So this tribe idea got me thinking of one of the people I admire and respect the most and that would be Miss. Kelly, otherwise known as My Brown Eyed Girl!
As you will read shortly, there are many reasons why I am thankful to be in her tribe but really, anyone who knows her would say the same.
Forward Friday is all about the attributes and qualities of the type of tribe anyone would want to be a part of and this week, we take a little dive into the life of Miss. Kelly! I’m certain it will lift you up this weekend!!
Let’s Get Into This:
So I think if there was any words to describe Miss. Kelly, Hopeful, resilient, peaceful, wise come to mind quickly.
Kelly Is Hopeful:
Kelly’s life growing up was anything but easy. In fact, there were many times where it was topsy turvy, scary, frustrating, hurtful, and it just seemed like not many things would go the right way in her life.
By the time I met Kelly, she had moved 29 times. I couldn’t even imagine that.
It was fascinating to hear that since to me, it seemed like she had lived a nomad’s type of life. But while Kelly was never bitter; there was the wondering why the upheaval was so constant?
Yet there was an inner conviction that this was not normal and that she would strive to find what she was looking for… In good time.
It is significant in spite of her childhood/teen years which were full of disappointments, distractions and family issues, that it would have been very easy for Kelly to throw in the towel of her life so to speak and not have any drive to see change or try to enact some positive changes….
But Kelly had and has an inner drive to not be satisfied when things are not going in the right direction; she needs to figure it out.
And working to figure things out and to be hopeful that there is a better day coming has been a hallmark of her life.
Kelly is Resilient
That drive hasn't stopped; mid life has thrown some loops to Kelly over the past 3 years but like the girl I know, Kelly has been working hard to figure out how to combat this time in her life.
Kelly researches and is not satisfied with the status quo; and it’s not only where it concerns her health but in so many areas, I’ve seen this resilience to push and want to move forward in a positive manner, even when it seems most difficult.
Crazy but that's Kelly. There must be an answer to a problem!
Kelly Is A Wise Woman
When we started hanging out, while we came from different backgrounds, it was apparent that Kelly had game so to speak.
At one point when it became apparent that there was mutual interest, there were some questions that I had in terms of the life we might have together and could she navigate the twists and turns that would come with it?
What impressed me the most was not that Kelly had pat answers or scripted responses; I soon recognized that Kelly had and continues to have a high ceiling to learn, grow and adapt as life unfolds itself.
Soon, I began to see the impact she started to have with our teens in our youth center, our young adult/university group. Her life experiences and how she navigated those moments were helpful as Kelly would interact, counsel and encourage those she would come in contact with.
It would be interesting how people would and still gravitate to Kelly; I think because she is real, unscripted, caring and with all of her attributes, people long for the “Real” and Kelly is definitely Real!!!
She is real, unscripted, caring and with all of her attributes, people long for the “Real” and Kelly is definitely Real!!!
Kelly Is Passionate
But there is much more to Kelly than meets the eye.
I think because of Kelly’s background and upbringing, there is a rooting for the underdog, the less fortunate, the vulnerable, the lonely, and the overlooked.
This passion really took off when we went to work at a mission in Los Angeles in 2001.
There was this new dimension that grew out of that week we spent there and over the years, Kelly has been involved in many endeavors, working with the homeless, the vulnerable.
Kelly assisted me when I had the honor to run a homeless day center downtown, assisted and helped me with outreach thanksgiving dinners, clothes drives and more.
I know Kelly was pretty amazing helping to take care of mom during the 15 years mom lived with us and especially the last 6 months of her life.
Kelly Is Peaceful
To my shame at times when I have panicked about different things, I have only to look at Kelly to see that she has this overwhelming peace about her.
Even when life is threatening to shake the moorings of her life at times, Kelly has this bedrock peace that comes from within.
I think if anything, I’ve seen how Kelly has allowed the words of John 14:27 capture her thinking:
Stop allowing ourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do no permit ourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.
I think as Kelly’s relationship with Jesus has grown over time, the truth of having His peace in her life has marked her powerfully.
Kelly has truly seen the value of peace in her life and has taken it seriously and everyone around here benefits from that peace from within.
Kelly has proven that Trusting God is not just a good thing but the only thing when life doesn’t make sense and I’m glad as part of her tribe, I learn much from her example.
Kelly Tribe Takeaways:
Hope needs to be the anchor of our soul; our mind, will and emotions. It’s what keeps us steady and stable during difficult times.
Hope is a favorable and confident expectation, a positive attitude and happy anticipation that something good is going to happen… And it is not wishy washy..
Kelly is a crooner so sometimes, the notes are interesting but there is this verse that speaks to Kelly's life and if she could sing it, it would say, “The Anchor Of Hope” cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it.
Kelly Is Stable:
Stability is a wonderful thing! It makes a person peaceful, dependable, and productive and Kelly is that and more.
It keeps us from being on an emotional roller coaster—happy one minute, frustrated the next—based on the circumstances around us.
It’s comforting to be around a stable person—Kelly, one who is firmly rooted in God’s love. Because the world around us is ever changing and unstable in many ways and it is good to have a person like Kelly to walk through life with!
Here's a Little video from our anniversary celebration!!!
A Tribe Like That Is Worth Being A Part of......
Thank you Kelly for showing the way....
Here's to Tribe Walking With You....
Dave
#ForwardFriday #KellysTribe #Stable #Resilience #Wisdom #Peaceful #Passionate #Hopeful #Blog #Speaker #TheAnchorOfHope #AmazingWoman
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