Lauren DuPrez shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Lauren, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Right now, I believe that part of what God is calling me to, is being a voice of hope and truth for those who have left legalism in one form or another for the true gospel and the freedom it offers.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Lauren DuPrez and I’m a wife, mom, and book blogger. My blog and social media channels consist primarily of Christian book reviews and I also enjoy using them to share things God is teaching me and to help my audience enjoy Jesus and the beautiful freedom found in Him.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is the one with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Much of my life was spent striving to earn God’s favor by being “good enough.” Good is an elusive standard, and by reading the Bible, I learned that God’s standard is holiness which entails a life free of sin. Unable to achieve this on my own, God’s Holy Spirit caused me to turn from my sin and place my hope for being made right with God in Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus declared Himself to be the way, the truth, and the life and revealed that the only way to have a right relationship with God is through Him.
Along with the apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, I’ve found, “. . . It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Now I have a new, better, and truer identity—in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This identify frees me from having to be enough in all areas. I’ve learned that when God looks at me, He no longer sees a sinner, but the perfect life of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10). I don’t have to earn God’s favor because Jesus did it for me. I still sin often, yet knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), compels to come to him in repentance and encourages me to dwell in His grace knowing that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1)!
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Ironically, the fear that has held me back the most in my life has been the fear of sinning. For a long time, I was also afraid to read books from other orthodox perspectives on secondary doctrinal issues because I thought I could go down the “slippery slope” of bad doctrine. I was afraid of making the “wrong” decisions in morally neutral areas. Without meaning to, I was attributing more power to these things than to God.
Philippians 1:6 has greatly reassured my heart that I am kept by Christ. By the Holy Spirit’s power, Jesus is completing the good work God’s begun in me. God is ultimately powerful and nothing can thwart the work He is doing.
1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” Because God is perfecting me in His love, I’ve learned that love, not fear, ought to be what drives me. Because of God’s love, I am safe and secure in Christ. Nothing can separate me from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39), and no one can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:28). Rather than being held back by fear, God is slowly growing me to be compelled by His love.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think one of the biggest lies my industry (i.e. blogging and content creation) tells itself is that success equals results. It’s not wrong to have results, but they are only one metric and tell a small part of a creator’s story. My biggest wins are words of encouragement from my readers and those often can’t be calculated by analytics or boosted by algorithms.
I once read that success for the Christian looks like faithfulness, not results, and I’ve found this so freeing. One of my most repeated prayers as I write is Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” If I’ve stewarded my time, words, and platforms well, I know I’ve been faithful and thus successful, regardless of what my analytics reveal.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me is how I pointed them to Jesus in word and deed, and ultimately, I hope they just talk about Him (John 3:30)!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.abeautifulinheritance.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenduprez/
- Twitter: https://x.com/laurenduprez
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABeautifulInheritance/
Image Credits
Lauren DuPrez
