At a speaking engagement the woman who greeted me cocked her head. “You have light hair in the picture,” she said.
Yep, that’s true. I got tired of paying for highlights. What is left is brunette me.
“You have short hair in the picture,” she said.
Yep, that’s true too. When I stopped paying for highlights I didn’t need to come in every few weeks. So the new long “do” is the result.
Before she could say, “You were thinner in the picture you sent,” (because that’s true too) I resolved that it was time to take new pictures.
The photographer arrived and we took some fun shots. As she left I asked her a favor.
“Don’t use filters,” I said.
It’s a favor I’ve asked every time I’ve had photos taken because the reality is that we change over time. I didn’t want to hide those changes. Other photographers had listened to my request, but still felt compelled to edit a bit here and there. This beautiful photographer listened and when she sent the proofs, I almost changed my mind.
I think I like filters. I do, I do.
But over a couple of days I settled into the photos and started to love them. I traced my finger across the wrinkle above my lip.
It’s just like my mom’s.
I smiled at the wrinkles laugh lines between and around my eyes because I had earned those. My five little monkeys make this Gaga laugh a lot.
I want to live an unfiltered life.
Not just in my photos, but in my faith. With my family. With you.
One of my favorite ministers is Rudy Rasmus. He’s sharing Jesus in an inner city ministry and he’s the real deal. In his book, Touch, He says:
God had given me a gift of discernment, so I can usually spot a fake a mile away. I hate it when I look in the mirror and find one.
What a powerful statement.
When I think about where we are today as believers — with ISIS, and persecution, and people all mixed up about what it means to follow Jesus . . .
I don’t think we have the luxury of being filtered in our faith.
I believe we must be bold and brave, with words wrapped in absolute love.
I think we have to have integrity that can withstand any test.
I believe we must be honest with ourselves about why we do what we do. . . and oh, this is a hard one.
Am I in ministry because I love Christ and He changed me, or have is it become somehow about me?
Am I willing to be in the trenches with zero spotlight if it lifts up someone else on the front line?
Am I prepared to take the harder paths in my faith just because that’s where Christ is leading?
An unfiltered faith is going to show our flaws.
We might fail as we take a bigger leap than we want to, or we might struggle when it’s not going the way we think it should.
But unfiltered faith has the potential to reveal the power of faith in ordinary people.
So this is my prayer today. If it’s yours, I’d love for you to join me.
Lord, today, strip away the filters. Let me see my heart and thoughts and motivations through Your mirror. If I look in the mirror and there is something you do not want in that reflection, shine the Holy Spirit on my heart and I’ll respond. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
What a great picture! i never would have noticed the laugh lines, etc…you look so happy & beautiful!
Suzie you are beautiful – no filters needed.
Unfiltered faith… the older I am, the more I realise what a gift it is that I have that freedom, to live my faith, unfiltered. Honest, messy, raw, true. And He becomes more and more the only thing I need to live for and receive from… but oh, this was not me all that long ago… Lord, keep me more and more in You!
You’re beautiful inside and out, Suzanne… His joy is shining from every pore! It’s a wonderful thing 🙂
Thank you so much for being willing to be ‘untouched’ on camera. Being transparent in allowing tiny (I do mean tiny) flaws to show speaks deeply to me and other women. I believe comparison is a huge battlefield, and when we ‘fess up’ and are real we tear the stronghold down. Thanks….
“I don’t think we have the luxury of being filtered in our faith.” Can’t say AMEN enough! We’re either real or we’re nothing… just another form of entertainment. Thank you for this wonderful encouragement!
And by the way… you so do NOT need filters on your pics! they – and you – are beautiful! inside and out!
Thanks for encouraging us to ‘be real’. Blessings friend,
I love your unfiltered picture, Suzie, AND your unfiltered faith. Beautiful.
Oh, yes, Suzie! Filters only diffuse and hide the realness, don’t they? Neither your beautiful photo nor your beautiful heart need filtering. I loved your post. I would have read this anyway but I’m the one in line behind you for the #RaRaLinkUp. Blessings to you! 😀
Unfilitered faith. What a motivation and what a challenge. Love the prayer at the end of this post. I too want God to filter my heart and show me what needs work. The list is a little long at the moment. How’s that for unfiltered:) Linking with you today at #RaRaLinkUp.
You write real, Suzanne. No need to filters on your words either. They are what I need to read and let sink in. I, too, want to be the me that God created. I, too, need a new picture for my blog as the glasses I am wearing is two pairs ago. My hair in the front around my face is about all white-gray. : ) Soon…
Thanks for your encouragement to be myself.
Visiting from Kelly’s.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
I love the unfiltered picture! You look happy, alive and real. It’s beautiful! “But unfiltered faith has the potential to reveal the power of faith in ordinary people.” This is so true, and your prayer at the end is beautiful. I’ve visiting from #raralinkup
Thank you, Suzie for keeping it real. Your transparency blessed me, and I am sure many others. Indeed, you are leading women in a new direction. I thank God for the ministry given you in Christ Jesus. Keep speaking truth and being the amazing women of God you are 🙂
I just stumbled upon your blog. Suzie, you are so beautiful! I want to live a unfiltered life. You have inspired me. I’m a Jesus girl and everyone knows that but I am ashamed of some things in. my past that I need to overcome, Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love your picture here. I don’t notice the wrinkles (maybe because I have my own to contend with), but your smile…what appears to be infectious laughter, and that is so much better to have than smooth skin and filtered dimension. Thanks for sharing this. Your fellow cheerleader in faith.
I love this so much! Thank you for this perspective!
And by the way – you’re beautiful! 🙂
I think your picture makes you look like a fun-loving person I would like to get to know better 🙂 What you say about unfiltered faith makes me also want to get to know you better. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. Visiting today from RaRaLinkup
Love this Suzie! Thank you for showing us “Unfiltered Faith” every day!
What an amazing picture. You RADIATE joy. Thank you for these inspiring words. Unfiltered pictures; Unfiltered Faith. LOVE IT!
Beautiful Suzie. I see your heart shining through in that picture. I love that you are embracing all that you are. I love the realness. I love that you didn’t choose a filter. I love your heart for unfiltered faith. I cheer you, and this post, from the #RaRalink; I am honored you joined us.