Episode #97 You’re Beyond Compare with Guest Jenn Schultz – Noticing God

Hi friends, it's Jen and I am so excited to introduce you to a special guest that we have on the podcast today. This is author Jenn Schultz and she recently launched her first book, She's Not Your Enemy. I'm going to read you a little bit of her bio before we get started.

Jenn typically writes about messy faith, shaking off insecurity, and pursuing God's purpose confidently. Her mission is to empower women to ditch shame and striving by finding identity in God. and freedom in abundant grace. Jenn is a wife and a mom, and she reads a whole bunch of books at once. Me too.

I know you're going to enjoy what she has to share with you. And I'll have links in the show notes for all of the places that you can connect , including where you can find her book.

Hey, everybody. My name is Jenn Schultz. A little bit about me, I am a wife and a mom of three, and I recently wrote a book called She's Not Your Enemy, which just launched. So. In the middle of all of that, but I'm so excited to just take this time with you, away from the busy schedule, away from busy mom life to be able to talk about, having a good talk with God and in particular to be able to talk about our insecurities today.

So, I wrote the book about comparison and there's so much there. I feel like comparison is one of those things you just want to get rid of. Just stop doing it. Comparison, envy, competition. Just stop, just quit it. And what I realized as I was writing the book was that it's, so much more than that. It goes so much deeper. Our comparison, our envy, our competition, really go back to these deep core questions that we long to be answered.

Am I loved?
Am I valuable?
Do I have a purpose?
Do I belong?
Am I wanted?
Am I seen?

Insecurities come when we wonder about our identities.

Culture tells us to find value in how we perform and in the achievements that we have, how many people like and follow us, possessions that we have, all of those things. And so we're constantly working to prove our worth, because were going after these things. We're, we're striving. We're working really hard, to kind of prove our own worth through what we've accomplished and what we have.

The thing about it is those requirements keep changing and what we get in this world does not last. You know, the, the achievements that we had becomes lackluster after a while and the things that we have, that new shiny thing that showed up on your doorstep. It's not exciting about a week later. All of those things that we go after in this world are just not lasting. So we're constantly in this hamster wheel of striving and we just don't get anywhere.

But God tells us to come and lay down our striving in Him and who He says we are. I love this verse in Ephesians 3:16-19, and this is the new international version. It says,

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

We are identified by God, which was embodied in Christ and put on display for us when Jesus lived among us, when he was put to death, and when he rose again for us. It's that love, that determination, that intentional plan of God's, that sacrifice, that shows us how loved and valued and seen and wanted we are.

We have nothing to prove.

So today in your God talk, I want you to work out with God what core questions you're asking and to seek his answer to them. It really takes courage to be able to admit wow I'm feeling so insecure about this. I really want to be seen. I really want to be known. I want to be loved.

Identify those things and have the courage to, to face them. And then also realize that God longs for us to hand those over to him. So my question for you today, busy moms out there. I am a busy mom as well, which accounts for the baby coos in the background.

Take this time to have a conversation with God. Here is your question.
How does God answer our insecurities? Have a good talk.

Okay, you guys, wasn't that so encouraging? I love the way that Jenn brings us into her real life. I also love the question that she left us with, and as I often do here on the podcast, I encourage you don't just answer this question for God, take it to him and see what he would have to tell you today.

God, how do you answer our insecurities?

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

Connect with Jenn S:

Website
Instagram
Buy her book on Amazon

Connect with Jen:

Instagram