Bravely Risk

By now most of us have seen Susan Boyle's performance on YouTube or Britains Got Talent. Whoever we are, wherever we've come from - I think we are moved by this clip of humanity. I wanted to dance watching this unlikely piece of talent open her mouth and turn jeering faces into open mouthed wonder. To see some one's dream come true right in front of you is uncommonly beautiful. Her voice was powerful. She paired her voice and life with the perfect song. She sang her heart through every word. Seeing the judges look past her outward appearance and be stunned by her vocal talent gave me a small measure of hope for our often shallow world and my often shallow self. As much as I loved ALL of this....my favorite part was watching Susan walk off the stage unaware that the judges were calling her back. It looked like she thought she had lived her dream and lived it well. Little did she know, her dream of singing in front of a large audience had been fulfilled and had just begun at the same time. Her little dance of unbelievable fortune was one of the most precious expressions of joy I have seen. Her life will never be the same for bravely risking to live out her dreams.

What if this story was true for you too?

I know it sounds too good to be true. Believe me, I know. The reason this story grabs our souls is that it is written down deep in each of us. To matter. To have such a powerful gift to reveal that the world will not be the same for our reveal. It is a hunger in me. In you, I believe. And IT IS TRUE of you. You do have such a gift to offer. Sometimes it's buried under ill-fitting clothes and a bad hair-do. Or sometimes under fear and disbelief. But it is there. You are there. And you are needed. There is only ONE of you. We need you.

Your gift may not be unwrapped by such a large audience as Susan's. But each time you offer your deep heart, your deep gift to even one person, the Christ in you touches the Christ in the other and each of are changed irreversibly.

My question is this: What do you long to offer to the world? To your friends, your family, your neighbors? And will you risk running after it in humility with God? I dare say if you do - when you think you've offered all you can - you'll have just begun.

This is the story behind the hearts of The Well Project. Each of us rising above pain and unbelief to offer our words, our music, our voices because it is the great love of our hearts and (we hope) a power for the good of Uganda.