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Out of Detox

It's been too long since I posted anything--my apologies.  After one of my dearest friends finally retired and escaped from my old toxic workplace, I have decided to resume this blog. It seems an overwhelming number of women I know are trapped in similar situations, either at work or at home, daily struggling to maintain their identities in Christ---and dignity--while wading through swamps of deceit and degradation. 

After four years of meeting new people AND new challenges, I've found there is a great, big, beautiful, amazing world outside of the foxhole in which I was trapped.  When you are living your life on the defensive, it's impossible to grow and develop into the woman God intended you to be.  There's just no room for that in a foxhole.

If someone is telling you you're inadequate, incompetent, and making you feel worthless, you need to recognize that you are not being cultivated at work, or appreciated--you are being bullied. What I NOW know is that the mean girl the big corner office had become the mean girl in my head, and she had utterly destroyed my self esteem. Why did I permit that? Why did I allow myself to be so manipulated and degraded? Because I listened to that voice, instead of the voice of truth.

Colossians 2:10 says "and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."  God created and defined me himself, and his grace and favor suffice to fill the gaps of my imperfections--and yours!  We all make mistakes, but that does NOT diminish our worth.

Write that on a card, and put it somewhere you can see it all day--I wish I had, years ago. We don't need to forget that even when we were sinners, God demonstrated His love toward us by sending his only son to take the punishment--a death sentence--for our worst offenses.  He loved us that much, even in our most ungodly state. Don't allow the opinion of a person who doesn't even care about you to override the value the Lord sees in you.  

Today, I'm embarking on a challenge to shed the last remaining sign of my 6-year-stint in a toxic workplace--the weight I gained seeking solace in cookies, ice cream, chocolate...
Day one of a 30-day challenge--this diet is healthy, but promises 20 pounds in 30 days.  Here we go...
I'll keep you posted.

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