Reminder for International Women’s Day

If your mom is still around, thank her. When you read about all these beautiful women who have jumped out on the front lines and have made huge strides chances are there is a strong mom who raised her to know the sky is the limit. I believe that International Women's Day is a day to celebrate our mothers. Both biological and the ones who have stepped in for us.

International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the strong women who have paved the way for us. One particular woman kept coming to mind on International Women's Day. You won't read about her on Wikipedia, or see her name in the news, but she made a difference in my little hometown.

My mom passed away a few days before Christmas in 2004, I was 13, and I have never seen such a large group of people come together for a funeral. That was the day I realized just how many people she had helped out. She didn't do it for the recognition, she was always on the sidelines and in the background. Never front and center.

Maya Angelou was right “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”. My mother always made sure to bring joy to some of the darkest rooms. She may have been a pastor's wife, but her ministry of loving on people was all her own, and I know she made a huge difference in her community. If I can be half the woman my mother was, I think I'll do just fine in life. My mother lived to empower other people. That makes her a woman to be celebrated on International Women's Day.

There is another woman I need to celebrate and shine a light on. I can't list the ways she has empowered me because if I tried to list it all out it would overwhelm me. People in her community know her as the lady who takes professional photos of dogs at shelters and rescue centers, but I know her as Glammy.

She believes humans can learn from animals and she believes that humans are only as good as they are kind. She has no problem using her outside voice to show up for the little guy and she always has her door open for the hard conversations, those conversations that have challenged me and forced me to grow as a human. Her door is always open, inside it, you'll find grace and maybe a few "I told you, why don't you listen to me the first time I told you?" because what would life be without a reminder that she can call it from a mile away?

Ladies, who empowers you? Is there a woman in your life that you can't imagine life without? A sister? Friend? Mother? Aunt? Tell us about her in the comments below!