Watch your thoughts, for they will become your words.
Choose your words, for they will become your actions.
Understad your actions, for they become habits.
Study your habits, for they will become your character.
Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.
In a very poetic way, the author is stating that your thoughts will eventually become your destiny. This is true in scripture “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) To show you the importance of changing your thinking, I am going to share a little bit of my testimony.
When I was around 12 years old, I felt like nothing, worthless, ugly, powerless, afraid, alone, etc. I remember sitting in my room, thinking how I had nothing going for me. I had no talents or gifts and I thought I wouldn’t amount to anything because of it. It made me depressed. I felt alone… and really powerless to change. In my mind, my future was something I dreaded rather than looked forward to. I had a hard time making friends and I was teased for being “weird”. I hated myself and was looking forward to the day when I would die so that I could just go to heaven because living on earth was too hard. It wasn’t a pretty time for me, even though everyone around me thought I was really sweet and happy. As young as I was, the battle was real. Fortunately, a year later, I dedicated my life to following Jesus, but I continued to struggle with my identity.
A few years went by and when I was 16, I still honestly did not know who I was. I would hear people say all the time “Just be yourself,” and in my head I was thinking “But I don’t even know who I am.” Then at 17, after moving and changing churches, I joined a small group. The first day, the leader talked about how our identity was in Christ and through Him, “We are Royal” and that “We are Princesses”. In my head I was thinking “Wait… what? I can’t be a princess… I’m just Katya. Just average, nothing special, me. So, how is that even possible? No, that can’t be because that is too good to be true.” 
But there was something in my heart that came alive when she was speaking and wanted so badly for this to be true. She went on to explain that since God is our father, and He is the King of Kings, we may not be princesses in the world but we really are Princesses of His kingdom. Also, in being His children, our identity is found in Him. We are His children. We are loved. We are free. We are powerful. We are His daughters. We are conquerors. We are known. We are beautiful. We are worthy. Oh how the list went on and I just wanted to cry because I finally had a clear answer for who I was. This was only the start of a journey in discovering my identity in Christ and learning how to live it daily.
It wasn’t easy at first to change how I thought about myself. Actually, it felt like a battle. I noticed the enemy was working overtime; to tell me who I wasn’t, what I haven’t accomplished, and what I don’t have. I was having a hard time in the beginning with continuing to hold on to what I had learned about who I really was.
One night at church, maybe a couple weeks after learning about my identity, I went to the information desk and they had these little “Daily Declarations” they were giving out. 
It was a few paragraphs of declarations that reminded us who we are. (Download the “Daily Declaration”) I was so excited! I pasted it to my mirror and everyday I would declare aloud God’s truths. The truths that I would speak, completely demolished the lies the enemy would try to send. See, there is power in our tongue, to speak life over our lives and circumstances. (Proverbs 18:21)
Also, as I started doing this, I noticed I was changing. I became more confident when talking to people, hurtful words didn’t affect me as easily as they used to, I was standing up taller, my thoughts about myself were more positive, and when difficult times came, I had hope that those circumstances would not change me, because my identity was not found in my current environment but in God’s kingdom. Also, I started to dream again and believe that with God, I could really see the desires of my heart become a reality. It was profound, and it all started with knowing who I was in Christ. As my mom always quotes from G.I. Joe: “Knowing is half the battle”.
Today, I still face struggles, but when they come, I am able to overcome them a little quicker each time. I may not be perfect but God gets excited each time I look to Him to tell me who I am, instead of what I hear in my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I heard this from Pastor Bill Johnson once: “Religion celebrates perfection. God celebrates progress.” Right now, I know without a doubt in my mind that I am so loved by God, that I am His daughter and I have an amazing destiny. I feel like God is throwing a party right now because I can say these words. I wouldn’t have been able to get that out of my mouth 10 years ago, let alone believe it to be true. There is still so much to learn and re-learn but God is so good and has never let me forget to focus on seeing myself through His eyes and not through my own.
Princesses, I want you to declare life over yourself, in other words, to speak truthful things about who God says you are. Declaring God’s truths, reminds you of your worth, your value, your authority, and will break the lies that the enemy has spoken to you and that you have agreed with. Remember, Jesus SPOKE His way out of the wilderness, He didn’t just THINK His way out. When you discover who you are, you will find freedom, confidence and a feeling of belonging. God desires you to know Him and His love for you, to know what He thinks about you and to walk in the fullness of the inheritance that you received when Jesus died for you and rose again. Knowing you are known, loved and a daughter of the God who created the universe… well, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Download your very own “Daily Declaration” to tape to your mirror, wall, fridge, wherever you will see it everyday. (I had fun with changing the fonts and making it girly so I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it!)