Some people outgrow their childhood dreams; mine ended with a single phone call.
There were 10 girls trying out for 10 spots on the varsity cheerleading team. My bedroom walls were covered with cheerleading posters. My hours were filled with jumps, and my hands were always gripping pompoms.
Though the varsity tryouts seemed a formality, I cheered with all my might. I couldn’t wait to wear my new orange and black varsity cheerleading uniform. When I was cheering, I felt fully alive!
But after tryouts, I received a call.
I didn’t make the team. I wasn’t good enough—to them. I didn’t have what it would take, they said. The coaches decided they’d just rather go with nine cheerleaders that season.
Instead of putting on a cheerleading uniform for a season, I put on a lie that became the megaphone of my life: I wasn’t enough.
God didn’t want to use a not-good-enough girl like me.
Maybe you had a big dream when you were a little girl or boy, too. Something that made you feel fully alive. Being a published author, sharing Jesus with the masses, speaking at arena-filled events, serving behind the scenes, or traveling the world ministering to others. This is what you were created to do!
But along the way you picked up the lie that God doesn’t want to use you because of
● Your past
● Your poor choices
● Your small platform
● Your problems, weight, or age.
Or maybe someone told you, too, that you just aren’t enough.
In the New Testament, there was a woman who didn’t believe she was enough. The Bible calls her the Samaritan woman. She wasn’t just any woman; she was a woman who had a reputation marked by bad choices. Choices that caused people to whisper, judge, and stay away from her.
When Jesus saw the Samaritan woman, He didn’t keep His distance. He never does. Even though He knew her whole story, He leaned in, listened, and loved. He forgave her and gave her a brand-new life. Jesus changed her and it was enough to change an entire community!
The Samaritan woman’s mess became a life-changing message.
John 4:39 (NIV) says, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him [Jesus] because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’”
Christ can do the same for you. The place you find yourself in today—even if it’s messy—is the very place Jesus desires to meet you so that you can do what you’ve been created to do.
Jesus did it for the Samaritan woman. He did it for me. After high school, my mess became a drug and alcohol addiction that nearly took my life. But His message through me today is that in Christ, we are forgiven, chosen, and loved—period. Redeemed by His love, some now say I’m God’s sparkly cheerleader, created to equip girls and women to know God’s life-changing Truth.
Friend, when the enemy tries to whisper the lie that you’re not enough, you have a choice. You can listen to the lies or declare, “Enough! The Truth is that in Christ I am enough and have been created on purpose, for a purpose. I’m choosing to believe who God says I am and trust Him as He uses me to impact the world!”
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You that in Jesus I am equipped, enough, and loved. Period. Thank You that You created me with purpose and potential. Please use me to impact the world both in big and small ways. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Question: What experience in your life made you feel like you weren’t “enough?” How did you overcome that challenge, or are you still struggling? How can the Speak Up Tribe be praying for you?
Oh Cindy… that just makes my heart ache for you! And if they only knew what a cheerleader you’d become!! The best kind—cheering on your sisters (younger or not) wherever you go.
I had a similar experience. I tried out for a singing group at church. I’ll never forget looking at the results posted outside the practice room door.
3 altos
3 tenors
3 basses
2 sopranos (not including me)
See, I was the giggly girl who did more distracting than singing. I’m sure I was a thorn in my (very serious about music) leader’s side.
She succeeded in stopping up my giggles—but only for a time.
Aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t do tryouts?? He does send outs! Even for those of us who feel like we’re not enough. Because He is more than enough!
Shannon: thank you for this life-giving post. I was always teased about being so skinny, and felt on the outside so much of my teen years, felt like the ugly duckling.. never tried out for anything ! I know I was afraid of rejection.
So glad to say, I found Jesus at 35 and with Him and my faithful, loving husband and family, I can encourage woman around me to find Him too! He is everything we need💕
Oh Cindy… that just makes my heart ache for you! And if they only knew what a cheerleader you’d become!! The best kind—cheering on your sisters (younger or not) wherever you go.
I had a similar experience. I tried out for a singing group at church. I’ll never forget looking at the results posted outside the practice room door.
3 altos
3 tenors
3 basses
2 sopranos (not including me)
See, I was the giggly girl who did more distracting than singing. I’m sure I was a thorn in my (very serious about music) leader’s side.
She succeeded in stopping up my giggles—but only for a time.
Aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t do tryouts?? He does send outs! Even for those of us who feel like we’re not enough. Because He is more than enough!
Shannon: thank you for this life-giving post. I was always teased about being so skinny, and felt on the outside so much of my teen years, felt like the ugly duckling.. never tried out for anything ! I know I was afraid of rejection.
So glad to say, I found Jesus at 35 and with Him and my faithful, loving husband and family, I can encourage woman around me to find Him too! He is everything we need💕
I can relate to so much of what you talked about! But then I met
Jesus!
He changed the way I saw myself. He made me know that I am accepted in the Beloved. And His great, powerful love made me respond to Him like Mary: “Be it unto me according to your word”
Now, His Word defines me! Whatever He sees in me is true. Whatever He wants to do in me or through me is possible!
I can relate to so much of what you talked about! But then I met
Jesus!
He changed the way I saw myself. He made me know that I am accepted in the Beloved. And His great, powerful love made me respond to Him like Mary: “Be it unto me according to your word”
Now, His Word defines me! Whatever He sees in me is true. Whatever He wants to do in me or through me is possible!
Cindy I can really relate. I remember trying to hide my abdominal scars (due to a birth defect) all through junior high when the girls had to shower together for gym class (eek!), thinking I had done a good job of concealing them, one day a girl said to me outside of class “What happen to your stomach, it’s ugly, – it looks like a car wreck!”
I was horrified. Little did I know what God had in plan for the rest of my life.
Those scars marked me out for His work over the last 3 decades. I’m an image consultant/speaker and I’ve come to realize that scars are just tattoos with better stories.
One day about 10 years ago and 9 surgeries later, I noticed a distinct picture in the scars, it is an old rugged cross. What a beautiful reminder of what Jesus did for me. We are ALL Gods masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus to do the things He planned for us long ago 🙂 Eph 2:10
” scars are just tattoos with better stories.” – YES! Jill, every day I start my prayers with Romans 12:1, offering my body as a living sacrifice. Among other things, I pray that any scars I have will just tell a story of God’s grace. I love that your scar is an old rugged cross – awesome.
Cindy I can really relate. I remember trying to hide my abdominal scars (due to a birth defect) all through junior high when the girls had to shower together for gym class (eek!), thinking I had done a good job of concealing them, one day a girl said to me outside of class “What happen to your stomach, it’s ugly, – it looks like a car wreck!”
I was horrified. Little did I know what God had in plan for the rest of my life.
Those scars marked me out for His work over the last 3 decades. I’m an image consultant/speaker and I’ve come to realize that scars are just tattoos with better stories.
One day about 10 years ago and 9 surgeries later, I noticed a distinct picture in the scars, it is an old rugged cross. What a beautiful reminder of what Jesus did for me. We are ALL Gods masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus to do the things He planned for us long ago 🙂 Eph 2:10
” scars are just tattoos with better stories.” – YES! Jill, every day I start my prayers with Romans 12:1, offering my body as a living sacrifice. Among other things, I pray that any scars I have will just tell a story of God’s grace. I love that your scar is an old rugged cross – awesome.
Cindy, thanks for sharing. I did make the squad, and guess what? It did not change me as I had expected. It did not fill my life and make it complete. Only brought more comparison issues. Until I met Christ the following year (senior year of high school) did I find peace with myself and with others, and understand that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Being on the God squad! Best decision i ever made! He picked me!
Cindy, thanks for sharing. I did make the squad, and guess what? It did not change me as I had expected. It did not fill my life and make it complete. Only brought more comparison issues. Until I met Christ the following year (senior year of high school) did I find peace with myself and with others, and understand that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Being on the God squad! Best decision i ever made! He picked me!
Cindy,
Thank you for sharing. You are an example of God’s unconditional eternal love. You are more than good enough, and God continues to use you and your team powerfully.
Love & Prayers,
Yvonne Ortega