I am so blessed to be involved in a wonderful organization called Speak Now.
I've mentioned it before but I'm not sure that I have explained my personal passion with young women empowerment.
Growing up is hard. The media and crazy celebrity "role models" don't make growing up easier. In fact they make it harder. Which means the young women now have it EVEN HARDER than I did growing up.
What was it like growing up for me? I wasn't the popular girl, I wasn't the trendy girl, I had friends in many types of groups, but I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere. I felt like I was an outsider in every group. At home, things were explosive, (now being a mom of teenagers....I get it a little more....and I must call my mom and apologize!) and I didn't feel loved or needed. I didn't party or do drugs, I didn't sleep around (I must say that even my virginity made me feel like an outcast). My grades started to suffer and I became very depressed. Things were not good....they were not good for a long while. I had a couple of boyfriends...but that didn't help. I was still alone.
I had to learn to be strong for ME, to love ME, to discover ME. I became self reliant, and didn't expect anything from anyone. As I started on this process, I met a man who became first my best friend, then my boyfriend, and then my husband. I am so grateful to him, for because of him I found God.
With Him, I was able to create the woman I should be. A woman not afraid to learn, not afraid to change her way of life, not afraid to BELIEVE. Believe in herself, in her God, in her family, and in LIFE. I allowed myself to love, to live, and to be happy.
Isn't he cute? I love him even more than I did that day!
Does that mean things were easy? That my prince charming came and all the bad horrible things went away? My prince charming did come....I am blessed. But I have had my fair share of life lessons, challenges, and just plain old HARD HARD things to work out. But over the years I have learned to have faith; faith in God, faith in Love, faith in Family, and faith that things always work out one way or another. And it's okay if things are hard....because I can do hard things.
I am so blessed to be able to use my words to maybe, just maybe, affect the heart of a hurting young woman. And I thank God for that opportunity. I am the head of the Create Team for Speak Now. Tomorrow is my first post on the blog. I would feel very honored to have you read it. But I challenge you to read more than mine. The other fabulous women and young ladies on the teams are amazing...and their words will change you. They have changed mine.
