For some women, knowing and understanding their true purpose and passion comes as naturally as waking up in the morning. However, for most of us it isn’t that instinctual. Finding your passion can be a complex journey of discovery, navigating the path that God has created for a life of purposeful giving.
In the journey of Teri Bledsoe, two things were clear for her early on, she wanted to live generously through God, and she felt strongly about helping women. But what Teri wasn’t aware of yet, was how those two would intersect. Her moment of clarity came as she was going through challenges with infertility and the channels of adoption and foster care. She was experiencing many ups and downs, learning and navigating all the information and the systems, while dealing with feelings of confusion and isolation. She knew other women would be going through the same challenges, walking the same complicated path she traveled. Teri realized she needed to share her knowledge and learnings to help educate and guide other women. As she began her journey to teach women she could feel God in her, nurturing and guiding women and she was awakened through empowering others to find their way.
Once Teri identified that her passion was to educate, facilitate and guide women, she was alive and inspired to share her gifts in ministries that aligned with that passion. In every aspect of her giving she connected it to facilitating women. She was confident in her giving, so confident that it even gave her the courage to say “no.”
“When someone would ask me to do something I would try to figure out how could I serve my passion by serving this opportunity and if I couldn’t make a connection then I would say no or pray and think about another person who could do to that opportunity,” says Teri. “I think that’s really important in being able to identify your passion, being able to say no to the things that you know don’t make your heart sing. And it’s hard to say no, because as women we think maybe we should say yes to everything.”
Teri’s confidence came with walking through the Lord, her intimacy with Him and listening and waiting on Him. She became self-aware and emboldened recognizing her passion, when generosity and facilitating women became one. It’s only natural that she calls Women Doing Well her “sweet spot”.
“That’s why I love Women Doing Well so much because it’s about the Lord and you. No two paths are the same. We may have the same purpose and passion but two completely individual plans. That is what’s so empowering and what gives confidence about Women Doing Well and makes it so beneficial and powerful to women.”
She receives so much joy watching women come to life as they realize their passion. It makes perfect sense that Teri’s two-word purpose statement is “Ignite Joy”. Teri ignites joy throughout the seasons of her life by being open and curious as God calls to serve in different directions, understanding that passions are alive, growing and evolving. From serving on the board of a food pantry to supporting refugees, Teri listens to God’s requests of her and where He feels her talents and generosity are needed. She can confidently shift when God calls her to serve elsewhere. Through that journey she brings her passion for Women Doing Well into every ministry, ensuring that women are being empowered within the organization, giving them the confidence to know they can contribute.
Like Teri, we all have our unique passion to share confidently through God. Together we can empower other women to have the confidence to share their gifts without hesitation or uncertainty, to heal the world with generosity.
In Him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently.
Ephesians 3:12
