empower her

Dear marvelous you,

You are beautiful. You are smart and creative and have something so uniquely special to offer. Your presence is not only requested, it's required. We see you. We need you.

I know, your dreams feel big and scary and impossible. You are filled with all the reasons and doubts of why you should give up on the passion that is embedded into your very being. The thing that just won't quit you.

And you see her, the one doing that which you have wrapped your hopes and dreams around and your precious heart breaks and spills it's pieces as the lies of doubt root themselves a little deeper.

But, here's what you should know.

Her success does not take from your portion. You have not been disqualified, nor do you have to take the left overs. In kingdom work there is room enough for us all. And while there are a million somebodies, we have only one you.

So, will you be brave? Will you rejoice with her even if your season is one of waiting? Gratitude has this ability to turn stone to flesh, and that which has become stagnant to flowing, living water. And as your tender bruises begin to heal and turn into opportunities, please don't forget to look around and notice the her that is struggling to find her way. Please empower and encourage that precious soul, for we only have one her as well.

Sophia Nelson says it beautifully, we need to lift other women as we climb.

As you begin to find your place, your seat, remember that the heavenly table is never full. The women that you see are not your competitors, they are your comrades. They have experience and resources to share, and so do you. And, you know what? They need to be encouraged too. Often the strengths that others see are the very insecurities that they struggle with every day. We need a strong force of women standing together, encouraging and challenging one another to step up and be the courageous warriors that this world needs. There is too much at stake; this is too important.

Don't hold out on us, we need you.

Love,
me

the middle seat

Air travel is exciting, often exhausting and boasts of some of the best people watching around. I have met some of the grouchiest, funniest and most interesting people while sitting in airports or flying high above the ground's safety. Strangers becoming friends is one of life's grandest mysteries and greatest gifts. And while I have experienced such encounters, the shared words of this post carry a different message.

Matt Wertz is on my flight right now!!! I avoided eye contact and didn't sit in the available seat beside him...

The text was sent through shaking fingers to a handful of my dearest friends last week. Their responses were full of exclaimations and encouragements to be bold and questioning my life choices. In some small way I imagine they were sharing in my jitters and hoping that the character, (me), would do something that would awe audiences for years to come. But, let's back up.

My fate had been sealed, I was going to be sitting in a middle seat. Now, perhaps this day was going to be filled with smart choices, but once I recognized the person in the black KC hat the day was as good as gone. The seat next to him was empty and full of a million reasons why I should avoid it, plus I was wearing the wrong shoes. As often happens when I am nervous I became acutely aware of my hands and I did my best to walk as a composed adult down the aisle, resisting the urge to climb over, knock down or tackle the passengers in front of me in order to find safety in some less assuming middle seat. As I passed by him my bag either brushed his shoulder or knocked his head so hard that he got whiplash, I cannot be sure, but an excuse me or I'm sorry was out of the question since I had completely forgotten how to form sounds and make words.

The regret had already set in as I sent the text to the masses.

Had I chosen the seat beside him, there is a high probability that I would have been awkward and nervous and spoken complete gibberish. But, maybe after a couple of deep breaths I would have introduced myself and thanked him for using his gifts and talents to bless others. Maybe I would have mentioned how when I moved to Colorado five years ago I danced around my house to Everything Will Be Alright almost every night, or when I went through a tough situation with a church I Will Not Take My Love Away acted as a consistent reminder to a weary soul. And, maybe I would have mentioned that I first heard him at WorkPlay with some friends and we titled our evening: Three Andreas, Two Birds, One Stone. Maybe we would have chatted and laughed together as old friends for the entire flight, or maybe after the introductions we would have both gone about our airplane business. Maybe..

But I passed up an opportunity to encourage someone that I appreciate; and although we have never met, he has blessed my life through his words, his music, his creativity. I had the opportunity to do this in person, shoulder to shoulder, looking him in his eyes and calling out his gifts.

The could haves are the things that steal mind space. And really, as much as I wish I would have sat in that middle seat, it's so much more than that. I wonder what middle seats I'm avoiding right now. The ones that I know have potential for good, but I'm letting my insecurities call the shots. Where am I saying yes to fear? The middle seat may not always be the most appealing, but it might just have a view that is able to both surprise and excite. It's one thing to risk failure, that's hard and stretching and refining. But, what about risking success? It carries the same weight.

And maybe it starts as small as saying hello and taking that middle seat.