Don't Stop

Blog 3 - Chapter 1

Braving The Wilderness

I first “read” Braving the Wilderness by listening to it on Audible while I organized my laundry room. At times I would stop my cleaning and stand still just so I could truly savor Brenes stories and teachings. When she started telling the story on page 21, about meeting Oprah, and then Maya Angelou, everything came to a halt.

“Maya Angelou looked straight at me. Hello, Dr. Brown. I’ve been watching you.”

I walked up and took her extended hand and said, “It’s such an honor to meet you. You’ve meant so much to me. You’re such a big part of my life.”

She kept holding my hand and placed her other hand on top of mine. “You’re doing important work. Keep doing it. Keep talking about your work. Don’t stop and don’t let anyone get in your way.”

Can you imagine meeting your hero? Can you imagine your hero taking your hand and saying, “You are doing important work?” I could have died listening to Brene tell that story.

Who are your life heroes? Have you ever gotten to meet him/her?

One of my heroes is Carolyn Custis James. She is an author who writes about gender and leadership in the church. Several years ago I got to meet her on my 41st birthday. I had read her books, “The Gospel of Ruth”, and “When Life and Belief Collide.” In her writings, she was able to name a question that I had held in my heart but had no words to formulate. “Is God good for women?”
Is God good for women? Yes. God is as good for women as he is for men. 

Who has helped you name what is in your heart? Who makes you brave and tells you not to stop? Weighting Comforts is the product of so many people who have invested in me and told me not to stop. Isn’t this an amazing life? 

BE Comforted,
Donna Durham