NASHVILLE STRONG

PRACTICE: Make a list of your attributes that illustrate your strength.

I live in Nashville, Tennessee. The current slogan of the city is Nashville Strong. The slogan, I believe was born out of the devastation caused by a tornado that tore through the city and surrounding communities recently and the amazing response of the citizens to the needs of those adversely affected. It was born out of the history that my community has for responding to the needs caused by natural disasters in the past (flood of 2010). Nashvillians are overcomers but we wouldn’t know that unless we had challenges to overcome – Nashville Strong is descriptive based upon its history of facing and dealing positively with adverse situations.

What does your personal history of facing adversity say about you? That was the reason you were asked to make a strength affirmation list. Notice that I didn’t ask about your weaknesses. Highlighting weakness amid struggle does not promote forward movement unless it is supported with a strength of knowing when to ask for help. As you look back over your past experiences, you probably have noted there are character traits that have served you well and hopefully you have been honest enough with yourself to catalog the flaws that were less than admirable. There is value in knowing both.

Knowing when to ask for help is a flaw that I have been working on for years. I must be a slow learner. It is not natural for me to ask for help and I have had to work at it. I am awesome at offering and giving help but accepting it is another thing – they are equally as important.

I am good at motivating people and I love doing so. Some find me to be technology challenged and I agree. I encourage the technology savvy people in my world to be the best that they can be. I have had to learn to swallow my pride and ask them for help with my deficiency. When I couple the pride swallowing with a persevering -stick to it spirit, a good sense of humor, a willingness to work hard and the recognition that everything is temporary, I think that I can declare myself “Gwen Strong” in the face of adversity. These character traits are currently serving me well and have served me well in the past.

Romans 8:37

PONDER THIS THOUGHT – Certification as an overcomer is achieved by overcoming not running from life’s challenges.