Ready for Great Things (day 37)

"One of the best kept secrets about LDS young women is that in a world where so many girls are attempting to indentify themselves by experimenting with ideas and experiences, we are surrounded by girls who already understand what identifies them. They know what their divine identity means. And that knowledge has them poised and ready for great things." (-me)

I was asked to write the cover article for the May/June issue of LDS Living Magazine. I love being in this issue because it's the first issue my dear friend Erin wrote the "publisher's note" for (because, well, she is the Associate Publisher of the Magazine. Congrats, Erin!) and the "Just Asking" section features another dear friend, Hilary Weeks.

But, I love being in the issue even more because it gave me a chance to highlight some remarkable girls I've had the privilege of meeting over the last few years and share some things I've come to learn about them.

In the most recent Young Women General Broadcast, the young woman who offered the opening prayer declared, "We know who we are." I wanted to jump out of my chair and tell everyone in that Conference Center: "Did you hear that? And they do! They really really do!" In the past year, I have shifted so much of what I do when I now speak to girls. Because I have learned that a whole lot of them really already know who they are...and they just want to be challenged to DO something with that knowledge.

That's what this article is all about.

And you know what?

That's what my journey is all about too.

I've spent a decade + coming to understand who I am...changing beliefs about who I thought I was...working to be the girl I need to be. I've discovered I'm not all that different from my younger counterparts.

And now, I too feel like I'm ready for great things.

I really am ready.

PS Many of you might already get the magazine but I have TWO COPIES to give away. If you're interested, leave a comment by Sunday night and I'll mail this AND my new favorite cd, WOMEN OF HOPE, to two lucky ladies!...or a gent if you're out there.)

How God used Elton John

I can't find my little cord so I can finally add some pictures to this blog.
I need to post on my dreamy "running away day" to Denver.
And a much-needed 24 hours with the girl I adopted as my little sister this weekend.

We saw The Lion King last night.
I saw it in NYC ten years ago.
If you ever have the chance to see it, TAKE IT.
It is, in a word, STUNNING. SPECTACULAR. INSPIRING.
And, at the risk of sounding dramatic (I know I have a tendency to sound dramatic at times), it was a spiritual experience for me.

Live productions often are.
It's in my blood, I suppose.
I love experiencing a moment that will never happen again...because it's live...and so each time is different.

But, I've been pontificating quite a bit as of late.
A lot on this blog.
A lot in my journal.
And last night, the Lord spoke to me through an Elton John song.
Who would have guessed?

I got a little teary when Mufasa spoke with Simba that night when he wanted to teach Simba a very important lesson.
It's like the most basic of lessons:
"Remember who you are."
Basic but so important.

Simba was the son of a king.
And, as such, had certain gifts and characteristics inherent that would allow Simba to be who he was meant to be.

I know.
Basic.

I've been teaching it all summer to thousands of teenage girls.
It's something I believe.
But, I don't always live like I believe it.
And I guess I needed the reminder.

So by the finale, I kind of felt like the cast was singing to me:

There's no mountain to great
Hear the words and have faith
Have faith

He lives in you
He lives in me

He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you

I cried.

He lives in me!
Of course He does.
Part of Him literally courses through my veins.
His traits are inherent in my DNA.
My heart was modeled after His.
My abilities are limitless because I'm His.

I shouldn't need the reminder.
But I did.
And I'm so grateful that God knew I did.
And grateful He sent me the message I needed to hear.

And the fact that He used Elton John & Tim Rice to do it?
Well, I think that's just great.

Riley.

I noticed her right from the start and at the end when it was time for a few "standing ovations", it was crystal clear she should be one of them.

She was 12.
Taller and a little bigger than the other girls her age.
Something about her was very familiar.

I put my arm around her and said, "Riley is going to hate this. It's going to feel awkward. And that's exactly the point. I want you to help Riley see what you see when you look at her...what God sees when He looks at her. And give her the standing ovation of her life."

And boy howdy!
Did. They. Ever.

It went on and on.
And Riley cried.
Her cute little face got all red.
And she looked at me.
Almost asking me to save her from this experience.
But, I didn't.
Instead, I signaled the girls to get louder.

And Riley just stood there and cried some more.

Finally, one of the older girls came forward from the loud clapping, hollering, crowd.

And she kissed Riley.
Right on the forehead.

And the standing ovation continued.

I walked up to Riley and put my arm around her.
I leaned in and whispered into her ear, "God knows you, Riley. He sees you right now. He loves you and wanted you to know what that feels like. Don't ever forget this moment."

I finally had to tell the girls to stop.
They were THAT good at the ovation.

And cute Riley walked back to her seat and just put her little head down and cried.

We did a few more.
And then the leaders wanted to give a standing ovation to the girls.
And the girls gave a standing ovation to their leaders.

But, my eyes were still on Riley.

There are moments in life when God's world stops and He moves heaven and earth to give one girl the experience she needs to know God knows she exists.
I have seen those moments all summer long.
I saw it in Malad.
I saw it with Jordan.
I saw it in Wyoming when His world stopped for Riley.

She was the first one to get to me when it was all over.
She just fell into my arms.
"He loves you. Did you feel it?"
I felt her nodding her head.
"Don't ever forget that, Riley."
She nodded again.

We ARE daughters of our Heavenly Father who LOVES us.
He. Loves. Us.
I know that.
And because I know that, I know who I am.

And now Riley knows who she is too.

My name is...

This morning I was with a group of real live adult women.
You'd think with my job, I'd have my fill of time with women.
But, I don't often get to formally talk to them.
And while I love being with teenage girls and feel passionately about those opportunities, there was something really invigorating about openly and honestly sharing what I believe with a group of my peers.

I was asked to talk about "Understanding Your Divine Potential".

Interestingly, that is essentially the same topic I'm often asked to address with teenage girls.

Which got me thinking.

Are we, the "adult women", really that different from our younger counterparts?
Do we really know more than they do?
Do we understand any better who we are?

I think life does something to us.
I think on one hand, we do know more and we do undertand better--life's experiences help create deeper wells.
We've likely had more reasons to get on our knees and talk to our Father.
We've have more instances of needing to call upon the power of the Atonement.

But.

We've also known more disappointment and more heartache.
We've had more time to make mistakes and beat ourselves up.
We've failed more because we've attempted more.
Yes, life does something to us.

Teenage girls are just at the beginning of learning some of the things we already know but they are also just at the beginning of a life full of hope and dreams and happinesses that some of us have already lost.

Early on in our gathering I had the women write down the first word that came to their mind when they thought of themselves.
The very first word.
I saw the look on their faces, knowing that for some of them it was a painful exercise.
Later on I had them write one positive word they wanted to believe about themselves if they didn't already.
Then, I had them stand and introduce themselves using this word instead of their name.

The first woman stood and cried, needing to gain composure before she said,
"My name is heart."
The next woman said she didn't have anything written down and asked if she could pass.
"Of course," I said. "But, you can't leave here until you have written something down. You don't have to share it, but you owe it to yourself to write it down."
Something about the exercise struck a chord for her.

Then, one by one...
"My name is funny."
"My name is determined."
"My name is loving."
"My name is kind."
"My name is secure."
"My name is try."
"My name is healthy."
"My name is Mom."
"My name is pretty." (This woman added, "And it's taken me a long time to believe that about myself.")
And on and on.

I've done that little exercise with a group of teenage girls. And you know? I think in some ways it's easier for them.

While it is true that some of them struggle with their identity, a whole lot of them haven't yet been convinced by the world that they are anyone other than who they believe they are.

Like some of us have been convinced.

Life just does something to us.
But, I am oh so grateful for what life does.
And what it's teaching me.

*****

By the way, my name?
My name is courage.