Tag: perfection

Purpose Not Perfection

- dannalundstrom

An excellent wife (woman, friend, student, sister, daughter, mom…), who can find one?

Friends, do not confuse being excellent with being perfect. It is when we live with purpose, not perfection that we make an impact in the world around us. I do not know about you, but I cannot relate to “perfect” people.

I value authenticity in relationships. Transparency, not togetherness is what makes a woman excellent! It is the hard parts, the broken pieces and the raw portions that make you wise, strong, and radiant.

Genuine beauty comes from a life made sober by the fires of failure, the ashes of affiliation, the pearls of perseverance, the hearts of hope and the realities of redemption.

Part of growing in grace is loving ourselves, not the cleaned up parts but the complete person.

If we are Christ followers, with seasoning, we come to learn that in God’s story, our story, all is gain. That is not to say circumstances are not difficult. Many of you are bearing unimaginable pain. I want to remind you today that whatever you are in the midst of, your pain does not eliminate your excellence. It enhances it. You are loved!

You are loved!

Purpose Amidst Imperfection 

- dannalundstrom

Nestled amidst the sunrise of a fresh week and all the promise it holds is an ever faithful reminder of my inadequacy. I am presently, but peacefully aware that I got more wrong than right last week, and that will surely be my truth this week as well.

My keen sense of insufficiency poses a different purpose for me now, though. Growing in grace teaches me that it is no longer about striving for perfection only to be frustrated, but seeking purpose amidst my imperfection only to be furthered.

 It is an incongruent truth that on the other side of our failures is an intention designed for our prosperity. 

Understanding that falling down is not a shameful thing, but a sacred tool is the genesis of praise. Praise opens the door and welcomes gratitude right into our hearts.

When gratitude is our guest, we see through all the heavy right into the heart of the holy, and joy becomes a source of our strength. 

This week, friend, I pray you have eyes to see and ears to hear all the beauty that your brokenness beholds, and your heart will sing, it is good and it is well with my soul.
You are loved.❤️

A Mixed Bag

- dannalundstrom

Dear friend, You may need to hear this today. It is perfectly reasonable that you are both a masterpiece and a mess at the same time. You may not feel like a masterpiece, but here is the evidence in Ephesians 2:10~ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus. Yes, it is true you are a mixed bag. So. Am. I. We live in a fallen world, of flawed people, with fluid laws, feeble morals and a fierce enemy who wants us believe to false ideas about ourselves. Not one of us is perfect, but freedom is not found in our perfection, but in the forgiveness of our failures.  You are loved!❤️

Prone to Wander

- dannalundstrom

There was a time when I thought I was a good person, (notice the emphasis on I).  Growing in grace has enabled me to see with my eyes, understand with my mind and confess with my mouth that there is nothing good about me alone except the holy, blameless, good and loving God who dwells within me.  Sometimes even my best intentions are peppered with pride.  It is when I remember my utter depravity that I became free to rejoice in The Lord’s unparalleled adequacy.  Lord Jesus, I confess I am a mess.  I am prone to wander, clothing myself in filthy rags and seeking perfection, approval, and satisfaction from the false God’s of idolatry.  Grant me the blessing of quick detection and correction when my heart turns from you, Father.  At the end of every road of obstinance is death; while the path of obedience leads to life.  May your truth be my compass so that all glory shines on you, my Savior, not myself.  Amen.

Lavishly Loved

- dannalundstrom

Thursday night my daughter, Macey sent me a text long after I had gone to bed She was burning the midnight oil, bogged down in studies.  I silence my phone at night so it was atypical that I heard the soft vibration of that text, but I definitely think providential.  She said, “please pray for me.” Then she referenced a presentation she had to give today that would be strictly graded.  No swaying, rocking, umm, likes, pauses were allowed or they would result in point deductions.

The first thought that came to my mind was, what awful pressure to be perfect, and how miserable that sounds.  Then a thought delicately but definitively rang through my head that was this, “my acceptance comes with no qualifications.  Mistakes are not only allowed, they are expected.”  I had a huge sigh of relief and gratitude filled my heart there in the darkness as I was praising Jesus that He has no grading pen.

 He makes no deductions.  His love is not about performance or perfection; but a desirous heart that longs to please Him despite our “mess ups.”  Today, I pray that you join me in living lavishly loved because in Him, we are!

Open Hands, Designed Hearts

- dannalundstrom

fe3beed03d166e8c0267c2d1efcd2a07Good morning friend.  Never lose your hope but lighten your hold.  We were never meant to cling so tightly to our people, our ideas, our dreams, or our desires.  God has been teaching me this lesson over many years.  It has not been easy learning, and at times it is completely painful.  I will never master remembrance of this under the sun, but while excellence is not possible, evolution is.  Our desires are not wrong, but when they morph into demands, they become problematic.  Lay that which is monopolizing your thoughts, managing your mind and forestalling your freedom at the feet of Jesus.  He longs to give you rest, but until we get out of the way, He cannot work.  Psalm 37:4 says~ Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Do not misunderstand as I did for so long; those desires will be His desires chosen for us that he will knit into our hearts so sweetly and softly until we realize them as ours.  Father, may we all open our hands today, letting go of our “perfectly” painted portraits so we may walk guided by your ethereal authority, not our erroneous aspirations.

You Do Not Have to Be Perfect Today

- dannalundstrom

Good morning, friend.  You do not have to be perfect today.  You are only called to be who God has created you to be in each circumstance He places you.  Sometimes that looks messy and sometimes manageable.  It may look like wrestling and it may look like rest, but always fighting to honor the hope we have in the One who sees, knows and loves you just as much at your worst as He does your best.  You are loved!

Not Your Faults but His Forgivness

- dannalundstrom


Psst! You do not have to be perfect today, tomorrow or ever. It isn’t even possible. The more you recognize your shortcomings, the more you are growing in the grace of your Savior. Your freedom has nothing to do with your faults, but everything to do with His forgiveness!! May you find rest in that today, friends.

Pursuing Perfection is to Deny Jesus

- dannalundstrom

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Perfectionism.  We all chase it.  None of us will ever achieve it, but we often run ourselves into the ground trying.

Pursuing perfection is to deny what Jesus did for us.  

He died an excruciating death not only to save us from our sins but also to impart His perfect righteousness to us.  That means it is no secret we alone are inadequate.  It is inevitable that we will fail as a parent, friend, spouse…  Someone else will always do better that which we desire to do.

Why do we keep exhausting ourselves to obtain what has already been secured on our behalf?  God made no mistakes when He created you or me.  We all have different strengths and weaknesses.  We either believe in his plan and find peace or we deny His sovereignty and continue striving.

Father, I ask that you help your children embrace the gifts given to us.  When we accept who we were created to be and quit striving to be who we are not; we are free to find where our purpose intersects our passion, and it is then that we will impact the world; not in a perfect way but in your providential way.  Amen.