Hey Leader! Strike Up the Band!
Day 276 of Photo Inspirations — Hey Leader! Strike Up the Band!
I love these photos of a group of kids hugging the gal in the middle of them — the Drum Major for their high school band!!
At the end of school year this last Spring, a dear friend reached out to me with her “mother’s love” for her daughter. She was looking at her “Senior” girl and wondering if I could share wisdom to help her daughter through a tough season of low self esteem and value. She said: “My daughter is seemingly capable of accomplishing anything she sets her mind to, but she revealed to me the other day that she has a fear of not being perfect — a fear of being judged by OTHER people as not being perfect. We’ve always told her “just do your best, no one’s perfect”. And she wondered if I could recommend a book for her that might help her to see that she doesn’t have to be perfect — just good enough? And went on to ask if my daughter, Staci, had gone through something similar at one point?
I understood her. It’s hard to believe it, but, at one point, I had a daughter with low self esteem. She questioned her value, her abilities, her future, her friends, and her self worth. So, in my reply to her, I told her my girl had gone through the same concerns and fears, but conquered it and became the strong, determined, resilient, confident woman she is today. I gathered up Staci’s teaching series on “Developing a Healthy Self Image”, her book “Mission Possible” and other materials and gave them to my friend for her daughter.
Just a few weeks later, I saw a video her Mom posted of her on FB in her element. She had been selected as the Drum Major (the leader of the band) for her high school band, and was leading with such self confidence, strength and determination. There was absolutely NO SIGN of questioning herself. I was sending out thanksgiving to God for the difference in her from just a few months before to her Mom and said, “I had chills as I watched this! That sweet girl is leading with confidence and attitude! YES — a tremendous LEADER in all ways! ‘Oh, The Places She Will Go!'” Her Mom replied, “And to think that a few short months ago, she was afraid of being judged by others as inadequate. I think that God had this planned for her as we were worrying over her fears. If we could have heard Him then, He would have said ‘I have plans to bring her out of that shell into splendor!'”
This precious young woman was struggling with fears and concerns that we have, too! “Am I good enough; pretty enough; smart enough; liked enough?” Friends and peers sometime make us feel less than best. Rejection is a tough pill to swallow. But, when we realize how loved we are by God, how beautiful we are to Him, that He made us in His image and likeness and that He formed and made us to be just who we are — with a destiny and purpose in mind……then, like this precious young woman, we find self worth, value, and even great joy in knowing we are loved and approved. He even makes us MORE THAN CONQUERORS in life! (Romans 8:37)
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Isn’t it time we opened our hearts to the possibility that God has a perfect plan, with just who we are today AND tomorrow — a plan that is packed full of promise and possibility? No doubt, He has plans to bring us out of our shells into splendor, too!