Why It’s Okay To Feel Different

Claire Black: This is True Girl, a podcast for girls and their moms. Together we’ll explore God’s truth for us one drive at a time. Buckle up; you’re about to grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus. 

Welcome to the True Girl podcast featuring Dannah Gresh. If you want to be so full of truth that there’s no room for the world’s lies, then you’re in the right place.

In this season, we’re exploring all the songs on the True Girl original album. It’s music crafted to plant truth in your heart. Why? Because the music we listen to can have a big impact on our emotions, and more importantly, our beliefs. We want to use this entire season to remind you to be careful what you listen to. 

Today, we’ll hear a song called “Neon.” We’re going to talk about feeling, well . . . different from everyone else. Together, we’ll discover why that could be more than okay. Let’s get moving for season 3, episode 2, titled “Why It’s Okay to Feel Different.” 

Here’s your cohost, Staci Rudolph.

Staci Rudolph: True girl, hey! It’s Staci. 

Dannah Gresh: And Dannah’s here, too! Here I am. 

Staci: Now, Dannah, let me ask you this. Can I ask you this question?

Dannah: Yeah. 

Staci: Have you ever felt out of place? Just kind of different?

Dannah: Are oranges, orange? Okay, in sixth grade my mom and dad would not let me go see a movie that I think every other kid in my class was seeing, and I just felt so left out. I felt so nerdy and different. 

Staci: I used to feel weird about having to get up on Sundays for church.

Dannah: Really?

Staci: Yeah. I felt like Friday came and everybody was like, “I’m going to sleep in this weekend” and have all this fun. And I’m like, “I’m going to be up at 7:00.”

Dannah: For church. 

Staci: So we can make Communion, okay. 

Dannah: Yeah exactly. So, feeling different can be hard, because our desire is to fit in, to be liked, and to, well . . . basically not feel like an outcast.

Staci: But I just want to let you know that it is pretty normal for you to feel different. No matter what your situation is, if you feel that way, you are definitely not alone, my friend.

Dannah: True fact. When I wrote the book Lies Girls Believe, it’s a book for tween girls like you, I surveyed over 1,500 Christian girls from Christian homes. And one of the top twenty lies they believed was this: “My family is so weird.” 

And when I asked, “Why do you feel that your family is weird?” Well, there was no end to the reasons why they felt that way. 

Some girls said, “We don’t eat sugar in my family. Who doesn’t eat sugar?” 

Another girl said, “We have foster kids in our house, and that makes me feel different.” 

One girl said, “Goats. My family raises goats.” And I was like “what’s wrong with goats? I love goats. I love goats.” 

Anyway, it didn’t matter who the girl was or what made them feel different. Most of them felt really different, weird. And apparently, a lot of us think our families are weird in one way or another.

Staci: Yeah, like my family. 

Dannah: What? Give us the scoop on the Staci Rudolph family. 

Staci: My family eats so much fish that we should have gills by now. I’m serious, like it’s just essential. It’s like bread. We just love fish. 

Dannah: Okay, I know this about your family, which is why every time I eat a tuna fish sandwich, I dedicate it to you.

Staci: Hey, as you should. 

Dannah: Today, we want you to know that it’s okay to feel weird. I do have some good news for you; it actually might be a good thing. 

Staci: Yup. Let’s read what the Bible says about it. Today, our key passage of Scripture is from Philippians, which is a letter written by Paul to the church at Philippi reminding them to obey God. 

Here’s our sometimes cohost Chizzy Anderson with Philippians 2:12–15,

Chizzy Anderson: “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

Dannah: So, this verse says we’re supposed to live differently. We’re supposed to feel different, because that is one thing that shows other people that Jesus is in our lives. 

Staci: In fact, this verse says we should live so differently that we should shine like bright lights. We all know that you don’t need a bright light unless it’s dark, right?

Dannah: Right.

Staci: Well, sin makes this world kind of dark sometimes. When people do bad things, we feel that darkness and heaviness, you know?

Dannah: Yes. 

Staci: In contrast to that darkness, God wants us to shine like bright lights in this world. Girl, you and I were created to stand out. 

Dannah: Exactly. Think of it this way, Jesus came into the world, it was dark, why? Because there was sin in it. But He came in as the Light of the world. The Bible actually calls Him that. He died on the cross so that darkness could be eliminated through His sacrifice. Each of us has the chance to accept His free gift of salvation, and when we do that, Jesus lives inside each of us. That means the Light of the world lives in us, when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

So, Jesus said this about us in Matthew 5, verses 14 and 15, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” 

Jesus said that about us. If you have Jesus in you, true girl, you are a light. You should look differently from the rest of the world, because you are supposed to stand out. 

Staci: I’ll be the first one to admit though, sometimes it is so hard to live differently. 

Dannah: Yeah. 

Staci: I mean, you might have to make that choice to not watch a popular Netflix series or go to a movie everyone else sees, like Dannah was talking about earlier. Or you might have to get up earlier than all of your friends to spend time with God. 

Dannah: On Sunday. 

Staci: Yeah. Just like me. Or maybe you have to sit with someone who everyone else might not want to sit with. Dannah, do you find it hard to stand out sometimes?

Dannah: I sure do. I think everybody does. Did you hear that verse that Chizzy read, our key verse for today? It says, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” Yeah, it can be hard work. But as we obey God and live differently, we show the results of Jesus’ work in our hearts. 

Staci: And that’s what makes it so worth it, like that’s why we work so hard to point to Jesus. And when we work hard, He actually makes it easier, ironically, right? 

Dannah: Yeah.

Staci: Here’s more from that verse in Philippians, “For God is working in you . . .” He’s the one doing the work. “. . . giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” You can’t live like a bright light on your own power, God works in you. He’s going to give you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. 

He kind of puts your heart on fire to do what He wants. He set your heart on fire to do what He wants. 

Dannah: That’s right, I like that. That’s good. 

Staci: And then that’s when you stick out like a bright light. Dannah?

Dannah: Yeah?

Staci: What’s the brightest light you’ve ever seen?

Dannah: The sun, obviously. 

Staci: Okay, okay, let’s come a little closer to home, alright?

Dannah: Well, that would probably be the flashlight that I continually accidently turn on, on my smartphone . . . all the time . . . like, every day. 

Staci: Okay, funny and true, because you do that all of the time. But that’s not what I’m going for. Living like this reminds me of the way neon lights glow in the dark.

Dannah: Oh.

Staci: There’s no hiding a neon light in a dark room, right? 

Dannah: You’re right. Neon lights are super bright, I mean, if you’ve ever been to a True Girl show, you know that they can light up the whole stage. 

Staci: Especially when we do the song . . .

Dannah: “Neon!”

Staci: Now, that is today’s featured tune. I want you girls to know that this song is not only a great one to just dance to and go crazy, but it’s also a great reminder to live your life in a way that you look different, you stick out. 

Dannah: Yeah. Remember to listen for our key Bible verses in today’s song. 

Staci: Alright, DJ, drop that beat! 

My heart’s on fire;
You are my one desire.
I want to lift You higher;
I'll be a multiplier.

I’ll radiate Your love,
Bring heaven down from above
The darkness won't overcome, oh.

No matter what I do,
I want the world to see You
To see You.

I’ll be the neon;
I’ll glow in the dark.
Live for Jesus,
I am set apart.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark.

There is freedom 'cause I know Your grace.
Shining Your light every single day.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark.

The world tries to pull me in;
Won’t let that pressure win.
I'll choose to not be dim;
I’ll be Your reflection.

I’ll radiate Your love,
Bring heaven down from above,
The darkness won't overcome, oh.
No matter what I do,
I just want the world to see You.

I’ll be the neon;
I’ll glow in the dark.
Live for Jesus,
I am set apart.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark. 

There is freedom
'Cause I know Your grace.
Shining Your light
Every single day.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark.

At the speed of light,
You’ll break through the darkness
With your love inside.
I will choose to bring Your light to the hopeless.
I’ll keep shining bright.

I’ll be the neon;
I’ll glow in the dark.
Live for Jesus,
I am set apart.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark. 

There is freedom
'Cause I know Your grace.
Shining Your light
Every single day.
Be the neon in the dark.
I’ll be the neon in the dark.

At the speed of light,
You break through the darkness
With Your love inside.
I will choose to bring Your light
To the hopeless.
I'll keep shining.
I’ll be the neon.

Dannah: Woo, that song could totally be a workout. 

Staci: It is a workout. I know that all too well. 

Dannah: Okay, I feel you speaking to me saying, “Yeah Dannah, don’t you see how hard you make me work on the stage when I have to sing that song, and dance to that song, and get the audience energized to that song?” I have to say, I’ll give it to you. I’m always impressed with how you guys do that on the stage. 

Staci: Thank you, thank you. 

Dannah: I don’t even know how you do it. 

Staci: Well, I’ll tell you how we do it, God gives us the power to do it. 

Dannah: Nice. 

Staci: Yes. 

Dannah: Nice way to bring it back around. Okay, where did we see Philippians 2:12–15 in the song “Neon”? 

Staci: Well, the first line says, My heart’s on fire, You are my one desire. That’s actually my favorite lyric in that song. Did you know that?

Dannah: Really?

Staci: Yeah. I just like it. And like we talked about earlier, Philippians 2:10 tells that God gives us that desire to please Him. I love that we start that song on that note, because that’s what it’s all about. 

Dannah: I love that too. And here’s something I heard. There’s lyrics that say, I will choose to bring Your light to the hopeless; I’ll keep shining bright. So, that goes back to verse 15 of Philippians 2, which says, “. . . shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

Imagine this with me, because I really want us to picture this. So, we are in a cave. Staci, can you tell one scary thing about being in this cave?

Staci: There are bats in here. 

Dannah: Okay. Well, that’s true, but I was not thinking about that. I was thinking about something else. 

Staci: Oh, it’s dark.

Dannah: There you go. Okay, caves are very dark. So, we are in a cave, and unfortunately we do not have any light, not even my phone, which I always accidentally put on. I forgot it. I left it at home. I’m not going to lie to you, this is really scary, especially because I’m making up this scary scenario. So I get to decide this, we cannot see any openings through the rocks. 

Staci: (gasps)

Dannah: Okay, so we’re going around trying to find an exit to this maze of a cave. We’re feeling around on rocks, the cold, dripping, slimy rocks. There’s nothing, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel to be found. And then . . . you see something. 

You start running toward it. Someone is there with a flashlight!

Staci: You think they found your phone? And accidentally turned your flashlight on again?

Dannah: Okay, okay ha-ha. The good news is, now we can see. 

Staci: So the person with the flashlight brought hope to us in the darkness, kind of wandering aimlessly. 

Dannah: Yes!

Staci: With bats!

Dannah: Okay, you’re kind of obsessed with bats, but that’s my point. When we shine our light in the world of darkness, we’re bringing hope. We’re bringing hope to people who might feel like they have to live in darkness, and they might think they have to live that way their whole life. 

Staci: That’s good. Well, I think that’s all we’ve got for today, but I’ve just got one more thing to say. 

Dannah: What’s that?

Staci: True girl, shine bright! 

Claire: I’m ready to be the neon in the dark today, and I hope you are, too. “Neon” and all the other great songs from our True Girl original album were created just for you. You can download the whole album and find more great resources to bring moms and daughters closer to each other and closer to Jesus at MyTrueGirl.com. Or find the True Girl original album on Spotify and Apple Music.

Keep shining brightly until the next episode of True Girl, when we’ll tell you something you really need to know about mean girls. 

The True Girl podcast is produced by Revive Our Hearts calling women of all ages to shine for Jesus in a dark world. 

“Neon”song and lyrics by Carmen Hadley and David Tulin.

*Offers available only during the broadcast of the podcast season.