot find when we are hiding in the dark.
And if we are on the topic of HONESTY, I really find it much easier to hide in the dark. But is gets uncomfortable, and scary, and I know I need to crawl back out into the light. We can’t stay where we’ve been and continue to do the same things we’ve been doing and expect to see change.
I hope through my honesty, vulnerability, and walking in the light that we can grow. Grow in truth, love, freedom, service. This life is about so much more than being freed for our own sake, but experiencing freedom, reconciliation and the gospel so the others can experience it too.
I am so looking forward to talking with you more, sharing more of my heart and seeing what the Lord does. Keep an eye out on The Inspire Shop’s social media for some posts from me and check back in February for my next blog post.
All my love,
Elizabeth// Insta @etothegreeno
// About Elizabeth
22. Artist. Writer. World Traveler. Light Giver.
May my life be a constant reflection of the goodness and faithfulness of Jesus. May the work he has done in me be a testimony of provision and favor.