How It All Began: Pt 1

Happy New Year!!!

Annnnnd I'm back to blogging!

I've actually never liked the word blog. So, I thought to myself, "why use it?" 

So, today, I'm re-naming these blogs (drum-roll, please) to LETTERS. 

It makes more sense to me; I'm sharing my thoughts and what I've learned with you, so to me, it's more like a letter than a blog, and I hope you will write back from time to time.

Welcome to 2022's first letter! I published my first blog (letter) five years ago on this very day, and today I start again. It's all very fitting, don't you think?!

A ministry was born with that first blog, and today I am reminded that the first steps are critical.

If you don't mind, I'm going to take you on a journey down memory lane with me.

January 17, 2017, with trembling hands and a pounding heart, I launched my very first blog into the world.

Before we start our journey; I want you to know that I am honored that you've trusted me to share Jesus with you, teach you and encourage you.

I know I'm not the best writer, the most polished communicator, or even the best at navigating the world of social media and electronic evangelism. 

In spite of all my shortcomings you have seen the value of what Jesus is teaching me as I share it with you, and I'm grateful for you. 

You have graciously joined me, encouraged me, supported me, and learned alongside me. THANK YOU!!

If you've read my book The Silenced Army, then you know this is precisely what I told God I would never do (haha).

God heard me, but still gently and persistently pursued my hard heart; the enemy also heard me and sought to kill, steal and destroy.

He did all he could to remind me of my promise against God, to throw in some extra insecurities, and to discredit me in my own mind.

Here's the crazy thing – he was RIGHT! 

I did reject God's plan for my life when I was fourteen; I didn't know what I was doing when I started a blog, ministry, podcast, website, etc. I wasn't qualified to write, teach and preach; people would talk about me, not everyone would support me, and I would never be good enough at what God called me to do on my own.

Apart from God, all of this was true, but with God, all this was a lie! The enemy sold me half-truths (lies), and I knew it, which is why I didn't buy it. 

These thoughts continued to float in my mind, but I worked/wrote through them. The visual I have in my mind for that period in my life is; the lies the enemy was feeding me were like a mountain I had to find a way to conquer. I found that I could tunnel through that mountain by speaking the truth to the lies every single day. 

The mountain was still there, but it wasn't stopping me. I was working my way through it, and when I say work, I mean that literally. I kept writing even when the thought that I wasn't qualified to teach through writing floated through my mind. I kept recording teaching videos even though the thought that I wasn't a great public speaker drummed in my ears. 

I kept digging right through that mountain until I got to the other side. 

I remember naming my first blog and Facebook page Fearless. I was teaching women how to be fearless in our faith, but in hindsight, I saw that I was also talking to myself, and I needed to see that word, hear it, and repeat it as often as I did. I needed the reminder that fear would always be there, but with each passing day, it will be less.

My friend, your first steps to fulfilling your purpose are critical. 

Thinking about it doesn't count; dreaming about it doesn't matter; plans in your mind don't count if you never start. 

You will be inundated with a ton of half-truths, but GOD is the qualifier of the obedient, not your experience, knowledge, or confidence and the only way to grow is to go. 

I still struggle occasionally, but the most challenging part is behind me. I already took the first steps, and I didn't die; I have failed at some things, but it didn't stop me; I haven't always been cheered on, but it turns out that's ok too.  

Because what the enemy doesn't want us to remember is we are working for the "well done" from God, not "good job" from man.

In January of 2018, we became incorporated as a faith based non-profit organization. This tiny non-profit that started with a scared "yes" reached over 290,000 people around the world in 2021 alone. Can we say “WOW GOD!”

I teach women how to unapologetically and boldly live their faith out loud. I won't stop now because I have seen what God can do with a girl who rejected God's plan for her life at fourteen, who didn't know what she was doing, wasn't qualified to write, teach and preach, would be talked about, not everyone would support and would never feel like she's good enough. 

He took her scared "yes" and reached over 290,000 women with it.

It's time to dig a tunnel through your fear and take your first steps and then watch what God does with your scared “yes”.

Love ya,

- Nichole

Next week's letter: How we went from a blog called Fearless to a Non-profit faith- based organization called Mobilized.

If you would like for us to join you in prayer. Please email your prayer request to prayer@mobilized.life.