Art Work at She Speaks 2016

 

“Bring business cards” they said. So I set about perusing the internet for inexpensive cards. After settling on one particular company I narrowed my search to five possibilities. That in turn become two and then one.

The day the cards arrived I opened the parcel with childlike excitement but at the same time hoping and praying I had made a good choice in my design. My concern gave way to delight as I looked at the business cards displaying my contact information and website. Okay, I know it was just a business card, but c’mon we all have to start somewhere.

Real Silverware

I was a first time attendee at She Speaks which is a conference in North Carolina run by Proverbs 31 ministries. Dutifully I packed the cards into my small suitcase along with business casual clothes and comfy shoes which were two more packing suggestions.

Eight hundred women gathered in the hallway eagerly awaiting doors Concord E and F (main conference room) to open. Not really sure what I was expecting, maybe a church like setting, but row upon row of chairs I did not see when the doors eventually opened. Instead I saw round tables elegantly laid with white table cloths, black napkins, and real silver ware with a center piece of flowers as the finishing touch. Elegant indeed!

Concord E/F was to be our ground zero, although interspersed with workshops held in various rooms, it was a place I would return to often throughout the two day conference. There was no assigned seating so I had the privilege of meeting many women from all over the USA as I sat with them to listen to keynote speakers, worship the Lord, and eat lunch and dinner with them.

Fear of rejection and feeling less than those around me held me back

I noticed how the women exchanged business cards gladly and freely with no evident signs of competition, they were truly supporting each other. So why then did I hold back my cards? The ones I painstakingly chose and designed. Why was I reluctant to share unless asked directly? I saw their cards and to be honest mine were in the same league as theirs. Quality of my card was not the issue, yet I felt embarrassed. Fear of rejection and feeling less than those around me held me back.

I sat amongst those who had published books, hosted radio talk shows, and blog several times a week and for some their platform was that of a speaker. Then there was… me… sitting among them. Me, who is pleased with myself if I get a blog post out every seven to ten days. Me, with my free blog address now printed on my newly designed business cards. I was feeling inadequate. The enemy of my soul was putting his two pennies worth of lies into my head.

Why would any of the ladies want your card?

They will laugh (internally) at you when they see the free website address.

No one’s interested in what you have to share.

I listened to every word and so my cards remained in my purse while they doled out their cards to my fellow table companions.

A Work of Art

“Do you have a business card?” one of them asked.

“Um! well! Ah yes, yes I do.” The words stumbled weakly out of my mouth.

I could no longer hide, opening my purse I removed one and only one business card and handed it to the woman. I wasn’t about to start shuffling them to each person around the table as one would in a card game.

Two other ladies looked at the business card I had just given our fellow companion and asked if they too may have one. Soon each person around the table had received my card. They did not look down on me, they were gracious and kind to this newbie into their world.

The voice of Truth reminded me who and whose I am. I am His.

His workmanship. A work of art. Reborn. Transformed. Renewed. Ready to be used for good works.

Ephesians 2:10 Amplified Bible.  This scripture is not for a few followers of Christ only but for all His blood bought children. It is for you and me, let us digest it and let it sink deep into the core of our beings.

¹⁰ For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

Are you holding back because you feel insignificant as I was? Are you afraid to share because like me you think no one wants to hear from you? Don’t listen to the lies. The truth is: You are unique, one of a kind. No one is like you, thinks like you, or does what you do the way you do it. We each have something to bring to the table. Don’t hide it! Use it!

It wasn’t until I decided not to listen to the voice of my enemy but listen to the voice of Truth did I move out from intimidation into boldness. What do you need to move out from?

Go for it sister.

Helena

Looking to Jesus: Living in His Radiance.

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