Confessions of a Self-Promoting Girl: How to Make Jesus More Famous

Confessions are hard, yet I find myself needing to confess. Yes, it’s confession time again. Surprisingly, I’ve decided to rewrite this open letter to my readers. This one is a revamp of a post from last year. Why? Because more than anything, I want to be truly understood by you and this post still rings true. Perhaps, even louder than before. It matters to me; it’s my nature to want to please. While God’s refining the need for approval in me, I’m still a work in progress. Aren’t we all? Meanwhile, here I am asking you a very important question.

Would you be my secret keeper?

Would you sit with me for a spell and hear my heart? I mean really hear my heart. Would you wait on the other side of the screen and let me let it all out? If you will, read on sweet friend.

Confessions of a Self-Promoting Girl

confession self promotion Jesus

Notably, I didn’t grow up going to confession. But, today I’m feeling the need to cleanse my soul. Honestly, I feel a little cheap and kind of dirty too. I’ve felt like this before, but for so many other (unholy) reasons. What exactly is this overwhelming feeling?  I think it has a name. Most certainly, this burden, the one I’ve carried throughout this past year, is shame.

Interestingly, it’s the end of my first year of Real Victory Radio and it’s that time again. Whew! It’s been quite a year. Still, I find myself writing to purge. It’s been downright rough at times…  putting myself out there time and again. Truly, it’s been a stellar, off-the-chart year on many levels. I am honored and excited to steward this amazing gift God has so sweetly entrusted to me. However, there’s a little part of me that’s more scared than excited. Real Victory Radio is a dream. One I didn’t even realize I wanted.

I know, I should be thrilled at the prospect of another year behind the mic. But, in a way, I’m kind of not. Don’t get me wrong; I love doing this. But, it’s really hard to ask people to buy into your dream. Harder still to fundraise for your own ministry. Being both the Founder and the CFO, Chief Fundraising Officer could be likened to wearing one of those drama masks. You know, the black and white ones where your profile from either side looks completely different. Surprisingly, it’s not quite so black and white. Believe it or not, it’s not easy to keep tooting your own horn.

To be honest, I’m exhausted. Really, I’m not complaining; I’m probably just confessing what you may have already guessed. In fact, I feel like it’s a glaring truth. Most days, I just do the next thing on my long to-do list. As a writer who longs to be traditionally published, this platform building…horn-tooting…shouting out is required. Yes, it is to get noticed. Usually, I’m embarrassed. Most often, I’m feeling awkwardly out of place.

Confession:  This is an introvert’s worst nightmare!

Honestly, I’m afraid you won’t like me anymore. That you’ll unfriend me, unlike my ministry page, or be bothered by my every word. I’m afraid if you know the truth, if you know the real me, it won’t be enough. You might not even care or worse, you might leave without saying a word. I know I’m not alone in this because each and every one of my writer friends could have written this blog post tonight and probably with much more grace. But, it’s a chance I have to take because in the end, I’m not in it for me.

confession self promoting Jesus

Confession: I’m tired of tooting my own horn

There it is, my biggest confession. What a beautiful gift it is to tell on yourself. What a blessing to spill the beans and tell the truth. I’m hoping by the end of this blog I’ll feel refreshed and cleaned up a little too. Mostly, I hope to be better understood by you, sweet friend. More than anything, I want you to know why I’m doing all this in the first place. It looks a lot like self-promotion, doesn’t it? But, there’s more to the story. There’s something much bigger going on behind the scenes. I wanted to let you in…to let you have a glimpse of the real story.

Deep down, we all want to be seen, heard, and known. It’s innate. God placed those desires within to draw us closer to Him. What we’re really looking for is intimacy. What we want is to be understood by those around us.

Confession: I want you to know me. But, what I want even more is for you to know what Jesus has done in my life and will do in yours

Your heart matters to me. Your life matters to me. I want you to know you’re not alone. I want you to know I’ve been there. Maybe not the exact places you’ve been, but I’ve faced some hard things where God showed up and made a way. I want you to know God will make a way for you too. Whatever you’re facing, you are victorious because of the Cross. Nothing is too big or too messy for God to handle, not even what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. With God on our side, and He is on our side, we can rise up and fight our way through bigger battles than we dare to believe possible.

With God on our side, our battlefields become valleys of blessing.

~Amy Elaine Martinez, Becoming a Victory Girl

blessing battlefields self promotion confession

Truthfully, I’ve been in a battle with myself lately. How do I find the boundary line of self-promotion and making Jesus famous? Because that’s what this girl is all about and I need a boundary line so as not to cross it.

The story God’s written on my heart to share with you feels weighty and fragile. Like every little girl, I want so badly to make my Papa proud. Yes, I want that book deal; every writer does.

But, more importantly, I want to say the right words, write the powerful lessons, and draw your heart toward Jesus in such a way you never want anything less, only more of Him. Because only Jesus satisfies. Intimacy is what we're longing for and being known and seen and heard can only be found in a deeper relationship with God. Click To Tweet

God’s Confession

God loves you.

He wanted a relationship with us so badly, He sent His only Son to die that we might live. Likewise, God set us free to stay free. So, today, I’m shaking my fist at the shame that threatens to take me down. I’m gonna get my praise on and start thanking God for giving me an assignment to accomplish. When shame calls, the best weapon we have is thanksgiving. So join me in putting on your boxing gloves. Let’s start throwing our punches of praise right back at regret.

confession self promoting punches of praise

That’s right, no more shame or regret. God gave me a voice. And for a time, I have a radio show to reach people who need to know they are free and can live a victorious life! Yes, I will use my voice to shout from the mountaintops of my Savior’s love and power to set us free. Through Jesus, we’ve been loosed from the chains of shame in our past. Finally, I can be set free from the embarrassment of self-promotion. And, yes, fully free from the lie of the enemy. Shame does not win the day. That’s just not true!

This is my confession…

Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. Galatians 5:1 TPT

If you’re a writer, I hope I’ve spoken well for you today. I know this struggle is real. My prayer is for all of us to keep shining a light on Jesus and making Him more famous. I hope you’ve found a little “how to” in the lines of this page. And, if you’re a reader, thank you for listening.

Thank you for hearing my confessions.

Most of all, thank you for being my secret-keeper. I need you to know the girl behind the self-promotion. She adores you. She loves Jesus. Her heart’s desire is to make Jesus famous.

Unbelievably, Jesus radically changed me from the inside out. I can’t help but tell someone, really anyone who will listen, about the wonder-working power of God. It is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit taking us broken girls and making us whole again.

Really, isn’t God so good?

A while ago, I wrote about the hard work of becoming. It’s a matter of the heart and God is serious about it. Thankfully, He loves us enough to see us through. When our hearts finally want His fame more than our own, we’re just scratching the surface of the depths of revelation He has for us. God looks at the heart. I hope you’ve seen part of mine today. Simply put, this statement pretty much sums up what God’s been up to in my life: Becoming is heart work.

becoming is heart work Amy Elaine Maritinez

Final Confession:  It’s really all about making Jesus famous and not me at all.

Finally, making Jesus famous is the heart behind my ministry and calling. Unfortunately, there are many voices vying for your attention and if I don’t tell you about what’s going on here, no one else will. Consequently, the announcements for blogs and radio shows must continue. Here’s a very important announcement: we’ve just signed a contract for a SECOND YEAR of Real Victory Radio. There’s a lot of exciting changes ahead! I can’t wait to share them with you in the weeks to come. But for now I’m content to sit still and stay quiet.

In fact, I’m taking a little time off to sit in my quiet, still, intimate space with God. Frankly, this shouting out has plumb worn me out. Seems like, there’s still so much to accomplish in the remainder of this year. At times, you’ll find me a littler quieter on social media than before. Rather than tooting my horn, may the lights always shine on Jesus.

My prayer: Jesus, take the limelight in my life. Be centerstage.

In conclusion, I’m praying for God to meet you right where you need Him most. Also, I’m thanking God for each and every one of you. You make me smile on the days when the words won’t come. Even more, you make me press in a little harder to hear God’s voice. Honestly, it’s all about you and Jesus!

Lovingly,

Amy-elaine-minsitries-logo

In closing, do you need help in your battle to be still? Read this post:  Winning the Battle to Be Still

Need to DECLARE God’s Word over your destiny and calling? Listen to this:  Episode 18: How to Walk in the Freedom of Your Calling

Here I am, doing one of the hard things God’s called me to do. If you’ve read this far, I’d love for you to consider partnering with Amy Elaine Ministries by joining The Victory Movement. Real Victory Radio is a listener-supported radio outreach program and we can’t do this without your prayers and support. Would you prayerfully consider helping  Real Victory Radio keep its message of victory and hope on the air. Our message is vitally important in a world that often leaves women feeling defeated. Our desire is to help women know God more intimately by learning to live a courageous and victorious life through knowing God’s Word more completely. Ultimately, the empowering message in God’s Word of Jesus’ death on the cross is our victory!

© Amy Elaine Martinez and AmyElaine.com, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner are strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Amy Elaine Martinez and AmyElaine.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

9 Comments

  1. Natalie | Milk and Honey Faith on November 28, 2018 at 10:24 am

    I absolutely love your heart and can identify with everything you’ve said here. It’s difficult to find the balance but as long as we are promoting Jesus and He is our message I think it’s God-given promotion. We are obligated to shout from the rooftops! Much love friend 🙂

    • Amy Elaine Martinez on November 28, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks Natalie! Balance is hard. Thanks for your sweet words here. I love it- “God-given promotion” Yes! ?

  2. Beth on November 28, 2018 at 11:32 am

    I struggle with this too, Amy Elaine. So I really appreciate your vulnerability and desire to do this for an audience of One! But even beyond the issue of feeling embarrassed about “tooting my own horn,” sometimes I fall for my own propaganda! Lol! I mean, I sometimes think I’m better than I really am. I always want to do my ministry for the sake of the Lord, but can easily get sucked into doing it to impress others. So it’s a one day at a time, one moment at a time, effort to surrender my gain so that Christ is glorified instead. Thanks for this thought-provoking and encouraging post, my friend!

    • Amy Elaine Martinez on November 28, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      Yes! It’s a tightrope act for sure. Surrender is the key as you’ve suggested. Thanks for commenting. Here’s to one day at a time- we’ll do it together!

  3. Carmen on December 4, 2018 at 11:02 am

    Thanks for writing! I appreciate your vulnerability and courage–this post is so beautiful and relateable!

    • Amy Elaine on December 4, 2018 at 2:23 pm

      Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement Carmen!

  4. Joelle Povolni on June 22, 2019 at 3:58 pm

    Amy Elaine, Beautifully written. As a fellow encourager of women in their faith and a writer/blogger, I too, have had to change my mindset on how I serve others well, instead of viewing it as self-promotion. You are carrying out your calling with excellence and sharing it with others is important or they will never be able to open the amazing gifts of encouragement that God has gifted you to share through writing and speaking. So I am cheering you on for your bravery, courage, and faithful obedience. Shame has no place for sure. Believing with you for all God is calling you too. You got this because you already know He has got you!

    So heres a high-five from a “sister” who is with you, stepping out by faith, venturing out to do all God has equipped each of us to do, by His mighty strength and power and unlimited resources! You go girl!

    Cheering you one!

    Joelle

    • Amy Elaine on June 23, 2019 at 7:56 am

      Thank you so much for these words! Yes, I love the reminder of His unlimited resources!

  5. Resurrect Christianity on July 12, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    Bless you Amy Elaine.

    Feel no shame in self-promotion.

    He was the greatest self-promoter known to mankind.

    We would not be discussing Him in our day if He didn’t self-promote in His day.

    He promoted His wisdom and His miracles and His own words and asked that they be shared amongst the masses.

    Self-promoting was His mission. Christianity would not exist if it wasn’t for His words being promoted by Him and for Him by others.

    He asked that we live as Christians and promote Christian life.

    And here we stand, 2.2 Billion Christians, through promotion.

    Our Christian faith, values and the Christian lives that we lead are worthy of promoting as they set an example to others.

    To promote and share in Him and His word is the ultimate Christian calling.

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