Dear Sweet Girls,
Tonight I get to hang with some of you at a girls’ event. I’m just so excited. There’s nothing quite like a room full of hyper teenage girls trying to figure out life together. Girly events like tonight are always a great mix of learning, laughing, feeling super awkward, and eating way too much junk food.
So as you get ready for tonight – don’t spend too much time picking out your clothes. The room is so cute, that it won’t matter if you dress like Teen Vogue or Teen Thrift – the pictures will still be so cute.
Tonight we are going to talk about what it means to “Be Bold” – a concept I have messed up time and time and time and well…time again. There is a fine line between being bold and being a bully. When I look back on my teen years (so many moons ago) I really wish I had learned the difference early – shoot, I really wish I had learned the difference last August.
I’ve had so many wasted moments with people because I thought I was being bold, standing up for someone/something, being a hero when I was really just being a bratty little bully.
So what’s the difference? How do we know when our boldness has turned?
2 Timothy 1:7 MSG
God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
..But bold AND loving AND sensible. When love and sense (the common kind and the good kind) don’t accompany my boldness – I’m probably being a bully.
Boldness, Love and Sensibility are like the 3 best friends you could ever have. Together, they form a rocking braid that can take on humidity, stupidity and life. But when boldness tries to stand alone it’s like bed head after swimming all day and running 3 miles. (I actually don’t know what running 3 miles is like but I can only imagine it’s rough on a hairdo) All that to say –
1. God created you with powerful gifts. He made you with purpose on purpose.
2. You were designed to use those gifts not hide them or apologize for them.
3. When you use those gifts – make sure you have love and sense as your wingmen.
What’s a gift/talent/personality trait that God has given you? How can you use it this week to be bold in standing up for others, bringing hope to someone or exposing truth?
