Community Brew Vol. 5 Link Up

Today I am linking up with The Wetherills Say I Do and Oh Simple Thoughts for Community Brew! This is the first time I've linked-up for this prompt and I am so excited! Usually Madison + Rachel post different writing prompts for the month, but today is a free for all. So today I am going to be open, honest, and real. No planning has gone into this post, no script or desired goal after I am done writing. I am just going to write.


My heart today is a little flimsy. It feels as if its being held together by some scotch tape and sticky tack. No, it hasn't been broken recently. No boy troubles here. No feelings of being left out or embarrassment. Basically I've just been feeling very vulnerable. My heart has been stretched and pulled in many different directions and I am just tired. SO tired. I am really not used to feeling vulnerable, but the past few days I just haven't been proud of myself or the work I put out there.

Why am I even blogging? Yeah, it's fun and I enjoy creating posts and designs, but what is the actual point? Why do I even paint? Yeah it's fun and I enjoy doing it but there are so many great painters out there. Why in the world am I dreaming up these big plans for an online community hub when there are a million out there already? What am I bringing to this world that is original and fantastic and unique?

I am ordinary.

But who says that there is something wrong with being "ordinary"? Who says I need to come up with the latest trend or I need 1,000 readers on my blog or to be a famous artist? No one. No one is telling me that I have to excel, no one is telling me that I have to be the best. No one is holding a gun to my head saying, "Don't be so awkward... get out there and make something fantastic!"

But I try anyway, and sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. That's life. We all can't be the best and the most unique and the most creative. But we can bring what we have to the table and collaborate with one another, give our opinions and ideas, and make something wonderful! We can do our absolute best, and if it doesn't work the way we hoped, oh well! At least there was effort being put in!

I don't need to be the best at everything. I don't need to be the best at anything. I just need to do my best.

Colossians 3:23 "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

{Pursue Excellence}

I made this on the fly, feel free to download it to put on your phone or laptop as a gentle reminder to be the best you that you can be and pursue the highest level of excellence you're capable of! Believe in yourself and never give up, because your best might just be ordinary to you, but its excellent to God.

Comments

  1. Natalie, I loved this whole post but the last line really got to me. He sees us as so much more than what we see, as who we really are. With everything going on in my life right now, I SO needed to heart that!

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  2. I'm with @carlee, I loved everything about this post but that last line I read over and over and over again. So, so good! Love and prayers, friend!

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  3. Natalie, this is just so good and true. It's definitely a post I'll keep thinking about. It says a lot about your character and just what an amazing girl you are that THIS is what you wrote with no planning! Haha :) love you! Thanks for sharing this!

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  4. I'm so glad that you got something out of it!! Thank you for reading :)

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  5. Aw Bonnie! Thank you :) I'm so glad you had time to read and that it spoke to you!

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  6. Oh my goodness. I LOVE this post. I needed to read this today. What a powerful reminder!! This might give you some encouragement...just posted yesterday: http://www.simplycomplexmom.com/?p=342
    Hang in there! I love this. You are right. Even if you reach a handful of readers. If you truly make an impact on those people, all your work is well worth it. It's just hard to keep going without a lot of feedback at times.

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  7. great talking to you today & I loved reading this post! lately, i've been reading matthew 20 and dwelling on what it means to be last and first.. why we're striving so hard to be something on this earth. is it better not to have any ambition in this world and have we twisted the meaning of this to serve our own purpose? i haven't quite come to the conclusion, but i'm sure i'll be wrestling with this for a while. :) and the more people I meet.. no matter who.. i realize everyone in the world is both ordinary and extraordinary.

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  8. Yeah! It was so great to meet you too Esther!


    And yes, the lessons we learn throughout life about our work ethic and what is good enough and our best, etc. always seems to be growing + changing. It's so helpful to experience daily growth like that. :) Thank you for your thoughts!

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  9. thanks for sharing this post with me through the list of questions! i really enjoyed reading it. i thought this same topic today... why do i try so hard and why is it so important to me that i become somebody on this earth? is it really for God or is it for me? anyways, thank you for the gentle reminder! i once read somewhere "bring excellence to what you do to reveal who you work for." let us all be extraordinary in our ordinary lives (:

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