You regular readers of this blog will recognize, 38 days into 2022, that there’s no particular pattern to who’s authoring this blog each day. Whereas 2021 saw each BTL Band member cover a full month at a time, this year is more like a game of tag – write today, tag another for tomorrow. AND, when moved to do so, a Builder might toss in a bonus blog.
On the heels of his writing yesterday, DD tagged me for today. I’m glad he did, because Chet’s entry in the BBTL book titled “Enough…” means a lot to me.
For those of you who haven’t (yet) read the book, Chet writes of a time nearly 30 years ago when his fear was keeping him from making the leap from comfortable career to his true opus – beginning BTL. It’s hard for me to imagine Chet ever being gripped by fear, but easy for me to imagine him embracing the hundreds of times the Bible reminds us to “fear not.” Good for Chet. And good for all of us who’ve been touched, taught and transformed by BTL.
As Chet writes, “God looks at me, sees who I’m becoming, and reminds me I am His. God reminds us all we are not a lone; never have been, never will be. You and I are enough.”
Chet goes on to quote Blaise Pascal from the 1600s who said, “We all have a God-shaped vacuum that only He can fill.”
I’ve written before that I’m currently tackling an unusual business challenge. At least it’s unusual to me. When sharing my feelings and fears over this with the BTL Band several Friday’s ago, Chet listened intently, then told me to set aside the guilt, to focus forward, and reminded me that I am enough. His care-filled words hit me like a slap AND a hug. I needed both.
DD was on that same Friday morning Band call and, within an hour, sent me a short video clip which reflected the exact message I needed. I saved it to my home screen and start each day with it. DD doesn’t know that. He does now. And then, days later, Jim wrote, as only Jim can write, filling me with his deep and powerful brand of encouragement that only a real warrior can offer.
It’s been my experience that in the rare, darker moments of my life, when I drop down and look up, God has always listened and God has always answered. But I don’t believe God works alone. In my times of fear and doubt, when I have looked for God’s reassurance, I have found it in the peace God brings to my heart AND I have found it in the comfort those closest to me bring to my side. Be it Karen, my mother, the Band or a few others, He AND they have filled me and enabled me to, as Chet so perfectly puts it, “push forward with persistence and peace.” With Him, and them, I am enough.
BUILT TO LEAD 