Are you being selfish? You may not know that you are.

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 I have to be honest with you. I’m a life coach who struggles with a lot of the same things you do. It has taken me a while to realize that I don’t have to be perfect in order to be an effective coach or to lead others.

In fact, that is the reason I believe God called me to coach and lead so many strong, beautiful women like yourself. I can relate to a lot of the things you’re going through, and that relatability allows me to show up for you in ways that make you feel seen, heard, and understood.

That is what allows me to write to you effortlessly, because it’s as if I’m writing to myself. That is why I take this work seriously.

Before I go into a coaching session I invite God into the session as well, because I know that if He doesn’t show up, there is no reason for me to show up. Whenever I get ready to write or speak words that someone else will read or hear, I’m intentional about what I’m going to say. I want to give you God, not myself, because I have nothing of value to give on my own. I would be wasting your time and mine, and who has time for that?

I haven’t always been this bold with my work and message. It took me a while to understand that my voice matters, and so for years I kept my mouth closed and preached to myself in the mirror (lol). I even started a blog back in 2010, but I never shared any of my work with anyone.

Then something strange started happening.

God would reveal something to me in my quiet time, and I would get excited about it, write it in my journal or blog and then go on with my day. Yet I still didn’t share it with anyone. Then I would turn on the radio, or the television, or listen to a podcast and someone would start saying the exact same thing that God had said to me. After this kept happening, I finally heard God loud and clear – God wasn’t speaking to me just so I could hide the words in my heart or in my journal.

Those words were an answer to someone’s prayer. There was someone who needed those words to come from my mouth or my keyboard before they would receive them, and I was being selfish to not release them. I realized that if I wouldn’t be obedient, God would use someone else. I also realized that that was God’s way of confirming that He was indeed speaking to me.
  
Are you being selfish Friend? Are you holding onto a gift you possess, afraid to give it freely? Do you know that your gift matters?

Your voice matters.

Maybe you have a burning desire in your heart to do, be, or say something that has the potential to help someone else, but you feel unqualified.

Or maybe you feel like you don’t have anything of value to give. You may feel like your gift isn’t as impressive as others', or you don’t have what it takes to succeed.

You may feel that what you have to give won’t be received, or that you will be rejected and ignored because you aren’t anyone special.

Let me politely interrupt your stream of consciousness and suggest that all of those reasons make you the perfect candidate for God to use.

I too have thought all of these things. I looked at my gift as “not good enough.” I thought about all of my weaknesses, and the things that I didn’t know how to do when I was starting my business.

Then one day I decided to use what I did have and trust God to help me in the areas where I was weak or not as good as I wanted to be. Your weaknesses and imperfections are what allow God to use you, because you will have to depend on Him.

In 2nd Corinthians 12:8-9 Paul is speaking about the thorn in his flesh that he pleaded with God to take away. However, instead of removing the thorn, God says, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in [your] weakness (NLT).”

Then Paul goes on to write, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Like Paul, I am no longer afraid to talk about my struggles and imperfections because they make me depend more on God. God gets the glory when we are the least likely candidate for His mission, but we show up anyway and do what He’s gifted us to do.

Today I want you to stop hiding what God has given you. I want you to stop looking at your “thorns” and start sharing your gifts.

If you sing…sing.

If you write…write.

If you dance…dance.

If you cook…cook.

If you are gifted to organize and plan… organize and plan. There are people depending on you to get over yourself and let God use you. Imperfections and all.

I’m a life coach but I still struggle with inconsistency and lack of discipline. I still struggle with fear and doubt.
I’m a Christian but I still lose my temper sometimes. I’m a speaker, but sometimes I stutter, and my words don’t come out as eloquently as I would like them to.

God isn’t looking for perfection. He’s looking for those who will humble themselves and stay in His presence. He’s looking for empty vessels to fill.

Decide today to brush the dust off those dreams you hung up years ago, throw away your excuses bag, and do what He’s calling you to do. His grace is sufficient for you. Will you let Him use you, even though you aren’t perfect?

My answer is yes, and I hope that yours is too.