God Is Pretty Good at Second Chancesনমুনা

Day 6: Blooming: God Made Dirt and Dirt Don’t Hurt:
Welcome to the final day of the God Is Pretty Good at Second Chances Plan. I pray that over the past few days, you’ve been inspired in your personal journey and equipped in your relationship with God.

While it may be day 6, allow me to introduce myself. I am a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. I am a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, and an aunt. I am a niece and a cousin to many. I am a friend to some and an acquaintance to others. I am a volleyball player, a basketball player, and a cheerleader. I am a cheerleading coach and a team mom. I am an administrator, a life coach, a chaplain, and a corporate leader. I am this . . . and I am that.

The truth is, I have allowed some of these roles and titles to define me . . . to give me my identity. Throughout my life, I got so wrapped up in the performance of the roles that I only knew myself on a surface level. The true essence of my being was unknown. In Matthew 16:13, 15 (author paraphrase), Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do they say I am?” He then asked, “Who do YOU say I am?” For years—many, many years—I lived a life of being God’s acquaintance. I never knew Him for myself. My knowledge of Him was second-handed, and so was my faith. Once I began to have a relationship with God, I began to know him as Mother, Father, Provider (Psalm 23:1), Healer (Malachi 4:2), and Comforter (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Little did I know, I was only an acquaintance of myself. It took a divorce at the age of forty to begin the self-discovery. There were a lot of dark times, and I hated being alone. Why? Because God was showing me her, and I didn’t like her at all. I didn’t like who she was and what she was becoming. Was this really me? Was I really the person whom God created? Or was I a product of circumstances and self-destruction? So, I spent many nights alone dealing with me.

After about the fifteenth “God, if you get me out of this, I promise to never . . .”, life began to shift. I truly surrendered, and God was then able to do a new work in me. I started to fall in love with me. But there was still a small problem. Loving me was one thing, but knowing me was another. I had to ask myself, “Raquel, who do they say you are?” And after I made the list of all the things people would say about me, I then asked, “Raquel, who do YOU say you are?”’

I was well into my forties before I could answer the latter. You see when you don’t take the time to know yourself, you live a life for others. This is one reason many parents have difficulty moving on in life when they become empty nesters. This is why divorcees move on to the next marriage so quickly. This is why many retirees return to work. Their life was defined by their roles as mother, father, wife, husband, or laborer. And when seasons end or shift, they lose themselves and often ask, “Now, what do I do?” I would argue that when you know who you are and whose you are, transitions may be a bit easier to navigate.

Who are you? What are your core values? What is your belief system? What do you enjoy doing? What are your dislikes? What are your bad habits? What are your good habits? What stresses you out? How do you cope with stress? What comes easy to you? What are your challenges? What gives you satisfaction? What makes your heart smile? What makes you sad? When you don’t know yourself, you allow anything to happen. So yeah, I had to sit with myself. And in all that ugliness, pain, and discomfort, things got real.

The best way to know someone is to spend time with them, right? So that’s what I did. I spent time with myself, and I discovered that I really like me. I began going to the movies alone and going to dinner alone, and I even started going to the park alone. At the park, I would walk and pray, or I would simply sit on the bench and journal. My favorite spot at that time was Morgan Falls in Roswell, GA. I sat on the swing bench and stared out into the Chattahoochee River. That’s the place where I did a lot of writing and wondering. The more I dated myself, the more I fell in love with me, and the more I got to know myself. The more I got to know myself, the more I was able to give myself an identity.

I don’t want it to seem as though this journey of self-discovery was easy because it definitely was not. It took a lot of time, tears, and intentionality to take off the false persona and replace it with authenticity. And once the self-discovery took place, I then had to own who I really was. I had to own my values and belief systems. I had to be comfortable in my own skin and in vocalizing who I was. I had to stop dumbing down my accomplishments and victories. After all, every hurdle I got over, every fear I faced, every mountain I climbed, and every second chance was all done by the grace of God. To talk about it is to glorify God as a testament to just how good He is at second chances. And today, you cannot explain me, and I cannot explain myself if the supernatural is left out. I am but a tool of God. I am Minister Raquel Copeland. But, before anything, I am a child of God the Father and a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am holy because God is holy, and I am set apart for God’s purpose. I hold firm the virtues of love, compassion, encouragement, and authenticity. I am an introvert, refueled and rejuvenated when I sit alone. At my core, I am a server. I love to help others and watch them transform. I love to help others make the best out of their circumstances. Through self-awareness, I discovered my personal vision statement: To Comfort Those Who Are Suffering and To Support Others In Their Joys and Victories.

Embarking on a journey of self-discovery is a meaningful and introspective process. Identify the things that resonate with your passions and contribute to your overall well-being. Explore your coping mechanisms and resilience in the face of adversity. Acknowledge your abilities and areas where you have opportunities for growth. Are there limiting beliefs or negative thought patterns you want to overcome? What fears or insecurities may be holding you back from reaching your full potential? Remember, self-discovery is an ongoing process. Take the time to regularly self-reflect as you continue to evolve and grow.

Thank you for joining me on this 6-day journey. I pray that my story has encouraged and empowered you in your own journey. If you’re interested in more of my story, you can check out my book, God Is Pretty Good at Second Chances, by going to LINK .

God Bless,

Raquel Copeland