Our Greatest Fear

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”                   — Marianne Williamson

So many times people tell me that I must be strong, or a “special” person to live where I live and do what I do but it’s really more about stepping past lip service to “God is a big God” and actually walking that out in faith.  A wise couple once told me that to make real change it has to be more uncomfortable to stay where you are than for you to make the change — that’s what living in Kibera with the kids is about.  It became more uncomfortable for me to sit here in the US and say “it’s sad about the orphans” than for me to pick up and leave.  It looks a little insane at the time.  But having one of these sweet kids throw their arms around me or come running into tell me something that makes it all possible.  From a worldly perspective I gave up a lot.  From a Godly perspective I gained the world.