You Don't Have To Be Perfect Podcast with Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B35F4PLY

Hello friends, today's episode kicks off the first episode of the series, What to Do When You're Tired. I'm your host, Vanessa Luu and I'm honored to be here with you today.

What should you do when you're tired?

Rest. And guess what, as much as you may not like that answer, it is the right answer. God created it for us! We know we need it, but we resist it. I still have to fight the shame monster at times just because I'm tired. Isn't it ridiculous that we feel guilty for needing rest? It's because we have been programmed to believe that to achieve greatness we have to power through and go above and beyond the norm. If we don't go above and beyond we might fall below the radar of a person who leaves a mark on this world…even a small mark.

It can be difficult to work "rest" into your life. Just like anything new, you might struggle with the transition (mentally more than physically) and from time to time you may have a full-blown freak out attack, but it's all okay.

So often, we don't even take enough time to think thoughts in full sentences, yet we continue to preach self-care! Self-care has a variety of definitions these days, so I don't often use that phrase. I often say things like, I need a break, or I need time to be still and know that God is God. Because that is what we need, my friend, filling our precious rest time without inviting God into it won't be fruitful.

Resting is essential to the abundant life we have in Christ. God knows we are human, and He knows we need rest. He even commands it.

"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience." -Hebrews 4:11

Hello friends, I’m excited to present you with the audio version of You Don’t Have to Be Perfect 2nd edition. Part 2 will start now!

This book is definitely something to read if you want to grow in your spiritual walk. Many years of my life I struggled with "people pleasing" out of fear. In this book, it starts out with living in fear of what people think. It then moves how you can you scripture to fulfill God's plan for your life. I have learned recently that faith is always better then fear. We have to live in God's vision and not other people's vision. I would encouraged you to read this book if you struggle with identity in Christ. This is a book about the struggle being real, but learning to spend time in the Word to learn how the transition happens.❤ -Angela Osburn

In You Don’t Have to be Perfect, Vanessa gives an honest accouxnt of her struggle with perfectionism.  She explains how a real and true relationship with God and commitment to reading the Bible and living in faith every day helped her change her mindset and find her true identity in Christ.  One of my favorite quotes is this,  “And (the Bible) also proves that once we accept God's gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, we get to walk through the rest of our lives, worthy, loved, and enough, hallelujah!” Isn’t that what we all want? Read this book and learn what true freedom from the bondage of our mind and our own limitations looks like, you will be glad you did. - Kylee Ghabour, elementary school teacher, mom

“Vanessa gives you a honest, personal, and inspiring account of her transition from perfectionism to grace. She lays out the specific steps she took to make Jesus real and intimate and invites you along. Every closet or self professed perfectionist must read this book!” -Michael Wolsten, author and speaker

Within these pages, Vanessa Luu takes an honest look at our need for perfection and how that can hinder us in our relationships and especially in our most important relationship of all, the one we have with Christ. She is transparent about her own personal struggles and how she has learned to see them as blessings. Vanessa addresses some common issues that can hinder us and points us to Scripture and prayer for the answers. Readers will find compassion and encouragement, as well as solid advice for letting go of unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. -Roberta Thorndike, Joyful One Editing

While society deems perfection as an attainable accolade, Vanessa reminds us that God's loving nature has yet to require our mastery of life. In fact, if we trade our perfection for his grace, we win an immeasurable peace and reap an undeniable satisfaction that could only come from Perfection himself. You Don't Have to Be Perfect challenges us to do just that—to deny perfection in pursuit of a God who only requires love as access to infinite delight.

–Peyton Garland, author of Tired, Hungry, & Kinda Faithful, Where Exhaustion and Exile Meet God

Hello friends, I’m excited to present you with the audio version of You Don’t Have to Be Perfect 2nd edition. Part 1 will start now!

This book is definitely something to read if you want to grow in your spiritual walk. Many years of my life I struggled with "people pleasing" out of fear. In this book, it starts out with living in fear of what people think. It then moves how you can you scripture to fulfill God's plan for your life. I have learned recently that faith is always better then fear. We have to live in God's vision and not other people's vision. I would encouraged you to read this book if you struggle with identity in Christ. This is a book about the struggle being real, but learning to spend time in the Word to learn how the transition happens.❤ -Angela Osburn

In You Don’t Have to be Perfect, Vanessa gives an honest account of her struggle with perfectionism.  She explains how a real and true relationship with God and commitment to reading the Bible and living in faith every day helped her change her mindset and find her true identity in Christ.  One of my favorite quotes is this,  “And (the Bible) also proves that once we accept God's gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, we get to walk through the rest of our lives, worthy, loved, and enough, hallelujah!” Isn’t that what we all want? Read this book and learn what true freedom from the bondage of our mind and our own limitations looks like, you will be glad you did. - Kylee Ghabour, elementary school teacher, mom

“Vanessa gives you a honest, personal, and inspiring account of her transition from perfectionism to grace. She lays out the specific steps she took to make Jesus real and intimate and invites you along. Every closet or self professed perfectionist must read this book!” -Michael Wolsten, author and speaker

Within these pages, Vanessa Luu takes an honest look at our need for perfection and how that can hinder us in our relationships and especially in our most important relationship of all, the one we have with Christ. She is transparent about her own personal struggles and how she has learned to see them as blessings. Vanessa addresses some common issues that can hinder us and points us to Scripture and prayer for the answers. Readers will find compassion and encouragement, as well as solid advice for letting go of unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. -Roberta Thorndike, Joyful One Editing

While society deems perfection as an attainable accolade, Vanessa reminds us that God's loving nature has yet to require our mastery of life. In fact, if we trade our perfection for his grace, we win an immeasurable peace and reap an undeniable satisfaction that could only come from Perfection himself. You Don't Have to Be Perfect challenges us to do just that—to deny perfection in pursuit of a God who only requires love as access to infinite delight.

–Peyton Garland, author of Tired, Hungry, & Kinda Faithful, Where Exhaustion and Exile Meet God

Inside today's podcast, I have with me, Clarissa Moll. 

More about Clarissa:

Clarissa Moll is an award-winning writer and podcaster who helps bereaved people find flourishing after loss.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

If you have struggled with any mental health issues you will LOVE this episode!

Inside today's podcast, I have with me Brandi Kepley. Brandi is a wife, dog mom, Arbonne consultant, blogger, and podcaster. When she isn’t working, you can find her reading at a local coffee shop, hiking with her husband and dogs, or working in the garden. 

Her ministry, the Unfinished Grace community, exists to identify with and encourage those struggling with mental health issues and stigmas. She is passionate about stigmas within family units and within the church, ending the cycle of burnout, and promoting a healthy lifestyle with natural products.

www.unfinishedgrace.com

www.instagram.com/unfinishedgrace

https://anchor.fm/brandi-kepley

https://pin.it/4jT10hu

https://www.facebook.com/groups/883784352340904/?ref=share_group_link&exp=93fa

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Michael Wolsten

Inside today's podcast, I have with me Michael Wolsten. Michael is a family man through and through. He involves his family in every aspect of his life, and it's beautiful. Michael currently owns a consulting business helping other businesses with their culture. When he's not working or enjoying his family, he likes to run.

Michael, thank you so much for being here! We have so much to cover, so let's dive in.

Today's episode is my meditation on Psalms 103:13-14

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

Resources for you!

Today we discuss the power of prayer and focused time with God.  If you're looking for some helpful tips in your walk with God this is a great episode to tune into!

My guest, Allison Hodges is passionate about God's Word and truly believes in the power of prayer. She has prayed countless journal pages throughout her walk with Christ and developed her own unique prayer journal in 2019. It is available through Instagram @penandpew and on her website: allisonghodges.com

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

Inside today’s podcast, I have with me, Angela Jasper. Angela is a daughter of God and a follower of Jesus as well as a wife and homeschooling mother. She is called to speak truth boldly in a world full of lies trusting that God will use her for His glory. In a self-focused, self-care, self-worshipping, you do you kinda world, she wants to encourage sisters in Christ to live Radiant, Extraordinary lives Doing the will of God, not their own.

We are talking about abortion today, a topic I have never talked about publicly before but God nudged me, and I knew it was time.

Things we discussed:

Connect with Angela!

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFAc__mSRw/wq5OV0LHMJTIJxrdYvkNhw/view?utm_content=DAFAc__mSRw&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu 

God has not called me only to work for His kingdom., but to peace, rest, refreshment, and delight in Him.

A somewhat new realization on my journey. I always think that only my work counts in the eyes of God.

Do you feel like that too?

Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” So in my mind, that means getting to work so that I can honor God and fulfill my purpose!

Recently, the Holy Spirit has been showing me that His call to rest, stillness, and beauty is just as important as the work He’s called me to do.

I’ve been practicing rest, stillness, and embracing God’s beauty for quite a while now, but I didn’t count it in the way I count work.

While I know everything God calls us to is good I didn’t realize that I was placing different values on them.

God has not called us only to work for His kingdom. He calls us to delight in Him. I’m so tough on myself that I think delighting in the Lord is a nice gift that I shouldn’t expect. But it’s more than that.

“Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” -Psalms 37:4-5

Our delight in the Lord goes both ways.

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” -Psalms 37:23

“I delight greatly in the LORD;

my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” -Isaiah 61:10

The meaning of delight in all of these verses is either jubilant exhortation over God or good pleasure. Either way, you slice it, delight is a desirable experience.

I know it will take some time to correct my habit of placing more value on work than on delighting in God and His word, but the Spirit is leading me, and I will follow.

Rest, pleasure, stillness, and works, are all gifts from God, and they are all found in Him. They all matter to God, and God gave them to all of us.

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Other Resources:

You Don't Have To Be Perfect by Vanessa Luu

Truth and Tools Workbook by Vanessa Luu

The Relevant Old Testament by Vanessa Luu

To Support

Leave a review and help spread the word about this uplifting podcast. You can also support it financially here:

https://anchor.fm/vanessa-luu