About a month or so ago, I met a girl named April when I attended Whosoever Dallas. I was there *I thought* just to interview a few Christian ladies about their relationship with God.
I went in with a whole set of preconceived notions about what I would find there:
I expected "Super Christians" - women with issues who pretended they were perfect, fear and insecurity lacquered over by a thin layer of pink glitter nail polish...
high walls and defenses, and distrust for me (masked by a Southern display of "friendliness").
What I got was a bunch of women with their own issues who didn't pretend to be super anything, and were, in fact, trying to find their way (just like me!). What I got was a bunch of people who admitted they were not perfect and who didn't even try to PRETEND to be perfect.
Their lacquer was chipped and there was definitely no glitter, and they were ok with that.
April Samuels was one of those women. This video will not be the last you hear of April on this blog because I have been granted an interview with her (again!) on April 6th, but I thought that this video would inspire all of you to embrace your vulnerability, and I wanted to share it.
April's courage and authenticity has so inspired me, and I hope you all stay tuned for the interview with April and some others next week!
I want to say thanks to April, of course, as well as the amazingly talented photographer who captures vulnerability so well (and my dear friend) Debra Gloria; Tilde Guajardo of Womanars who tries to inspire women everyday with her messages of hope and ordinary courage; and of course Dawn, Donna and the whole Whosoever Dallas group for being authentically you. I love you all!! Oh... Debra and Tilde? You guys did a ROCKIN' job of this video!!
I hope everyone checks out Womanars.com for more inspiring work and words from women *just like us* and I encourage you to join the discussion!
I went in with a whole set of preconceived notions about what I would find there:
I expected "Super Christians" - women with issues who pretended they were perfect, fear and insecurity lacquered over by a thin layer of pink glitter nail polish...
high walls and defenses, and distrust for me (masked by a Southern display of "friendliness").
Its safe to say I did NOT get what I expected. In fact, I could not have been more wrong.
What I got was a bunch of women with their own issues who didn't pretend to be super anything, and were, in fact, trying to find their way (just like me!). What I got was a bunch of people who admitted they were not perfect and who didn't even try to PRETEND to be perfect.
Their lacquer was chipped and there was definitely no glitter, and they were ok with that.
What I got was a group of beautiful ladies who said up front that they didn't have all the answers, and, like me, were still searching for authenticity.
April Samuels was one of those women. This video will not be the last you hear of April on this blog because I have been granted an interview with her (again!) on April 6th, but I thought that this video would inspire all of you to embrace your vulnerability, and I wanted to share it.
April's courage and authenticity has so inspired me, and I hope you all stay tuned for the interview with April and some others next week!
I want to say thanks to April, of course, as well as the amazingly talented photographer who captures vulnerability so well (and my dear friend) Debra Gloria; Tilde Guajardo of Womanars who tries to inspire women everyday with her messages of hope and ordinary courage; and of course Dawn, Donna and the whole Whosoever Dallas group for being authentically you. I love you all!! Oh... Debra and Tilde? You guys did a ROCKIN' job of this video!!
I hope everyone checks out Womanars.com for more inspiring work and words from women *just like us* and I encourage you to join the discussion!
Joni, I am so happy we met. You inspire me with your work. Thank you for sharing your beauty with all of us, chipped lacquer and all :)
ReplyDeleteJess