Category: Soul-Searching Sundays

Written By: Sienna Ducharme

I, like many of you, went back to school this month. More specifically, I started my first year of university. Not surprisingly, the looming deadline for this post (among many other looming deadlines) has had me thinking about time. Or lack thereof.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in school, work and all of our other responsibilities that we lose sight of what is really important. We plan for our futures years in advance, but what if Jesus came back tomorrow? Or in a couple hours? Would you be ready?

 “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 

I know that I am guilty of getting so wrapped up in my plans that I neglect the now. While it is important to consider our futures, we can’t let all of our plans take away from what is happening today. Our priority needs to be on walking with Him, and all the other stuff will follow. I know this is easier said than done, but think about it; does anything else really matter in the long run? Leading a God-focused life is something that will truly give you peace, and walking with Him will give you strength through your busy days.  As it says in Proverbs 16:9,

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

So here is my advice to you: plan time for God. Even just downloading a daily bible verse app to read a verse each morning can be a small way to bring you closer to His word. I wish you strength through your busy days, but remember, the true strength will come from God!

Until next time,

~Sienna

Written By: Sienna Ducharme

“…Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:16 NIV

When Kerrington announced the #SHINEproject, I was excited at the prospect of a new project that would further encourage the wonderful women that follow Uniquely Yours Ministries. But this new project was not about the women we have already reached. It was about the women we haven’t. Now, I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me to shine, I don’t immediately have a plan of action on what I will do. I don’t know how to flip that hidden switch. Should I be smiling more? Should I give more hugs? Should walk up to strangers, tell them that I’m shining and ask if they would they like to shine too?

Well, when someone told me to shine, I shared the post about it on Facebook and then quietly waited for someone else to take the lead. Most of us will recall a tune called ‘This Little Light of Mine’ often sung in Sunday school. It not only tells us not to hide our light, but it also says to stop Satan from blowing it out. Still no word on how to shine in the first place, but now I knew I was doing it wrong by laying low.

So I threw aside my ‘bushel’ and turned to the leading expert on most things: Google. (My Google search turned up a lot of articles on how to shine shoes, if you’re interested.)

Here is what else I found: “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”  ~Ephesians 5:8-10

Ah ha! There isn’t a light switch after all. He is the light, and we are His children. This means that by doing good works, and acting in a way pleasing to Him, we are shining His light. Every day, whenever you are doing something good, you are a brightly shining example of Him. Your actions don’t have to be showy or heroic, they just have to be good, with good intentions. Whether you knew it or not, you were shining His light. But now you can be a little more aware of how bright and sparkly you are.

Until Next Time,

~Sienna

Written by: Sienna Ducharme

Welcome to the first post on Soul-Searching Sundays! I am so excited to begin this journey with you, as together we will discover ourselves in Christ. As it says in…

Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

I was reflecting on this the other day, looking in the mirror, wondering why I thought so badly of myself. I am His workmanship, and I love Him, so why do I have such a hard time liking myself? My face is too round, I have dark circles under my eyes, my legs are too fat, my hair is too floppy. I procrastinate too much, I get depressed, I don’t eat healthy, I’m too disorganized.

I know that you probably have a grocery list of things you’d like to change about yourself as well. The thing is, if you told me your flaws I would probably be surprised. We are extremely hypercritical of ourselves, to the point that we notice flaws about ourselves that no one else sees. When I look at any random stranger, I don’t list the things that are unattractive about them in my head. Sometimes I’ll see someone with a cute pair of shoes and I’ll wonder where she bought them. Or I’ll notice someone else has a really beautiful eye colour.

I don’t look at people and think they’re ugly. Do you? I don’t think so. This sounds cliché, but everyone is beautiful in their own way. So why do you look at yourself and see all the ‘bad’ things?

While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier or become more fit, there is a problem with not liking what you look like right now, or wanting to change what you look like because someone said you should. No matter what you look like, God created you, and His work is good. I know that it is not easy to remember that, and that it won’t immediately change your view of yourself, but it’s important to try and remember. I know you don’t hear it enough, so here it is: YOU ARE AMAZING, JUST AS YOU ARE. Focus on the things you love about yourself, because God loves all of you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Until Next Time,

~Sienna