Authenticity in a Filtered World: Stepping Out in the Way God Created You

We live in a world that loves filters.

Social media gives us highlight reels of perfect moments, curated smiles, and the illusion of effortless success. It's tempting—almost unavoidable—to fall into the “should” spiral. I should look like her. I should succeed like him. I should be more… fill in the blank.

I get it because I’ve been there.

When I first started pursuing my God-given purpose, I didn’t know how to do it without comparing myself to everyone around me. I wanted to make an impact, meet needs, and bring joy to others. But I wasn’t sure how to do it as me.

So, I tried on a dozen different versions of myself. Shifting my voice. Tweaking my approach. Thinking, Maybe this will make me more accepted. Maybe this will make me enough.

But you know what I learned? The more I tried to fit into someone else’s mold, the further I drifted from the person God created me to be.

I chased shiny objects—those bright, flashy dreams that belonged to someone else. And in the process, I felt smaller, lonelier, and further from the purpose I was longing to fulfill.

But God, in His infinite patience, wasn’t done with me yet.

The Pencil Lesson

Years ago, when I was teaching middle school, I learned a hard truth about comparison.

I had a colleague who was, in my eyes, everything I wanted to be. She was endlessly creative, always balanced, and her presence lit up the room. She wasn’t just teaching—she was transforming lives.

I didn’t just admire her. I wanted to be her.

She was like a vibrant, colorful Sharpie—bold, unmissable, and leaving a permanent mark wherever she went. Meanwhile, I felt like a plain No. 2 pencil. Practical. A little smudgy. Only called upon when nothing else would work.

For years, I lived in the shadow of that comparison. It wasn’t until much later that I realized something profound: God didn’t make me a Sharpie. He made me a pencil.

Pencils may not seem flashy, but they’re steady. Adaptable. Able to erase and rewrite, helping others find new paths forward.

That’s who I am.

And that’s exactly who God made me to be.

Embracing Your Design

This revelation—that I wasn’t meant to be someone else—changed everything.

When we don’t understand our unique wiring, we fall into the trap of comparison, and we always fall short. Why? Because we aren’t them, and they aren’t us.

God didn’t make you to be a carbon copy. He gave you gifts, talents, and quirks that are uniquely yours. He designed you to fill a space in this world that no one else can.

But here’s the catch: you can’t fill that space if you’re busy reshaping yourself to fit someone else’s mold.

Authenticity Isn’t Perfection; It’s Purpose

I see this struggle in so many of the women I coach. They wonder why their hard work isn’t bearing fruit, why their efforts seem to fall flat, or why they feel like they’re spinning their wheels.

The answer? They’re often trying to live someone else’s calling.

True authenticity isn’t about doing more or working harder. It’s about stepping into the gifts and purpose that God has given you. It’s about trusting that your pencil moments are just as valuable as someone else’s Sharpie streak.

When you live out of your true design, something beautiful happens. Your contributions resonate. They feel real—because they are. The world doesn’t need another imitation; it needs you, fully alive in the way God created you to be.

You Were Created for Such a Time as This

Mother Teresa once said, “We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world.”

Let that sink in for a moment.

When you embrace who you are, quirks and all, you become a tool in God’s hand.

You become a living love letter to the world.

Someone out there is waiting for the exact combination of gifts, talents, and experiences that you bring.

But they won’t find it if you’re hiding behind someone else’s filter.

The truth is, God wastes nothing—not your struggles, not your flaws, and certainly not your gifts.

When we step fully into our authentic selves, we become part of His greater story. We shine, not with our own brilliance, but with His light.

Step Boldly Into Who You Are

So, here’s my challenge for you:

Take a moment to reflect on the person God made you to be.

Are you embracing your gifts, or are you reshaping them to fit someone else’s idea of success? Are you operating out of your God-given design, or are you chasing after someone else’s shiny object?

When we anchor our identity in the One who created us, we discover a confidence and peace that the world can’t offer. We become exactly who we were meant to be: pencils, Sharpies, crayons, or whatever tool God designed us to be.

The world doesn’t need your filtered version. It needs the unfiltered, unapologetic, real you.

So, let’s step into that calling, fully ourselves, fully alive, and fully committed to making an impact in only the way we can.

I’m over here cheering you on, pencil or Sharpie, as you let God write His story through your life.