I’m at a conference this week. I’m pretty spoiled because
Nancy usually travels with me, but for the first time in a pretty long time, I’m
on my own.
I showed up at the retreat center and they didn’t have my registration. I started thinking I had come to the wrong place. Was there another Pastors to Missionaries conference in North Carolina this week?
We got it sorted out and they gave me a map to the grounds, pointed out my building and highlighted the rout to my parking area. I looked at the map, started to drive. Stopped, looked at the map again, then drove a little further.
It’s not downtown Chicago or anything, there was only one road, but I kept questioning if I was in the right spot.
I found my building, got my suitcase and backpack and started across the parking lot, but the building had the wrong name. So I wandered back to the car and looked at the map again. I had to be in the right place.
I looked around to see if anyone was watching then wandered back to the building to peek inside. For some strange reason, the place has two names; one for where people sleep and one for the theater on the bottom floor.
I found my room and was all stressed out.
Coming into the week I knew I would be out of my element, surrounded by people I don’t know, many who have much more experience than me and who always say things like, “Have you read…” Um, no I haven’t. “Of course you know…” Um, no I don’t.
I wondered where all of the insecurity was coming from. Then I realized, Nancy isn’t with me.
When she’s with me, I have more confidence. I can own a room, I can take more risks, act without fear, speak more boldly. Basically, when she’s with me, I’m not afraid to fail.
Why? Because there is someone there who loves me and believes in me. I’ve embarrassed myself in front of her countless times and she hasn’t run away.
A good friend is a gift. It doesn’t have to be a spouse. There are guys I could have made this trip with as well. But there is something about having someone who loves you unconditionally, that empowers you. No matter, what, you’re not alone.
We all need that person. More importantly, we need to be that person for someone else. Who feels empowered when you are in the room?
I showed up at the retreat center and they didn’t have my registration. I started thinking I had come to the wrong place. Was there another Pastors to Missionaries conference in North Carolina this week?
We got it sorted out and they gave me a map to the grounds, pointed out my building and highlighted the rout to my parking area. I looked at the map, started to drive. Stopped, looked at the map again, then drove a little further.
It’s not downtown Chicago or anything, there was only one road, but I kept questioning if I was in the right spot.
I found my building, got my suitcase and backpack and started across the parking lot, but the building had the wrong name. So I wandered back to the car and looked at the map again. I had to be in the right place.
I looked around to see if anyone was watching then wandered back to the building to peek inside. For some strange reason, the place has two names; one for where people sleep and one for the theater on the bottom floor.
I found my room and was all stressed out.
Coming into the week I knew I would be out of my element, surrounded by people I don’t know, many who have much more experience than me and who always say things like, “Have you read…” Um, no I haven’t. “Of course you know…” Um, no I don’t.
I wondered where all of the insecurity was coming from. Then I realized, Nancy isn’t with me.
When she’s with me, I have more confidence. I can own a room, I can take more risks, act without fear, speak more boldly. Basically, when she’s with me, I’m not afraid to fail.
Why? Because there is someone there who loves me and believes in me. I’ve embarrassed myself in front of her countless times and she hasn’t run away.
A good friend is a gift. It doesn’t have to be a spouse. There are guys I could have made this trip with as well. But there is something about having someone who loves you unconditionally, that empowers you. No matter, what, you’re not alone.
We all need that person. More importantly, we need to be that person for someone else. Who feels empowered when you are in the room?
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