Known and Loved: Remembering Who You Are in Christ with Elizabeth May Bennett
Do you ever feel like you have to clean yourself up before you come to God—or like your inner critic and body‑image struggles get the final word on who you are?
In this episode on Psalm 139:1–4, we explore what it really means to be fully known and fully loved by God, and how remembering who He is reshapes how we see ourselves.
Description
In this Life as Worship episode, Angela talks with educator and author Elizabeth May Bennett about Psalm 139:1–4 and the stunning truth that God has searched our hearts and knows everything about us—our actions, thoughts, and even our words before we speak them.
Elizabeth shares how this psalm has grounded her as an overthinker who has wrestled with identity and decades‑long body‑image struggles, and why God’s complete knowledge of her is now a comfort rather than a threat.
She also tells how a “Remember who you are” moment from The Lion King became a holy nudge from God to see His image in her reflection and live from His verdict—beloved, chosen, valued—instead of striving to earn worth.
Episode Highlights
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Why the Book of Psalms feels like “the Facebook of the ancient world”—raw emotions, honest prayers, and a God who meets us in all of it.
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What Psalm 139:1–4 reveals about God’s omniscience: He searches our hearts, knows our movements and thoughts, and understands our words before we speak.
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How being fully known by God can feel scary at first, yet becomes deeply comforting when we remember His character and the cross.
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Elizabeth’s long battle with body image and identity, and how God used a “Remember who you are” moment from The Lion King to remind her that His image and presence define her.
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Practical ways to “flip the script” on the inner critic: bringing honest thoughts to God, receiving what He says about us, and letting that overflow into kindness toward others.
Great Quotes
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“To me, reading Scripture is just like being at the gym and standing right underneath one of those fluorescent lights. It shines the light and really examines your heart.”
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“When I was younger, I tried to kind of clean myself up before I’d pray. Now I don’t feel like I’m hiding anything, because if God already knows what I’m thinking, why would I pretend?”
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“God really spoke to me through that Lion King scene—‘Remember who you are.’ It was like He said, ‘Elizabeth, you’ve forgotten who you are because you’ve forgotten Me. I live inside of you.’”
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“I’ve been so hard and critical on myself that it’s turned outward. The more I learn to love myself in my vulnerable places, the easier it is to love others in theirs.”
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“We think, ‘I’ve got to work for my identity or my value,’ but God is saying, ‘You think you know who you are, but you really don’t. I’m going to tell you who you are—beloved, chosen, valued, accepted.’”
Resources Mentioned
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Psalm 139:1–4 – God searches and knows us completely: our actions, thoughts, paths, and words before they’re on our tongues.
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The Journey to Find My Divine Design – Elizabeth’s book inviting readers to embrace their God‑given identity, remember who they are in Christ, and walk in their purpose. – Amazon Affiliate Link. I earn money for qualifying purchases.
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Elizabeth’s website – elizabethmaybennett.com, for more about her writing and speaking.
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YouTube channel: divine design.me – where Elizabeth shares faith‑based content and lighthearted parody videos.
Related Episodes (from Life as Worship)
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God’s Covenant: A Thousand Generations – Seeing how God’s faithful character and promises shape our identity and obedience today.
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Permissible and Beneficial: How God Is Calling Us to Live In Freedom – Learning to live out who we are in Christ instead of being defined by rules, comparison, or performance.
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Be Strong and Courageous: Finding Courage When You’re Afraid – Finding courage to live as God’s beloved child when fear and insecurity feel loud.
Newsletter Invitation
If Psalm 139 and Elizabeth’s story reminded you that God really does know you and still delights to call you His, I’d love to keep walking with you.
Subscribe to the Life as Worship newsletter for a weekly devotion, small group discussion questions, and a 10‑minute thought filter to help you stop spiraling thoughts—plus a link to a 9‑day devotional to keep you rooted in God’s truth: https://eepurl.com/h3Nafz.
