I could have kept this journey to myself. Some days, I think I should have kept this journey to myself. After Day 1 of 31, I admitted to Ryan that this endeavor would be far more humiliating than I anticipated. But if I had kept it to myself, I wouldn’t be half as honest. Nor would I work as hard as I’m working.

Making this journey public has the distinct benefits of humility and accountability: both are blessings from God.

What’s more? Simply letting other people know that I’d like to grow, I’ve received such generous advice. I’ve been so blessed by friends who’ve jumped right on board and pushed me along (please, don’t stop now!).

For example, in the past 24 hours…

* Stef recommended that I contact the Christian organizations on campus in our university town. She confided that her college Bible study was always looking for guest speakers and would have loved to have known that there were women in the community who were eager to help. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this on my own, but I needed Steph to point it out for me.  So, I got right to work and sent some emails out!

* Then, one of Ryan’s co-workers emailed a book suggestion and placed the book on Ryan’s desk that very day. Thanks, Chris!

* Two other friends sent the link to a fabulous article, “Pastors Need Women Teachers (and Vice-Versa)” that answered many of my yet-unspoken fears (Did you think  I actually expressed all of them in a few measly posts?! Not a chance.) Thanks, Jen! And Dan!

 ***

As it turns out, people want to see me grow. And I desperately need their help. This is the way it is meant to be.

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

…from 1 Corinthians 12

I guess what I’m saying is, imagine what might come your way if you just happened to mention that you’d like to grow…