YOU MUST SHOW UP!

You Must Show Up!

​During one of the most difficult nights of my life a friend offered me some of the strongest but most necessary advice I’d ever received.  We were sitting in the parking lot of a local fellowship we were attending at the time. The soft leather of her Mercedes coupe was the only thing hugging me as I sat balling my eyes out, I had just had experienced one of the most painful and humiliating episodes to date. Before she had arrived I’d gone inside to do my usual meet and greet with the women of this fellowship, these women were like family to me.

I’d become accustomed over the years to greeting them with warm hugs, kisses and well wishes. I had gotten used to the intoxication of their acceptance and routine compliments of how good I looked and how special I was, except this night I had walked in to a rude but divine awakening!  Instead of being greeted with love and acceptance I was overtly rejected and ostracised. I couldn’t believe how quickly the tide had turned on my relationships with these women, I was crushed. I walked out and hopped into my friends car an emotional wreck! With tears streaming down my face I began to speak my pain and injustices, I had made up my mind I was done with "those people" and I was never setting foot in that place again!!!

​I expected her compassion, I expected her comradery….I expected her pitty.  She gave me none of the things I expected, instead she gave me something far more valuable...THE TRUTH!!! I’ll never forget her words, “Yvonne, now you can sit in my car as long as you need to; you can cry and be angry, you can pray and do whatever you need to do! But after your done, you need to wipe your face, get yourself together and go...back ….inside.” God said all you need to do is show up, this battle is not your it’s HIS, and HE’s going to bless you!! All you have to do is show up !!!

How many blessings have we left on the table simple because we refuse to show up?  Intimidation is an equal opportunity bully. It doesn’t care if your wealthy or common, old or young, woman or man; intimidation will take life circumstance and turn on you.  How many times have you had a great idea but feared no one would understand? Wanted to share some untold truth but bit your tongue in the moment of opportunity? Or simply wanted to venture out into a new level of creativity but stepped back in fear because of a lack of confidence? The fear of rejection or the painful fear of doing something outside of your realm of experience can be paralyzing.  

Most of us can think back to a time where we felt that nudge to move forward into the unknown or to confront a situation head on only to find ourselves pushing down that gut gnawing erge into a compressed place of rationalization. Surrendering our will to intimidating thoughts and imaginations will leave us full of regret, remorse and regurgitating a daily life of habit and mediocrity.  Developing your wings and taking flight requires  a heart surrendered to courage! Facing that group of women wasn't easy but walking back into that room was the first step to emancipation from my former self.  Greatness happens one step at a time determine in every situation to show up, get up and lift up into flight! 

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