It’s no shock that this world is in need of leaders;in fact, at first glance, it seems like we have more than enough. All throughout social media, from Facebook to Instagram and YouTube, there are people everywhere wanting to lead, inspire, and be glorified. However, the kind of leaders we need are not any ordinary kind, fixated on the material in a world that is passing away. Leaders who need to rise up are the ones that can champion truth and freedom which comes from a higher source—the only true light in this life, with the power to set people free. Within you is a leader that can rise up, doing the brave work, the kind of work that inspires, sometimes terrifies, challenges, and propels you toward the woman you can become, the woman you want to be, the one that you are meant to be. These snap shot #truth bombs from “The Be Brave Program” created by lil’ ol’ me (the one on the left of the photo to the left) will provide the real life transforming nuggets to draw out the leader and champion that God has placed inside you, waiting to be cultivated and unleashed. Inside your heart and mind lies a burning passion and a mantra for life—a God mandate that challenges you to venture into the glorious unknown, guiding you into your brave story—one where the REAL YOU, the braver, bigger you, collides with God’s will and design for your life. This year, in 2020, it’s a pivotel time in history to come out of hiding because you were born to be a gift to this world. And whether you believe it in this moment or not, I assure you there is gold in your story. From this day forward you can use it to propel you forward or to hold you back. The world is filled with people everywhere searching for light and truth, looking in all the empty places the world has to offer. You have the power to choose the hard work of bravery; to lean into grace and trust by the One who gave life to all, and to be a light that illuminates in a world that is covered in the shadow of darkness. The world is in desperate need of women willing to rise up to the call and challenge of doing the brave work, to help set yourself and others free. There are no shortcuts to transformation—the brave work must be done.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The process of transformation can at first feel like pain—real change will stretch you, test you beyond what you’re accustomed to. The goal of change and transformation is not to shed light on what we can do, but what God can do through us. I feel called to share what God has done in my life, and to share the lessons he has taught me along the way, that your story matters and despite the “ugly parts,” you have a unique beauty that can be used, cultivated and transformed. Shame has no place in your story, and therefore must be shed. You must come out of hiding—take authority over your painful past and let it be the fire and substance that sets you apart. Look closely at yourself: can you see where there are deep wounds, or parts that you know deep inside you needs to be brought to light? Are there places where you are holding back, or even parts of yourself you cannot and will not accept? The trials and even trauma we face as humans can have the power to inflict pain and fear, or they can lead to wisdom, healing, growth, and forgiveness. Great leaders who have tremendous impact are often those who have endured great suffering. Stepping forward into your story, sharing your vulnerabilities will empower you, and reveal your “failures” as the truth of what they are—strengths. Confronting your inner demons can be uncomfortable and scary, however your spirit is resilient, and can rise above the circumstances and experiences that have shaped you. Jesus was a leader of positive influence and He was a master storyteller of #truth bombs, meaningful examples of life-changing, light-giving stories. He fully intended to make all of his sons and daughters into great storytellers in our own unique way. That’s what I want for you. There’s power in transforming your story into something that breathes life into humanity. There’s greater influence waiting for you in learning to live out your story from a place of victory rather than defeat.
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That’s why for Christ’s sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Growing within yourself takes time. It takes grace,and it requires trust in the process of becoming. The journey can often be bumpy, uncomfortable, or appear as though it’s “not meant to be,” met with road blocks and obstacles seemingly pointing toward failure. These are the rhythms of growth and shouldn’t be seen as set backs. Making yourself small, shrinking in the presence of adversity, and even lying to yourself about your potential, are ways to stunt cultivation of the leader within you. Cultivating realness and growing in courage to stand out leads to a deepening of confidence in your role as a leader. Evaluate where you have a true passion for humanity, social justice, or other causes that bring you to life. How do you best give of yourself, and how consistent are you? Committing to improving these areas with progress, however, understand that a leader is not born overnight. It takes diligence, practice, and patience to flourish over time. Leading is often intuitive, almost instinctual and requires one to live out of authenticity, generosity, and conviction. Giving of yourself to your family, community, friends, and even to strangers has impact when you reach inside yourself and give realness; living generously with your work, art, time, and teaching has merit and power. The true test of of generosity lies in the vulnerability of giving without getting back in return, being rejected, and even misunderstood. Through the practice of giving and cultivating your strengths, confidence will begin to rise up. The truth is that deep inside, you know who you are called to be. Though you might not know what it looks like because it may be hidden under self doubt. The truth is that you have a purpose and a unique gift, and it is waiting to be drawn out as a bold mandate for your life. Imagine as though your life and story are hidden within your own personal toolbox. You have been equipped with experiences that have guided you, taught you, and shaped you. Visualize this toolbox as an asset, which empowers you to go forward with confidence—you are never too broken or beyond repair, to be used for good. The negativity and lies of others (or even yourself) have no place. You are no longer the victim, but a conqueror. Let your mantra and mandate flow from God’s never-ending love and strength. The ugliness of your story can turn into a great comeback, and lead you to a breakthrough you never thought impossible.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.”
Do you ever find yourself stuck at times when moving toward your goals, or realize that you’ve gone off on a different path, sometimes without even recognizing you were starting to go astray? The key is consistency in these three areas—clarity, confidence and commitment. Keeping yourself accountable in these areas will aid you greatly in the journey of doing the brave work of growing into a unique leader. So many amazing women become disheartened. Therefore, recognizing pitfalls and positioning yourself intentionally are solid strategies that can propel you further into your development as a leader, and ultimately towards your deepest passions and destiny that God has called you to. Ask yourself the hard questions. Where is your time and energy going and does it align with your calling? Are there excuses that you are making which are holding you back? Are you keeping your commitments? Evaluate some of these areas and notice any patterns that might be present. In addition, notice if what may be holding you back is deeper. Do you feel the urge to ask permission to speak freely? Do you fear people may not respect you in a role of influence? Stepping back and noticing where you may fall short is essential. Do you honor you word and communicate with intention, integrity and conviction? Develop these qualities and you will bolster and reinforce your efforts. Feedback from trusted mentors and coaches about how you project yourself can further shed light in areas of leadership and style that can use improvement. Furthermore, knowing and accepting that others have divine and authentic purpose is pivotal. The key is to find solace and peace in knowing this, understanding that it does not undermine what or who you are. Jealousy of others can be rooted out and overcome with time and commitment. There are many areas that will hold you back and each one must be tackled.
“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed”
One intimidating aspect of being a leader is the call to project your unique voice and vision. There is a message living inside of you waiting to be birthed, which will inspire and equip future leaders. Having belief and faith in God’s power to transform your heart and mind is ultimately believing that you posess the power from God to be who He’s called you to be, and therefore, accepting greatness is within you. There may, at times, be voices inside you that tell you that you are not enough, or that your voice doesn’t matter. These are lies meant to hide you from your empowered self, recognize when they diminish your vision and faith. Fear is the perfect opportunity to step out and exercise bravery in who God has called you to be. The process of discovering your unique voice is messy, but perfectionism has no place in the brave work. The path of perfectionism leads to failure and the desire to give up. To stay motivated and positive, letting go of perfectionism is an absolute necessity. Instead make great strides towards excellence; a voice that has strength, conviction and realnesst at the forefront leaves a mark on people’s minds. Think of the leaders and speakers who you believe in and admire and realize you can have the same belief in yourself and your voice with time and practice. Discovering your own unique voice will result in others finding theirs, essentially bringing hope to others. When developing and discovering your voice, notice what strikes fear in your heart. When fear becomes the main voice inside, it’s not from God. Step back and observe that vulnerability and risk are inherently scary, but also guaranteed in your growth as a leader. In cultivating your own message from spirit, passion, wisdom, and contribution, lean into your spirit-inspired intuition. Imagine if you were being your very best self, how would you authentically speak and express yourself? You will find your voice’s authentic edge when you let go of expectation and fear. Anything worth saying, any authentic and creative outlet, project, or cause will be worth the work. Sow seeds of faithfulness and goodness despite the unknowns in your life. Don’t be led by fear, but lead by love instead and in so doing you will discover there is gold inside you.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
Bravery is contagious; it’s magnetic. Most importantly, it’s influential. Stepping out of our comfort zone, and standing out with courage and vulnerability has massive impact. So many people in this world are hurting, afraid, and are hiding their stories and their scars. There is redemption and freedom in truth, and the only way to get there is to cross the the bridge of bravery. The culmination of every highlight in this article leads to your authentic brand of bravery—and the world needs you to push beyond your own ego and speak the truth that God has put in your heart. The tough work of bravery lies in our own brokenhearted spirit at times, We have a gut reaction to what we feel is truly wrong or unjust, and what should be made right. This intersection of raw authenticity is where you will engage and interact with those around you, and those you are influencing. In doing this you will strike those who are open-hearted too, and pose the question of how others can relate or how they may also become involved. By projecting your bravery, you will begin to find others who share your vision. Because ultimately it’s a movement beyond yourself—for something greater, much bigger than you can fathom. The idea of bearing witness to God in our lives lies solely in how HE has transformed US. Not the other way around. The distractions of this world will be incessant at times, but stay steadfast in your ways, in your practices, and you will find that God will empower you through it all. Take a moment to envision what happens if you don’t follow the calling God has placed in your heart; recognize you are the hands and feet the Holy Spirit. You have the talent, the passion, and the uniqueness to impact the world. Finally, when you begin to have momentum in your cause or venture, and others who share your heart are drawn to you, mobilize your resources and delegate as you expand in whatever capacity that you can. This includes other leaders that you are connected with. Your gifts and talents for communicating, and the areas you have been developing (clarity, confidence, and commitment), will become invaluable. The framework and pillars for your vision will develop over time, but key principles will maintain throughout— authenticity, generosity, wholehearted and honorable conviction to share God’s true love and light in a world desperately in need of it.
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depths, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God.” which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”