Sister, I’m Cheering For You
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:11
When I was in elementary school I was part of the “cool girls’ club.” I loved always having someone to sit with at lunch and play with at recess. Then one day the girls told me I wasn’t nice. They told me I couldn’t play with them anymore. I was kicked out of the “cool girls’ club.” Instead of having a place of honor and a “seat at the table” I wandered around the playground looking for somewhere to fit in. Instead of feeling connected and safe I felt isolated and alone. It didn’t take long in my young life to learn that girls can sometimes be mean. REALLY mean.
If you’re a woman no doubt you’ve experienced this reality.
From the time I was a little girl I also noticed something about us women: We tend to compare ourselves to other women…
~Do I measure up?
~Am I tall enough?
~Smart enough?
~Thin enough?
~Pretty enough?
~Lovable enough? Or lovable at all?
It doesn’t take long to find girls who seem to outshine us in every possible way. Feelings of envy and empty longing can creep in…
Why do all the boys like Lisa? What does she have that I don’t?
Why does the teacher seem to praise Sarah and not me? Sarah is better than I am.
Bethany has the cutest clothes? She always looks better than I do.
I wish I was more like Lisa and Sarah and Bethany.
If we don’t get a handle on it we can begin to see other women as competition and not allies. Not friends. And what girl hasn’t experienced the loneness of being left out? Left out of the party. Left out of the conversation. Left out of the cool kids’ club.
If we’re not careful we can allow this mindset to creep into our adult life. Instead of feeling happy when our friend gets a promotion, we feel envious. Instead of cheering when we hear of another reaching a huge pinnacle, we feel a pang of sadness because our life isn’t quite where we want it to be. Instead of delight when she gets a new home or car or kitchen, we feel unfulfilled it isn’t us.
The bare truth is that whether or not someone else gets something or achieves something it doesn’t change our situation one little bit.
But if we feel more like we are in a sisterhood we can celebrate others and feel joy…
When my friend gets a new car, I get a new car because I get to ride with her.
When my friend gets a new house, I get to enjoy it too, when I visit with her.
When my friend succeeds, I can feel filled because I’ve been cheering for her.
Like when my friend, Karen, got to build her dream house with her husband—I was beyond excited for her. And I’ve gotten to swim in her gorgeous pool more than once.
When my friend, Jen, finally became the mother of a beautiful little boy—my joy-filled heart ran over.
My friend, Kathie, is a wonderful speaker—I love hearing about her opportunities and how she’s impacting others, it blesses my heart.
When my friend, Amy, gets her doctorate—I will be praising and jumping (probably literally) because I’ll feel over the moon excited for her. Dr. Amy, how good does that sound?
When my friend, Angela, finally got a book deal and her advance review copies arrived—I couldn’t have been more happy for her and was dancing a jig in my living room.
When girlfriend, Judy, got a vacation home in Las Vegas—there were cheers in my heart.
My friend, Eva, works at Disney and often excels at projects—I feel so proud of her.
When my friend, Linda, got to fly with her pilot son (just the two of them)—my heart jumped for joy as I looked at the pictures she sent me.
This list could go on and on…
Ladies, when we hear of another’s achievement, success, and happy life events we need to be cheering each other on. There’s enough hate in this world let’s not add to it by harboring resentment. Celebrating my friends is one of my greatest joys in life.
We women are awesome and we need to celebrate each other, and with each other.
Let’s start a Sisterhood of Praise and Celebration.
Will you join me?
When we applaud our sisters we build love in the world and in our hearts.
We need to spread love and praise…
- When she looks good, tell her.
- When she deserves an Amen, scream it.
- When she gets that promotion, applaud her.
- When she overcomes a struggle, commend her.
- When she overlooks one of your weaknesses, thank her.
Girlfriend, this is my commitment to YOU.
- I am cheering for you.
- I will celebrate with you.
- I will feel excited when life brings you extraordinary surprises.
If you need someone to cheer, celebrate, praise, jump up and down, dance a victory jig with you, I’m your gal. I will be thrilled for you and applaud and rejoice and delight in you.
Fondly,
Lu
Join our Sisterhood of Celebration and subscribe to LuSays today. Check out Lucille Williams’ books “From Me to We” and “The Intimacy You Crave” order a copy HERE.
