Stasi Eldredge - Free to Be Me. Becoming the Young Woman God Created You to Be

afterword

The journey of your life is well under way. Because you have read this book, I know you are a young woman who wants her life to be one of power and significance. You want to live with holy intention, becoming all you are meant to be, and to partner with Jesus in bringing his kingdom. I am so grateful. Know that you are not alone. You are being prayed for and cheered on by a great company of witnesses, including me.

I want to encourage you to stay engaged in the messages of Free to Be Me . This isnt the kind of book that you read and then simply toss aside for the next thing. This is the journey of your life, your growing in your knowledge that God is the key to living the life you are meant to live. Let the messages and themes in this book marinate in your heart. There is more life to be had. There is more healing, more freedom, and more joy!

Come visit my Stasi Eldredge Facebook page! Ill be posting blogs and videos and just sharing life with you.

Ransomed Heartour ministryis a treasure trove of resources. Were a little band devoted to Jesus, to bringing his kingdom and to restoring the hearts of men and women all over the world. We have so many resources to help you grow in your own becoming! Come visit us at www.ransomedheart.com. Sign up to receive the free (!) daily readings. Browse our store. Come to one of our conferences. Like us on Facebook. Read our blogs. Join with others who are on this path. Our desire is to strengthen the hearts of Gods people. We want to introduce Jesus to folks whove never met him or who have a lower version of who he really is!

The more we know Jesus, the more we love him. The more we love him, the more healed and the more ourselves we become. People actually will ask you for the reason for the hope that is within you! Jesus is the reason. He is so marvelous, and there is no end to discovering the beauty and majesty of his alluring heart. So let the adventure continue.

Were in it together!

With love and hope,
Stasi Eldredge

The L ORD bless you and keep you; the L ORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the L ORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:2426

Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.

Catherine of Siena

For girls everywhere

who will set the world ablaze in the service of Love.

contents

introduction

This book is for you if you want more.

More joy.

More freedom.

More hope.

More healing.

More life!

If you want to laugh more.

And be more kind.

Be more happy.

Be more yourself.

If you want to love more, know God more, and become more content in your own skin.

And really, who doesnt?

There is such a thing as holy dissatisfaction. It is an unsettled feeling inside that moves you not toward self-contempt but to a passionate pursuit of the God who says more is available.

I want more. I bet you do too.

Hi. Im Stasi and, okay, yes, its been a while since I was in middle school or high school, or even was carded while purchasing a bottle of wine as a housewarming gift. Im in my fifties. We might as well get that out in the open right away. Im in my fifties and Im not your teacher, your aunt, your sister, your youth group leader, your neighbor, or your mom. And Ive learned some things along the way getting to this age. Ive learned from the women around meyounger and olderand some of what Ive learned I want to share with you! Want to get cozy and settle in? Let me begin by sharing these ultimate words of wisdom.

It gets better.

No, really. It does. It might feel hard for a while there. Life is kind of like that, but cross my heart, Im telling you the truth. It gets better.

You will find your way. You will grow and learn and figure it out and change in the ways you so long to. Because of Jesus. Because of Jesus, change is not only possible, its promised.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lords glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18)

You are being transformed into the very image of Jesus. He who has called you is faithful, and what he has begun he will complete. You are not on your own, but you have a part to play. You must be an active participant in your own life. Jesus wants you to be free to be and offer and even enjoy who you are. Do you want this too? Then lets go forward into the book. I think it holds some beautiful treasures for you!

at a glance

I want you to read the book. I really do. Better, Id love you to read it with a few friends and share your thoughts about it. Share your life. This isnt a book of advice; its a book about the journey of life that you are on. Still, if you want me to give you some advice, this would be it. It would make a good poster.

Go ahead and be smart. Be strong. Be kind. Be glorious. Be courageous. Be YOU. Care for your heart. Care for your body. Allow yourself to dream. Ask questions. Break barriers. Write thank-you notes. Pursue truth. Pursue healing. Pursue Jesus.

Laugh. Explore. Pay more attention to how you feel than how you look. Tell yourself youre beautiful. Go for a walk. Daydream. Take a self-defense course. Volunteer. Be an advocate for someone in need. Find your passion. Read a book just for fun. Pray. Listen.

Find pictures in clouds. Laugh at yourself. Smile at strangers. Give large tips. Open the door for others. Say thank you when someone does it for you. Just say thank you. A lot. Respect your intuition. Practice a firm handshake. Look people in the eyes.

Ask God to reveal his love for you. Pay attention. Forgive offenses. Let people go who arent true friends. Dont look back. Try something new. Go bowling. Go to the zoo. Fly a kite at the park. Get back on your bike. Get a bike. Pet a dog. Set a goal. Live your life. Invite someone to come along with you.

When you enjoy something, be it a fragrance, a feeling, or a view, receive it as the love note from Jesus that it is and say to him, I love you, too.

And now, lets move away from advice giving and get into the heart of the matter. Which, by the way, is your heart.

Chapter One

the heart of the matter

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

I am trying to get some work done, but I am dog-sitting a nine-week-old puppy. I am, shall we say, distracted. Its kind of a hassle to keep an eye on him, but he also is making me laugh harder than I have in a long time. Right now hes investigating a fake plant. His nose is buried in it, hes biting it with his sharp little puppy teeth, and every now and again he is growling at it. This puppy is 100 percent this puppy.

His name is Roper. Hes a heeler and hes smart and hes learning the boundaries to live within. (No! Not there, Roper! Outside!)

He is happiness dogified. He is a joy bomb. And one of the things that makes him so absolutely marvelous is that he is not trying to be anything other than what he is. He is a puppy. Hes not a kitten. Hes not a gerbil. Hes not an older dog. He is Roper. The nine-week-old version. And that is a very good thing. Because that is exactly who hes supposed to be.

He is supposed to be himself. I am supposed to be me.

Youre supposed to be you.