Who did you want to be when you were five years old?
...before the world crept in and life got real?
I wanted to own a business like my mommy, wear only pink like Barbie, and I wanted to be Miss USA. There wasn't a dream big enough, a dress pink enough, or stage bright enough for the five-year-old Lisamarie.
I was fearless. I had what Jesus called child-like faith. I bet you did, too.
I knew nothing of doubt, fear, rejection, or risks. I knew glitter glue, Barbie, and Mommy.
Every Saturday morning, I would run downstairs at seven a.m. and glitter something while I watched cartoons. That's still true. Except I usually work on my dreamhome and listen to Andy Stanley podcasts.
Why do I want to compete for Miss Colorado USA?…because this little girl wanted to be Miss USA.
With every decision I make, I ask myself how excited would the five-year-old version of me be for this? Would it honor her?
Would it stay true to who that little girl wanted to grow up and become? Would I want it for my daughter?
I'll never care if my daughter competes in a beauty pageant, but I want her to know that this world is hers for the taking, she's already invited to the party, and the dreams get real.
I've never done pageants and I avoid stages. But in December, I had a kairos moment and the Miss USA dream came back.
This week, I'm applying to compete for Miss Colorado USA. Whether I get picked for the stage in October or not, the five-year-old Lisamarie would be bummed if she knew I never went for it.
So here we go....headshots and all.
I want to look back on my life and know that I chased down every crazy, scary dream, and I took the risk, even if it was hard, even if it might damage my ego.
I don't know anyone who just got lucky, and woke up one day fearlessly living out their dreams. I do know people who fought through fear, and nerves, and sleepless nights. I know people who used their fear, leveraged their hope, and made magic happen.
Awesome people don't just happen. They take their grace, their story, their struggles, and their strength…and walk in faith.
Whatever your dream is…you're enough.
Chase it down. It's not going to chase you down. Take your grace and run.
"Fear never wrote a sympony or a poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease.
Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry.
Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that.
People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that."
{Max Lucado, Fearless}
We can rest assured that we will get enough grace and strength to live out God's purpose for our lives, and the dreams He set in our hearts. We are strong enough. We are reckless enough. We are already enough.
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
{Romans 8:37, NIV}
What dream came to mind as you read this? Don't wait, today you are enough.
Take your grace and run,
Lisamarie
