Author Jennifer Rothschild to Women: Seek Truth Instead of 'Other Lovers'
CP: What about Gomer's story inspired you in your own struggles?
Rothschild: When I moved from judging Gomer to identifying with her, I began to internalize how profound the love of God is toward me. Unconditional. Unfailing. I began to understand how God comes to me whenever I get chained up in insecurity and He, just like Hosea, redeems me. He purchased my freedom on the cross and He buys me back from my own faulty thinking, insecurity and lack of identity every single day! He teaches me truth, draws me to Himself and calls me His own.
CP: What advice do you have for overcoming self-doubt?
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Rothschild: Know God and you will know your own value. Know God better and you will know your own identity better. We don't overcome self-doubt by applying confidence boosting actions — we overcome self-doubt by getting under the truth of who God is and how much He loves and values us. And, of course, the way to know God is to get into His Word and know what He says about Himself. Getting into His Word also brings intimacy with God, not just info about God. It is the intimate relationship with Him and personal knowledge of Him that brings security and banishes self-doubt.
CP: In this day and age, pressure to be perfect plagues many women because our images are often altered to create the appearance of perfection. As an artist who deals with these same things, how would you counsel people to combat that?
Rothschild: The perfection infection requires the authenticity antidote! Okay, I know that was pithy, but it is true. The only way to get over the perfection pressure is to be real and realistic. That pic on Facebook which appears perfect isn't the whole story. The put-together perfect version of people isn't the whole story. We need to be real, drop the pretense and be realistic — nobody is perfect; no life is perfect. Perfection only exists in our imaginations. If we give ourselves grace and give others grace to be real, then we will become more realistic in our expectations and interpretations. Our need for perfection is really just a cry for acceptance and approval. God has already heard and answered that cry — He accepts and loves us as the beautifully imperfect people we are!
CP: What would you like people to take away from Invisible?
Rothschild: My message to a reader of Invisible is this: You are not your past. You are not your failure. You are not what you've done, what you wish you did, what you regret or what others say about you. You are a loved, accepted, and complete woman of God! When you said, "I do" to Jesus, you became His beloved — you didn't earn His love, and you can't lose His love. You are — no matter what — God's beloved. So, if you need to be reminded of who you are, Invisible is for you.
For more information on Jennifer Rothschild and Invisible: How You Feel is Not Who You Are, visit www.JenniferRothschild.com.
