Another woman’s breakthrough does not mean it is your defeat.
Another woman’s bright light does not mean yours is dimmed.
Another woman’s success is not your setback.
Another woman’s breakthrough is not your breaking.

We get to CHOOSE to cheer one another on instead of competing.

And that can only happen when we know and believe there is no lack and that we get enough.

There IS enough to go around.

If our goal is His glory, then her win can be our win.
Her victory can be our victory.
Her bright light can make us all shine brighter.

I don’t sit here telling you these things as if I’ve got it mastered. I sure don’t.
I still struggle with jealousy, bitterness, and feeling left out or overlooked.

I feel those things, but I refuse to BE those things.

So when they come for me, I stop and consider a few things:

-God knows what He is doing and He can use ALL things for good. I can trust Him.
-His plans for my life are good, and that includes sanctification. This means His priority isn’t for my to be more happy- it’s for me to be more holy. Dying to self is a big step in that direction.
-Prayer is a sharp weapon to be utilized. Feeling left out, overlooked, or disregarded? I challenge you to pray blessings over those who are walking in the territory you want. Pray for their ministry, their family, their calling, their workplace. Take back territory the enemy is trying to steal and pray blessings over her and her life. Things will shift.

Sometimes I don’t want to. To be honest, many times I don’t want to.
But, I know what happens on the other side of my obedience: BREAKTHROUGH.

So get out there & CHEER SOMEBODY on today. Tell her you appreciate the work she does that no one notices. Tell her that her leadership makes your community better. Tell her that the gifting of the Lord in her life is beautiful. Celebrate her accomplishments even if its something you want for yourself.

There is no lack. We get enough. Cheer her on!

It’s easier for me to stand on stage and speak truth to hundreds than it is for me sometimes to do it one-on-one.

It’s easier for me to tell you that I’ve “embraced my weird” when I’m posting online than for me to actually live it while around others who seem so very normal.

Being bold doesn’t come easy and sometimes hiding looks a whole lot like living big and loud so that no one really sees the real you. —Anyone else?

Sometimes He may tell us to go ahead and share online. But other times? He may ask us to be willing to go share with the lady behind us in the Wal-Mart checkout line.
Sometimes He may send us to speak on a stage, but others, it may be to spend intentional time with neighbors across the street.

Although it may feel safer to stay hidden behind social media or even behind the platform of leading large groups, He still calls us to be willing to do it one by one. Not large crowds, followings, or platforms, just simple obedience.

Person-to-person, face-to-face daily living and discipleship right where we’ve been planted.

Terrifying, right?
Here’s what I know: In the hard, He also shows us the Holy. And I know that His plans are so much better.

I’m asking Him to remove the scales from our eyes that cloud our vision and that tell us that numbers determine our importance.

What if when He tells us to, we decide to love the one? To serve the one? To speak up for the one? Even if they think we are a little strange.
We can be strange together. A tribe of those willing to risk our pride and our dignity for the sake of making Him known.

I think it just might change our circles of influence. Our communities. Our schools. Our cities. Eventually…our world.
Each one, reach one. Let’s do this.

Again, she just stood and stared. By this point there were several students waiting in line behind her that had been waiting for their turn.

I watched as another girl in line pulled out her two crumpled dollar bills from her pocket, held one out to the girl and said, “you can have one of mine- I’ve got two”.

I’ve thought about that little girl several times and I’m thinking of her again this morning.

What do I have that I can give away today? Instead of using what I’ve got for myself, how can I use it to bless others?

Maybe it’s money, but maybe it’s something else like time, presence, energy, encouragement, hope, or even truth.

What can we give away today to bless someone else? Are we willing to slow down enough to see the needs around us? Let’s pray and ask God to give us opportunities to give it away today.