photo by ChalonHandmade
I took a deep breath as a I stepped to the front of the room. I was at the She Speaks conference in North Carolina–a place full of women I love, respect and admire. Many of them are gifted speakers who have voices that reach across a room. In contrast, I’m quiet, gentle, the one who loves having coffee with one heart at a time. In the past, I’d tried act like “a speaker” when I did events. I always walked away feeling as if I’d fallen short.
Today I felt God whispering to my heart, “Just go up there and be who I made you.” So I told the women that I wish we could have a cup of coffee today and asked them to picture their favorite cafe. Together we imagined what it would be like if I could sit across the table from them and they could simply ask me about God-sized dreams {the topic of the workshop}. Then I told them what I would want their hearts to hear and their minds to understand by the end of that conversation.
I felt full of peace the entire time–even when the projector had technical issues and I lost my notes. Yep. It actually became one of the best parts of our time together. Later women told me how a calming voice in the middle of a busy conference was just what they needed for that hour. Several of them mentioned how the projector disaster helped them feel less nervous. I felt like I’d truly connected because I’d been fully me.
I’m going to speak that way from now on.
Because I found this out: Yes, sometimes it’s hard to be you. But it’s always harder to try to be someone else.
Maybe you have a quiet voice too. Or maybe you have one that reaches across the room. Maybe you’re an introvert. Maybe you’re an extrovert. Maybe you feel at home with feelings. Maybe you’re a woman who loves facts. Maybe you’re fond of fancy. Maybe you cherish simplicity. You’re made in the image of God and your purpose is to mirror a part of who he is in a way only you can. When you try to be like someone else, you end up reflecting them instead of God.
So whoever you are, be you today.
Because Someone Who Loves You made you that way.
XOXO
Holley
P.S. Wanted y’all to know that LifeWay has You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream for only $5 today. Don’t you just love a good sale?
