Last summer, my husband and I bought new kayaks to enjoy with our wild boys. I grew up spending my summers on Lake Keowee so I knew this would be a great idea! Plus, our little ones love being outside so they would definitely love the kayaks!

The pictures above are from one of our first trips kayaking as a family. By the pictures, you would think we had a wonderful time together. Family bonding, precious moments sitting by the lake, peaceful naps while riding on water. It looks precious….some people might even be jealous of how awesome my family was that day….but in reality….I have to confess.

CONFESSION TIME: That day was miserable and that moment only lasted a moment…long enough to take a cute photo and then back to the car. I hate to be negative because God blessed me with that day, but that day was just no good. The day I had imagined was nowhere near what it turned out to be. For the most part, Carson cried the whole time because he wanted to be in the water swimming and not on the water in a kayak. Asher didn’t want to sit still and within an hour he was tired and even more cranky.  Dad wanted to fish and enjoy a quiet peaceful day (ha ha he’s funny), and mom aka me…I just wanted to go home/run away. I had envisioned this day to be perfect. In my mind, I thought we would  go to the lake, unload the kayaks, and enjoy a smooth ride with our little boys loving every minute of it. They would be so happy and think we were the best parents ever! I could see it as a clear as a movie scene in my mind…but guess what? This isn’t the movies…this is real life. So all in all…it was a bad day.

But I definitely didn’t let Facebook know that.

I mustered up a smile and tickled my son long enough to make him laugh, captured a silent selfie of my sleeping son on the ride back to the dock, and even took a quick pic of Asher staring at the lake like a little angel (secretly pouting because he didn’t get his way).

Each picture looked perfect…but only I knew the truth. They were all fake.

Facebook fakes are all too common these days. And I’ll admit…at times, my photos are just as fake as others. For instance, this picture perfect day….wasn’t so perfect but no one wants to see pictures of my crying kids and grumpy husband.

When you scroll through Facebook or Instagram it’s easy to look at someone else’s pictures and envy what they have or where they get to go on vacation, but in reality you’re only getting a glimpse (most often fake) of what their life really looks like.

A photo of a family enjoying a beautiful day at the lake could really be a family struggling to make the best of a terrible no good day.

That picture of your friend’s brand new car……doesn’t show the $500 car payment that goes with it…or the parent that is working 2 jobs just to make ends meet and give their best to their kids.

The happy couple with a sappy quote underneath about how much they love each other…….. maybe they seem perfect by the picture but in reality they are barely making it. Or in most cases – they’ve only been together 2 months. Pictures never show the true story.

#selfie….the perfect selfie shows a beautiful young girl with perfect hair and makeup…no flaws and a perfect smile……but it doesn’t show her insecurity, broken heart, and depression she hides on the inside….it also doesn’t show the filters and 50 different pictures she took just to get the perfect selfie…

People always say “a picture says a 1000 words.” But in reality no one really knows what each picture hides.  What do your pictures say? Are they always truthful? What story lies behind each picture?

Next time you scroll through social media and like every picture that looks perfect…consider what that picture truly says. Do you know the truth? Or are you looking at a bunch of fake realities?

Either way, don’t let yourself get lost in the fake world we call social media. It’s easy to get jealous and envy those around us who have more, look better, and seem happier. But the world you’re looking at never shows the whole story.

The Bible tells us first of all not to covet…which means not to yearn for or desire what someone else has. In the Old Testament it says that we shouldn’t covet someone’s donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor. I doubt anyone of you would desire someone’s donkey but consider to the times. In today’s age, it might say “don’t covet someone’s wealth, huge house, and brand new Jeep (insert favorite vehicle here). If you’re constantly desiring what someone else has you’ll never be content with the blessings right in front of you.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17)

Second, not everyone is as perfect as they “post” they are.

Third, I challenge you to stop comparing your life to others and start celebrating who God made you to be! “You are beautiful and you are enough!” Empowered Jesus Girl 2018

May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

Kayla Rampey