Godly Gals ~ Leslie Lamb

I’m nothing special.  In fact, that’s the point, isn’t it? If I were someone special, with a significant background or a claim to fame, it could be all about me.  Instead, it is all about Him.  Only God can take the broken and the bruised, the normal and the seemingly “boring” and make them worthwhile…and that is just what He is doing, with all of us. 

I love teen girl ministry, probably because I long to see them experience healing and freedom from the pain that threatened to overcome me so many years ago, but I can relate to so many more.  I always say that as women we are just one memory away from that hurting teenager.  We are one deeply seated lie from being her still, and the enemy that longs to devour and destroy tries to make us think that no matter what we look like on the outside, inside we still are that girl.  I know, because if it weren’t for the deeply ingrained Truth that God lovingly took the time to teach me, I would feel and think the same. 

We are born with this desire to be seen as special.  We want to be appreciated and loved and feel worthy.  We read stories of “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty” and long to be discovered by the Prince.  We listen to songs that talk about the man fighting for his woman, loving her and taking care of her, and we long for the same sentiment to meet us – hopefully with Bon Jovi looks and Rick Springfield’s eyes, or maybe that was just me!  The moment that we feel that first crushing blow of inadequacy, it brings into question every other dream we have, but still, we cling to that hope that we will have our happily ever after, we will be seen as more, that we will be rescued.

God put that in each of us.  It is a hope and a desire that we have been given, not to find ourselves as Carrie at the prom, but so that we can see that He is that hope and desire!  He looks at that brokenness and pain and scoops up our ravaged hearts and gently kisses it.  He speaks to us of His love and His mercy and His grace.  He follows it up with Words of affirmation that call us His Bride, His Love, His desired one, and at first we scoff…but slowly that hurt heart melts, and we trust Him to love us as we have dreamed of being loved.  And He loves – purely, strongly, passionately, and we find we are special because of Him.

That feeling takes root and that love spreads and before you know it, you feel empowered to speak.  You realize that even if you aren’t special by the world’s standards, you are incredibly special to Him, and He loves you so! That is a LeadHer, and that most honestly defines my journey. I am worthwhile because He says so, and as hard as the enemy fights to tear down my defenses, He finds me…and you, worth fighting for.  God is love.  He operates in love, He ministers in love, and He speaks in love; and, when we really get that and see the power of His love, we will change the world, together!

Leslie Lamb is a speaker and writer who lives in Louisiana with her husband, Brian, their two precious daughters, and Chloe “the wonder dog.” She is also a morning show co-host on 88.7 FM The Cross, a local Christian radio station and has written a teen girls fiction series. In addition, Leslie recently became a speaker/writer for LeadHer Ministries and is excited about what God purposes to do through her to encourage and empower women and teen girls. The message she feels God has given her is one of passion and hope and she longs to share that with anyone that will listen.