“I really enjoy reading your articles, and some speak louder to me than others. Some I am not comfortable replying to, but this one I must, as I am so stuck! There are so many things on my list and yet I am so afraid to do them. I keep praying for direction about what I have heard and sometimes I am so afraid I pretend I haven’t heard! One thing I want to do is swim laps for M.S. and raise money for it. I am afraid no one will support me, so I haven’t done anything.”
This comment was left on my blog several weeks ago by a friend after reading, “Why you shouldn’t quit.”
This woman is talented, capable, wonderful and gifted in so many ways, yet like many of us, she found herself stuck!
At the time, she asked that I not post her comment, but I followed up with her in person to talk about what she wrote. I assured her she is not alone, many of us feel that way. Once she acknowledged her fear out loud, she decided not to let doubt dash her dreams any longer.
Within a week of sending that comment to me, she set a goal to raise $3,000 for MS by swimming 1,000 laps in 30 days! She got her site up and running, and worked her way through the mire of technology to communicate her initiative to family and friends. She was still wondering, “Will anyone support me?” But she would “swim on” in faith.
She had also written, “Thanks for hearing me and I will try and not be so afraid, but “I will do all things in Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)
Now she was living that promise out. Before she ever swam a single lap, she had achieved half her fundraising goal!
And now she is halfway through her 30 days of swimming and has surpassed her goal of $3,000. She also told me that she prays for all her donors as she swims her laps. Wow. Double the blessing.
And as if that wasn’t enough, she got a message from the national MSAA office congratulating her for being the TOP fundraiser in Swim for MS for the month of March!
Words cannot describe the joy I feel watching her thrive as she uses her abilities to serve the world. She has worked hard to improve her swimming techniques over the years, and she’s swimming 84 laps three times a week to achieve her goal. Amazing! She loves to swim, it helps her stay fit and strong as she lives with MS herself, and she is helping others at the same time.
This my friends, is what it looks like to NOT QUIT! If you want to support her, you can check out her fundraising support page here.
I pray you will find the strength to step out in faith and not let fear of failure, insecurity or inadequacy keep you from changing lives, especially your own.
Special thanks to my brave and wonderful friend, Susie Jamharian for allowing me to share her comments, her photo, her story and her Victory!
Where have you let fear keep you stuck?