On Sunday we explored how we can makes ourselves Not Okay On Sunday we explored how we can makes ourselves Not Okay! As teenagers or adults sometimes we are not okay. We have been taking off our masks and showing our true colours. Talking about the stuff that is going on in our lives. We spoke about how we are not okay at home or with our friends.

Before we start I am going to play this video Before we start I am going to play this video. Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs but he has learnt to accept himself and has a powerful message for us today! Get it on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0daM97RT0k. When we see a story like this there is no way that we can think we won’t make it!

I will be okay!

It is not One Day that we will be okay!

But after tonight we will be okay – if we listen to what I am saying and to each other tonight!

I know some of you think your life sucks I know some of you think your life sucks! Get certain grades, make a team…

We look around and think we are not enough!

We feel like failures! Moments when we think we won’t make it!

We look in the mirror and see what we should not see We look in the mirror and see what we should not see. Some days we wake up and we just look good and other days we don’t look good.

“If you could change one thing about yourself – what would it be and why?” All of us have an answer to this question!

We all struggle with self-doubt some times We all struggle with self-doubt some times! We are self-conscious of what we will look like or say like. Am I cool? Are my jeans low enough! Sometimes we have moments when we absolutely hate ourselves!

But I want us to find steps to how can get to Okay!

“I know I’m special ‘cause God don’t make no junk “I know I’m special ‘cause God don’t make no junk!“ Stand up and look at yourself and say: “I know I’m special ‘cause God don’t make no junk!

Here is another one: When God created me, he was showing off!

No body is perfect! 4 People are picked out of the crowd and we have to judge which is the most beautiful. We can’t do it! Each person is different, they have a different style – each is important! If we lost one of them we would be poorer for it!

So what are the Steps to being “Okay” with Me So what are the Steps to being “Okay” with Me? There was an actress on Oprah who had struggling with Anorexia or Bulimia and a girl in the audience who was currently struggling with it. The actress said you have to change the way you see yourself. See yourself healthily – positively. You have to change the way you think. But the girl asked how do you do that! The end of the story: The girl died – the disease killed her. She did not know how to get well. We can tell you what to do – but unless you go away and do it you won’t get to Okay! Get these steps about how you do well. Remember the steps to being Okay? (1) Admit to yourself; (2) Speak to Father (pray about it); (3) Tell a friend (Mxit it someone, BBM or Facebook someone); (4) Ask for Help; (5) Focus on the Future. These steps are there so you don’t die – spiritually, emotionally or actually.

1. Accept Yourself – Accept that God made you just the way you are.

This is a video clip from Anger Management where one character (Adam Sandler) is asked to introduce himself, but he keeps on saying what he does and is challenged to speak about who he is. Noy your job or your hobbies or your personality – but who you are!

Exercise: Everyone gets a piece of paper and writes down who they are Exercise: Everyone gets a piece of paper and writes down who they are. Imagine you are describing yourself to someone you have never met who lives in France and you want to get them the best description of who you are. This is one of the hardest questions you will ever have to answer. I am going to ask 2 people who don’t usually come and speak to come up to the front and read what they have written. You have to know who you are before you can accept yourself!

2. Be Yourself – There is a Proverb that speaks about the fear of man being a trap or a snare. There are many reasons why people are not themselves! Sometimes we want to do something but we are too afraid to step out and do it because of what people will think of us!

Exercise: Guys on one side of the room and girls on the other side of the room. One of the things that holds us back from being ourselves is the fear of people. Quote: “When you are disciplined people admire you – they say wow that is awesome. But when you are passionate that is contagious – they want to do what you do or be what you are!”

Don’t try and be someone else Don’t try and be someone else! They have these competitions in the States where people try look like someone else. This is okay as a hobby but not as a lifestyle.

You were born an original, don’t die a copy You were born an original, don’t die a copy! This exercise will try and unlock the freedom to do stuff. Let’s have a row of guys. When the music starts I want you to walk towards the girls – walk in a way that expressed who you are and what you wrote in the previous exercise. At church we hear a song and want to move, but we don’t because we are in church, so we default to the traditional side step. Even at church the fear of men can grip us! It is not because you don’t want to, but for some reason something says to you – you can’t do that!

People have gone to great lengths to change what they look like!

It is both guys and girls who spend too much money on things like this.

Once we accept what we see in the mirror we will be on the road to being ourselves! Get the picture of yourself that is on our wall and look at it. What do you think when you see yourself? Either in the pic or in a mirror? Do you think the photo is the problem? Can you get to the place where you accept everything you were given as a child of God.

Jesus was asked: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Jesus continued: And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor…

as you love yourself.’ Jesus, in the same breath said that we have to love our neighbours as we love ourselves – this is on a par with loving God! We are so quick to see our faults and struggle to love our selves!

I love God – that is awesome!

I love my neighbour – that is awesome!

I love myself – that is tough!!!

3. Correct Yourself. Watch your self-talk – the things that you say to yourself!

All of us have moments when we say bad things about ourselves All of us have moments when we say bad things about ourselves! When we find ourselves doing this we must correct ourselves! There is no way that God would call us ugly!

Stop yourself and say something positive Stop yourself and say something positive. Whatever replacement words you can use will be helful! Focus on the positive and remember that God fashioned you – so you can say you are beautiful! You are not finished yet! There are inadquacies, things that are not perfect, but God is still working on me. David did some terrible stuff, but God still called him a man after his own heart! David brought back the equivalent of the rugby world cup – in it is God’s power so whoever has the cup will be an awesome nation. God’s presence was living in the ark of the covenant. David was so happy that he started dancing! Remember the song: I’ll become even more undignified than this” – it comes from this story! His wife challenges him and he says I am so free in God’s presence that I will do whatever

I love this picture: When I’m sad I stop being sad and be awesome instead.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do!” (Ephesians 2:10). There is a reason why we are the way we are – because has prepared things for us to do – and we are walking into our destiny and soon we will see that it all makes sense. Why we had no money at home, why my parents divorces. When we read the Bible we know that our life is in good hands. Those negative thoughts and experiences make us stronger so we can fulfil the good deeds that God has prepared for us. He is like a life coach – he is preparing us for something awesome. Oprah would not be who she is today if she had not gone through tough times in her life!

4. Develop Yourself.

Discover what you can do and get better at it!

Don’t listen to Homer Simpson who says that “Trying is the first step toward failure.”

Your failures do not define you Your failures do not define you. It is important to know where you are weak because you can work on it and improve! You must work on character flaws! Identify them and develop in those areas.

Video: Nick Vujicic shows what you can do if you don’t give up Video: Nick Vujicic shows what you can do if you don’t give up! Get it on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAuY5ZKlIpQ

Whatever is happening in your life, my prayer is that you don’t give up! That your faith does not fail. My prayer is that nobody here gets left behind. That you stick as close to Jesus as possible. Everytime you gossip, backbit, sin, masturbate – that you are able to say Lord I have messed up, I have fallen again. The Bible say that he is able and willing to forgive us! He will wash you as white as snow. Every single time! There is nothing you can do that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. God will always love you but you can choose to walk away. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? The father let his son leave, but he was waiting for his son to return. Some of you have walked away from father, but you can come back, confess and be yourself!

I am not okay but I will be. This has been an awesome series I am not okay but I will be! This has been an awesome series! We have gotten real! These are tool which will save your life. On Sunday we take the next step with our Paint the Town Red series!