.jpg)
A Texas born and raised pastor’s kid, Whitney McIntosh is the sweetest soul you’ll ever meet. We connected on Instagram and I was captivated by her desire to seek Jesus in everything she does. I immediately saw her as a girl who ‘gets it’ when it comes to how we identify ourselves, so I loved having her on the show to chat about identity. She is passionate about finding peace in our identity and also works for an organization, Pure Hope, that shares a unique way of abiding in our sexuality in Christ.
Before discussing identity, Whitney gave me a bit of backstory as a daughter of a pastor. As you can guess, this means a life that can be somewhat sheltered. But she also paints the sweetest picture of her early years where God covered her in His loving protection away from major strife or hardship. A turning point for Whitney’s life came during her years as a teenager. Typical teen rebellion brought out a new facet of her relationship with her parents and also with Jesus. As she reconciled her wrong or deceitful choices, she got to see a full picture of God’s grace and mercy orchestrated by the way her parents discipled and disciplined her.
In this episode, we break down cliches and classic typical christian phrases. Two big ones are “identity in christ” and “Quite Time/Devotional Time”.
We talk a bit about the phrase ‘identity in Christ’ and what that can actually mean in the realest sense.
Sure, “find your identity in Christ” is a cliche. But what does that actually mean? Whitney explains a lot of her perspective was changed when she read the book, The Truest Thing About You by David Lomas. We also discussed what it means to live “IN CHRIST”. I’ve listed all the scripture references that Whitney shared so that you, too, can meditate on God’s word when it comes to who you believe you are.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 1
1 John 3:3
Speaking of scripture, Whitney says we need God’s word more than anything to reorient our thinking, not just speak to our needs. It’s easy think of the Bible as a method for comfort or as a quick fix, but the goal of scripture is to continue to grow closer to the Lord. She references Jen Wilkin when reminding us how much we need God’s word every day to sustain our thinking and to keep us fixed on Him. I love this reminder and how reading scripture can change our worldview and our personal sense of self.
Whitney talks about a time when she was struggling to find security in her identity and how she felt desperate to be working in a place of purpose. Stripped away from her hometown, Whitney struggled to find a job that matched her desire of fulfilling God’s purpose. Listen to the story of how she eventually connected with a fantastic organization, Pure Hope, as a result of God’s perfect timing.
Scroll to these stand out parts in the episode:
[4:00] Whitney’s awakening of her salvation and seeing God’s grace in her life.
[10:00] Who are you really?
[16:21] How to better understand our own Identity
[20:00] Whitney’s search for Identity in her work
[25:00] Idolizing Your Reputation
[31:00] Pure Hope – God’s More Compelling Story of Sex vs. Other Mindsets in the Christian Community
Quotable Moments:
“The truest thing about you has to be something that isn’t subject to change. The truest thing about you at your core, who you are, is that you’re a beloved child of God.”
“For the first time I realized oh, I don’t have to perform. I don’t have to prove myself in any way by the approval of other people or my performance.”
“I am a beloved child of God and I can live from a place of love and acceptance in Christ.”
Learn about Pure Hope
Follow Whitney on Instagram
Pure Hope on Instagram
