๏ฟผ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ -๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช โด๏ธREMEMBER: You saw it here first! Hereโs a sneak ๐ into Chapter 1!
- cocoshaunelle
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
From Sheep to Lion โ A Journey Back to Identity
โจ๐๏ธ M๐ฒ ๐e๐ฌt๐ขm๐จn๐ฒ ๐ขs M๐ฒ ๐i๐งi๐ฌt๐ซy
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ? ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ?
People I once called family and friends suddenly shape-shifted wearing faces I no longer recognized. They became mockers and naysayersโwhispering, slandering, casting evil eyes from front-row seats, peering at me. I walked through the fire. The heat was turned up, and I was refined in the flames. The room shifted, and suddenly it was as if I was drowning in deep waters. Water flowed over my head. I was completely overwhelmed. But even in the fire, God was refining me. Even in the deep waters, He reached out His hand to me; He rescued me, and I walked with Him on the water. He held me above the waves.
I received private messages of sympathy and understanding, but publicly, suddenly no one knew me. People said they saw what was happening to me, but they didnโt intervene, say, or do anything to help me. They didnโt stand by me when stones were being cast because staying silent kept them in the in-crowd; they feared being ostracized or cast out themselves.
Perhaps their comfort was much better on the other side of the battle, it was easier to conform than to rise. But my light and my spiritual gifts revealed the darkness that was hiding in the roomโand that light proved that everything wasnโt exactly as it appeared to be. My spirit holds light, boldness, and truth.
๐ฟ T๐กe L๐ขe๐ฌ ๐h๐t T๐ซi๐d T๐จ ๐h๐p๐ ๐e
During those formative yearsโ when my sense of self was taking shape I was discouraged and blocked from thinking anything positive about myself by words laced with curses, words that clipped my wings and kept me from soaring.
I couldnโt see myself, and the rare moments when I caught a glimpse, it felt more like imposter syndrome instead. I lived under the shadow of a lieโthat God would snatch away every blessing if I dared to shine, although He created me to be a light, a beacon of hope in a dark world. I was taught to fear elevation, to believe He would take away what He gaveโbut now I know His gifts are irrevocable, and His favor is intentional.
โ ๏ธ W๐กy T๐กi๐ฌ ๐i๐ ๐a๐ฌ ๐o H๐r๐ฆf๐ฎl
That belief was a curse because it distorted Godโs character and poisoned my identity. It made me fear the very gifts He gave me. Instead of embracing His blessings, I shrank back, terrified that shining would cost me everything.
๐ฉIt distorted Godโs nature: I saw Him as punitive, ready to snatch away blessings if I dared to rise. But Scripture says, โEvery good and perfect gift is from aboveโ (James 1:17), and His gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
๐ฉIt created fear of growth: I avoided opportunities, dimmed my light, and sabotaged my own potential because I thought success would trigger loss.
๐ฉIt bred shame and false humility: I confused confidence with pride and felt guilty for using my giftsโwhen in truth, I was created to glorify Him through them.
๐ฉIt blocked purpose: God called me to be a light (Matthew 5:14), but fear made me hide that light under a basket.
๐ฉIt damaged intimacy with God: Fear-based theology made me avoid Him, expecting punishment instead of love. Yet His Word says, โPerfect love casts out fearโ (1 John 4:18).
๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐:
God does not give gifts to take them away when you shine. He gives gifts to glorify Him and bless others. Your light is not a threatโitโs a reflection of His glory.
What I held was true beauty, inside and out, so Iโve been toldโthe kind found in oneโs character, virtuosity, and relationship with God. The lessons that shaped me taught me early in life to fear God instead of drawing closer to Him, but He still called me.
My presence revealed the truth. People constantly felt the need to try to humble me, to bring me down from the pedestal they perceived I was onโto their level, a level they could handle me much better on. When in reality, my world at the time was too dark and I was too broken to ever see that I was meant for so much more. I didnโt recognize my power, my authority, the power in my voice, or the weight of my calling.
โ๏ธ T๐กe W๐i๐ h๐ญ ๐จf S๐กr๐ขn๐คi๐งg
For DECADES, I dimmed my light to fit in. I shrank myself, hoping to be accepted. And part of my spirit died because it wasnโt allowed to grow and bloom. I poured out love, but few ever poured back.
I was surrounded by vampires who feasted on my bloodโtakers who could never replenish back. They didnโt love meโthey loved what I carried. I gave freely, but when I needed replenishment, no one was there. People were too busy or couldnโt handle my intensity.
I was crushed when relationships faded, but now I see differently: the leeches burned away because I couldnโt carry them and still spread my wings to fly, and I had to learn how to let them go.
Even in my high school years, the signs were there. I remember asking younger students why they followed me. Their answer shocked me: โWhatever you donโt choose will be leftovers for us.โ They were talking about boys ๐โbut in truth, they were speaking about the power of my anointing, even if none of us realized it then.
What is dark resists me. People pull on the light I carry. And for years, I gave it without guarding my heartโuntil it began to damage and deplete me.
๐ฆ๐ช T๐กe L๐ขo๐ง ๐h๐จ ๐e๐ฅi๐v๐d S๐กe W๐s a S๐กe๐p
Like the lion who thought he was a sheep, I lived years forgetting who I was.
โOne day, a farmer found a lion cub in the forest and brought it home. Not knowing what else to do, he placed the cub among his sheep. The cub grew up eating what the sheep ate, playing where the sheep played, and living as if it were one of them.
One day, a great lion emerged from the jungle. Its roar sent the sheep scattering in fearโand the little lion ran too. The big lion approached and asked, โWhy are you hiding?โ
โYouโll eat me,โ the little lion replied.
โIโm not going to eat you,โ said the big lion. โDo you know who you are? Youโre not a sheep. Youโre a lion.โ
The little lion couldnโt believe it, so the big lion led him to a lake. โLook at your reflection,โ he said. โSee who you really are.โ
And when the little lion looked, he saw the truth: โI am like youโnot like them.โ
The big lion smiled. โI didnโt make you a lion. Youโve always been one. I just showed you who you already were.โ
๐ฆโ๐ฅ๐ฅ T๐กe A๐ฐa๐คe๐งi๐งg
That story pierced my heart. Itโs about identityโabout remembering who we are in Christ. So many of us suffer from spiritual amnesia. We forget who God is, who we are, and who we are in Him.
For too long, I believed the lie that I was too muchโtoo bold, too flashy, too intense. I was told to withhold my testimony; coerced into dimming my light.
โ๏ธB๐ฎt M๐ฒ ๐e๐ฌt๐ขm๐จn๐ฒ ๐ขs M๐ฒ ๐i๐งi๐ฌt๐ซy
I am done hiding. My roar is not for destructionโitโs for declaration. I am who God says I am. And so are you. If youโve been shrinking, apologizing for your light, hear this: You are a lion. You were never meant to blend in with the sheep. Rise. Roar. Walk in victory.
God held my hand and walked with me on the water they hoped Iโd drown in. He held my head above the water when I was overwhelmed. Iโm walking in victory because His power is within me. ๐ถNo giant can defeat me when God holds my hand. No fire can burn me. No battle can turn me. No mountain can stop me because God holds my hand. Iโm walking in victory because Godโs power is within me.๐ถ
๐ฅ T๐กi๐ฌ ๐ขs Y๐จu๐ซ ๐o๐r. ๐h๐ขs i๐ฌ ๐o๐ฎr I๐E๐T๐T๐. T๐กi๐ฌ ๐ขs Y๐จu๐ซ ๐i๐งi๐ฌt๐ซy
๐ฏ S๐r๐ขp๐ญu๐ซe-B๐s๐d A๐f๐ขr๐ฆa๐ญi๐จn๐ฌ: D๐c๐ฅa๐ซe W๐กo Y๐จu A๐ซe i๐ง ๐h๐ซi๐ฌt
Speak these truths over yourself daily:
๐๐ฝI am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
๐๐ฝI am chosen and set apart.
1 Peter 2:9
๐๐ฝI am more than a conqueror.
Romans 8:37
๐๐ฝI am strong and courageous.
Joshua 1:9
๐๐ฝI am a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17
๐๐ฝI am victorious.
1 Corinthians 15:57
๐ R๐f๐ฅe๐t๐ขo๐ง ๐u๐s๐ญi๐จn๐ฌ ๐o๐ซ ๐o๐ฎr J๐จu๐ซn๐y
Take time to journal and pray through these:
๐ญWhat masks have others worn in your life that caused you pain or confusion?
๐กHave you ever dimmed your light to fit in? What would it look like to shine fully without apology?
๐คฅWhat lies about yourself have you believed? Which truths from Godโs Word will you replace them with today?
๐ฆWhen was the last time you felt like the lion among sheep? How did that moment reveal your calling?
โWhat does โroaringโ look like for you in this season?
๐ก๏ธโค๏ธHow can you guard your heart while still giving generously of your gifts?
๐๐ฝ C๐ฅo๐ฌi๐งg P๐ซa๐ฒe๐ซ: R๐จa๐ซ ๐ขn Y๐จu๐ซ ๐d๐n๐ญi๐ญy
Father God,
Thank You for reminding me who I am in You. Thank You for calling me out of fear and into faith, out of hiding and into boldness. Today, I renounce every lie that told me I was too much or not enough. I break agreement with every curse that clipped my wings and kept me from soaring.
Lord, I declare that Your gifts are irrevocable and Your favor is intentional. You created me to be a light, and I will no longer hide that light under a basket. Help me to walk in confidence, not prideโrooted in Your truth and clothed in Your grace.
Strengthen me to roar with purpose, to speak boldly, and to live fully in the identity You gave me. Let my testimony be my ministry, and let my life reflect Your glory.
In Jesusโ name, Amen.
ยฉ๏ธ2026 Coco Shaunelle. All rights reserved.





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