By Lilly Kramar
Last night, I had the chance to listen in on a conversation with an old friend and my older sister. My sister, Olivia, has just returned home from her mission trip to Ecuador, and our friend, Aly, has recently had many life changes. Upon this humbling, reflective conversation, I gleaned many tidbits about growth! Especially as a younger sister and someone still understanding “femininity” and figuring out myself, I thought I would share some bits with a similar audience! Take what you will, and I pray for your continued growth as a woman after the Lord.
Find Your Own Space
I have grown up in the shadow of my older sister, so I cannot explain the freedom I felt upon experiencing my freshman year of college last year. In the sense that I had the opportunity to recreate myself, rebrand my identity from “Olivia’s little sister” in our small town of Youngsville to “Lilly” at Regent University, and then have the chance to break new ground and make new friends. It’s not wrong to leave old friendships you’ve clung to for comfort or to leave a part of who you once were, allowing yourself the space to grow into something new and your own.
Wear What You Want
I want to undergird this lesson with the point that we are ambassadors of Christ and are to glorify Him with how we use our bodies and present ourselves. So, Aly and I began to discuss the importance of clothes! The confidence they really can provide! Wear those funky pair of pants with a cool patchwork design or that incredibly fuzzy and ridiculous sweater. If it makes you feel more like you, being able to express yourself in newer ways, then do it. If people judge, they can, but you control the clothes you wear and who you place your confidence in: ultimately, the Lord.
Romans 6:13 says,
“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
Really Discover Yourself
Something I have struggled with is working within the freedom I have now as a believer. As someone who strives for routine and leans toward regulations and rules, legalism was a definite struggle I had to confront. However, Olivia’s wisdom last night resounded: “Find yourself! See who the Lord created you to be and what passions or strengths He’s given you. See what He created you to like and dislike or to be strong or weak in all those things, but find them out for yourself!” In allowing yourself to make those mistakes within reason and a heart sought after obedience, you truly open yourself up to growth in ways you never thought. Even now, I find myself so clueless about who I am! I’m still picking apart the pieces of what “Daughter of the King” and “saved in Christ Jesus” really look like in my daily life. I encourage you to do the same, struggle and challenge yourself.
Thus, I hope that by sharing our late-night conversation and lessons, you can find your space for growth in confidence and identity in Christ. Have your own moments of introspection and learning from others, and feel free to share them in the comment section below.
Scriptures quoted from the New King James Version.Photo by Ryan Riggins on Unsplash.
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2 responses to “Spaces for Growth”
Ms. Kramar, I believe you were the young woman involved in yesterday’s terrible accident. I pray for your family, friends and especially your sister, that they always remember how you felt their love and live their lives the way you would want them to. Rest in peace.
Aloha LG,
Yes, this was written by Lilly. She loved like Jesus and desired that others might know the freedom she found in Him. Thank you for your comment. She will be missed, especially for the godly wisdom and grace she shared as a part of this ministry.
In case you are interested, her last article for SheBelieves Co. will appear in our inaugural magazine on June 1, 2023. You can access a free digital copy if you return to our website on or following June 1, 2023.
In Christ,
Summer Elizabeth Ball