No More No Less

“Give yourself permission to be where you are, no more, no less.”

Loren Thornburg

I had read lots of books and been to many seminars, but the words, “it’s okay” brought me the freedom I most needed.  Those words brought validation to the place I had found.  Physically, emotionally, spiritually I needed permission to be where I was and to know that was okay.  It was okay to be single, okay to be short of my dreams, okay to be disappointed, okay to be sad, okay to feel.  It’s part of life and the humanity with which we are designed.  So then how did it get to not be okay?  It’s the message all around us: it’s in advertisements, it's in facebook, it’s in success, it’s in having it all together.  There is a premium placed on those things leaving no room for it to be okay for anything less.  Yet, the longer it’s not okay the more we miss ourselves and who we really are, where we are really at and the beauty found there.  Yes, there is something beautiful about that place because it’s honest and real.  There is something beautiful because freedom is found there.  When we live from the freedom of that place we find the joy we were looking for in all those other places.  it’s not found in getting more.  It’s found when it’s okay to be where you are, no more, no less. 

“But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 NET

Moses is calling Israel to turn back to the Lord for He would be ready to receive them.  it says to seek the Lord “from there,” from the place where you are now.  From there you will find Him if you really want Him.  Even when we’re in a place that is straying from the Lord He meets us there.  He doesn’t ask that we try to be in a different place first.  God comes to us where we are and says it’s okay.  He asks for our whole heart and soul.  He doesn’t ask that we be a little better before we turn.  If God accepts us where we are, then let us follow and do the same.  Now God loves us too much to let us stay there.  He is constantly calling us to more of Him.  Yet, it all starts from there, that place you find yourself.  It’s okay to be there, for that is exactly where the Lord can meet us.