Thoughts on Book: You're a Badass by Jen Sincero

I recently read Jen Sincero’s book, You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. There are a lot of parallels to scripture in her somewhat new age book. And it is interesting to see someone outside of the church’s traditions who's been able to identify several of these principles and wisdom which can bring about great change in a person’s life.Much of her book is built around the power of thinking. The strength in envisioning victory and strength in oneself. She even talks about the power of faith and forgiveness. Believing in what you cannot see. Verbatim. It also involves trusting the “One” who is unseen that “this force” loves you deeply, unapologetically and does everything it can to see you succeed. This loving force leads you and guides you into real truth - not the "truths" you’ve believed through out your life due to what was shown to you when you were young.Another interesting thought she shared was this. We will all most likely fulfill several callings throughout our lives and not just one singular thing. This is refreshing. It seems to me that the church has this way of putting an “assignment” on folks saying they are supposed to be doing this thing or that thing. It’s usually singular in nature. For instance, be a teacher, preacher, evangelist, author, and so forth. When rather what really happens in life is that at times we may function as a teacher, then we maybe a singer or a mother or whatever else life draws out of us. We quite often function within several gifts or talents at the same time. This opens up options and freedom to function in many different ways throughout life. It’s an interesting thought to consider.A particular portion of the book challenges me to evaluate what makes me tick. What am I passionate about? What is it that I really desire? Why do I desire these things? Be specific.I desire to be physically fit, strong and able to do anything that I want to without physical restrictions. I want so much to experience and travel the world, meet people and experience life with other, very different people. I desire to work with my husband and own a business together where we can live wherever we want and make all the money we want to make being strong, independent and unified. I want to do things that are brave and bold. I want to see more out of myself than I thought possible. I want to encourage and mentor young girls. I want to visit my Compassion Int. Child (need to get better about remembering her name). I want to be able to give talks about things I’m passionate about, about experiences I’ve had. About God and his reality in our life and world. I want to be able to speak Spanish and hold a conversation. I would love to design a stellar office! To have no restrictions and be able to design, outfit and plan out a beautiful working space. I would love to love little ones in our home. To share the strength there is in love and grace.Some phrasing she uses is interesting. “Source Energy” & “Frequency”. Here’s an example: “In order to truly raise your vibration, you’ve got to believe that everything you want is available to you. And the best way to keep this belief strong is by staying connected to Source Energy”. I’d like to rephrase this for myself, “In order to truly raise your focus and attention, you’ve got to believe everything you want is available to you. And the best way to keep this belief strong is by staying connected to God through the power of the Holy Spirit who already is in me.”.And in meditating...seeing the way the world does this is interesting and definitely fashioned after prayer. It’s interesting that people who believe their connecting with the Universe are really trying to connect to God. I feel that they miss out on the person of who God is and how he came to the earth as a human in Jesus to really be able to relate to us. It makes me think of John 1.> “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing that was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1: 1-5It also makes me think of Jesus’ prayer over everyone of his disciples:> “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction as the Scripture foretold. Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. **I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me**. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” John 17: 9-23This connection to the universe is a reaching to be connected to God directly. We have so much available to us through the gifts and power God gave us already as human beings. Jesus' life and words in the above quotes show how much He wants us to know Him in this life. To live life with Him. My world view is filtered through the Bible, through love and my personal experiences as a Christian. As I read books of all kinds, secular and Christian, this is how I will always process - with this world view.I'm grateful for incredible authors like Jen Sincero. She's experienced a lot of life and pours her experiences into a readable format for all of our benefit - not having to go through what she's gone through but being able to reap the benefits of her own life's struggles and found wisdom. And isn't that what life is all about? Sharing our experiences, relating and connecting with one another, going after the dreams we have and gaining real value in this life. Being able to share life's stuff, the sweet and bitter, we can be much better - together.----Photo credit: Brooke Lark on Unsplash