Those words echoed loudly in my ears as I sat in a dim conference room.
It was February 8, 2014.
The only light in the room was the gray clouds on the other side of the wide glass window. There was a large table with 12 oversized, cushiony chairs that swirled around on wheels. One corner of the room had a counter with baskets full of individual snack bags and a coffee Keurig accompanied by who knows how many different flavors to choose from. Beside it was a mini fridge stashed with sodas and bottled water.
Chocolate Valentine heart candies were scattered up and down the conference table, along with little silvery balls of rolled up chocolate covers beside notebooks, pens and i Pads. There were 12 women sitting around the table with their eyes glued to the big screen on the wall. It’s as if we were there in Austin, Texas in that humongous conference room with a thousand other women who gathered together to dream that weekend. Oh we were there with them…while we sat in quaint office room in Whitsett, North Carolina.
What if ?
All that day different women were being vulnerable, nervous – half-to-death on a stage, and telling real stories about their personal, life wrestling matches and answering the essential question to this “new generation of women: IF God is real… THEN what?”
Each of those women on that stage spoke words that resonated inside but there was one that stood out like no other to me. She walked out on the stage with a small smile on her face but something was a little different about her. She began to tell us about her wrestling match with Jesus that started a couple days prior. She knew she was going to be on the stage and in front of a camera talking to thousands of women watching virtually, but the Holy Spirit told her to go out there without wearing any make up. Well, she ignored that instruction and wore it anyway. Until 10 minutes before she was to go on stage. She turned around and quickly went to the bathroom and washed it off.
Her name is Esther Havens, a humanitarian photographer. With some red blotches on her face from scrubbing off her make up, Esther said she felt like she was to show just who she is as she is, and to stop disguising herself. Just like so many women do. She continued to tell how she’s traveled around the world to find and photograph women in poor and isolated villages who are basically invisible to most people in the world, and help them share their story and discover their beauty.
While I was listening to her, there was one word she said that unexpectedly rattled my soul. It was one of those moments where it feels kind of surreal.
Unseen.
Honestly, I don’t really remember the rest of what she said because I was trying to understand why that word shook me up and wouldn’t leave my brain. While she continued to talk, I heard these words.
Reach to the unseen.
I looked at my friend sitting beside me because I thought she must have leaned over and whispered those words in my ear. But her eyes were focused on the screen intently listening to Esther’s story and had no idea I was looking at her. Maybe I’m crazy but have you ever had one of those moments where it sounds like there’s a person right beside you and you hear him say something to you so clear and direct but no one’s around? It was like that.
It was somewhat of a turning point for me on that cloudy and cold, winter afternoon.
Those words brought surrendering tears to my eyes that day and there’s been countless times since then when I think about it. Even as I type this, a lump is in my throat. That has to be from God alone.
Too many years of my life I’ve been a “closet-Christian” as some call it. I like to play hide and seek. I hide my feelings, thoughts, revelations, fears, dreams and opinions in my personal closet filled with shelves of spiral notebooks, three-ring binders, Bible study workbooks filled cover to cover with notes, dreams and prayers. I seek to know God more and secretly read and study His Truth…still in the closet and not letting others in. Then when I need to hurry along and accomplish the things on my to-do list, I leave them all in the closet.
I’m tired of playing that game.
I want to see things differently.
I honestly still don’t know exactly what’s in store in the months or years to come. I guess it’s unseen right now, but I”m OK with that. I’m just so ready and excited to be on this new adventure.
There’s many things that have been going on since February 8, and hopefully in this new adventure I’ll be sharing it with you here on the blog – which is one thing that birthed from that unforgettable afternoon.
I invite you to explore my new blog here if you’d like to. It includes my vision statement which will explain to you in more detail what Reach to the Unseen means. There’s also my *about me*, and a couple other pages.
You can subscribe to my blog (see over on the right) and receive an email when I write a new post if you feel so inclined. You can also find me Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pintrest, LinkedIn and Google+ (you’ll find then in my contact page. Even though we might not see each other in person as I share with you my stories, I still hope when you read them, you’ll feel as if we’re in a coffee shop, going on a walk, or comfy on the sofas sharing what’s on our hearts.
You matter. Your story matters. I’d love to hear it. Feel free to make comments. Even if it gets you out of your comfort zone. (If I can do this, you can!) I hope together we can capture the vision God has for you and for me as we share our stories – whether they’re about things we can or cannot see.
Again, welcome and thank you for stopping by…
