Sunday thoughts- Over the last few weeks I have been working on all the details for the upcoming BRAVE Womens Retreat. The theme this year is something so near and dear to my heart and let me tell you why. Once upon a time there was a girl who never felt enough. Who didnt think she had a thing to offer the world. A girl who rode on the coat tails of those around her because she had no idea who she was or what she was capable of. She lived a small life, because she thought small was the life God had planned for her. She let fear rule her world. She let worthlessness define her. She felt all alone in world full of people. She felt invisible and forgettable. She was angry at God for making her small and so she turned away, and she hid her heart from the world for a long time. She became everything her heart told her not to be. Instead of using her voice for good, she used it to hurt others. She stopped looking at people because no one ever really looked at her and it seemed fair and just. She judged, gossiped and belittled. She held on to they things and people who had hurt her. She became hard hearted- it was her way of hiding the hurt and her sensitivity from the world. As you might guess it didnt get her far. One day the girl was given a gift and it wasnt a gift that you opened once and the excitement dwindled, it was a gift that got better with time. At first she was angry with the gift. It was calling her out. Challenging her to change and expand the fence she felt was built around her. The unknown made her uneasy. The honesty the gift required broke her heart. The light made her scared because she didnt feel worthy of it. One day after a lot of truth telling, fear bashing, and soul searching she found herself. She was no longer the small girl she always saw when she looked in the mirror, but the girl she had always wanted to be but was afraid to become. She forgave. She let go. She let God back in. She let grace guide her. She now realized that she was and always had been just as valuable as all the rest. Her voice for good got stronger. Her dreams became reality. She becomes brave and fierce. She embraced her authentic self and the magic started happening. What she thought were weaknesses became her strengths. What was once lost became found. She found the fire within her soul and she chose to share it with the world. Her fear is still there but it doesnt rule her or hold her in one spot. Her insecurities still rear their ugly heads. She is far from perfect. She is far from the worldly definition of beautiful. She might be a little crazy. She might be weird in others eyes. BUT SHE LOVED HERSELF ANYWAY. For so long I had an image in my head of how I was supposed to be. What I was supposed to look like; how I was supposed to act; what worth looked like and how you earned it and then one day I realized it was all a lie. There is no mold we have to fit. We dont earn our worth- it is just ours for the taking. Its our gift from God. Who you are is your gift. The talents and strengths that you have are your gifts to the world. If I can ever leave you with something it is this: You are not small. You are not alone. You are not worthless. You are far from unworthy. You are just as valuable as all the rest. Share yourself with the world because the world is missing something without you. What you are called to do of God in your heart, is what you are called to do for the hearts of others. Never forget that. Even if it seems small and insignificant share it- your people are waiting. Im thankful for my people. The ones who love me even thought I am crazy. I am thankful for all of you who let me share all of me here and love me anyway. I had no idea sharing so much would bring so much joy and for that my heart feels grateful. xoxo
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 01:41:24 +0000