What does you Instagram bio say? What few words or emojis did you choose to use to explain who you are? What do you want people who may, or may not know you, want to learn from reading your short autobiography? I don't know about you but mine includes my school/location followed by "Sonic motz sticks." One, do I think that Sonic's magnificently moist mozzarella sticks define who I am, or, two, why am I even so passionate about a calorie-filled, overly fattening, fast-food option enough to use as the few descriptive words I choose for myself? I for one find Instagram bios to be such a unique and personal thing. Like really, when really thinking about what you want people to learn about who you are, what words do you choose? What would you say defines you?

I am a college student. I have had the blessing of attending the College of Charleston and I work how I would explain to my parents "extremely hard" as a Dean's list student. I am also a sorority girl. I am a proud member of the Zeta Lambda chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. One thing that all sororities enforce is the idea that you are always wearing your letters. This means that no matter what I do, I represent all the leading women of Kappa Alpha Theta. What do you think about that? Does that mean that those three greek letters define who I am? They might say yes -- but I say no.

Here in Charleston, I also am a Young Life leader at a local high school. For those who don't know, Young Life is a worldwide Christian Ministry for high schoolers. I could choose to place "YL" in my Instagram bio, and I probably have at one point of my life because it is an organization in which I'm involved in and one of the things I would choose for others to know about me. Where I'm going with this is that my involvement within a particular community does not define who I am. If everything I ever did defined me, then I would be a lot of things, both good and bad.

I know many people who suffer from depression, but that circumstance doesn't label their life as depressed. The dictionary provides standard definitions for thousand and a half words, but those words don't have to define you. My involvement, my actions, my values, do not define me. Neither do my successes or my failures. If so, I would wear a greek-lettered t-shirt ever yday with my Chacos and Patagonia as a stereotypical young-lifer with words ranging from "psycho" to "genuine" stamped on my forehead probably eating Sonic.

Want to know what else I am? I am a sinner. I have been broken at times. I face many trials each and every day and I struggle with them. My challenges circumstances don't define me and they don't define you because of God's beautiful grace and strong mercy. See, I've often wondered who am was? From reading this you can tell that I am a student, sorority girl, and a Young Life leader. Although each of those few things are true, I know these time-consuming communities do not answer my question because they do not make me up - these things do not complete me.

Who am I? I am a daughter of Christ. I am proof of exactly who He made me to be. My circumstances, what I do, who I'm with, and where I am do not define me. None of those things dictates my eternal happiness, bliss, or joy, These things do not determine my peace, content-ness, or stability. What does determine who I am is my identity in the Lord, my Creator. My school didn't create me. Neither did my sorority. What I've gone through and what my future holds doesn't either. What defines you is what created you. What knows your heart and keeps warm your soul. What has placed you on this Earth for incredible things. What loves you more than you will ever be able to grasp. It's the solid truth that the solid Truth is who I am. I often find myself thinking "if only" or "just a little more" and things will get better and I'll be happier. We all go through situations in which creates a giant pit in the back of our stomachs, and you know what-- there is only one thing to fill that void with. You are a flashlight and He is the battery-- of course, there is only one thing that will make us work.

"It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." - 2 Corinthians 1:22

I encourage you to look beyond the words that you would label yourself as. Stop accepting the labels others give you because that means noting longterm. What I think you should is ask God to help you understand and believe what He says about you. Scripture in the Bible doesn't say that I am a member of my sorority and that my Greek letters make up who I am, but rather who I am through the eyes of Christ.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask in the Father in my name, he may give it to you." - John 15:16

I choose to do the things I do and that's the difference between the love my heart holds for Kappa Alpha Theta, College of Charleston, and Young Life, but the love my heart holds for God is indescribable because our hearts were created to love Him. So, although I must strive to meet the expectations of being a member of my sorority and represent the letters I chose, but what I need to raise above that and do first is uphold my values in the Lord and understand that if I'm always wearing my Greek letters, then I am really always being the girl God created me as. I think that's valuable to know, that the things in our lives do not define us, but rather only our identity in Christ does. Also, the importance of our priorities and who brought us here to allow us to do all of the wonderful things we do because with the pursuit of what creates a fire in your heart, other things will fall into place.