I believe that if we all realized that nothing in life is perfect—Amen—neither our families, our marriages, our friendships, our jobs, nor our homes, nothing—it would make a difference. Life is sometimes a little messy and a little ugly, so to speak. We often try our best to put on a show for people, for society, with pictures and lifestyles, but it can be exhausting. Amen. We are like yard work—our yards and the grass can get out of control quickly. It is a constant mending and tending situation. Amen. Likewise, we are a work in progress. It is a continual process that never stops until Jesus calls us home to be with Him forever in Glory. Amen. We live in a fallen world, and life continually draws, molds, and tries to conform us to its ways and what it thinks life and living should be (Romans 12:2). Amen.

This morning, I want to tell you all to be a little easy on yourselves and your lives. Amen. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Yes, you may say things, act in ways, and fall down as the Bible says, “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (Proverbs 24:16). Amen. We walk around as if life is always grand, but that is not so for any of us. We are all going through things, and none of us is perfect. Nothing in life is perfect. Amen. If we could be really raw about who we are as individuals and in our walk with Christ, I believe that others could improve their lives. Many people feel that they don’t measure up to the Christian standard, Amen, as society says they should. So they walk around never asking for help, never being open, never asking for prayer. They build walls and wear masks, usually smiling and saying, “I’m fine,” to everything asked of them. Amen. They don’t get help and fake it all, which is so sad.

I live knowing that I am not perfect—far from it. My life is messy, and that mess is often constant. But I also know that God loves me, that God is with me, and that God knows me. Amen. He is there beyond all faults, mistakes, and failures. He helps me. Amen. So I try my best to be real, to be open, and to live my life that way because people need that. They need the real you, all of it—the mess and the imperfections. To me, that is a beautiful freedom we have been given. People don’t need a show in life; they need realness. They need to know that they are all right, that we are all going to make it, and that God loves us. Amen. He looks at us and loves us, mess and all. Praise the Lord. So remember, there is only one in this life who is perfect, and His name is Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:48). Amen. Be free in life. Live well and live happily. No masks, no fakeness—just you and all of who you are. Amen. I ask and pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen and Amen.

Be blessed today, my dear sweet friends, and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, be a light for our Father. Much love to you all. Mandi