Do you ever feel puzzled? Like there are so many pieces to you that all sit in separate compartments. I am a wife, mom, software sales manager, non-profit leader, and consultant. When it's the end of the quarter, I am usually silent, running numbers and trying to pull last-minute deals across the line. On other days, I am my kids' favorite chef or my husband's personal stylist. Some days I'm my friends' favorite rapper, or I am helping someone unpack their next big idea. These different versions of me provide their own experiences and, in many ways, have made it challenging for me to see myself as God sees me.
At the TEA Party in December of 2022, I remembered feeling a pull on my gift. It was the first time I felt the expectation of people waiting for me to speak. It was so uncomfortable that I continued to push myself further down the schedule. My team was confused by our new timelines and the impromptu breaks I added to the agenda to buy myself more time. I had difficulty accepting that women had driven; some had even flown to hear words God had downloaded into me. They had an expectation of the messenger in me. Still, the other versions of me were not ready to hand over the wheel. But I got out of my head and delivered what I personally believed was one of the most powerful messages God has ever given me.
After the TEA Party, I needed answers. Why am I suddenly feeling a greater call than before? What did they see that I didn't see? A transformation was happening, but I wasn’t clear on the picture. So, I prayed a very simple yet life-changing prayer. "Lord, please help me understand who I am."
Immediately, God woke me up to watch the replay of the December TEA Party. It was the first time I listened to myself from beginning to end. It was the first time I didn't pick myself apart or cringe at the sound of my own voice. Instead, I looked at the girl on the video and felt proud, powerful, and transformed. I felt an appreciation for the woman I was watching because, apart from God, I am the only person who knows her backstory. Then all the scattered pieces made more sense. Being a wife has humbled me in ways you will never understand. It has taught me the value of honor, love, and respect. Being a mom has given me a new level of compassion and patience. Corporate America has taught me the importance of order and professionalism. Being a consultant has shown me how to think strategically even when it's pivoting midway through a project. All of the pieces are more connected than they are disconnected. All of these things ultimately sharpen who I am as a disciple.
Jesus came into the world knowing exactly who He was and what He had to experience to fulfill His ultimate purpose on Earth. As a result, Jesus never bought into the alternative or discounted versions of himself that Satan and others tried to create. He didn't take the cheaper road when Satan tried to tempt Him in the wilderness. He knew why He had to go into places where most people would not have gone. He allowed Judas to sit at his table, knowing this man would later betray Him. He was loved, rejected, accepted, celebrated, hated, betrayed, and crucified. Yet, Jesus knew that all things were working together for His good. Even the pieces that didn't feel good. Even the pieces that, at first glance, seemed like they didn't belong. Jesus, even through the most gruesome parts of His life, knew that He would later rise again. "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
There is power in knowing who you are. When you know who you are you not easily derailed by the pieces of the puzzle that don’t connect for everyone, because you know those pieces connect to who you are in Christ. In fact, one of the most essential steps of putting a puzzle together is having an idea of the picture. When you have at least a glimpse of who you are in Christ, the praise, the rejection, the highs, and the lows will all start making more sense. Like a puzzle, you will begin to understand the pieces that have shaped you and the parts that fit your core. You will understand why certain people had to be in your life even when it felt like they didn't have your best interest at heart. You will understand why showing up is so important, even when you feel like giving up. You will also see the pieces that never fit, no matter how hard you try to force them.
As we prepare our hearts to reflect on the power of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice in knowing many people were puzzled by who Jesus was and what He did. But Jesus was fully aware of who God created Him to be and the mission He had to fulfill so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. So don't go through your life feeling scattered or puzzled about who you are. Instead, pray and ask God to show you who you are, and if you need reassurance, here are a few scriptures to help you out.
1.) You are Loved: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
2.) You are Chosen: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. ” (1 Peter 2:9)
3.) You have Purpose: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
4.) You are from God: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 NIV
5.) You are Capable: “I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)
6.) You are Cared for: So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. (1 Peter 5:6)
7.) You are Powerful: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesian 3:20-21)
Love, Peace, and ProsperiTEA!
Tabitha’s TEA Party
P.S. Registration for our next TEA Party in Dallas, Texas will open soon. Please make sure you have the date saved (June 24th). This will be a Texas TEA Party exclusive and you don’t want to miss it!
