Have you ever gone to extremes when sharing your story? You know what I mean, embellishing the truth, name dropping, and flat out lying. If so, the poem below is for you.

I did it again, Lord,

And I’m sorry

You have convicted me before

about “name dropping”

“place-dropping,”

“knowledge-dropping”

That wasn’t the problem this time, Lord.

In sharing around the table

with a small group of dear Christians,

I realized afterward

there was an inner desire

to impress.

Oh, I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean.

We shared about You, Lord,

and that was good.

But somewhere in my being,

instead of sharing from an

overflowing heart,

I seemed to be sharing out

of a need to impress by my

“overflowing heart.”

Forgive me, Lord!

Help me keep silent

until You tell me to speak.

— Carole Mayhall Words that Hurt, Words that Heal

If these words resonate with you, please don’t wallow in your sadness and shame. I encourage you to use Mayhall’s words as a template for your own prayer. Come to Jesus. Lay your mess at His feet. Receive His forgiveness. Be the person that God created you to be’