By LDS.org: Chakell Wardleigh, Chaleese Leishman, and Chantele Sedgwick |August 2018
I am the oldest child of 5 siblings. Among us, I am the most different, and the older I grew, the more I noticed these differences. The labels that were passed on to me felt unfair because I knew I was more than what people would call me. I will admit that it did bother me some…OK, a lot, but when I came to realize that I am a child of a loving Father in Heaven, I learned that it is alright to be different. I love myself just the way that I am, with all my differences, and I celebrate them because I have my own individual divine qualities and talents that I’ve been blessed with. I’m sure we can all relate to the stories below.
Your worth is not determined by what you can or can’t do.
We humans love to label ourselves—daughter, artist, student, runner. While labels empower us, boost our sense of identity, and allow us opportunities for growth, there is also a dangerous side to them. When we compare our labels to others’, adopt labels that overpower or conflict with our divine nature, or allow some labels to make us feel inferior, our self-worth and spirituality can shatter into a million pieces.
Well, what if we told you that there is one significant, everlasting, and exceptional label we all share?
Here are some insights from three very different sisters, who are living three very different lives. But we all share the most important label of all.
Chantele:
Sometimes it’s hard not to compare yourself to others, especially within a family. An example that I’ve dealt with my entire life is having people compare me and my two sisters all the time. We are very different. We are in different stages of our lives and have different talents and different personalities. I’ve been married for nearly 15 years, I have four children, I have written and published five novels through the national market and have played the harp for almost 30 years. I have so many goals I want to accomplish. When I get frustrated over not fulfilling as many as I’d like, I remember Heavenly Father’s love for me, even if I don’t ever reach them all. While I do think our different talents help shape who we are, if you stripped all of that away—all of the talents and labels, none of that matters. It all comes down to one thing—our identity as children of God. As long as I’m doing the best I can, Heavenly Father will be with me. That truth helps me on my journey and brings me true comfort, regardless of the labels the world throws at me or even the ones I give myself.
To read more about their stories click HERE.
ToGather Saints 
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