Remembering Who You Are: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Impact

Introduction to Identity

Understanding who we are at our core is pivotal in our journey through life. Each of us holds a unique identity shaped by our experiences, beliefs, and relationships. This identity not only influences our actions but also the impact we have on the world around us. A reminder of our true selves can often guide us through challenges and inspire us to make a difference.

Embracing Your Spiritual Identity

Every individual possesses an intrinsic value that transcends earthly measures. We are not merely products of our environment or circumstances; we are beloved creations with a divine purpose. Recognizing ourselves as cherished children and partners in a greater mission can empower us to act with confidence and humility.

The Power Within Us

We often underestimate our potential. Each person carries a spirit capable of transformative actions. The divine presence within us serves as a source of strength, enabling us to reach out and uplift those in need. When we embrace this power, we can become conduits for change, spreading light into dark places.

Living in Union

Our existence is intertwined with a higher essence, allowing us to experience life in a profound way. This union not only enriches our lives but also equips us to make a difference in the lives of others. We are called to be instruments of healing and restoration, reminding ourselves and others of our inherent worth.

Shaping Our Communities

As we navigate through life, it is essential to remember that our actions contribute to the larger narrative of our communities. Each interaction is an opportunity to embody our values and beliefs, influencing those around us in positive ways. We must strive to be role models, demonstrating what it means to live purposefully and authentically.

Beyond Religion: A Spiritual Approach

Many people identify themselves through religious labels, but the essence of spirituality extends beyond these confines. Being spiritual means living in alignment with our values and using our voice to inspire change. It’s about being a lighthouse, guiding others toward a meaningful existence rather than merely proclaiming beliefs.

The Importance of Authenticity

Authenticity breeds trust. When we genuinely share our journeys, struggles, and triumphs, we connect with others on a deeper level. This connection fosters a sense of community and encourages others to embark on their paths of self-discovery. The essence of our message lies in our willingness to be vulnerable and real.

Daily Acts of Kindness

Life presents us with countless opportunities to impact others positively. Small acts of kindness can lead to significant changes in the lives of those around us. Whether through conversations, support, or simply being present, we can make a difference in someone’s day.

Connecting with Strangers

Engaging with people we meet in our daily lives can lead to unexpected connections. For example, driving for rideshare services can introduce us to individuals who are navigating their own challenges. These interactions often provide us with a chance to share encouragement and support, enriching both our lives and theirs.

Creating a Ripple Effect

When we uplift others, we create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the initial interaction. A simple conversation can inspire someone to change their perspective, pursue their dreams, or overcome obstacles. By being intentional with our words and actions, we contribute to a more compassionate society.

Documenting Our Journeys

Every experience we encounter contributes to our life's narrative. Documenting our journeys, whether through writing or other forms of expression, allows us to reflect on our growth and share our stories with others. This practice not only serves as a record of our lives but also as a source of inspiration for those who may be facing similar challenges.

Writing as a Tool for Reflection

Journaling can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and healing. By putting our thoughts and experiences on paper, we gain clarity and insight into our lives. This process can also help us identify patterns, recognize our strengths, and acknowledge areas for growth.

Sharing Our Stories

Once we have documented our journeys, sharing them with others can amplify their impact. Our stories can resonate with those who may feel isolated in their struggles, reminding them that they are not alone. By being open about our experiences, we encourage others to embark on their paths of self-discovery.

Envisioning the Future

While our past shapes us, it is our vision for the future that propels us forward. Identifying our goals and aspirations can provide direction and motivation. By imagining the world we wish to create, we can align our actions with our vision, making it a reality.

Creating a Legacy

As we pursue our goals, we must consider the legacy we wish to leave behind. This legacy is not defined by material achievements but by the impact we have on the lives of others. Our actions today will echo in the future, shaping the world for generations to come.

Inspiring Change

Each of us has the power to inspire change within our communities. By taking initiative and leading by example, we can motivate others to join us in our mission. Together, we can create a movement that fosters positivity, compassion, and growth.

Conclusion: The Journey Ahead

Life is a journey filled with opportunities for growth, connection, and impact. By remembering who we are and embracing our unique identities, we can navigate this journey with purpose and intention. As we support one another and strive for positive change, we contribute to a brighter future for all.

Let us continue to uplift, inspire, and empower one another as we walk this path together. Remember, every action counts, and together we can create a significant difference in our communities and beyond.

Daily Podcast:

Daily Video Journal:

Daily Journal Transcript:

Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

It is August 19, 2024. Today's devotional is. Remember who you are.

Come closer, and let's talk about who you truly are. You are not only my beloved child, but my beautiful bride. You are the mouthpiece that I speak through.

Say my name, and all heaven and hell take notice. You are the hands that I heal through. Watch how I will lead you to others who need my touch.

You are my partner in ministry. Together, we will release light into the darkness. The same spirit that raised me from the grave lives inside of you.

Don't you see how powerful you are? You are the dwelling place of my holy spirit, and you are inside of me, living, moving, and existing in the wonder of mystery, mysterious union. In me, you lack nothing. My glory can revive you from weariness.

It's like a pep talk for your soul. My divine passion restores your soul and causes you to roar with confidence against the enemy. You were worth the price of sacred blood.

So stand tall, be confident and humble, my anointed one. Remember who you are. My old identity has been co crucified with Messiah and no longer lives.

For the nails of his cross crucified me with him, and now he is. And now the essence of this new life no longer is no longer mine. For the anointed one lives his life through me.

We live in union as one. My new life is empowered by the faith of the son of God, who loves me so much that he gave himself for me and dispenses his life into mine. Galatians 220 that's incredibly powerful.

I think we all need to remember who we are, especially who we are in Christ. He does use us as a tool, as a vehicle to implement his change. Not your change.

It can never be your change. You can only control yourself. You can only affect yourself.

But through him, through the words he gives you to speak, through the way you show up, you can affect millions of people. And that's how I try to live my life, is I don't ever want to tell anyone I'm religious. I don't even like religion.

I'm spiritual. I firmly believe in God, and I believe I am a mouthpiece for him. I look at my life, I want to be a lighthouse.

A lighthouse that guides others to what it means to live like Christ, rather than telling people, oh, I'm a Christian, trust me because I believe in God. Anyone who says that to be really transparent causes more doubt than trust. In my world, I've been burned by a lot of christians who are very vocal about being christian.

But that is life. And so it is up to each and every one of us how we show up. And it's up to each and every one of us to remember who we are in Christ.

So I want to encourage you today to remember who you are in Christ, who you are in God. And what is God using you to do for his kingdom? Because we're all pawns. We are all pawns in the same game.

It is our choice how we show up. So with that, I am going to go get to work. It's going to be a great Monday, and we are going to have a lot of fun.

I hope you guys have a great day, and we'll talk to you all soon. Life is a journey, and we are all in it together. On this journey, our goal is to support and protect as many people as we can.

If you believe we can be the change that we need in society, I invite you to follow the life with Justin Stephens. Joe, as we live life to do that change. One of the things I love about driving Uber is getting to bless people that I've never met before that are struggling.

So in the morning, on my way to work, turn on Uber and to see if I got any, get any rides, I got to pick someone up who is going through a lot. And I was able to drive her from Nampa all the way into Boise. And we had a great conversation just around life and what she was going through and all kinds of stuff.

And that. That is why I drive Uber. It's because it puts people in my life that I never would have met otherwise, and I can try and bless them and give them ideas.

So we talked about ideas on how to find housing and stuff like that. It was fun. And I gave her a Christmas ornament and encouraged her to keep going.

And I think it made a difference in her day, and I know it made a difference in mine. So I'm gonna go rock my work. If anybody needs security systems, I know a guy.

That guy is me, especially if you're an Idaho. So, with that said, I hope you all have a great day. On the way home from work, I picked up a uber rider.

Just dropped him off. Hey, there's a sonic troll truck. That was Kyle.

Just dropped him off. And we had a fantastic conversation. He wants to be an author, which I think is really cool.

So I talked to him a little bit about my idea, and I'm looking for a ghost writer, someone new, who's not experienced, that cares about our future and wants to be involved at some level. But isn't an expert. Oh, I want to make $100,000 selling someone's book or writing someone's book for them.

Now, my hope is we would make that money and I'd be able to compensate him based on it. But we start out with, let's just write a. I'd like a ghost writer to help me write down this story of what I'm trying to accomplish.

And so I told him I want it to be like future historical fiction. So it's a book about the journey to creating this change that I want. So just talking through it, I'm thinking there's two parts or really three parts.

So it starts with the past. So what is Justin's past? The early years, high school at Timberline, going to college at U of I, then working at Sandler, training, then my entrepreneurial journey. What is my professional past? What all does it look like? What all's in it? So that's part one.

Then part two goes to the fictional future. So what world am I trying to create? A. And so it jumps from my past, the story of my past.

And then part two jumps to 75 year old Justin. What world do I see? How do I see things working? How are they operating? And then it walks backwards from 75 year old Justin back through running for the US House of Representatives, running for the Idaho House of Representatives, working at secure Pacific throughout this whole journey. And then part three jumps to the present.

And the present is what, what are we doing today? What's, what are we working on today to create this future? And so the whole book is designed to take people on the journey with me. So it's a historical documentary. It's.

I don't even know how you would categorize it, but it's a documentary that's based on the past, but it's not done being written yet. So that's a. That's the book I want to write on my life.

That's what my. The blog. So every journal entry I do is one chapter in this book already.

Like, if you go to justindcstevens.com, that's my book. That's what we're writing every day now.

Every day. It's boring. But if you expand it over 40 years, then you can go to the highlights in the book rather than what happens in the day to day.

And one of the things that made me realize all of this is if you. I love the revolutionary war period of time. If you look at the revolutionary War, you could talk.

Let's say you spent an entire day talking about it. You could talk about a ton. But what you talked about would span probably a 20 year period of time now, because it was 200 years ago, almost 250 years ago, we're just hitting the highlights.

We're not down into the dirt and grit of what was Valley Forge really like on a day to day basis? What would it be like to live at Valley Forge for a week? It would suck from my opinion, my very amateur opinion, it would suck to live through Valley Forge. When George Washington was there in that winter, struggling to find food and keep the army clothed, it was not glorious. People died.

But a conversation around Valley Forge today is a 510 minutes conversation. And so, in the moment, things seem very boring and mundane and awful. But when you expand the time horizon over the impact those things were making, it becomes an adventure.

It becomes an entire system. And so that's what I look at the book I'm writing, my blog and journal. It's writing that adventure through the bad.

It's writing it through what we're doing. And so that's why a lot of people see my content as really boring and lame. Well, today it is because you haven't really seen the results of the book we're writing.

And so that's the cool thing about part three of the book I write. Part three's could literally just be a link to my blog, because it's. My blog has the most up to date content on the journey because it's just the documentation of my day to day life.

So that's. It was really cool having an author ride with me and just being able to talk about my idea and all of that. Hopefully, he finds my blog and reaches back out.

I gave him some contact information to make that a reality, but the ball is in his court, and that's how I try to do everything, is I'm going to leave the ball in your court. It's your choice to decide if you want to interact with me. I'm not gonna be the one following up and chasing someone if they don't want to be a part of what I'm doing.

Anyways, just getting home. Hope you guys had a great day. We'll talk to you all soon.

We're editing the videos for today and enjoying that gorgeous sunset. Gotta love it. Thanks for watching today's journal entry.

The best way to support my work is by following, liking, and sharing the content I create on a regular basis. I appreciate you being on this journey through time with me and have a wonderful day.