07 Dec everything I am going to be

I recently got to spend the day fangirling one of my favorite authors, Rob Bell, on the last day of his “How to Be” tour. I loved his book, How to Be Here, and my sweet friend surprised me with tickets to this event for my birthday. I’m not even kidding when I tell you I cornered that man on his very first break and took selfies with him – stalker status, right? I wasn’t waiting until the designated time. I seized the day (and his elbow) and got the pic, babyyyy.

I struggled between taking tons of notes to capture the magic of his words to be able to share with friends later and just being there, soaking it up, truly absorbing the message for myself. Self finally won and I settled into my own skin and listened. I made myself to be still. “Be here, Holly.” I focused and I learned. I felt. I compared. I readjusted. I learned some more.

It was an incredibly affirming experience and it challenged me to BE. Be more present. Be more aware. Be more involved. Be more available. Be whatever. It also reminded me that I already AM. I already am everything I am going to BE. I am enough now even though I will become more. I AM present, aware, involved, available. I AM loved and I will BE loved. I am enough and yet I will continue to expand.

It got me thinking. As I write this post, I am amazed at the pieces that stuck with me. There, I was frantically writing notes. Here, I am sharing what moved my heart. I haven’t even glanced at the notes I took at the start of the day. I know and still feel exactly what moved me and that is what I want to share with you. Notes Shmotes!

“The world is unfinished,” Rob said. “What we do is go out into the world and participate in its creation.” He asked the group, “What will you do with the extraordinary energies you have been given? The Divine is looking for partners and creators.”

We are not unfinished. The world is unfinished. Not us. Not me. The world!!!

That was just the first mind blowing moment of the day.

I talk a lot about being a World Changer. I believe we influence the culture, the vibe, the people around us. We influence the energy in the air… have you ever had a family member walk in the room and feel the energy change as every spine stiffens, every gut clenches? Talk about a vibe shift. Woooo hooo, you can feeeeel it. We can change things, like invisible things, with our energy. We all know and understand that, right?

It’s a total paradigm shift to think of ourselves as World Creators, actually participating in the creation of the World we live in. The design. The refinement. The addition to… the redirection of… what a privilege! What a heavy responsibility but what a stunning opportunity. What an incredible and holy honor. The world is unfinished and the Divine is looking for co-creators. Hot damn, I want IN! (Don’t worry – I’m not abandoning the World Changer theme… I’ve got a ton of tee shirts to sell first! Ha!)

Tomorrow has not yet been created. I create it. You create it. We aren’t changing tomorrow. We are creating tomorrow with every breath, with every word, with every action. With our energy, we are forming what becomes tomorrow.

Seriously. My mind is swirling as puzzle pieces continue to connect and ideas find their slot and mysteries unravel another thread or two.

When I was growing up, and my faith was first developing, I remember a Bible verse that went something like this: There is nothing new under the sun. I could look it up now for the exact wording, but that’s not relevant. What’s relevant is the way I remember it. Nothing new? Nothing? Not one new thing? Then what the heck are we here for? I remember thinking that verse was a bit discouraging because I felt I had so much in me, so much bubbling up to the surface, so much to offer. How can it not be new? I’ve never been me, in this moment, living this life, at this stage or in this version of myself before. Everything is new. I am new. I am original.

I am uniquely designed and artfully created by the very One who says there is nothing new? Um, how does that make any sense at all? Somebody needs a better editor, apparently.

Wait. If the Divine is looking for co-creators and is tapping into me to be one of Them, it might be possible that how I originally interpreted that verse is not what it means at all. (That happens sometimes, doesn’t it?) What if it means that everything I AM and everything I will BE and everything I have to offer this world already exists within me? I am enough. I believe that. Through and through, in my bones, soul deep, I believe that. So does that also mean that I am not unfinished? If so, I am uniquely designed and artfully crafted and everything is already within me. On purpose. By design. There is nothing new because it already exists. It’s already grafted in. Coded. Planted. I have every single thing I need to be a co-creator in this world.

Dear sweet baby Jesus. The neurons in my brain are firing double time now! Connections are being made, realizations, epiphanies. The more I sit with this idea, the more it blooms and swirls and crystalizes.

What if I could have known that twenty years ago? Or thirty years ago? When I was feeling inept and ill-equipped. When I was apologizing for my existence and questioning my value. What if I knew that from the beginning? What if I did, but forgot, and this life is the journey to remember?

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Guys, I am supposed to be packing for a trip and I cannot even move. I am stunned. I have to write this down. I have to ‘grab the tiger by the tail’ as Elizabeth Gilbert mentions in her most recent book, Big Magic. I have to capture this before it escapes me! I’m blogging when I should be packing but this is too good, too rich, too aMazing to let go. I’ll pack in a minute, but first I gotta write!

I’m thinking of the people I am going to see this weekend. I’m excited to meet new friends, students and parents, educators, youth pastors, and business owners. All of whom want to be a part of the aMasongrace Project in some way. I call them World Changers. I believe we are all World Changers, but sometimes we need a little spark to come along and light the fire within. Well, aMg is just lil ole me, but I know conversations have been started and lives have been saved. Trajectories changed. The World Changer talks about being a World Changer and other World Changers realize they are World Changers and start confidently and compassionately Changing the World. It’s a pretty solid model, right? :0)

Thinking about the creator role now… We are co-creators and the world is unfinished… DUHHHH! It totally makes sense! Lightbulb ON. As I head back to Virginia for the third time in 2016, I have a mile wide grin on my face. We are definitely going to create something aMazing together. (Shout out to Jen and Heather for helping me pack the week with a bazillion aMg events!)

Friends, we already are everything we need to be. We were designed to work together for the good of the whole. We cannot do it alone. We each possess something unique, offer something original, bring something different. There is nothing new under the sun because we were born with it. It, whatever it is, is already here. Let that soak in for a minute and see if you feel anything shift.

You. Already. Are. Everything. You. Will. Be.

And yet, there is more. You will continue to grow and expand and contribute and create. (I seriously need to scream this from every rooftop! It is so awesome! Are you as geeked out over this as I am?!?!?! Oh Em Geezle!!! I have goosebumps on my scalp and up and down my arms.)

Ok, last one. Rob Bell said, “Life is the blinking light. The cursor. The empty page.” I am looking at one now. A blank page. A cursor that flashes persistently, expecting input. I write some words, it wants more. I write more, and there is still more to be written.

Life is blinking right in front of me. What on earth will I create? What will I write? What will I say? What will I learn? What will I do?

Tomorrow is not yet created.

                                     The world is unfinished.

                                                                    I already AM everything I need to BE and yet…

there is so much more in me.

it’s just me…and Rob Freaking Bell!

The blog, It’s Just Me, is written by Holly Chamberlain, who makes a living as a regional sales manager for a global pharmaceutical company but makes a life by working with teenagers, teachers, and parents to redefine the criteria for who is ‘at risk’ for self-harm and suicide. She is the Founder of the aMasongrace Project and shares these core messages with students to offer hope, help build resilience, and improve self-esteem: Moments Pass, Please Stay, You Matter.

To subscribe to the blog, please visit the website, www.aMasongraceproject.com, to enter your email address. Follow the aMasongrace project on Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat: @aMgYouMatter. To invite the aMasongrace project to speak to your youth group or school, please contact Holly via aMasongraceproject@gmail.com.