Living the Dash

Have you ever felt like you just aren’t enough? Like no matter how hard you try, you’re falling short – maybe with your family, your job, your faith, or just the everyday demands piling up. If you’re anything like me, those moments come more often than we’d like to admit.

Sometimes we hold ourselves to impossible standards, imagining we need to be superheroes who can do it all – love everyone perfectly, stay calm when life’s chaos hits, and never mess up. But here’s the gentle truth: God is not disappointed in you.

What if, instead of carrying that heavy weight of expectation, we started to believe that God sees our efforts – the small acts of love, kindness, and faith – and says, “Well done, my beloved?”

You don’t have to be perfect to be loved. You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to have it all figured out. God’s grace meets us right where we are – flaws, failures, and all.

How to Remember You Are Enough:

• Keep your Eyes on God, Not Your To-Do List.
  Lord knows our to-do lists can stretch longer than a summer day in the South. But remember, Jesus isn’t tallying up your chores or your failures. He’s looking at your heart. So when you’re tempted to beat yourself up for not doing all the things, take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and remind yourself He loves you just as you are – mess and all.
• Love Others Like You Love Sweet Tea – Generously and Without Conditions.
  Sweet tea is so good. It’s so refreshing. It’s so easy to have way more than we should of it. Love others with that same kind of sweet tea generosity – no strings attached. When you love like that, you’re already living out God’s plan, and that is enough.
• Cut Yourself Some Slack – Even Your Grandma Didn’t Get It Right Every Time.
  Bless her heart. Grandma tried her best but probably didn’t get everything right all the time either. Remember that one casserole she experimented with, or that one time the biscuits came out green? You’re human, and that means making mistakes is part of the deal. Give yourself the same grace you’d give to family – and maybe a little more.
• Celebrate Small Victories Like You Just Won the County Fair Pie Contest.
  Some days, just getting out of bed feels like a win, and that’s okay. Celebrate your small victories like you just took home the blue ribbon at the fair. Those moments add up to a life well lived and remind you that God sees every step, every stumble, and every triumph.
• Remember, God’s Love is Bigger Than Your Mess-Ups (and Your Broken Flip Flops)
  If God can handle the whole world, He can handle your hot mess days and those embarrassing moments (like when your flip flop decides to break on aisle five). His love doesn’t depend on you being perfect – it’s steady, unchanging, and just big enough to cover all your worries.

So next time you feel like you’re falling short – whether it’s juggling a hundred things at once or burning the biscuits again – remember this: God’s not disappointed in you. He sees your heart, your effort, and your love. He’s proud of you just for showing up and trying.

Give yourself the same grace and kindness that He gives you every single day. You’re enough, exactly as you are – and that’s more than enough for Him, and for the people lucky enough to know you.

Now, go on and live that dash with a little more peace, a little more joy, and maybe a fresh batch of biscuits.