I was so thrilled to get to visit with a very dear long time friend of my family yesterday. She used to coach with my husband at the local University and had moved on to another job, as coaches are known to do. Her job took her all the way across the country so we don't get to see her much, but have stayed in touch all these years. She's been gone a very long time. I love friends that have known you forever...something special in that.

We all stood together in my husbands office, he had to go take care of some work and so she and I were there alone. She began to first congratulate me on my competition efforts in figure competitions (bodybuilding) and proceeded to ask me questions. No judgement just curiosity. Then, with a golden smile across her face she proclaimed, "I still can't really believe you do that." A smile crossed my face as well...sometimes I still can't believe it either.

This woman has known me a lot of years. She saw me have babies and took pictures of my oldest in the weight room with her team. She knows my heart, my personality and who I am. She said, "it's so girly." I smiled again in agreement. Anyone who knows me well knows I'm not truly all that girly at all. Nothing wrong with being girly...just not my mantra really. She knows my nature, not showy or in need of the spotlight. I don't get motivated by trophies, it's just a thing I have to find a place to store. Never been one to crave any of that. In fact, I generally have preferred to avoid it.

Here is what she doesn't know despite knowing me well. A lot of years passed from the time we last lived in the same part of the world (like 15 years!) and God did a lot to create in me His Confidence and His boldness. When He effectively reconstructs a damaged soul (and every soul has been damaged by the world don't you know) and places His worth inside a girl who didn't know her worth and gave her the intrinsic value of His Worth in great proportion...cool things can happen under Divine Directive. It didn't make me self confident, but it did touch my heart and build in me HIS confidence! There is a world of difference between the two.

Self confidence relies on "self", but God confidence is all confidence in God and the belief that if you do what He asks you to do and go where He asks you to go and say what He asks you to say, He is there with you making his way manifest. God confidence.

So when God tugged on my heart to focus my purpose toward bodybuilding I agreed despite any fear or discomfort. He unraveled my caution and cloaked me in Grace and I saw that on a personal level the challenge to compete against myself and see what I could do inspired me to see how strong I could be. But when I look around I see an entire captive audience of men and women in need of a Savior...ministry. But don't get hung up on that word ministry. To me all that means is new people to meet and love on and encourage and empower just as Jesus would have done. Pretty cool I think!

So, look around, where has God planted you? You are rooted in him and when he sees how far you've come it makes Him grin. If you could only see how far he has brought me you'd agree! With God all things become possible and when it does He just may ask us to do the improbable because He knows there is much work to be done.

Be extraordinary because you are hand crafted from the extraordinary to live an Abundant life in Christ.

~Nicole

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future." Proverbs 31:25