Honesty is one of my most treasured moral values. Please welcome Alexis Goring as she shares her thoughts about the subject.
There’s a song by Francesca Battistelli that I love. The title is “If We’re Honest”. I like ALL of Francesca’s songs, but this one resonates with me because I’ve struggled with being honest about how I truly feel in various situations with people. I’m a perfectionist who always sees the need to stay bubbly, sweet and helpful every single day. On days that I fail to meet that self-imposed standard, I feel like a failure.
But this song, “If We’re Honest,” challenges me to let my guard down and be honest with people. Maybe I had a bad experience but it’s okay to admit it instead of saying “I’m okay” or “I’m too blessed to be stressed” even when I’m dying on the inside. Being honest means that I’m willing to talk about how I feel or what I think. How will I know who can be there for me if I never open up?
Being one’s self is okay and lifts much weight off our shoulders. (June’s comment.)
Ultimately, it’s important to be honest with God. He cares about us and knows everything that we’re thinking even before the thought crosses your mind. He wants us to be open with Him and express our truest, deepest feelings. Best of all, He’s our Maker so there’s nothing about us that He doesn’t already know AND He loves us completely, unconditionally. Conversations with God are the best safe place to be honest. So true, Alexis. June
After God, it’s important to be honest with the people in our lives who genuinely care for us. Now this is not license for us to share our heart with everyone because we humans are merely mortal, and unless we’re confiding in a trained counselor or therapist who’s under contract to maintain client confidentiality, it’s not best to reveal brokenness with just anyone. Let’s be wise with whom we share our hearts because not everyone thinks of our best interests.
In my story, A Second Chance, Traci and Marc have problems with being honest. Traci’s trust was shattered when her fiancé left her at the altar on their wedding day and ran off with her best friend. Months later, she learns that she has an inheritance that she can only claim if she’s married. When she meets Marc, there’s an attraction but also hesitation because she finds out that dishonesty is the deal breaker for him in romantic relationships. Unsure of how to handle what is now her secret (the inheritance), she guards her heart concerning that topic.
Marc is a nice guy, so nice that his girlfriend’s breakup forces him to say they’re better off as friends . So by the time he meets Traci, he’s beyond wary. However his attraction to her propels him to test the waters of romantic involvement. However, his past and his dislike of dishonesty may pose a problem for their relationship.
When readers digest this story, I want them to learn the value of being honest. I want them to see that everybody deals with situations that may cause them to avoid deep relationships. However, I want my readers to realize that when we’re honest with God first and foremost and pray to Him for His help and guidance every day, we are allowing Him to lead us and he will bless our hearts. I hope my readers will be encouraged by Traci and Marc’s story, especially those who struggle with honesty.
How many of you have felt the same? Leave a comment and tell us why.
Check out her latest book: A Second Glance
Newly single food critic and newspaper reporter Traci Hightower is done with dating. After the man of her dreams left her at the altar on their wedding day and ran off with the woman she thought was her best friend, Traci resolves to focus on work and resigns herself to being a bachelorette for life.
Marc Roberts is a political reporter who is known as Mr. Nice Guy, the one who always finishes last. However, Marc’s compassion and kindness are of invaluable help to his newly widowed sister Gina Braxton who is trying to raise her two kids in the wake of her firefighter husband’s death.
Traci and Marc may be the perfect match, but they don’t know it yet. With God’s guidance and the help of Gina’s matchmaking skills honed by her career as a bestselling romance novelist, there is hope for a happily ever after for these two broken hearts.
A little more about Alexis.
Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.
Where to find Alexis’s book:
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Alexis, thank you for stressing the value of honesty with my readers. Telling the truth is vital. When I used to teach school, I’d inform my students that it is better to tell the truth and suffer the punishment then tell a lie. Please visit again soon.
Thanks for inviting me to be your guest today, June! 🙂 Yes, telling the truth is of utmost importance. I’d love to visit again. God bless you! 🙂