There are 3 groups of labels
That I have come to know
I felt each kind through cancer
And here is how they go

The first type of label
Involves a description of you
Easy to make your identity 
Because this one’s often true

From a job title or background
The school attended or where you go
To others, like patient or caregiver
Divorced, single, or widow

The second set of labels
Are what someone thinks you are
Speaking the words of what they perceived
And has taken root within your heart

Outcast, ugly, invisible
Unlovable or never enough
These lies are ones that lay heavy
Feeling like you’ll never measure up

On the contrary: perfect, invincible,
Above all others around
Causing pride or placed on a pedestal
That will surely, with time, break down

But the third is important to recall 
Ironically, easy to forget
These labels come from up above
Casting out pain, fear, and regret

Loved, cared for, forgiven, free,
Have a purpose, no longer lost
You are so valuable to Jesus
Worth dying for on a cross

Wonderfully made and cherished
Never alone, always enough 
Celebrated on the mountain tops
And embraced when times are tough

It’s hard to cling to all these things
And every word You have spoken
Help this hurting heart find You
Erase lies and fix what’s broken

Name calling and label making 
Can cause your world to shake and shatter
Until you begin to realize that
It’s God’s truths of you that matter

The labels that consume your heart and mind
Can often be unstable
Remember: you are forgiven and loved 
That’s your most important label

God bless you!

Sparkle on,
Nicole Body

*Do you feel weighed down by labels that simply aren’t true? Which of these truths did you need to hear today? As always, please reach out if you’d like prayer or encouragement!