Live Uncaged

I love Mary DeMuth. She's a local writer who writes with her heart and soul and is one of the most authentic writers in the DFW area.  I greatly admire her work.

Recently she wrote a book that can be downloaded online called Live Uncaged. This is also the tagline for her blogsite.  I loved the book.  It was a mere 90 or so page Word document, but it was such a healing work to read.  I even took notes in my journal so that I wouldn't forget many of the wonderful nuggets of truth that I read.  (The link for the free download will be at the end of the post...so keep reading.)

I relate so well to Mary.  She's not a rose-colored glasses girl.  If you've read my blog long enough, you know that I am far from a glass half-full girl.  But I am a recovering pessimist.  Truly.  God is working on that part of me (and yes, it's painful).

One of the hardest things for me (besides being a glass half-full gal) is learning how to "rest."  It's hard for me to feel "ok" with who I am and that I don't HAVE to do anything to prove my worth.  Here's what Mary says:

Rest can mean that it feels ok to live in my own skin.  Peace with the tyrannical, perfectionist self.  Jesus frees me from my over-critical self....(It's)Not my job to relentlessly examine myself.  It's my job to learn from Jesus, to hear His words sung over my life.  He is he one who examines.  Sabbath- rest also has to do with my heart being at peace with God and myself and others.


Mary's words are exciting to me.  I am a DOER.  I place so much of my self-worth as it relates to my DOING.  I forget that God loves me when I am just BEING me.  I don't have to constantly DO to gain His approval.  What a freeing concept!  I know that I am an approval junkie.  I kind of like being validated by my works.  But God has been asking me to rest.  Rest. Rest in who HE is and be ok with who He made me.

It's funny that in one part of her book, Mary talks about how reluctant she was to say she is a triathlete.  It took me MONTHS to actually tell people that YES, I am a runner.  For the longest time I felt like a fake because I don't look like a runner (and after running a number of races, there really is no "look" to runners unless you are an elite runner which I will never be).  But I run 4 times a week.  I've run quite a few races - legit races.  I'm running a marathon in February. I totally can say I'm a runner.  I don't care if I have a couple of love handles from having babies in my 30's.  It doesn't make me less of a runner.  And besides, my husband reminds me that those love handles are a badge of honor for having those sweet boys of mine.

Rest.  Stillness.  Quietness.  Peace.  Cessation of striving. Finding that place where I am able to hear God speak His words of love and acceptance over me.  Thanks, Mary for helping me see that that place does exist.

Learning how to be comfortable in my own skin.  Nice.

Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go into the irresistible future with Him.  Oswald Chambers


**Mary's book download site with the book as well as a few podcasts with her testimony are found here  Thanks, Mary for your generosity to share your beautiful words and raw emotions with the world.  God bless you.