Buckle up with the Belt of Truth

I’m a horrible godmother.

I suck at Creole.

I’ll never get good at life in Haiti.

That’s what I wrote in my diary not long ago.

Below that I wrote a prayer begging God to help me fight these lies.  (How can you know something is a lie and believe it anyway?  Perhaps this paradox is one of Satan’s schemes to draw us away from God.)

As I prayed desperately for God to fight these lies for me, I was reminded of the armor of God.

Ephesians 6:10-14

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist...

The belt of truth was what I needed to fight these lies, but I felt helpless to buckle it around my waist.  But I thought I’d better try.  After all, this is the armor of God.  It’s infinitely stronger than any scheme the devil can come up with.

I remembered what I used to tell my kindergartens every day when I was teaching in the states. “Repeat after me: My best is always good enough.  My best is ALWAYS good enough!”

My diary entry continued like this:

*I’m new at being a godmother.  Yes, I make mistakes and feel awkward sometimes, but I am the best godmother I can be, and my best is ALWAYS good enough.

*I’ve only been in Haiti for 10 months.  And for 10 months, I’m getting pretty good at Creole.  My Creole is the best I’ve got, and my best is ALWAYS good enough.

*Not only am I speaking a second language, I’m doing daily life in a completely different culture.  It’s hard, but it will get easier.  And in the meantime, I’m doing my best, and my best is ALWAYS good enough.

And most importantly, I AM ENOUGH.

There.  BAM.  Belt of Truth.

(Then I went on to write this on my mirror where it still reminds me every day to trust in God’s promise that I am enough.)