Define

They were waiting for a cold spring day fit for the movies. Sunday's chill and forecast for snow fulfilled their desire. Captivated by Cinderella, even mom as enthralled. Let's get this right, her name was Ella. When her step-sisters and step-mother find her with ash from the fire's cinders on her face, they taunt  her by calling her "cinder"Ella. When all is revealed and the Prince finds the mystery princess and begs her name, I was appalled when she answered, "My name is Cinderella!" I wanted to stand up and shout, "That's not who you are! You are Ella!" I resisted the urge, for the sake of my family's embarrassment.
Mark Driscoll taught, "Your past might explain you, but it doesn't define you."
Define means to explain or identify the nature or essential qualities of; to describe. My past is not who I am.
I spent some time before bed, looking through my childhood, wedding and early years of our family scrapbooks, pondering what from my past do I let define me? As I pondered, I thought about the daily path I walk as a mom, a wife, a leader; the struggles and battles each role has attached. My thoughts poured onto my weakness, misgiving, faults and strains. And then I realized, not only does my past experience not describe me, my present circumstances do not identify me. Only my standing with Christ defines me. Who am I?

• I am forgiven of all my sins (past, present and future.)
• And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14
• I am a child of the King. 
• See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 1 John 3:1a
• I am secure, He will never reject me. 
• All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37
• I am a temple of the Holy Spirit.
• Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? 1 Corinthians 6:19
• I am never alone.
• And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.. John 14:16
• I am new (not fixed up).
• If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 1 Corinthians 5:17
• I am given eternal life now!
• And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

When I sat down with my scrapbooks, I felt heavy, burdened, distressed, not so much by my past, but my present. After God spoke to my soul, I felt lighter, lifted. It just took reminding and listening.

Will you approach God with your "scrapbooks"? What are you letting define you? Is it true? You are a child of the King!