Where are You Hiding? By Darla Morrison

Today’s guest blogger is Darla Morrison. Darla is a Publicist with a heart for connecting women. Nothing excites her more than leading other women to understand their worth through God’s eyes. With a background in PR for over ten years, she has worked with businesses and individuals helping them develop their brand. She has written several articles and interviews published for a magazine. She is currently answering a God call to launch a live format for women, the Lioness Summit. She loves hearing about other people’s journey, because there is a beautiful message in their messiness. Darla has three awesome daughters and two bonus sons. She is a Gigi to three grandbaby blessings. She is a lover of all things outdoors especially hiking with her fur-baby. 

She plopped down and looked at me with a shocked surprise at the fall. Now mind you she didn’t fall far, at 11 months old you’re still pretty close to the ground. But the surprise came when the first attempt at standing didn’t take. I smiled and told her to try again, so she did. After many attempts, she didn’t need my encouragement; her own determination took over. After several weeks of pulling up and me guiding her to take a few steps holding on to my hand,

Then she just held on to my finger,

Then one day she surprised herself and me—she walked on her own! She was very delighted and so surprised that she laughed out loud and then fell down, but this time, she didn’t worry.

She had it figured out.

Scientists have researched that it takes on the average 2368 steps and falling seventeen times an hour for a child to learn how to walk. Think about all the natural brain power and mental energy to learn how to take those steps. That is a ton of failing before the first step!

No one has to make a child walk, they instinctively do it on their own. Every culture, every nation, every human and every species knows as you grow, you must move on your own.

Since it is a natural instinct, when did we quit moving forward? (Philippians 4:13)

When did we start asking permission to step out and be ourselves? (2 Timothy 1:7)

When did we begin believing that we cannot fail at something new? (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Who first suggested that failing was bad? It wasn’t God. He teaches us that the process is golden.

We are each unique and beautiful in Gods’ eyes and He gave each of us challenges. Those challenges, if we choose to persevere through them, will make us fully who we are!

Let me explain. Let’s say I struggle with the ability to understand the workings of finances (and yes, I do). I will have to work hard in the process to becoming a responsible adult and need to lean into people who are good with money. There will be times I fail in the process, but I will learn many things I don’t naturally understand. This makes me grow, this makes me smarter and makes me respect others who have a natural ability with money. This causes me reach out to others who I would normally not hang out with. In other words, I am becoming a better version of myself. We all have the choice to work through our challenge, or not. If we choose not to work through it, we miss the blessings and the joy.

So, once again, when did you stop striving for your goals? (2Timothy 2:15)

When did you buy into the lie that becoming your best will be easy or that it will come quickly? (Philippians 4:19)

I trust know and believe you will face opposition. Rocking the proverbial boat will cause waves. And others who want status quo will tell you to sit back down.

But please, don’t listen! (Romans 12:1-2)

Our enemy wants us to believe these lies. We are led to believe (yes actually believe) that on our own we are not enough.

We are not as ______ as the best friend we have.

We are not as _______ as the people we look up to.

We begin to compare ourselves to others and then we spiral into putting up masks. Masks to hide our brokenness, our fragile hearts, our audacious dreams. We hide. When we stop growing, and sometimes failing, we stop living.

God teaches us that when we live out what we are wired for—designed for— we are fulfilled and quite honestly we do make the world a better place.

Are you willing to fail on the road to becoming what you are designed to be?

We are all waiting for you to be your authentic self so we can celebrate you!

Here are more versus to encourage you and to share with others:

James 1:2-3 / James 1:12/ Joshua 1:9/ Philippians 4:19/ Ephesians 6:10/Romans 8:37/ Psalm 31:24/ Proverbs 10:4/Micah 7:8/Isaiah 40:29&31/Joshua 1:9