And Who Said, "Redheads Can't Wear Pink"?

I broke the mold and defiantly wore a hot pink shirt this past Memorial Day. The voices from my past said, "Redheads can't wear pink." But, I did not care. I had decided a few years back to make my own call on the matter when I wore my first pink shirt; light pink. And, well, Memorial Day brought out an even bolder side of me. One that I had not seen in a while.

Somewhere between my high school and college graduations, I became very ambitious. Oh, I'm still goal-driven, I love purpose and I can be a person of high intensity/passion when I'm working. I definitely like to push myself and others, which I did all year long. You probably remember my focus for this last year was a "Life Above Reproach"; I instilled this in the girls over and over. However, I've lost a little piece of the intensity I had right out of college. Of course there are always pros and cons to anything. One benefit I have recently recognized and have been grateful for, inregards to the previously mentioned change, is my new sense of awareness for balance. Boldness is good, but better with balance.


I often think back to my first year as an Resident Director. I was so caught up in my desire to uphold the precedence that was introduced to me, that I lacked part of the balance I have now begun to learn. I did not say "learned" because I believe I will always be refining my leadership style. The turning point for me began during a struggle when leading differently than my co-workers. (I loved my co-workers. We were definitely unified in purpose and vision; I was just young in learning how to lead.) I remember approaching my boss, the VP of Student Life at the time, and expressed my frustrations in not knowing how to handle a specific instance. His response was, "Kelly, your first responsibility is to make sure you are on the same page as the team." I was humbled, knowing I had gone to my boss thinking I was in the right. For me this meant I had to let go of being so focused on upholding the precedence and understand that certain circumstances allowed for grace or flexibility. When I soaked in the truth of my bosses words and took them to heart, I began to learn an amazing new balance from my co-workers. I learned lessons I could not have taught myself. I have definitely been too confident at times since, but it is amazing the new-found since of maturity I can see since I allowed the Lord to humble me. This past year, I feel I relearned this lesson through different circumstances. I guess I did not fully take it to heart the first time!

I needed direction and I still do. While I have lost glimpses of a certain past boldness, or was it ignorant confidence, I will always be a person willing to wear hot pink. I never want to grow void of passion and purpose; they are vital for any person or ministry. And I never want to be too timid to take a risk, even if it means being humbled for a time. The refining period is well worth the pain.