Thembela Miranda Njenga
I had the opportunity of sitting in a talk by Lisa Bevere at a women’s conference that took place at the CRC church in Pretoria this past Thursday. At the end of her talk, I was sure this is one woman I would like to learn from. So, I bought a number of her books and started my reading over the weekend. At the beginning of her book “Lioness Arising”, Lisa says these wonderful words, “To all my lioness sisters who felt something wild, fierce and beautiful, stirring within them. You are stunning. You were born for this moment. Don’t be afraid of your strength, questions, or insights. Awaken, rise up, and dare to realise all you were created to be”.
I found these words particularly encouraging as I came across this book in the middle of my preparation for a conversation I was having for women on Finding Your Why and Saying Yes to Your Cause. Whilst I was convinced about the need for this conversation, I was also struggling to settle down and connect with myself. In such moments, it is easy to doubt if we have truly listened and whether we have it in us to engage others in such deep conversations. It is also easy to listen to that loud voice asking the question, ‘whom do you think you are – a villager from Keiskammahoek?’. As I read through her book, I was reminded of a story of the Bible, that many who are Christians or who read the Bible would be aware of. This is the story of a young girl, Mary, who would later become the mother of Jesus. Mary had an unusual visit from an Angel who had come to tell her that she, an ordinary girl, who did not even come from an important family was going to give birth to and raise a child. This was no ordinary child, but the Messiah, the Jews had always been waiting for all these years. She could have found all sorts of excuses about why she was not the right person to carry such a huge responsibility. Who would believe her story? Would she still have a man to marry at the end of the day? Did she have it in her to raise her saviour? Despite all the questions she might have had, she said YES and accepted her call in the world. Who would have thought?
The issues I am raising above are so reflective of my struggles as I continue to search and learn what it means to live a life of purpose amid pressure, the high demands upon our lives, and at times doubt. Yes, doubt is very much part of our ‘yes’ journey. It comes when you have put the word out there about what you are all about and how yours is a response to a felt need and pain in the world, and yet there does not seem to be a bite on the other end of the string. It comes when you send an open invitation to your events and no one seems to be interested. It comes when you have presented your best pitch and you are sure you have connected with your potential client, and nothing comes out of it. It comes at the end of the month when you are convinced that you have made the right decision by leaving formal employment but now you have no money to pay the bills. It comes when those you believe share your vision become but a disappointment and stab you in your back. Yes, this and more is part of our ‘yes’ journey. When you believe, even though you can feel the fire burning inside of you but lack the appropriate words to express what you feel. Sadly, these realities and perceptions become excuses for many of us who know they have something meaningful to create in response to the world’s pain, persuading them to park their true purpose aside whilst they take care of their real needs. In the process, we resign ourselves to a life of insignificance. We hide behind these and even other people – be it our strong husbands, sisters, and brothers, friends, or even our children and run away from carrying that which we were called to do.
The truth is that there is no excuse, none whatsoever. Pursuing our purpose does not require all of us to leave our full-time jobs, it requires us to say yes. This begins by believing in our cause and the truth said by Lisa – that we were born for this moment. I believe our belief in ourselves, the gifts we were given, and whose we belong to is a starting point that will go a long way in unleashing the greatness that lies within us. Believing in our cause is not always an easy one as it calls on us to embark on a deeper and uncomfortable journey inwards, one that is questioning ourselves, unearthing stumbling blocks, and some painful experiences we would rather leave in the world of the dead.
Our belief must require us to have the courage to take that difficult journey of taking a hard look deep down in us, for it is in this place that we will discover our hidden treasures as well as reignite our passion. It is in this place that we will be able to truly know ourselves and hopefully yield the call to come back home.
Yet, I believe that the only way we will ever be content in this life is when we are courageous enough to do what Lisa Bevere suggests- put aside our fear and allow ourselves to awaken, rise up and dare realise that we have been created to be.
