Inspiring.

I am currently reading a book called, "You Matter More than You Think" by Dr. Leslie Parrott. And I have found it to be both encouraging and difficult to read. I think that one of the hardest things for a woman to do is realize her own worth. And Leslie explores why...Therein, one might see my dilemma. There's this battle between the desire to make a difference in the world around you and actually allowing yourself to do so.

Does it sound crazy that I believe that women stand in their own way? For instance...the girl in her college ministry, who was a true leader in her youth group before moving some-odd hours away to place she's unfamiliar with, LONGS to be that leader in a group that naturally sees her as the new face. Her desire to make a difference is sometimes so great that her thoughts are dominated by ways to make herself stand-out, to fit into a particular "leader" mold, or to force gifts and talents into her life in order to impact someone. When all along, the simple beauty of who she is is more than enough to lift the spirits of a roommate who is missing home. Or her genuine vulnerability is exactly what her classmate needs to bond with...

You see, we stand in our own way when we do not allow God to use us exactly where we are, exactly the way we are. Comparison can kill a heart and drown a spirit. And its sometimes a woman's foulest enemy.

So the next time you wonder if you are making a difference, chances are that you are impacting far more lives than you even realize. Because you're Super Mom or an Independent Woman? Maybe. But probably because you are simply where you're supposed to be, loving the people you are meant to love. Take joy in that. Use that truth to empower your soul to create an environment that causes the people around you to feel inspired.

So whether you are making sandwiches for your kiddos, or coaching a mom through labor, or fighting cancer, or learning everything you can about your major, or completing one more casefile, or planning your wedding, or teaching children not to kick other children, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee...know that you have all the makings to inspire. My prayer is that you start to believe that. Our world would quickly become a better place if you did.