2016 Book Review Part 1

Called For Life by Kent Brantly

Many of you may remember Dr. Kent Brantly’s highly publicized arrival from Liberia to Emory hospital in Atlanta in the summer of 2014. He was the first American to be treated for the virus in the United States. Dr. Brantly contracted the dreaded Ebola virus while treating people during the outbreak. What you may not know is that his wife and kids flew home to America three days prior to when he contracted the virus, leaving Kent to suffer alone and both to worry that they would never see each other alive again. This autobiography is written from Kent and Amber’s perspectives, providing backstory to not only how they ended up in the heart of the outbreak but also they’re calling to missions and medicine.
Dr. Brantly’s leadership and maturity are something to be admired. After all, he had only been in Liberia for less than a year when he was called upon to spearhead the fight against ebola in Western Africa. Rarely do you see someone exhibit dedication and faith quite like Kent Brantly did throughout his treatment of Ebola patients. However, the book is written with incredible humility and character, and leaves you wishing you could simply have coffee with Dr. Brantly.
It is an easy read, which I recommend to anyone interested in missions and medicine.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

You’ve probably never heard of this book before. But you should have. Because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book is about a grumpy old curmudgeon. He has routines he loves order and things that are easily understood. Things are constantly changing around him, especially in this new digital age and he quite frankly doesn’t like it one bit. Throughout the course of the story you learn that his beloved wife has passed away six months prior to the books beginning. You learn that his world is black-and-white and she was color. I’ve this point in the story, all he wants to do is die. Sounds depressing right? Well it really isn’t. The story becomes all about the truth I believe that is: if we are alive, we have purpose. If we have breath in our lungs, we can be a blessing to others. But the message is not quite as in-your-face as that. Various colorful characters come into his life that need him. And it just plain gets on his nerves. Because if you’ll remember, all he wants to do is die. But he does it out of duty to his beloved wife. The story leaves you with a smiling heart, realizing we all change other peoples lives if we simply choose to participate in this thing called life.
Did I mention this book takes place in Sweden? I did googled the current used to figure it out. BTW you pronounce his name “Oova.”

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book. Man. Parts of this book knocked me off my feet. It was written by the same woman that wrote “Eat Pray Love,” by a creative to creatives.
As someone who has struggled with a fear of failure for their whole life, this book felt like a challenge written personally to me. I loved the way that Gilbert describe the relationship between creativity and fear. She has accepted fear as the unavoidable wicked stepsister in her marriage with creativity. Probably my favorite part of the book was her letter to fear in which she to clears that she understands that fear will be joining her along her creative journey but that it is allowed only a voice and not the ability to drive.
She talks a lot about “inspiration” and how she believes it flows freely throughout the universe visiting whomever it pleases the way that she talks about inspiration I was living spirit sort of gave me the heebie-jeebies but I can see where she’s coming from.
I appreciated the honesty of practicality with which she talked about a creative career. For example talking about how getting an art degree is not the same as getting a medical degree when it comes to job security.
Where it’s really good is when Gilbert describes why we are compelled to creativity despite the colony.But I don’t want to steal her thunder so I’ll leave the rest to Liz. But seriously, if you’re a creative, go. Get. This. Book.

Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling

I love Mindy Kaling and I love her TV show but I honestly can’t think of one reason why you should read this book. That’s all.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

From the prologue of this book it felt like talking to a friend. And not just any friend the kind of friend that makes you laugh out loud and thinking “I thought I was the only one that felt that way, but I’m not!” on a regular basis. I picked this book up because if its theme of mental illness, and was intrigued by its comical discussion of the topic. As someone who has battled depression and anxiety, this book reminded me why I need not be shameful of those parts of my story.  But that’s the difference between me and the author of this book I know that depression anxiety or just a small part of my story where is the author believes mental illness to be her identity. Regardless,  if you or someone you love struggles with mental illness (sorry to sound like a TV ad here) I think you have something to gain from this book. The way she describes her own experience times made me laugh hysterically and other parts made me cry. I highly recommend listening to this on audiobook. This girl is CRA-ZY and hysterical she had me rolling. Disclaimer: it has EXCESSIVE foul language, so if that’s not something you can stomach, this might not be the book for you.

 

2015 Book Review: Part 2

All The Light We Cannot See

Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel follows the stories of a young French girl and young German boy whose lives intersect while trying to survive World War II. Blind Marie-Laure’s father builds her a perfect model of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way around. Your senses will be tantalized as you discover her world alongside her. Especially when she joins the resistance.

When orphan Werner wins a spot at an academy for Hitler Youth, he thinks it’s his ticket to a life of which he has only dreamed, but his struggle has only just begun. Werner’s internal battle between what is right and wrong begins long before he gets to the battlefield.

Parallel to both of their stories, there is the mystery of a legendary French diamond, and the Nazi who is obsessed with finding it and bringing it back to Germany.

It’s a gripping story of people who find good in the world – and themselves, despite the odds.

 

The Martian

OK, you’ve got to be a little bit of a nerd to enjoy this book. When Mark Watney gets left on Mars, he has to get creative to survive. And that creativity involves a whole lot of, well, science. The story is mostly told through the perspective of Watney’s journal entries, and his sense of humor will have you wondering how your mental stability would be if you were 140 million miles from civilization. Through every success and mishap, you will be amazed at Watney’s resourcefulness, and pulling for him to get home.

 

How To Talk So Kids Can Learn 

You don’t have to know me very well to know about my love of children. I just can’t get enough of them and I love making a child feel cherished and valued. I am always interested to know how I can make my interactions with them even better…

My favorite part of this book was how it consistently used cartoons to illustrate and even compare how different word choices illicit different responses from children. It is primarily psychology based without an academic tone. I think parents and teachers alike could get something out of this book that would allow them to communicate more effectively with their kids.

 

The Gifts of Imperfection

This is one of those books that connects the dots, solves the puzzles and looks straight through to your soul. Dr. Brown describes the difference between healthy-striving and perfectionism. She also explains why perfectionism is actually an addiction. The biggest takeaway from this book for me is that we try to be perfect because we think it will reduce the risk of pain, but in reality it keeps us from really connecting with people, which is what we actually want. If you think you might need to read this book, you do.

 

Modern Romance  

            Full of all the wit you would expect from Aziz Ansari, this book will have you laughing out loud. My inner sociologist appreciated the current intriguing statistics on topics related to modern romance such as online dating, as well as the evolution of dating and marriage over the past century. What I didn’t expect was that Ansari personally conducted hundreds of interviews, not only in America, but in Tokyo, Buenos Aires and Paris as well. He isn’t afraid to point to and draw from his own romantic endeavors either.

As I anticipated, this book had its fair share of crude humor and foul language, but for the most part I don’t feel it took away from Ansari’s analysis of modern dating. I’m impressed that he saw a gap in today’s social science research and took it upon himself to fill that gap.

Adulting: How To Live With Your Friends (and Like It)

One of the best things about living in the Green House is that everyone tries to out-serve each other. (I realize how incredibly blessed I am to be able to say such a thing about my roommates.) Here I have shared a few things we have done to make living with such a large number of people manageable. After all, there are no RAs in post-grad life.

Systems keep the peace.

            In living situations, frustrations often arise because of unmet or differing expectations. If unaddressed, these frustrations often evolve into bitterness, which makes for an unpleasant and tense living environment. Creating systems in your home allows you to avoid some of these scenarios.

For example, with 6 roommates, we run the dishwasher frequently. To make an effort towards fairness, I created a system of dishwasher rotation. Using scrapbook paper, I cut out the first initial of each of our names. I put adhesive magnets on the back of each letter and placed the letters, with the exception of one, on the fridge in a vertical line. The last letter, I placed on the dishwasher. The system works like this: The person whose initial is on the dishwasher is responsible for starting it when it is full, and emptying it when the cycle is finished. When the dishwasher is empty, they remove their initial, put it at the bottom of the rotation list, and put the initial at the top of the list on the dishwasher. BOOM.

Communication is key.

            Have monthly meetings for paying bills (see below). It will lower the tension of asking for money from each other by concentrating it to a scheduled time. It also presents an opportunity to bring up frustrations or reminders that you wouldn’t want to bring up during, say, a Tonight Show commercial break. Make it fun by having wine and chocolate or another fun treat – after all, how often are you all sitting down in one place?

Keep a calendar posted in a central location where roommates can post gatherings they are hosting at the house/apartment so that roommates aren’t caught off guard.            

We have our house meetings in our dining room.

Venmo is a life-saver.

            Each of our roommates is responsible for paying one bill, which would normally require a lot of check-writing, but the app “Venmo” makes bill-paying a breeze. It allows you to digitally transfer money to your roommates as easily as you would transfer money from one bank account to another. You can even use emojis to describe what you paid for! Anything to make it less painful, right?

Be intentional about your friendships.

            It is quite possible to begin living life around your friends and not alongside your friends (roommates). Don’t forget to go for ice cream dates, stay in for movie nights, or go get manicures together. And certainly don’t forget to ask how they’re really doing.

All 6 of us realize what a time to cherish this is while we’re in the midst of it and for that I am thankful…

So here’s to you, Green House. We can hardly believe we deserve you.

A Gentleman and a Gentle Man

Today my Grandaddy would have been 86 years old. How I wish I could call him up and wish him a “Happy Birthday.” He would have wanted to hear what is going on in my life, and would be genuinely enthusiastic about whatever I had to share. He would probably say something wise such as,“The hardest part of any job is getting started.” However, my Grandaddy went to be with the Lord on August 1st, and tonight he’s blowing out the birthday candles with Jesus. I’ll never forget getting the news on moving day, and how my aching sobs filled my empty apartment as I sat on the floor with a bag of pitted cherries. I thought about how I had just come across a card from him that was signed “SWAK” (sealed with a kiss), and how the picture I had taken with him only 10 days earlier would be the last picture ever taken of him…

His ashes were buried in his leather doctor bag which bore his initials “RAP,” and oh how it ripped me in two. I will always remember the trumpet that sung right to my heart as we celebrated the man who did everything with excellence and grace. These are the words that I shared about my favorite man…

“Ronald Anthony Pruitt was a son, brother, student, engineer, military man, doctor, husband, friend, father, father-in-law. But to me, he was Grandaddy. When I think of my Grandaddy, I think of him standing on the back stoop, waving as I pulled out of the driveway. When I was very little, and not so little, I would cry when we left 1915 Sunnybrook Drive. It might have made my Mom a little envious, considering I didn’t even look over my shoulder on my first day of school.

My Grandaddy and I shared a common love of reading, cotton candy ice cream, and the movie “You’ve Got Mail.” He taught me how to tie my shoes, how to whistle, and how to open the screen door of my parents’ house when I thought I was too small. He taught me how to play Monopoly – or should I say lose Monopoly. Yet somehow even that felt like a privilege. As a little girl I thought he must be very smart, because he played classical music in his car, and as far as I knew only very important people listened to classical music. I will always remember how he would say “wowzers!” when he was amazed, how he would say “sweet dreams for Olivia” in his crossword puzzle pajama set when we went to bed. I would respond “sweet dreams for Grandaddy,” believing I was the luckiest girl in the world. I’m still convinced I was.

The last day I saw Grandaddy was a week and a half ago. I had only arrived home from Africa five days earlier, and I am still blown away by the Lord’s sweetness in allowing my arrival back in the states and Grandaddy’s time on earth to overlap. In one of my last conversations with Grandaddy, I asked him if he found his work as a doctor to be fulfilling, or if it was just a job to him. It won’t surprise any of you to know that he said, “It was not work. It was very fulfilling. It was just a pleasure to take care of people.” This is why people loved and respected him. Not because he was a self-made man, although he certainly was, but because he was a gentleman and a gentle man.

Grandaddy attributed any success he had to his faith in God. Not many people would have the courage to make a drastic career shift as he did, but he once told me that he was not fearful at all, because he believed that God would see him through. Several years ago I asked him how his outlook on life had changed since he was my age. In his humility, he shared with me that as he matured he grew to understand that God is in control and he is not. These conversations, as well as many others, revealed to me that the peace he eminated was one of the thing I admired most about him. I pray that even if it takes til I’m 85, I will share in this peace as well.

More than any other thing we have in common, I pray that I share in his compassion towards others, wisdom in all circumstances and positivity about life. I’m thinking the odds are looking pretty good since those are characteristics I see in my Mom. He considered raising children and grandchildren who are God loving, God fearing, and worshipful people to be his greatest accomplishment. I know this, because he told me. I hope that you will carry his words in your hearts as you leave here today… “God is with us and for us.”

January – June Reads

“I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai- The remarkable account of (the youngest) Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who stood up for girls’ education in Pakistan and was shot by the Taliban.
Recommended for: Meredith Toering

“Just Do Something” by Kevin DeYoung- A liberating (and brief) read for a generation with too many choices, and too much pressure on themselves.
Recommended for: Julia Jordan-Lake

“Bittersweet” by Shauna Niequist – Reflections on the most essential paradox of life: that it is both hard and good, and neither diminishes the other.
Recommended for: Madison Perekotiy

“Breathing Room” by Leeana Tankersley – This book is about silencing the “brain vultures” and letting go of the endless striving towards becoming “enough.”
Recommended for: The woman who needs to give herself permission to let herself “off the hook” in life.

“Yes Please!” by Amy Poehler – If you love Parks & Rec as much as I do, you’ll appreciate Poehler’s account of how she rose to the top of the comedy world, with plenty of personal opinion to round it off. If you’re going to pick up this PG-13 read, go for the audiobook. Not only is Amy hilarious, but it includes guest appearances from Seth Meyers, the Parks and Rec creator, her parents, and other important people in Poehler’s life.
Recommended for: Connor Vetter

“Preemptive Love” by Preemptive Love Coalition founder Jeremy Courtney – The fascinating, inspiring story of the Preemptive Love Coalition, which provides surgeries for Iraqi children with heart defects caused by nuclear warfare.
Recommend for: Ruth Dunn

“Tables in the Wilderness” by Preston Yancey – How a disenchanted Baptist preacher’s kid found a home for his faith in the liturgy, ritual, and symbolism of the Anglican Church.
Recommended for: Dori Burnett

“The Best Yes” by Lysa Terkeurst – “We must not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.” This book is about playing your part and learning to say “no.”
Recommended for: Anyone with a big heart to serve and too few boundaries.

“Scary Close” by Donald Miller – How letting yourself be deeply seen is letting yourself be deeply loved.
*I won’t offend anyone with a recommendation, but if you think you need to read this book, you do. And it will rock your world.

A Strange(r) Question

“So what’s next?” she asked me.

I stared back at her for a moment wondering what prompted her to ask me such a perceptive question.

Maybe my face doesn’t hide my thoughts quite as well as I thought it did.

I know a handful of people in Nashville, Tennessee, but this face was one I hadn’t seen before.

“Could she be an angel?,” I consider for just a moment.

I wanted to say, “Next? I’m still getting through this day, I don’t have the slightest clue what is next.”

Instead I spouted off something about “figuring it out” with as much confidence and nonchalance as I could muster.

Even I hardly believe the words as I hear myself say them…

Later that evening, I heard a message from a pastor that I had never heard before… even now I don’t remember his name, but I’ve come back to his words over and over again this week:

            “Human abilities are never going to match a God-sized calling. So if you’re waiting to feel ready to serve you’re never going to get there. He wants us to trust HIM and not our resources. Bring whatever you have, your five loaves and two fishes, and follow Jesus into things only He can do.”

Days after hearing those words, I’m still wrestling with them.

I desperately want my five loaves and two fishes to be used by God.

But too many days I look at my five loaves and two fishes and think they look pretty measly.

“Does God really have a place for me to serve Him with my whole heart, mind, soul and strength?” 

I try to “figure out” how I can “multiply” my loaves and fishes so I can get to the point where I can really be useful to God. Sometimes I just try to hide them.

I want perfection. I want fulfillment. I want heaven on earth. 

Turns out it’s my CHOICE whether or not I’m going to live life with open hands and believe God is the one who is going to do the multiplying.

I don’t know what’s next, but I do know I want to start really believing that God will equip me for what He has for me.

Hands open. All in time, all in good time.

“For we are powerless against the great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.“

2 Chronicles 20:12

Fifty Shades of Concern

In the midst of the media blitz, it would be nearly impossible not to be aware that the movie “Fifty Shades of Grey,” based off the popular book series by the same name, hits theaters today.

I don’t want to write about this movie. Not even a little bit. I’m not typically shy of a little “con-tra-versy,” as Jimmy Fallon would say, but I’ve pushed away these swimming thoughts for weeks because I feel I am the least qualified person to be writing on the topic. But who am I to ignore the nudge to share? Some things are just too important to be silent about.

Like many other issues involving women, the views on this cultural phenomenon are as varied as they come. Since women popularized the books, is it anti-feminist to speak against them?

Well, I don’t really care about being feminist or anti-feminist.

I care about people.

And not all that glitters is gold.

The last thing I want to be is white noise so let me get to my point.

Many are demonizing this movie, these books, but for what are we demonizing them?…

Last year this time I was interning with a crisis pregnancy center in inner city Birmingham, where I learned much more than how to administer a pregnancy test. I learned that just because people have the right to make their own decisions about their sexuality, it does not necessarily follow that they will choose well. Our judgment gets clouded when we allow our worth to be defined by another person’s affections for us. It’s too easy to make decisions we will later regret when we are under the addictive influence of affection.

Now I will be the first to say that it is not my place to cast judgment on people’s sexual preferences. But I will also say, I do not think enough attention has been brought to the warning signs of abuse in Mr. Grey’s behavior toward the character of Anastasia, played by Dakota Johnson.

I know you may want to stop reading here… please don’t.

It is apparent in the movie trailer that Anastasia intrigues Mr. Grey from their first interaction. What may be less obvious is his profiling of her as a naïve and vulnerable woman, which he instinctively recognizes as susceptible to his control. Allow me to bring to your attention that this mentality mimics the pattern of pimps who target vulnerable women, then seduce them into becoming escorts. These escorts have contracts much like Mr. Grey forces Anastasia to sign. When introducing her to his “Red Room” or “playroom” as he calls it, Mr. Grey tells Anastasia that she can leave at any time… But can she? Up to that point the romance has been his means to an end, not the end itself.

It’s clear Anastasia “wants more” from Mr. Grey. Not physically, but emotionally. When we disconnect physical and emotional intimacy, there is bound to be collateral damage…In what I have read of plot summaries (because I have not read these books nor do I plan to), Mr. Grey and Anastasia later marry, and he begins to track her every movement. If we are talking about “fantasies,” then this looks nothing like the romantic relationship that I and other women imagine: one that is based on mutual trust and respect. In a recent interview, Dornan, the actor who plays Mr. Grey, said “I had to do stuff to her (Dakota Johnson) that I’d never choose to do to a woman.” That doesn’t exactly have the aroma of romance, and yet it is easy to miss the glamorization of domestic abuse in this well-produced film.

Anastasia grows unhappy in her relationship with Mr. Grey, if we can even call it a relationship. And it’s no wonder, really. At times she feels romanced by him, but only on a very carnal level. She hasn’t been entrusted with intimate emotional knowledge of Mr. Grey. She doesn’t feel respected or safe. You know what’s interesting, and even concerning? When googling, “signs of an abusive relationship in…”, this movie will not come up as one of the suggested search titles. Twilight will. But this movie won’t. Truly, Hollywood is doing an impressive job of blurring the lines of romance and domestic abuse with this film … Have you stopped to consider this…

… What exactly are viewers paying to see? If the scenes of hitting, whipping, and bondage were isolated … maybe even on the news… without the sensationalized romance … how would you respond?

Affection is not a thermometer of your desirability. Choose to believe that you are not defined by affection. Believe in your heart that you have worth simply because you are you. Slowly but surely, you will begin to carry yourself like you believe it too.

Will you allow me to remind us what love is supposed to look like? Or rather, what Jesus says it should be:

“Love is patient,

Love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,

It is not self-seeking,

It is not easily angered,

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

But rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

Always trusts,

Always hopes,

Always perseveres.

Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13

14 Favorites of 2014

my favorite pictures taken on my Canon and iPhone this year:

1. Jordan River, Israel

2. Volcan Baru Summit, Panama – 11,398 ft.

3. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel

4. Israel

5. Dead Sea (aerial view), Israel

6. Israel

7. Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel

8. Radnor Lake, Nashville, Tennessee

9. Birmingham, Alabama

10. Colon, Panama

11. Samford University

12. Birmingham, Alabama

13. Birmingham, Alabama

14. Santa Monica Pier, California

Looking towards new adventures in 2015

You’ve Got to Crawl Before You Can Run

January 2014 – Sea of Galilee, Israel

I know, I know, you don’t want to talk about it… but word on the street is you’ve got one semester of college left. (Congratulations by the way!) Before long you will be faced with leaving the familiarity of college and entering the Real World. You might feel like you’re suspended in air, playing Russian Roulette with faith and fear… I get it. Last year this time I had a mini-meltdown. It was around 11pm, after a late-night Netflix binge of “How I Met Your Mother” when my mom started asking me questions. You know the questions, they’re the ones your parents’ friends or your high school friends ask you whenever you visit home…

Now let’s call a spade a spade: Netflix is the drug for the person who is Not Thinking About The Future. That’s right, I was avoiding it. Big time. Like Ebola…Let me stop right here to insert that I do not recommend getting into such a discussion with your parents in the middle of the night, just don’t. Here was the rub: the go-to answer for anyone’s questions was, “I don’t know”… and it was driving me CRAZY. Never before was I faced with the option of doing so many different things – so I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. The future was a wide open field, and I was paralyzed in the middle, just looking around me, wondering which way was home. Born into a family of 3 generations of doctors, no one in my family could give me advice on choosing a path that wasn’t laid out for me (Hint: I’m not in medical school).

Maybe this is where you find yourself: afraid to make your next move, because you’re afraid it might be the wrong one. I feel ya, I hate disappointing people too (Oldest Child here). But I want you to picture something with me…Think about how you learned to walk. You had to learn to crawl before you could walk, or even run. Let’s say college has been like crawling. Crawling is good. There’s nothing wrong with crawling. It’s comfortable and safe. You’re close to the ground so risk of falling is slim to none, but your visibility is pretty low from down there. Scientists say that crawling is necessary, critical even, for the development of a baby’s joints. (Sorry, I know a lot about babies.) But one day she thinks she might try to stand up like all those big people around… she pulls herself up to standing and thinks to herself “I’m a bit wobbly, but the view is so much better from up here!” The baby alternates between crawling and gliding along the edges of tables while she gets the hang of the thing. (Hang with me here…)

Then the first steps come – and the baby’s parents couldn’t be prouder! She takes as many tumbles as she does steps, but it’s ok, she doesn’t have very far to fall. Then, at long last, comes the confident walker. She may look a little bit like Frankenstein, but she’s KILLIN IT. Before long, she will have given up crawling all together. She’ll be able to bend down and pick things up, and before you know it, you’ve got a sprinter on your hands.

Right now, you’re a college crawler. It’s comfortable and you’re not sure you want to let it go, but you know there’s more. It’s going to look funny at first, the walking, but everyone is going to be cheering you on and no one expects you to do it perfectly anyway. You’ll find you can see better from “up there.” What will you be able to see better? Primarily, yourself, as each step feels a little steadier, a little stronger. Sure, you’ll have to pay your power bill and call the Pest Control people when you need to, even though you would rather pretend like those responsibilities don’t exist. But the “growing up” comes in being brave and doing the next thing. And every day you’ll feel a little more prepared to do it.

As I tried to find my place in the real world, every “no” led to the “yes” I could have never imagined. I was really disappointed when I didn’t get an internship with International Justice Mission (even though I tried to have low expectations). I was confused when my Mom had deep reservations about me moving to India for a year. But if I had done either of those things or the other opportunities I pursued, then I wouldn’t be where I am today: well on my way to my dream job. But that’s the beauty of this game: the only wrong move is to make no move at all.

Don’t do what you think sounds the most impressive, simply for the status of it alone. Do what you feel in your heart to be right… you’ll know what it is… it will be the thing you would kick yourself later for NOT doing. Also, please don’t make sacrifices for people who aren’t even in your life yet. What I mean is, if you are a young girl who has dreams of being a lawyer and a mother, I’m here to tell you that you can have both. Ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. We’re not promised children, or even tomorrow, so don’t defer your dreams today! Yeah my work is hard, my weeks are long. But it’s also as rewarding as it is challenging. I believe you can have the same.

You know what I think? You’re going to be just fine.

You want to know why I think that? Because you want to be successful.

So let go of the idol of perfection and follow your passion. When people ask you questions you don’t have answers to, ask them to pray for you instead of getting defensive. I wish I had done more of that.

Because in this life, and in your work, people are going to get on your nerves, and you’re going to feel burned out at times…

but you… you’re going to believe in the beauty of your dreams…

even when it doesn’t make sense on paper…

Do the thing that makes you feel alive…

I dare you…

Couldn’t have made it through these last few months without my co-workers, Brendt and Kristi, who make me better and make me laugh every day.

What It Means to Be an Advocate

I wrote this article as a representation of Work of Worth’s mission and values, for publication by the Allume blogging conference. I happen to share those mission and values, so I wanted to share the article with you here. 

Anyone with success has advocates. Think of your favorite pop-star – they are an advocate magnet. They have the quiet “behind the scenes” type, who help them recognize opportunities, and see those opportunities become realities. They also have the bolder “door-holder” kind of advocates, those who share with others about the greatness they recognize.

Those without success lack advocates. Everyone has skills and abilities to bring to the table, but the revelation of those gifts comes from opportunities and advocates that help us tap into what it is we have to offer. We have come to recognize that those that need the most advocacy are those that don’t know they’re worth fighting for.

Anyone with success has an audience. Success brings with it a platform from which you have the freedom to share your experience and expertise. With the achievement of success comes the responsibility to advocate for the success of others.

You are your own advocate. To truly capture your success you must also recognize your own worth. You have to own it. You must believe you have something to offer. Owning your own worth is not an overnight process, but is instead a journey, during which you need advocates to walk alongside you. Unlike patriarchy, the goal of advocacy is to instill dignity until he or she can advocate for their own success.

Recipients of advocacy can’t resist paying it forward, which is why advocacy has the longevity to impact generations. The responsibility to advocate has nothing to do with the size of your platform. Those facts are mutually exclusive. Consider the voice of advocacy in terms of the family: a parent’s voice of truth is of the same value to one precious child as it would be to 10 children. This is true for both the number she advocates for and the number she advocates to. Advocacy is about sharing truth with those you have been given influence over, whether that audience is 1 or 1000.

Work of Worth is about bridging the gap for those who need an advocate. Consider this your formal invitation to the movement of advocating for dignity.