Brave New Girl...part 1

I really don't understand just why it has been so hard for me to share my heart about my Brave Girls experience... It is like the words are there... but there are so many that I want to share that I just can't seem to get it all out in one post. I have tried (three times) to do so and well all I have ended up with is three very long disjointed posts... so I have decided to take this week (or so) and share different parts of my experience and just why I think it was valuable for me.


First I need to say that although it seemed as if everything in my life was telling me NOT to go...


I DID IT ANYWAYS...

And this was the first time in a very long time.... that I did something for me... altogether... just for me (or so I thought).

My husband being the sweet heart that he is... worked his magic and sent me packing out the door and on my way to Idaho.

When I arrived to Brave Girls... I was immediately relaxed. If you know Melody Ross... than you know that from her blog to her facebook... she is honest, pure and easy to relate to. Well her sister is exactly the same way... with just the bare necessities... they have created this amazingly wonderful retreat that you are allowed to come as you are... and be loved ♥

Now this may not sound like something unheard of... or even original ... but THIS is. The GENUINE love and openness that is greeting you by all of the staff and other campers is astounding and I believe that it is a firm result of the family and heart that is behind it.

With this wonderful feeling of love and unconditional acceptance that was shared by everyone in the house... I was relaxed... unguarded and felt protected by the atmosphere of women whom had no expectation of me and just wanted an opportunity to get to know me and love me for who I am.


Now this is the first this that I want to share with you or rather ask you is...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU KNEW THAT REGARDLESS IF YOU HAD SUCCESS OR FAILURE... PEOPLE WOULD STILL LOVE AND ACCEPT YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE?


My answer... I would SING...
All day and all night...


This is something that I realized at brave girls that I didn't even realize that I held back. I love singing always have and always will...I have sang for one... I have sang for hundreds.... doesn't matter the audience, I would sing, although a little nervous... I would still sing.

But something about the way that I felt at brave girls, that sense of security in knowing that everyone there, didn't care if I sang well or didn't they loved me anyways... made me sing like I had never sang before... I sang open and loud (I know as if I could get any louder) and completely unguarded. I never even knew that I held back when I would sing before, but here in the safety of our cabin, I sang with all my heart and loved it.

group time singing

beautiful Kathy playing the guitar


And so today I ask you... what would YOU do if you new that whether you would succeed or fail... EVERYONE watching you would STILL love, admire and protect you for who you are? It is not everyday that we get this opportunity... it is rarely to feel so completely open and free... and I am so grateful that this is just one of the many things I took home from Brave Girls Camp.

Thanks for starting this journey with me, sorry it has been WAY to long coming... but I am here... now ready to share bit by bit... the pieces of my heart that belong to this wonderful effort.


~Liz