read this when it feels embarrassing to do something God has called you to do
!! spoiler alert: you're letting fear of man captivate you
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the dove · ansley claire’s editor’s letter · july 2026
from the editor’s prayer closet:
I think that since I was eight years old I’ve known that the Lord’s plan for me was going to be different.
untraditional.
creative.
revival-driven.
catered to my personality.
unexpected.
embarrassing.
growing up, I always felt drawn to creating freely in art class, wanting to take over my art teacher’s job, dressing up as an artist for career day, watching youtube in all of my free time, reading as many books for my accelerated reading program as I possibly could, being imaginative on the playground, logging onto animal jam or pixie hollow just to decorate my house, playing minecraft in creative mode only, & making my mom sign me up for sewing class/art programs/cooking class/girl scouts/you name it.
did I ever feel like I truly fit in among my peers? no.
but, did I so often feel free to create & carry myself confidently, even if no one (other than my mom) cared? yes!!! when I reflect on my childhood, I don’t recall the feeling of embarrassment ever being very prominent (unless I had to do timed multiplication facts tbh). I just remember the childlike joy of creating & the comfort of knowing that I was created to create in whatever forms I felt drawn to most (& that I didn’t have to be any good at fractions to write a poem or color an old cardboard box), simply because the Lord said so. at the time - at eight years old - that was enough for me: the Lord said so. God created me to create well & to lean into my (dramatic, diva, whimsical, crafty) personality as much as possible in all I did at all times. because the Lord said so!
‘“God spoke to Moses, ‘see what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how & expertise in every kind of craft to create designs & work in gold, silver, & bronze; to cut & set gemstones; to carve wood - he’s an all-around craftsman.
not only that, but I’ve given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. & to all who have an aptitude for crafts I’ve given the skills to make all the things I’ve commanded you.”
- Exodus 31:1-6 (the message)
I think that since I was eight years old I’ve known that the Lord’s plan for me was going to be different. at eight years old, I was content to create & be different. at eight years old, I knew that I wanted to marry prince harry. at eight years old, I was proud of being ansley claire because God made ansley claire perfect & good. at eight years old, I didn’t know what embarrassment was.
embarrassment came when I was ten years old & one of my peers pointed out that my arm hair was darker & longer than that of other girls. that it was weird to read the guinness world record books for fun in the carpool line. that I was awkward when I ran across the playground or wanted to still play fairy tales. it was embarrassing to sit alone & read. it was embarrassing to look forward to english class. it was embarrassing to draw or sing because I’m really not any good at it & apparently you’re supposed to be good at something to participate in & enjoy it.
at ten, I started saying I wanted to be an occupational therapist instead of an art teacher with a youtube channel because that was weird & unrealistic & everyone else said doctor or dentist or vet.
embarrassment: a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness. fear of man.
embarrassment: the thief of confidence & creativity. a breeding ground for insecurity & lack of boldness that often leads to a mindset of the “what if?”
the enemy brought embarrassment into my life to box me in & to stop me from excitedly diving into the wonderful, yet outside-of-the-box, plan that the Lord has for me. if I’m too busy thinking about how I appear to this world in my Kingdom endeavors & appearances, I am not giving the Lord enough space to truly work in & through me.
imagine how many doors you miss running through because you’re too embarrassed to try something new!!!!! think back to a time before you truly felt embarrassed & remember how freeing it was to be yeah maybe a little weird, but confident & bold.
psa !! what the Lord is calling you to do may be embarrassing to this world, but it will be so rewarding to step out in boldness & trust the Lord with what happens next & with people’s reactions.
do not let fear of man stop you from a fulfilling life pursuing God in crazy ways.
fear of man only leads to a life filled with regret & missed opportunities for obedience that you’ll have to look back on when you’re sixty.
the enemy wants you to think about everyone else, how embarrassing it will be to do ___, & be scared to be bold. the Lord wants you to think about Him. yeah, embarrassment is rooted in pride & so is insecurity!!!
“humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.” - c.s. lewis
would you be more willing to step out in boldness & do the very thing that God is calling you to do that you’re embarrassed & scared about if you knew that one person would hear the truth of Jesus Christ in the niche way they needed? if someone was able to break a sin cycle? forgive an enemy? have access to holy community? overcome addiction? all because of your “yes”?
I can assure you, based on our God’s mighty resume, that He will use that thing you’re too embarrassed to commit to to touch one person. to touch more than one person. to touch you. all for His glory!
what if I told you that you should do it anyway!!!!! do it, because the Lord said so! is that enough for you? if you don’t do it now, when else? what are you waiting for when He has already told you what to do?
the Lord has been teaching me that it’s okay to shed what the world taught me at ten years old & to shed believing that to be embarrassed is to be wrong. it’s okay to join a run club even if you don’t think you’re good at running (I did!), to play pickleball even though you’re instinct is to be embarrassed being seen doing any type of athletic anything, to worship the Lord loudly with joy even if you don’t think you sing pretty, to pick back up that hobby you had a long time ago but stopped because your peers didn’t think it was cool to have niche hobbies anymore.
it’s okay!!!! the Lord has dominion over embarrassment.
to be vulnerable for a second: I want to start a youtube channel, but I am scared & embarrassed, even though I know God has called me to social media ministry. what if my friends make fun of me? what if nothing happens or no one watches me? what if I get so busy & burnt-out during the school year that it falls apart, that I fall apart? what if it’s too weird?
but, what if I do it anyway? what if I trust the Lord with the load? what if this shows a little eight year old girl that the Lord loves her because He made her perfect & good? what if this helps a teenager reconcile what it means to live holy & love God in the day to day? what if the Lord uses it to change my life & to teach me so much?
what if I told you I’m doing it anyway!!!!! new vlog soon! like today soon! subscribe :)
little, practical things to help you battle the temptation of wallowing in embarrassment: speak directly to your feelings with the dominion God has given you over them & speak Truth to your perspective, write a positive “what if?” list, pray for God’s peace & for Him to highlight to you a door to walk through, set a timer for a couple minutes & just start the thing, & call a holy friend who will push you towards the cross. if you have more tips, please pop them in the comments below!
a recommended read or two from another sweet writer on a similar topic:
a quote from this piece that touched me a lot: “it [embarrassment] can function as an indicator that a person is participating in the world without excessive rehearsal. a conversation where no awkwardness is ever possible is usually a conversation where nothing new is happening.”
the dove dispatch!!!! things I’ve been loving & consuming:
I kid you not, when I was at camp I maybe ate a million bags of the Pop Daddy cinnamon sugar pretzels (gluten free, $4) & I still have yet to get over my obsession. I buy mine from Walmart!
my new favorite granola is the Purely Elizabeth pb cookie granola ($5)! from Walmart/Kroger & the perfect snack or yogurt topping. I love!
the Freestyle shark watch leash in the boho lime color (this color is sold out, but here’s a similar one for $70) has become a staple in my summer accessory rotation. I love an analog watch since it does not show my messages!!! it’s waterproof & so cute. I bought mine in NC!
a recent book I loved (am loving, actually): My Friends by Fredrik Backman ($16) - this novel really so addicting. it’s a deep literary fiction that just keeps getting more heart wrenching, & yet more hopeful. it follows the overlapping stories of a few very distinct characters with difficult upbringings through the significance of a famous painting! totally recommend.
not a new love, but a trusty one! if you know me, you know the Walmart No Boundaries clear jelly shoes ($19) have my heart & I wear them all. the time.
!!!! whimsy round-up of the week
until next time & with love,
ansley claire
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more tuesday mornings mail from my heart to yours:
“therefore, encourage one another & build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” - 1st Thessalonians 5:11
i totally needed to read this today!! so good as always!
I will sit alone and read with you ANY TIME