Eyes Wide Open

F-Bomb Controversy

I grew up in a corporate Christian culture where I learned that "fuck" was not acceptable. I was taught that it's a sin to say that word. And after that the only thing I heard was that I was going to hell for that sin.

Shame
So, I walked around life feeling shame for saying "fuck" whether it was in joy with "fuck, yeah!" or in anger with "fuck, no!"

But, I kept using the word, and walking in shame, because it was the only word that felt right.

I couldn't explain it. It was the powerful emotion that the word evoked. It was the feeling of power it gave me.

Powerless
Then, later in life, actually just within the last year, someone shared with me that "fuck" is a power word that the powerless or once powerless use. They said, "you can't take the word 'fuck' away from a powerless person until they find a replacement power word."

This resonated with me so much. As a trauma survivor, I've been powerless. As a trauma survivor, I also still struggle against the lizard brain that thinks I'm still powerless.

Relief
So, you can imagine my relief when God found me and loved me while I was still staying "fuck." Yes, I would shout my praise, "God, fucking loves me --loves ME!" It was so unbelievable that God could love me when I was still sinning through profanity.

But, God's love for me is true because God is my Heavenly Father. And, as any good father does, they love you regardless of what's coming out of your mouth.

A Good Father
A good father sees the pain you're in and the reasons for your actions and still loves you! That is what God is, a good Heavenly Father that loves you wherever you are at!

There is no staircase to God's love. God loves you just as you are.

After receiving this immense love from God and deepening my own 1-to-1 relationship with Him, I now use different F-bombs...Faith and Flip!

Flip the story.
Flip for joy.
That's so flippin' cool.
Flip, no!

Flip
Essentially, God flipped my world and now I'm so flippin' excited that I could literally do flips about the faith I have in my Heavenly Father!

Let God meet you where you are at and love you regardless of what your F-bomb is.

Key Takeaways and Thoughts:
- Don't judge someone's use of language before you know their story
- There is no staircase to Heaven
- God will meet you exactly where you are at

Prayer:
Father, thank you for chasing me down. Thank you for loving me through the changes of reframing how I think and speak. Help me to continue to see my worth through your eyes. Constantly remind me that you do not demand perfection, only love. Father, use me to shine a light on your mercy, grace and love so that all may feel your love before they even know your name.

Scripture:
""If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?"
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬