Sometimes it seems like the Lord is trying to communicate a simple message to us, but depending on our life circumstances or a skewed perspective, we over complicate it. Until recently, I think that's what I've been doing since I got home from squad leading. Then again, maybe it's been a consistent life pattern. I've been fighting to discern whether there are big things I need to process, when in reality, He just wants to love me. Regardless, here's a recent conversation I had with our Father in heaven. It was fairly one-sided and by that I mean entirely one-sided.

"Hey, that's my kid!"

A simple sentence that was followed up with:

"Those are my eyes, that's my nose, I've got freckles like that..."

He went on and on, but the point was to remind me that I'm created in His image. There are quite a few babies who have either recently arrived or are on the way in the Adventures community. Though I've never had a child, one common question I would imagine new parents get is, "Which one of you do you think your child looks like?" I can also imagine the joy of discovering different parts of yourself, physical or personality characteristics, in this new person.

That's what this conversation, or rather monologue, because let's face it, I listened the entire time, was about. It was as if I was getting to watch my parent joyfully claim the parts of me that represent Him. Guess what? Because I bear His image, every part of me that He created is representative of Him. He would tell me the same thing about you:

"Those are my eyes, that's my nose..."

The simple reminder of His joy in claiming me as His kid was beautifully stunning. It's also making me want to shift my own view of other people. I really want to start asking Him a version of the question new parents get:

"So, which parts of yourself do you see in this person?"

It's completely changed my perspective of what it means to be an image bearer. I hope it does the same for you. 

"Hey, that's my kid!"

May those words remind you of who and whose you are.