Playing it Safe
In our last video, Paula shared about an instance when the four of us were discussing a project, and a decision had to be made. Three of us had a consensus on the matter, while Paula was not quite satisfied with the result. Paula had an inner choice to make: Should she play it safe and go with the three of us, or should she be true to herself and express her opinion, risking a negative reaction from all of us? Because Paula is Paula, she spoke up. All three of us supported her, bringing assurance to her and showing willingness to take the time to take another look at the project. The result turned out much better than what the three of us originally had decided on. And Paula felt safe about being true to herself with the three of us. Maybe the latter was the most important.
Another story: I was 19 and felt a calling upon my life. At the time, no one paid much attention to it, much less encouraged it. Female leader role models were few and far between, if any. It would have been easy for me to play it safe during this time. I could have conformed to acceptable female roles and received the approving smiles and nods. Thankfully, I decided to be true to my inner self. My passion led me from Norway to the United States, where I pursued ministry training and was delighted to observe at least a few female preachers. Was it easy? I can assure you, it was not. However, I learned to walk with God in a deeper way as I moved forward on a journey of both internal and external obstacles. And the growth I experienced (and still experience) in the process brought me forward.
Playing it safe is never really safe. Jesus calls us to step out of the boat. He calls us to trust Him when everything around us tells us to stay put. What does your heart tell you to do? We are here to listen. In this group you have a whole community of women ready to encourage you and help you deal with obstacles. I am excited about that. I would love to hear your story. It is time to clothe ourselves in courage and faith and stop playing it safe.
Cecilie Croissant