Power to Empower

I love the word EMPOWER. I hear it, speak it, and I can feel my body preparing to stand, to move—it’s action. That’s what empowering is—giving someone the power to move from their present being/circumstance to another (hopefully better).

The dictionary definition of “empower” is to give power or authority to, or to enable/permit. To give power or authority over… To enable or permit… An act of giving to someone else. Like a parent empowering their teenager by handing over those precious car keys. Like a principal empowering a student with the gift of a well-earned diploma. Like a woman empowering another woman with a few words of encouragement and advice.

What do these three things have in common?

They all open up possibilities to the other person. We all know the saying that knowledge is power, but that’s not exactly true—it leaves out the middle man. Knowledge creates possibilities. It’s what you do with those possibilities that’s gateway to power over your own life.

About a year ago, my hubby and I decided to homeschool our kids. Neither of us were homeschooled, and quite honestly we hadn’t really been exposed to it within the circles of our friends. But we made that decision and I took a timid step forward. What next? Where did I go from here? So many choices, so much red tape. Lucky for me, several women had started blogs for homeschooling moms. I merely had to traipse through their archives to find a wealth of knowledge and guidance. These wonderful women helped empower me. They gave me the knowledge to see what our family homeschool could be like—the possibilities. They educated me to make the right choices for our family. I now have confidence in my decisions and look forward to spending time with my children every day.

Kimchi mentioned in her post last Monday that encouragement can reciprocate—by giving encouragement, you encourage yourself whether you mean to or not. The same with empowering. When you give another person the power to rise from their situation, you gain that same sense of confidence. Those homeschooling women had to do their own research in order to learn enough to post about their homeschools, which gave them their own power.

Now, please do not misunderstand me. Power can have such a negative connotation in today’s society. One of our goals is to break the shackles that society has placed on us. Power in our lives simply means that we make our own educated choices based on our own priorities/beliefs because we know who we are.

I know that I am a daughter of the mighty King. I know that Christ died so that I might live apart from this world. I am strong in my faith. I am a military wife, a mother to three, and a friend to all. But even I forget. Even I fall apart. I’m happy one minute, and sad the next. I am sure of myself but then I crumble under the weight of fear. I know I am loved, but sometime I feel so alone. Sometimes I need those extra words of encouragement, sometimes I need someone to remind me that I have the power to rise from my circumstance. Sometimes I don’t have that power because I lack the knowledge, and so am in need of someone to empower me.

It’s so nice that I know I have my husband, family, friends like Kimchi that I can turn to if I am less than I want to be. More importantly, I have a Savior to turn to. I know that I will be okay, no matter what happens.

What are your thoughts on empowering yourself and others?

Up this week, we have two guest posts from some awesome women who are also hosting equally awesome giveaways! Join us!