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Michelle DeRusha

Every Day Faith. Faith Every Day.

August 15, 2014 By Michelle

A Journey of Life and Grace {I am a Spiritual Misfit Series}

I “met” Marie Bride just this past winter, when she participated in the online writing group Kimberly Coyle and I co-hosted for (in)courage. I love Marie’s sweet sense of humor and her brave willingness to plunge into a new writing group. Welcome, Marie — fellow misfit! {you can also connect with Marie on Twitter and Facebook}.

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In the beginning of 2014 I was blessed to participate in an online writing group where Michelle was one of the leaders; this allowed me to observe her wit and humor from a perspective of “tell me more.”

Later that spring, I joined the Spiritual Misfit launch team. The only problem, however, was that I joined late, so I was unable to receive a complimentary copy of the book. But where there is a will there is a way!

Not long after, I was checking my Facebook timeline and emails on my cell phone (which is not one of those fancy iPhones), and suddenly yelled out to my mother, “I won Spiritual Misfit! I’m in!” as my brother and nieces always say.

Thank You, Jesus!

When I opened the package a few days later, I discovered that Kimberly, the blogger who had hosted the giveaway, had specially wrapped the book and included a handwritten personalized note: “From one Spiritual Misfit to another. Thanks for entering the giveaway. Happy Reading! All the best, Kimberly.”

I decided not just to keep this gift to myself but to read it out loud to my mother. We are opposites – she is very outspoken and and I am an introvert.

Together we laughed till our sides hurt and cried with Michelle’s frustrations and doubts…which brings me to my own tale of misfittedness, which begins just before my third birthday.

We had moved from Michigan to California. I can still remember my mother’s announcement like it was yesterday: we were expecting a new addition to our family in the not-so-distant future.  As much as my two-and-a-half-year-old young mind could comprehend the situation, I knew I was not happy. I understood that my little world, which up to that point had been all mine, would soon be shared with a sibling.

Couldn’t I have just gotten a puppy or something?

MarieBrideI was coached and prepared to become the older sister — a process which included a photography session for a special Father’s Day photo, a gift for my dad. Dressed in a pink Swiss polka-dot party dress with matching bottoms, I was permitted to hold my favorite teddy bear in the photo. Teddy and I smiled and poised for the camera. Later, however, my misfittedness was obvious to all who saw the photograph. The picture, with Teddy’s leg caught in a ruffle, revealed I was wearing an unmatching pair of pants beneath the polka-dot dress. I finally admitted I had changed into the yellow bottoms without mom knowing after I’d wet the matching pink polka-dot pair.

Of course this is just one small story in a lifetime as a misfit on a journey of life and grace.

As I read and reread the many reviews, blog posts and comments from the Spiritual Misfit launch team, I am truly amazed at how many people find a true and sincere connection, a personal relationship, if you will, to Misfittedness.

The truth is, we are all spiritual misfits, and I am one of Christ’s misfits as well.

“My Grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Click here to purchase Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith. Click here to read all the posts in the I am a Spiritual Misfit series.

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When You Miss What's Happening Right Before Your Eyes {or, The Beach}
A Simple Prayer {I am a Spiritual Misfit series}

Filed Under: guest posts, Spiritual Misfit Tagged With: I am a Spiritual Misfit Series

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For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Triple Type A, “make it happen” (my dad’s favorite mantra) striver and achiever (I’m a 3 on the Enneagram, which tells you everything you need to know), but these days my striving looks more like sitting in silence on a park bench, my dog at my feet, as I slowly learn to let go of the false selves that have formed my identity for decades and lean toward uncovering who God created me to be.

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