We’re Unfinished in Our Making

 By Traci Hubbard

I am beginning with a confession, lately I have spent some time staring at myself in the bathroom mirror, wondering why the Sacred put more hair on the left side of my head…why can’t I have the same amount of hair all over? I am spiritually evolving and shedding old ways of thinking and being, but do I have to shed my hair too? I’m not a golden retriever. Sure, I have quirks, we all do, and we all have strengths and weaknesses. That’s why we need each other to become the kin-dom of LOVE. So, good news! You—and your hair—are made in the very essence of the Eternal. That’s what being made in the image of LOVE means.

Each human, every living thing, is the essence of the Holy! Not just a blurry photocopy of divinity, not a pixelated version downloaded on dial-up from Heaven.com, but the real deal: LOVE’s own spiritual DNA woven into us. Now, before we begin looking for a halo in our Amazon packages, let’s unpack what it actually means to be made in the essence of LOVE.

Good News Translation Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small."

I know this is a story written through a patriarchal lens trying to figure out how all manner of life began, and the original language does help with translation. But I wonder if the “we” might refer to Mystery working with her galactic surroundings that emulated from her energy.  Cool thought. Some read text and wonder if the Source of Creation prefers almond-shaped eyes or curly hair, men or women, light skin or dark skin, but it’s deeper than that. With this in mind, we can see the “image of God” in a new and transformative light: it’s not a static resemblance, but a sacred commission. We are called to be the presence, the energy, and the very face of LOVE in the world. Our Source has no physical form or gender – our Source is LOVE.

Anne Lamott writes about God in our own image saying: "You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." There is no hate in the essence of Holy LOVE.

To be made in the Creator's essence isn't about external features—it’s about our capacity for love, creativity, kindness, and growth. We are, each one of us, living, breathing, laugh-out-loud reflections of divine love. Imagine Eternal LOVE as the master artist, painting with broad strokes of compassion, dashes of joy, and a distinct hue called “humour”—all so that LOVE might have hands, feet, and faces in the world: our hands, feet, and faces.

And in case we think this is all celestial poetry, remember, being LOVE’s presence is gritty, daily work. It’s smiling at the grumpy cashier, forgiving when it’s easier to grumble, and sometimes, letting someone else have the last slice of pizza even when it’s your birthday.

Ego gets a bad rap. It’s not all villainy, after all, ego is what helps us stand tall and say, “I deserve love” or “I am worthy.” But, like salt in soup, too much ego leaves a bitter taste. Eighteen years ago, I dated someone who wanted to impress my daughters, so they made Tiramisu. We were all excited for our first taste. Mouths opened, Tiramisu went in, and then my daughters and I locked eyes while my date waited in anticipation of “WOW … they received a “Wow” for sure – because they accidently mixed up the sugar and salt. It was disgusting. Left unchecked, the ego becomes the person at the dinner party who won’t let anyone else speak—and who insists that everyone's wrong except them.

The ego’s favourite trick? Convincing us we do not need to change. It whispers, “Traci, just look at your hair…it’s great, and your way of being in the world, the way you love, (say it like an Italian) forget about it…you’re fine just the way you are. Why bother growing?” Or, for some of us, this sneaky little thought whispers, “You’re perfect, obviously. Everyone else should evolve.” When we stop evolving, we become slaves to the ego—the spiritual equivalent of being stuck in 1985 fashion trends (and let’s be honest, nobody needs to relive the era of spiral perms and ratted rooster bangs sprayed to stand three inches tall above your forehead, and mullets, well, we have evolved).

Let’s imagine for a moment that each one of us is a caterpillar, called by LOVE to be a butterfly. But our ego says, “You know, blue is a good look for you, but wings? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” If we listen to our ego, we’ll never fly. Even worse, we would be crawling around, complaining about the butterflies while secretly envying their view, or too afraid to let go of what we no longer need during the tough cocoon moments in our lives, and we choose to stay a gooey emotional and spiritual mess.

Consider Sam, who once believed he had it all figured out. Every Sunday, Sam sat in the same pew, sang the same hymns, and dashed out the door before anyone could ask how they really were. One day, Sam found himself struggling with a difficult decision and realized his usual go to answers didn’t fit anymore. Instead of burying his questions under layers of ego, Sam chose to be vulnerable. He asked for advice, admitted uncertainty, and invited LOVE’s guidance. Sam’s courage to say no to his lesser self led him to new answers, and a new sense of joy and connection. He found friends in unexpected places. As he grew in compassion, he found himself laughing more freely. Sam’s story reminds us: when we dare to evolve, we step closer to our true essence as LOVE’s presence in the world.

We are created in LOVE’s essence, and that essence is vibrant. Mystery is never stagnant or stuck. Mystery is the author of new mercies every morning, always moving, always creating, always renewing. If we fail to grow, we betray the very nature of our divine blueprint—and we miss the adventure of showing LOVE’s face in all kinds of unexpected places.

Instead of being slaves to our ego, we are invited to be ambassadors of love, evolving and expanding so that the world catches a glimpse of the Divine through our words, actions, and, yes, even our laughter.

Think about this, if you or I purchased a smartphone and only used it for phone calls, we would miss out on all its features. Since we are made of stardust and divinity, why settle for spiritual dial-up when we were created for cosmic WiFi? LOVE calls us to upgrade—not just our phones but our souls.

Caveat: Let’s not take ourselves too seriously every minute of every day! Spiritual growth doesn’t mean we have to give up all our quirks. Heaven knows, if LOVE wanted us all to be the same, we’d be born with identical birthdays and funky matching socks like Bob’s. (And if you do wear matching socks every day, congratulations—you are the exception that proves the rule.)

Some people think spirituality is all solemn faces and hushed tones. I disagree. Look at a platypus! The Creator clearly has a sense of humour! If being made in LOVE’s essence means anything, it means embracing joy, laughter, and wonder.

So, when we catch ourselves resisting change, ask: Am I letting my ego, my pride, or my comfort zone, some call this, ‘the devil we know’, keep me in a spiritual rut? Or am I open to the holy hilarity of evolution? Remember, Moses stuttered, Abraham doubted, Sarah laughed, Peter tripped over his words—and God loved them all, quirks included.

How do we break the chains of ego and step into divine evolution? First, we admit that we don’t know everything. (For some, this is harder than giving up coffee and some of you are already picturing that person in your mind). Second, we embrace humility as our path toward growth and deeper connections.

Next, we invite the Spirit of LOVE to guide our transformation. We take a meditative walk in nature, reflect, and even better, we learn to laugh at ourselves. Humility with humour is spiritual superfood. The moment we become willing to evolve is the moment the lesser angels of our natures begin loosening their grip. And as we journey, we become conscious that we are no longer slaves to our preferred ways of thinking and being but partners with LOVE in becoming our highest selves…the visible, vibrant faces of LOVE in the world.

Here are some practices that will assist us as we live.

• Practice self-reflection: Take time each day to ask, “Where is my ego running the show?” If you find yourself arguing with the toaster, maybe it’s time to let go. *This is not a quirk, it’s crazy thinking.

• Seek feedback: Talk with trusted friends, mentors, and even your neighbour’s cat to show you where you need to grow. (Cats are notoriously honest, so are five-year-old children)

• Embrace discomfort: Growth spurts hurt sometimes but not as much as remaining stuck. If you’re spiritually sore, you’re probably evolving!

• Laugh often: Laughter is proof that the soul is stretching, not shrinking. Choose joy in the journey, even when you mix up the sugar and salt.

• Ask for courage: Ask the Spirit for the guts to grow. Spoiler alert: The Universe tends to answer these prayers.

Being made in the essence of God is an invitation—a calling—to evolve, to grow, to laugh, and above all, to love. When we refuse to change, we become slaves not just to our ego, but to a diminished version of who we were created to be.

The “image of God” is not a static portrait, but a living, breathing commission: we are called to be LOVE’s presence, energy, and face in this world. So, let’s step into the fullness of our divine design. Let’s embrace change, celebrate our quirks, and trust that Loving Mystery, with infinite humour and abundant grace, is cheering us on—and loving the world through us.

And don’t forget, if LOVE can change people and cultures through stuttering prophets, skeptical matriarchs, and fishermen with foot-in-mouth disease, there's hope for all of us.

May you go forth as a butterfly, not a caterpillar, knowing you are made in the essence of God—wired for growth, destined for joy, and never, ever alone on this holy and hilarious journey. May it be so, amen.