Strength, Courage, Hope

I have been thinking about a common human response quite a bit lately. I have no proof behind it, but it seems to make sense. In a way, it works itself out to be true many times. Yet, at other times it is totally unwarranted. Jesus said it best when he said that “a prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home,” (Mark 6:4, NIV). Why is it that blogs are so widespread and accepted? Why is it that the same is not always true within your own closely knitted groups?

Yes, I know this isn’t always the case, but that leads me to another thought. Why is my ministry so hard to explain to my family and friends? Yet, others embrace it whole-heartedly? This leads me to what made it this way for Jesus (I’m definitely not equating myself to the Lord). I think a few things happen. To those who know us it is hard to grasp who we truly are. Our family always sees us through the lens that they built early on as we were growing and maturing into our own person. They have seen our not so pretty moments and triumphed with us in others. But those moments connect personally for them. When we present an idea that is new or foreign to them it is harder to embrace or even comprehend.

I am speaking here mostly as a mother not as a daughter. While I love watching my children become their own persons, I don’t necessarily identify with their changes. I suppose partly because they have developed new systems of thinking, new rules and disciplines for their own lives, and practices that align with their beliefs developed outside of the home.

I want to be clear here, this is exciting! We should jump for joy when this occurs because we have raised adults to be their own people capable of leading healthy, productive lives away from us. But there’s a catch here.

These same individuals may not be the ones who support us the most or even understand what we do. These thoughts came out of a personal place, but the more I thought about it, I realized that some of you might need a boost in life to pursue your passions. My work is helping individuals to become better people, not for others but for themselves. I help others to transform negative thinking into thoughts and actions that promote health in their lives. When this occurs, I am blessed by watching them take that deep breath as they realize that there is peace they have not experienced before.

Who are you? What passions lay at the core of your being waiting to escape? Are you living out who you were intended to be? I truly believe that we each have this place within us. Before you took your first breath, God placed within your soul a desire that is unique only to you. Yes, there might be thousands of scientists, or historians, or parents, or …, but there is only one you! So, if others who have supported you throughout your life are not your best cheerleaders, or don’t fully grasp your passion, don’t give up!

There is a hole in the world that only you can fill. I promise. I do not believe in things that cannot be proven, simply because I don’t have time for it. So, my words of encouragement today are not empty, they are not some repeat of someone else, they are genuine. They are born out of my own life in which I have continued to push forward personally as well as witnessing seven incredible kids become adults and push forth in unique ways into their portion of the world. God didn’t make mistakes! You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9).

-blessings