Reflections

​Would you recognize the perfect version of yourself that God sees in you because of Jesus?  Sometimes I feel like I wouldn't.  In fact, it can be discouraging just trying to envision myself that way.  I think sometimes as Christians, we feel so completely enveloped by our sin that we forget that this sinful, imperfect, temptation-ridden version of ourselves is only temporary.  We can't see the light at the end of the tunnel because our vision is clouded by our imperfect perception.

​Sometimes the moms here at New Beginnings start to feel bogged down by the guilt of their sins.  As a staff, we have the privilege of sharing the good news of salvation with them.  What a blessing!  We get to tell them that Christ gives us all exactly what the name of our organization suggests – a new beginning!  Every day we get to live a new life, full of peace and free of guilt, because of the forgiveness offered to us through Jesus' sacrifice.  In other words, one of our roles as staff members is to offer Christian friendship to the moms who walk through our doors.  Through this friendship, we're able to point out sinful behaviors and help them recognize the free gift of salvation given to them by our Savior.  They can live confidently in the knowledge that they have been clothed in Jesus' righteousness no matter what mistakes they've made.

​Who do you see when you look in the mirror?  Do you see the perfect, blameless child-of-God our Heavenly Father sees when He looks at you?  Or do you see the messy, plagued-by-evil-desires sinner that you are without Jesus' mercy?  Do you have Christian friends in your life who can assure you that you, too, have been clothed in Jesus' righteousness?  Don't forget to include Him in your opinion of yourself.  No sin is too big for His forgiveness.  No matter how flawed our perception is, God knows who we are in His Son.  Our truest identities depend on Him and what He has done rather than on ourselves and all of our shortcomings.

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​"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14 NIV).

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."  (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).
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"So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."  (Galatians 3:26-27 NIV).

Taleya Williamson is the Operations Manager at New Beginnings.  She was born and raised in Puyallup, Washington and attended Evergreen Lutheran High School.  Taleya recently graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College with a Bachelors of Science in psychology with a minor in anthropology.  In her free time, Taleya enjoys spending time with her husband, David.

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