This is a part of my testimony that I have never shared beyond a few close friends and family but I know how much other peoples testimonies have helped me so I pray this helps someone too.

I grew up in a Christian home and went to church every Sunday. I felt like I was doing a decent job at being a “good christian.” I attended church, I was in a small group, I prayed before meals and before bed, and I was set on saving my purity for my wedding night. In high school I watched as everyone around me was losing their virginity. I stood out because I wouldn’t cross that boundary and was saving myself for marriage. I felt like I was doing something right. So much so that my identity as a Christian became all about my purity.

I went to college and was in a really hard place in life. I moved thousands of miles away to cheer in college and did not know anyone. I was already in a hard place before moving so my strength in Christ was not what I was relying on. I will never forget September 29th of my freshman year. As a 2 year school a lot of the Navarro alumni cheered at a University about 5 hours away from us. It was a big game day weekend and a huge group of us drove up for the weekend to go to the game. After the game we all went to hangout at someone’s apartment. The details of this night are not what is important for this story but this night changed everything. I had just had the one thing taken from me that I was holding onto. That was supposed to be for my future husband on our wedding day. I felt like I went from “good Christian” to how could I even be a Christian after this? I lost my identity. I was a wreck. For weeks. For months.

Since my identity was in the idea of being pure I lost that identity the day I lost that.

Sometimes we put our identity in things that take our focus off of Christ. Sometimes those things aren’t even terrible things. Desiring to be pure was not a bad desire but it became a bad thing when I put my identity in it. No good or bad actions can take away our true identity when we root that identity in Christ.

I just got engaged to the person this purity should have been saved for. We got engaged in the same town that I lost that part of me. Coincidence? I don’t think so. God heals. He healed my brokenness and gave me a Godly man. The same place I felt my world crash down on me is the same place that I felt on top of the world to someone who I get to spend the rest of life with glorifying God. Praise Jesus. I know now more than ever that my identity is Christ and Christ alone.

There is no such thing as a “good Christian.” We all fall short. BUT that’s okay. Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Verse 24 shows us that through grace we are saved by the redemption from Christ Jesus. No sin can separate us from God. He forgives. He heals.

So how can we root our identity in Christ? The first question we should ask ourselves is “What am I putting my identity in?” When we put our identity in anything other than God we will be left empty and seeking more. Identity can be broken into three parts: who you are, the way you think about yourself, and the way you are viewed.

Who am I?

Our only identity is in Christ.

1 John 3:1-2 states “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

We are children of God. We are called to be like Christ. In order to know who we are we must also know who Christ is. Being in the Word and in relationship with our God is the only way to know and learn who Christ is.

How am I viewed?

I think that the more important question here is “How does God see us?” Once we know the truth of who God created us to be we will find our true identity. This is discussed in Ephesians 1:13. I like how the Message version states that “It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it, found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit..” Ephesians 1:13

Not only do we need to know the truth but we must believe it in order to be free. So how does God view us? God does not look at our outward appearance. There is no look, no number on a scale, and no perfect skin that can define us. 1 Samuel 16:7 clearly states that God does not look at our outward appearance because He looks at our heart. We need to see ourselves as the creation of the almighty God. He chose each of us to be His child and creation. My favorite verse to look back on is Psalm 139:13-16 where it is clear that God knitted us into fearfully and wonderfully made children. He “intricately wove” us. How cool is that? We should view ourselves as God views us. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Beautiful in God’s image. Created for a purpose.

What do I think about myself?

This was the hardest part for me. I felt broken. I felt unworthy. Negative self talk had to go and I knew it. In order for that negative self talk to go, I had to replace it. I love using “‘I am” statements because that is what helped me fill my mind with what God says about me. I always start with “I am a daughter of God.” Another way to get rid of the negative thoughts is to journal. When my mind is spiraling I will write down what and how I am feeling and then go back and cross out any negative or false statements in my head replacing them with the truth. I am worthy.

When we root our identity in Christ it cannot be shaken.

5 Applicable Tips to Root our Identity in Christ

1. Read the Bible

2. Seek a God-centered community and help if needed

3. Learn to say yes to things of God and no to things of the world

4. Pray for anything and everything

5. Speak truth over yourself and/or find someone like a mentor who will

Kassidy cheered in college at Navarro College and is now a personal trainer while using fitness to lead others to Christ. She strives to encourage women to be confident in who God created them to be. She lives in Arizona currently and loves cooking, working out, flowers, and boba!

Follow Kassidy on Instagram @kassidywarnol