The City of Trees became Boise's nickname before it was even a city. As the story goes, after trekking through the desert along the Oregon Trail, French fur trappers came upon the Boise River Valley and shouted "Les Bois, Les Bois," or "the trees, the trees," in French. The name soon caught on.
As the cold weather now settles into Idaho, I’ve been surprised at the determination of the trees holding on to their leaves. Fall-colored leaves stubbornly cling to branches through freezing temps. Finally, with a few snowfalls now behind us, the trees are mostly bare.
A false sense of identity is kind of like those leaves. It can be difficult to shed and let go of. We can become so wrapped up in self-perceptions based on roles, titles, and what others think or say about us. We lose sight of who we truly are. The process of shedding the mask of false identity and embracing who we really are does not come easy. The lies we tell ourselves, and which shape our self-perceptions, can be stubborn. Kind of like those Fall leaves.
Dutch writer Henri Nouwen identified “three human lies” we believe about our identity—what he referred to as our False Self:
1. I am what I do.
2. I am what I have.
3. I am what other people say or think about me.
Which “lie” or combination of lies have you bought into? What would it look like to see yourself for who you really are?
The Advent season for me has become a sacred time to shed the false and embrace the true. What I’ve allowed to build up over time must be torn down, one true word from God at a time, until the weight of false identity is lifted and I’m free to live and work from an authentic place.
Eventually, old growth must give way for new. Christ came to make sure of that…
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” - Isaiah 43:19
This season of the year is perfect for setting aside time to discern and discover the new things taking shape in our heads and hearts. As a way to get clarity, download my free Discernment Guide. Then, carve out some quiet space to sit with the questions. What’s the new you’re being invited into?
3D Transitions™ Group Coaching Coming Soon!
My newest offer is a 3-week group coaching journey called 3D Transitions™. Join me and discover and create a sustainable process to center life around what truly matters. If you would like to get really get on what’s next and have a plan to get there, this program is for you! Space is limited. Learn more and register HERE.