Me at the Tickled Pink Women's Event
"I am not a leader, just so you know." "I do not talk in front of people". "I could never be on a stage and speak". "I never lose weight, ever!" "I write only for myself." These are the lies I believed for years and Satan did everything in his power to convince me of such things. If he didn't use others to make me feel this way, he would use the insecurities that ran rampant through my silly brain.
Can we get real for a moment? I am just like you. I am after all, a pink carnation. Do you know what that means? If not, go read this now. Okay, now you know who I am, but guess what? God knows me too, and He thinks that I am more than just a pink carnation. It isn't that I'm not happy being that fill in person, a friend to many, and a good wife and mom. It is that God has taken me on a journey where He said, "Susie, we are going to bloom a little more now, so get ready. You can still be the you that I created you to be, but let's not just stop there. I gave you a heart for women that need to be connected, I gave you a new church full of women that needed to get connected, and I gave you a super supportive pastor and his wife to allow you to make a difference." All I can say is, "Wow!" Every lie I have been believing for the last 5 years or more was proven false over the last couple of months. I promise you that I am not taking the credit here. God did it all, orchestrated it all, and blessed it all!
This weekend I spoke in front of over a hundred women at our church(on a microphone), and on stage. I didn't faint, trip, or throw up. I wasn't perfect, and I sure wasn't a professional, but I did it. I get teary eyed as I think back to finishing up and seeing one of my best friends, Tiffany who was visiting from Florida. She came up and surprised me afterward. She told me I did great, and I just about started bawling. See God not only gives us his strength to help us do things we think we never could, he also gives us friends who believe in us and encourage us along the way. I don't know where I'd be without my supportive friends. There are too many to count, but I really want to especially thank Tiffany, Liana, Kristan, my sis Debbie and my mother-in-law Linda for their constant belief that I really can do more than I think. I want you to know I'm not trying to make this a bigger deal than it really was, but for me, it was something I never dreamed could happen.
Now going back to the lies I mentioned above, I am still working on those last two. Just to fill you in, I have officially lost 10lbs. since January. Slowly, but surely, my body is changing into a more fit and healthy one. Thank you to my new friend Monica, the best Zumba Instructor in Corpus Christi. Thank you also to all the friends who encourage me with the changes they see and inspire me to look as good as they do(ha ha). This last lie is a toughie. I love to write, but I have been doing so much that I have put off indulging in the time it takes to sit down and write well. I think this one will come in time, but I know it will have to be God's time like everything else that has transpired up until this point. Isn't God amazing how he has shown himself so faithful, and He will do the same for you, probably even more! Trust Him to shatter those lies from the enemy and be all He wants you to be. Go for it friends, and I can't wait to see what God does with each of you!
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." Ephesians 3:20 (The message)
Me, Monica and Amanda (The Zumba Life Group leaders)
