Oct 19, 2025 – Posting
As I was winding down last night, after yet another frustrating Auburn football game, I flipped through the Oct 20 issue of Woman’s World, that was waiting for me at the foot of my bed, and came across an interview with Sherri Shepherd. One of her answers follows so well after yesterday’s blog which further confirms to me that God speaks to all of us in different ways, if we’ll have ears to hear and eyes to see. In my small group on Thursday we were also talking about hearing from God and how we can be sure it’s His still small voice (and not our own). Though there are believers out there who immediately recognize His voice or at least His promptings, most of us agreed that it usually takes hearing or seeing something over and over again (sometimes in different forms and mediums) to realize that God is directing our paths. The good news, besides that He’s pretty patient with us, is that the better/deeper our relationship is with God the more we will recognize His voice and His leadings.
The interviewer was asking Shepherd about the children’s book she wrote which is about the friendships between a group of little girls with the personalities being based on many of the women in her life and the stories being based on some of her experiences throughout her life. The interviewer states, “The story explores big feelings like uncertainty and fear,” and then asks, “What advice do you have for anyone, at any age, who’s facing a moment of self-doubt or hesitation?”
Sherri’s reply: “First of all, you only need one yes. And you can’t get that yes if you quit.” I’m thinking here of the draft book I wrote about my pregnancy year which was well before all of the reality TV shows and tell-alls. I’m also thinking of my note cards and my children’s book and all of the other creative endeavors I’ve attempted and perhaps abandoned too soon. Shepherd continues, “No’s are just a part of the journey – it’s just a numbers game. I’ve got a ton of no’s. I’m still learning not to take it personally. But if you can push past fear, that’s where all your blessings are. I would say this to both young girls and older women: On the other side of fear is everything good – the open doors, the shine, the laughter, the success, the breakthroughs. You don’t have to wait for a perfect moment – and you don’t have to be perfect either. Sometimes the magic comes through the messiness. And you know, if you don’t keep going, you never know what’s around the corner.”
Ok, so what’s next, God, in my writing journey? Should I post on Facebook that I’ve started a blog? In sharing this next thought I hope that I’m not spoiling a story in the Let Them book for you but that was one of the fears that Mel Robbins shared that I mentioned yesterday: publicizing her motivational speaking business on her Facebook page and wondering if people would judge her or think she’s not good enough or any number of fear-based thoughts. It sorta seems sad to be comforted when someone else expresses our exact concerns and weaknesses (I even laughed out loud while I was listening in the car). But isn’t that indeed why we do share? To pay forward what we’ve learned and so that we can more easily rise above our own fears and insecurities.
JC – “Come to Me with your defenses down, ready to be blessed and filled with My presence. Relax, and feel the relief of being totally open and authentic with Me. You have nothing to hide and nothing to disclose because I know everything about you already.” Yep. I was open with God and with anyone who happens to be reading this. “One of the worst consequences of the fall is the elaborate barriers people erect between themselves and others. Facades abound in the world, even in My Body, the church. Sometimes, the church is the last place where people feel free to be themselves.” However, that is what Church of the Highlands endeavors to correct through small groups. The churchofthehighands.com sermon this morning was yet again another good one, but before the sermon began, they showed the story of a young woman going through life issues who was comforted and helped by the body of believers in her small group.
As many have written and spoken about, Facebook also seems to be a place where people are not comfortable being themselves as they mostly only post the good stuff about their lives. Certainly there are those who perhaps over share the bad stuff, but Facebook has become a place where we all think everyone is living a better life or at least it used to be that way. Maybe it’s gotten better since I’ve been away from it for a while now. I think I also feel sort of hypocritical if I post on Facebook about my endeavors after not being a regular contributor. That’s another one of those fear factors that keeps a person from taking next steps. I really want to tell you what Mel said about getting to that post on Facebook, but I so enjoyed the path she took me down in telling the story so I’m not going to spoil it for you.
I need to stop here for now so that I can go pick up Don at the rental house and shop for anchor screws and closet shelving (and probably lunch). My plan is to come back and spend more time with God and with my devotion-book friends; but, in case I don’t get back, I hope you have a great day.
