Inspiration

 Here is a short video by a friend of mine that I love dearly. Her name is Michelle, and she recently started a journey to lose weight and become the person on the outside that she already is on the inside. She created this video blog series as a means for us to follow her through her journey and share in her revelations. I love her!

This video inspired me today because it is about INSPIRATION. Take 3 minutes to watch it :).

This reminds me of my own experience that I had just last month. I lead worship at our church a few times a month and my husband and I also run the high school and college small groups. Sometimes it can be tiring and busy, but there are moments that I get little reminders of why we do what we do....

We were at a marriage small group and one of the ladies asked to speak with me afterwards. We know each other from church, but not well. She has a daughter who is in middle school whom I have only said hello to about a handful of times. This mother began to tell me about a conversation she had with her daughter.

Her daughter, Sarah, said "Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be like Aubrey".

"Why Sarah?"

"Because there are a lot of girls at school who are pretty, but they are not nice. Aubrey is pretty and nice. That's why I want to be like her"

My heart felt overwhelmed! Here was this young girl who I had hardly spoken to, YET SHE WAS WATCHING ME. She watched me on stage, she watched me with friends, with my daughter, with my husband...She was watching. This reminded me of how important it is to live out who you are for others to see, because you never know who is watching and who is inspired by you!

Michelle mentions a similar instance in this video- of a stranger who was inspired by her. This woman paying her a small compliment will now stick with her forever. Since we all judge each other FAR too much, I created a challenge for myself.... Whenever I see someone at the store who is skinnier, prettier, or just seems to be better at something, instead of feeling jealous, I pick out a wonderful trait that I have observed about them. I then stop them and tell them. It may feel awkward, but you'll never see them again anyway! These women almost always are so thankful and full of smiles. Who doesn't love a compliment!? And this is not a competition, so let's encourage and inspire each other!

My husband laughs at me because when we drive down the road and I see someone running, especially someone who may not be in the best shape, I want to roll down my window and cheer for them! They're DOING something that I am sure is difficult for them! It makes me proud...

So try doing this throughout the rest of the week... everyday, find a random stranger and pay them a nice compliment. Note their reactions. I'm willing to bet you it won't be negative!

And always remember- who is watching YOU? Your children? Your friends? Middle school students? And savor this verse as you go about your daily duties:

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" - 1 John 3:18

You can also go to Michelle's Facebook page "It's Not About the Fat" and "like" it to follow along on her journey. Even if weight is not an issue for you, this woman is a gem and her advice and encouragement are always spot on for any situation you may face!