On Monday night, Scott and I joined friends in Dallas (1200 of them to be exact) for a fundraising dinner, to benefit International Justice Mission. It was educational, inspiring and brought so much hope to the indescribable darkness of human trafficking.
IJM fights for justice for the poor as a vehicle to end slavery.
By empowering local law enforcement and prosecuting the perpetrators in the communities they serve, they raise the cost (risk to the perpetrator) of doing business to a level that’s no longer worth the price. This practice with consistency, over time, significantly reduces or eliminates the trafficking industry in that community. I’ve come to realize, that’s the key to a lot of things in life.
Practice, with consistency, over time.
It’s no coincidence that my friend Jennifer was with us Monday night, and that yesterday was her birthday! This is a girl I admire for intentionally practicing a lot of things, with consistency, over time. She’s not one to look for a quick fix. She sees the big picture, the long-term goals and she commits to the long haul. She shows up for her family, friendships, her blog, volunteer projects, and her many work projects consistently. She doesn’t only show up when it’s convenient.
She shows up when it’s hard.
She practices showing up when there’s no obvious pay off. She shows up when it’s going to cost her something. She shows up when the outcome is uncertain. When the tension is high. She shows up when the good times are rolling and when the pain is real. She shows up consistently, over time.
For a long time, all that showing up hasn’t had a clear payoff for her.
It’s felt like a confusing journey through the wilderness of effort with no clear path ahead. But last month, all that practice, with consistency over time, revealed a new path for Jennifer. A path she never would have seen outside of her journey through the wilderness. She officially resigned from her career as an attorney and mediator to become the Sky Mom’s Director for Sky Ranch camps.
She was born for this!
If you searched the world over, you couldn’t find a better woman for this role. The story, the timing, the circumstances . . . are nothing short of a miraculous collision of all of that practice, consistently showing up, and leaning into the tension of the unknown. At exactly the right time, the opportunity revealed itself and Jennifer was ready.
Be encouraged today.
Those people you keep showing up for, that volunteer role you work on consistently, the friendships, the work . . . all the effort. Keep going. You may not see it now. The time might not be right. But keep showing up.
Keep practicing showing up, consistently, over time.
Your path will reveal itself.
And it’s likely it’s a path you wouldn’t have considered, or been ready for, without your current wilderness.
Don’t give up.
We need you.
to more love,
Crystal
