Momma, Go for Your Dreams! Let Faith Overcome Your Fear

(Inside: Go for your dreams, momma. Do you need the courage to pursue your dreams? Do you wish you would take that first step to follow your dreams? Read on…)

My entire heart wanted to say yes, but I worried I wouldn’t measure up.

An email had popped into my inbox inviting me to speak to a mom’s group of eighty women. It included a topic I must research and vulnerable stories I needed to share to make the point. 

Then that speaking engagement led to another invitation…then another. I even got to be a presenter at an online mom conference,  meaning I made a video and uploaded it to The Actual YouTube. (Somebody, hold me.)

I’ve felt led to write and speak and teach for years. This dream has pulsed deep in my gut for so long, I knew I needed to stir the comfort-pot in my life and get my name out there. 

But…

(Why is there always a “but?”)

Alongside the strong feeling of being led to do something came a feeling of fear. (I hate admitting that!)

Since I’m being honest, though, let me explain more. Once that reply “yes” left my sent box to both that first speaking request and all of them after, I felt a cold sweat course through my body. Then, this thought pounced: What if I can’t do this well enough? Even though I feel called – that doesn’t mean I’m going to be good.

(Stick with me in my irrational thinking here.)

I mean, God is awesome, so shouldn’t everything He leads us to do be done with all his glory and awesomeness? So, if I can’t do this task with complete awesomeness, with the funniest of funny stories, with the most profound-est of profound points, while holding the entire audience captive despite not knowing how well they slept last night – should I be trying at all?

These perfectionistic-style thoughts can immobilize me. They can stop me midstep and spin worry like a boss as I talk myself out actually following the “inner knowings” God places in my soul. 

But then again, those defeating thoughts don’t really sit well in my brain either, because…there’s another “but,” and this one is worth holding our attention.

But…haven’t we all been impacted in amazing ways through imperfect people?

Mrs. Klagus, my high school Algebra II and Precalculus math teacher, inspired me to study education and become a teacher. 

However, she didn’t teach perfect lessons and wear a smooth bun at the base of her head. Nope. I took her class when the school introduced the fancy graphing calculators and she told us from the get-go, she’d be learning with us.  The class buzzed with talking, clicking away at our calculators, numbers, question, and figuring it out. The bumpy learning was so fun and effective that I wanted “in.”  

I am a high school math teacher because of Mrs. Klagus.

Furthermore, I can name numerous coaches, friends, my beloved parents, and other family members who imperfectly walk through life – but, still deeply move me, shape me, and inspire me. 

Moms, as we go for our dreams, it won’t be perfect. But it doesn’t have to be – God works in powerful ways through imperfect people. Imperfect people are incredibly effective. 

Also, haven’t we all been impacted in amazing ways through the “ordinary” and “average?”

Here I am ready to do the work to be the funniest of funny and profound-est of profound speakers but wait a sec… if, I’m “ordinary,” can’t I still make an impact? After all, doesn’t God call us to ordinary tasks and move in huge ways through the simple? 

One of my favorite speakers shares her heart in the same way as a girlfriend I’ve met for a cup of coffee would, and I always leave her teaching pondering something. 

Also, don’t most of us chip away at our jobs, fulfilling the daily grind, but making powerful influences because of the collective consistent effort? 

Aren’t we all effective in parenting through the “ordinary” moments? Meals, rides, homework check-ins, laundry, sports, and more meals. I look back at my own childhood and the most influential moments were the conversations around the dinner table, my mom’s car idling when I walked out after practice, and family prayers before bed. 

In our friendships, impactful is not necessarily the amazing words we use, but instead, showing up in love and vulnerability to simply “be there.”

Moms, what if we show up for our dream – we research, prepare, and practice, and we turn out to only be ordinary? Well, bravo, we did it, because…

God works in mighty ways through ordinary moments. Ordinary can be extraordinarily effective. 

So how come I can hesitate because I fear that what God has called me to do, I might not be able to do awesome enough?

God is so much bigger than the idea that everything must be awesome. So, be still my shaky hands reminding me that I might not pull this speaking dream off with the abundant amount of confetti I’d prefer.

Because it doesn’t matter – God’s put a calling on my heart and I’m going for it. 

Momma with a dream you feel like you need to chase after, consistently show up with love and truth and hard work. But, also, know that sometimes we’re going to be amazing and other times not-so-much. 

But that’s just fine – because if we’re imperfect, well, we can still be effective. And if we’re “just okay,” we can also still be effective. 

God moves in mighty ways through imperfection and transforms abundantly through the ordinary. 

So, let’s let our faith can be bigger than our fear and send off our “yes reply.” Then, we can confidently tell our racing hearts to settle down. Because we’ve got this. We really do.

Momma going for that #dream – remember, if we're imperfect, well, we can still be effective. And if we're "just okay," we can also still be effective. So, #followyourheart with #confidence. Read on… #momlife #motherhood #parents Click To Tweet

Read more in the Series on Self-Care & Inspiration for Moms

Why is self-care so hard for moms? Y’all, I ignored it for so long, that I had an epic mom crash. (I talk about it over here.) I never want to go there again, so it’s game on, self-care!

I recently listened to a podcast by the author of my favorite book on creativity (affiliate link), Liz Gilbert, where she talked about how she feels like she has been given the divine responsibility of being in charge of “Liz,” so needs to do what’s best for “Liz.”

Okay, I hope I don’t mess up the interpretation of what she said too much, but let me tell you how it went into my heart…

God gives us the sacred responsibility of taking care of ourselves. So, I need to see myself in the 3rd person. I need to step outside of myself and say, “Cheryl doesn’t need to be doing that. She’s done enough..she needs sleep, or to say ‘no,’ or to sit and pet her beloved dog.”

For this go-go-go, do-all-the-things girl, that way of explaining our self-obligation was powerful. Self-care is vital. We better serve our families and communities when we are in a good place. So, be encouraged by the full series on self-care and other inspiration for moms.

Self-care & Inspiration for Moms

INSPIRATION TO REFUEL MOMS
Free eBook: Christian Meditations for Busy Moms Just Like You
Best Podcasts Every Mom Needs to Hear
5 Best Relaxing Songs to Make Your Day Better
60+ Encouraging and Inspirational Best Books for Mothers
Need Hope? Look for it – Hope will Always Come Back to You


SELF-CARE IN THE CHAOS
8 Reasons Why “Me Time” for Moms is Good FOR YOUR KIDS
The Power of Finding Peace and Joy In the Choas of Momlife
Moms Need a Break and Good Things Can Come of It
Good Parenting Skills: The Single Best Thing Parents Can Do (Free Mini-eBook)

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