Finding my identity in Christ

I remember it so well, the day my husband came home and made the suggestion we get a van. I was 6 months pregnant with our 2nd child, toting my 4 year old and 2 year old nephew around and my husband obviously guessed this comment would be a helpful suggestion....he guessed wrong. Nothing says you are a middle-aged, uncool woman like a 8 passenger mini-van. Nothing. I had no intentions of being "viewed" like that. I wanted to stay cool, stylish woman driving in my Lexus. I liked how good I felt driving around in it. But a little convincing from my husband to "at least look at it" and one test drive later, I was hooked. Do you know you can actually get an infant in his baby carrier out of a van without damaging your door or the car or garage wall next to you? Fabulous! My oldest could actually crawl into this van when I automatically opened the sliding door for him - again, fabulous! We are looking for a new home, and through this process, much like the van decision, I am digging deep to find where my identity lies. We have been asking ourselves "where do you see yourself living?". "Where do you see your family having fun times and enjoying your home?". As a mom and a wife, I can tell you most of my identity can easily be wrapped up in what my family is doing at any moment. If my child is throwing a fit in the doctor's office, my identity becomes "loser mom". If my child can't find his shoes, it turns to "unorganized mom". If my job calls me for an emergency, I quickly switch to "working mom". All of these roles play a part in what I do, but they are not who I am. So who am I? The bible teaches me that I am a child of God. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12, 13). I am forgiven (Eph. 1:7). I am loved deeply (John 3:16). I am not alone (Heb. 13:5). What security we have in Jesus! As a Christian, my identity can not be of things of this world, it has to be in Him. The only way to know my true identity is to: 1) spend time in God's word. Know what he says I am - what the truth is; 2) pray and spend quiet time asking God to show me who I am - to see myself through his eyes; 3) as stresses and conflicts, decisions and triumphs arise during the day, turn them all over to the Lord. Seek his wisdom and take his guidance. These things do not define who I am. They shape me and test me; they hopefully make me a better person and force me to seek the Lord in truth - but they do not define who I am.