Today I want to speak to all those people who hear their purpose, who feel their calling and who know their greatness is waiting for you, but you feel doubt, fear, judgement or not adequate to move on it yet. Today’s blog is for you. As I dedicated my life 12 years ago to my calling to lift, empower and educate girls and women I was scared to death, but once I stepped into it and got my feet wet I knew I was ‘home’. It was the daily fulfillment of being in my calling/purpose/greatness that was my new high. The days were filled with joy, fulfillment and the feeling of YES I CAN! There were many challenges along the way, but there were people, resources, classes, mentors, friends and God to help me get through it. I am blessed with a busy coaching/consulting company where I work with women entrepreneurs to help them ‘do well, so they can do good’, for me it’s about helping women change the world through their projects and businesses.
The real challenge came two years ago when I was called to ‘up’ my game and step into a realm that would challenge me beyond words. I felt that I wasn’t adequate or equipped to handled such a mission, such a big task! How in the world am I supposed to write a program to revolutionize women’s ministries worldwide? Me!? What!?? I’m just an everyday mom, wife, Christian and business owner. So I was so lost in the doubt and fear for 4 months after I got that message that I couldn’t do anything except feel fear and decline the ‘call’. For me, it took my dear friend Diane to say, “you were chosen perfectly and God knows what He’s doing when he assigns a calling to you, he knows you are an everyday women with limited time and money and he will equip you”. She also gave me Lisa Bevere’s book Lioness Arising which rocked my world (all women should read it!) and gave me the courage and conviction to follow my path. From that day forward I stopped telling God he “had the wrong woman” and took on the challenge. It’s been a two year journey and although I still get butterflies when I think of this actually being ‘alive in the world’, I’ve come to realize that this journey has been the gift of a lifetime. It has shown me that my entire past has given me the lessons I need to be ready for this next step in my calling/purpose, and that I can trust myself and my God that I’ll do it successfully (notice I said successfully and not perfectly). Sometimes we get so wrapped up in doing something perfectly that we miss the whole point, which is to serve others. This is one of the many projects I’m taking on this year and I know there will be ‘smallness attacks’ but I hope you take the journey with me and bet on yourself and play big! Wherever you are in your journey of following your greatness/purpose/calling I encourage you to leave your smallness (all the things that keep you scared, small or confused) and say YES to the calling and trust it! I promise you that you will not fall apart and your life won’t end today, it will be simply a new beginning to something amazing!
I want to share with you the lessons that made a huge difference for me.
These are the 5 things to get out of smallness quickly without tons of drama:
1. Stop. Pray. Listen – this became a chapter in my book because I feel we all pray, but do we listen? I actually started to listen more and I took action when He said to take action and I was quiet when He said to. I learned to listen to His guidance instead of my own voice and to-do list. When he said ‘hang out and just listen’ I did that (although it was hard!).
2. Stay true – when you have a purpose or calling stay true to it even when people around you say negative things. It’s your purpose not theirs. Surround yourself with people who will lift you through the journey.
3. Say yes- don’t waste time saying no, spinning in fear, tripped up in your smallness or getting tangled in trying to be perfect and having it “all planned out”. Being ready and saying yes doesn’t mean that you have all the answers and you have the whole thing planned. It just means yes. Just say yes and let God unveil the rest one step at a time. Stay present and listen to instructions and do your part, but most of all say “yes I’m ready” and trust that you ARE ready, just how you are today!
4. Do well by doing good – Whether it is a spiritual call, or a new business/project….run it like you mean it, and OWN that it has a wonderful place in the world. Now, I will say this: If it is a business then that means monetize it. No one wants to see you struggle financially and not make money. We have all experienced what having little money can do, little. So if you need to hire someone or get a friend to help you figure out the business model then do that, but I encourage you to DO WELL SO YOU CAN DO GOOD. I have met so many purpose driven business owners who are using their business to touch, move, inspiration, transform, or help people and my hope is that you continue to do well so you can continue to do good. The better you do the more people you’ll be able to serve, but the more you suffer or spin the less impact (and the less FUN) you will have. Enjoy being a human being and let God show you the amazing ways He can use you.
5. Give up smallness [for good]– In other words come out of agreement with your smallness. See, we all have two voices in our head: smallness and greatness. Chances are you are struggling in your purpose or in your business because your smallness has become really loud in your head. It says things like ‘you can’t do that’, ‘who are you to do that’, ‘you have no money to do that’, ‘no one will support that’ , ‘that’s a crazy idea’, ‘no one will buy that’ or ‘ you aren’t an expert/who will listen to you’ etc etc. Smallness plays a game to keep you small, safe and FAR away from your greatness/calling/purpose. It KNOWS that if you follow your purpose and greatness that it will eventually die so it keeps you VERY overwhelmed, confused, fearful, and doubtful and it knows how to push allllllll of your buttons and triggers to keep you small and afraid. The truth is that is all a lie. Your smallness has just been louder than your greatness, however you were born with greatness and it’s ready to be ALIVE in your life. Say NO to your smallness today and turn up your greatness voice it has a lot to say – (read my other blogs on greatness and smallness here and my smallness release prayer here). For today, allow yourself to step into your greatness and say I’m ready!
If this post has been helpful leave a COMMENT below I want to hear from you!
May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose. Psalm 20:4
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This is beautiful Dena, and what so many of us need to hear. I know what you have written is true and have been working to step into my greatness also. As I listen to God, I also try to stay focused on stepping forward with faith, believing that will allow my destiny to continue to unfold.
Thanks for your insightful words. Every one of us needs to hear this, no matter where we are in our journey.
Cindy
I enjoyed reading this post, Dena, but particularly needed, “Do well by doing good,” to apply to my new business and many new projects that fall under it. As you know, I need help with my business model, and I needed this article push to reach out to you again and schedule our coffee/breakfast date. When are you open?!
Dena,
This is such a perfect message. It speaks completely to what I have been experiencing. I love that you have a chapter “Stop, Pray, Listen! The listening is the hardest part. Knowing if what I am hearing is the voice of God or my own Ego. I know when what I hear leads me to serve others it is truly the voice of God. I am writing a book and the working title is Hike, Pray, Create! I should add “Listen” before “Create”! That’s how it works for me:)
I can’t wait to see what you are creating!!
Heidi
Wow. Pastor Diane is always right there when I need to hear something. I allow myself to feel “less than” and yet eager to fulfill God’s plan for me. I don’t doubt His will for me, I doubt my understanding of it. I KNOW I was meant to be a pastor Diane to women and children of Teen Challenge. I know it! And though I know I would be amazing at it, I question whether this is really God’s will or my desire. I struggle to see the line between A to Z. I am analytical and ask how? I need to chill out and understand that He will make it happen. I just need to do what it takes to get there and wait for His prompting. Praise God for your encouragement.
Dena, you are so faithful to live out what you’ve shared here. I especially struggle with monetizing and you sweetly remind me of my value every time. Thanks for being wise and sharing so generously.