My favorite quote (or reminder as I like to think of them)...

“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's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” (Marianne Williamson - A Return to Love)

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Girl Effect

When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90% of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40% percent for a man. ~ (Chris Fortson, “Women’s Rights Vital for Developing World,” Yale News Daily 2003.)

I've seen these Girl Effect ads everywhere lately. I'm sure it's because God wanted me to notice them, but I've not trusted that it was a real "thing". So, I decided to see why God keeps whispering to me about this and I clicked. And I cried. And I felt empowered and I feel like you should know too. (video above)

For as long as I can remember -- no really, even back to my teenage years!! -- I have been a stand for young women (girls) finding their courage and finding their strength. I'm still not sure why God doesn't have me working with Oprah, but I am starting to get it. The work that I have done with Children's Hospital, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and now, as a Girl Scout leader for a troop of 12 AMAZING teenage girls is why. You see, I'm starting to understand that these young woman, who I believe so strongly in, are already making a difference in our communities and will continue to do so long after I'm not a part of their daily lives. They already feel and think and want to move the world. They already want to lead with their hearts and show the world what they are made of. I was/am just the vehicle by which to help them.

I do believe that girls have the power to change the world. For they already have.
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3 comments:

  1. Merry MEJuly 20, 2010 at 12:09 PM

    God doesn't have you working for Oprah because (if I may speak for Him/Her) He/She doesn't want your light to be dimmed by Oprah's. He wants you to shine on your own, where you can make your own little corner of the world a better place. You don't need to work FOR Oprah, you belong right beside her.

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  2. Merry MEJuly 20, 2010 at 12:10 PM

    P.S.
    Have never heard of the girl effect. It should be required reading for every new baby girl born.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 20, 2010 at 7:29 PM

    Oh, Tracy, I cried. What a beautiful dream, what a great vision.

    I've found myself acting - throughout my life - as a supporter of girls. Through all the fieldwork I did in the course of my education work, to teaching high school, to working at Sylvan Learning Center...to now. Where the girls just seem to pop up and need me to tell them things like:

    You are great just the way you are.
    This, too, shall pass.
    You are beautiful.
    You have so much to offer the world.
    I see you.
    I hear you.
    I am so proud of you.

    I cannot wait to see you take on the world and make it the place you see in your beautiful dream...

    Somehow, I get the opportunity to say those things, and meet those girls, and hopefully, they hear it, and take it in, and own it and see it in themselves.

    Thank you for posting this. I need to go get some kleenex.

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