Welcome!

Something to know about me is that I find great joy in learning big faith lessons out of tiny life moments. But, actually, a lot of the time, those “tiny life moments” don’t seem tiny at all when you are living through them.

Like this story, about the time I didn’t get to be a cheerleading captain during my senior year of high school when I really wanted to be one. And how thankful I am for it now, because having gotten that title would not have led me to writing the realizations I am right now.

I have to set the stage by saying that cheerleading was my thing in high school. I loved everything about it. But when it came to giving instructions and keeping the attention of the team itself? That was my weakness.

I wanted to be a better leader in that way, but I could never really pull it out of myself. I was a one-on-one kind of girl. If I saw one of the girls struggling with a dance, I would pull them to the side or send them a video. If they wanted help improving their jumps, we would set up a private jump sesh, because I was their girl. But if asked to lead the team as a whole for practice? I was gonna need backup.

Nonetheless, this was my senior season, and I had great expectations with “Be a cheerleading captain” written at the top of my bucket list.

And as lofty as it sounds, I thought I had a head position secured because there were only three of us seniors on the team that year, and all three of us had cheered before. So, based on the previous history of our school's cheerleading program, we were the captains!

However, what I didn’t expect was for our new coach to put her twist on the matter (in the best way possible—we love a fearless leader). As it got closer to summer, she chose to rotate multiple of us on the team to lead our practices to see who could lead our team best in the way it needed to be led.

And the ending result? I didn't get to be a captain. While the other two seniors I expected to lead with did.

Now that seems simple enough, but through an entire cheer season of being reminded to stay teachable and realizing how I wasn’t entitled to anything, here’s what I learned!

Give it all you’ve got!

I realized the cheer “give it all you’ve got” is a cheer for everybody, always.

Don’t just assume you are entitled to whatever you feel entitled to; rather, work enthusiastically for the Lord in all things. Even in the things that feel mundane or insignificant. It’s biblical.

The truth is kind!

During that season of my life, I grew more as a person and a cheerleader by simply being reminded to stay teachable.

If my coach hadn’t pointed out to me that, yes, I was a great cheerleader, and yes, I was great with the team one-on-one, but I still had room to grow, I wouldn’t have felt the need to. She pointed out my strengths while also acknowledging my weaknesses. She cared, and for that, I’ll forever be thankful.

The cherry on top!

I realized people don’t always have to have a title by their name to still be leaders.

My coach acknowledged I was not “cap” ready while also acknowledging I still had a lot to offer even though I was not in a leading position. She called me the cherry on top! I grew to have so much admiration for my coach during that time because she called me higher!

GOD’S WAY IS BEST!

Noes are not always a bad thing. They can point you to yeses that build you and lead you to things and places that are more meant for you. Especially if you just let God do His thing.

Think about it. I wouldn’t be writing this post right now if I would have gotten a captain position. I remember coaching a girl and realizing that this post could be helpful for someone like her, who was walking through something so similar. I shared with her, in short, what she can now read in full. So to senior-year me, be thankful!

How to be a cheerleader at heart.

Having to move to the second row at practice stung a little. But, thankfully, watching two teenage girls I’ve known since third grade lead our team taught me what it looks like to lead well. And I learned how to truly be happy for the people who get the things I so desperately want.

The point of this post is that a simple “no” taught me so much, and I will carry these lessons with me, always. Things didn’t go my way in this situation, and I’m so thankful for it now.

I’ve always heard it said—and eventually came to believe—that God’s way is best and that He genuinely cares for us, even in the little things. But now that I’ve gotten to see the fruit that has come from even such a tiny high school story, I’m simply reminded that it really truly is, and He really truly does.

TYJ.

TARA