I’ll let you in on a little secret…

As a little girl, I hated fireworks. Not because they weren’t beautiful, but because they were loud. Really loud. Every Fourth of July, while everyone else was excited, I was the one covering my ears and counting down until they were over.

Then one summer, my family decided we were going to get the best seats possible. We sat right up front so we could see everything. Well…we definitely did. At one point during the show, a piece of one of the fireworks actually fell out of the sky and landed right on my head! Thankfully, I wasn’t hurt, but if I was already afraid of fireworks before that, you can imagine how I felt afterward. To this day, my family still laughs about it.

Even though fireworks aren’t my favorite, there’s something I’ve come to appreciate about them. The moment they begin, everyone stops. People look up. Conversations pause. Strangers stand together in awe as something lights up the night sky as brightly as it possibly can.

No one looks up and says, “That firework is showing off.” We celebrate it. And that got me thinking… Why are we so comfortable celebrating things that shine, but so uncomfortable allowing ourselves to do the same? Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that playing small was safer. Maybe someone called you “too much.” Too loud. Too ambitious. Too emotional. Too confident.

Or maybe life slowly convinced you that blending in was easier than standing out. So we started shrinking ourselves. We downplay our accomplishments. We apologize before sharing our ideas. We convince ourselves we’re not ready.

We wait for permission, forgetting that God has already called us to use the gifts He placed inside us.

Sound familiar? I’ve been there too. There have been moments when I knew God was calling me to something bigger, and instead of taking the next step, I questioned whether I was qualified enough, experienced enough, or even the right person.

Here’s what I’ve learned…God doesn’t place gifts inside of us so we can hide them. He gives them to us so we can use them to serve others. The things that come naturally to you may feel ordinary because you’ve always had them. Encouraging people. Leading. Creating. Listening. Teaching. Building relationships.

What feels ordinary to you could be exactly what someone else needs. That’s why comparing yourself to everyone else is such a trap. Your gifts are different on purpose. Your calling is unique. And your light was never meant to be hidden.

The world will always have opinions. Some people will think you’re dreaming too big or reaching too high. That’s okay. Not everyone has to understand what God is doing in your life. The people you’re meant to serve need the real you, not the version that’s constantly trying to make everyone else comfortable.

It’s funny…for someone who spent most of her childhood afraid of fireworks, they’ve taught me one of life’s greatest lessons. Fireworks don’t apologize for taking up the sky. They were created to shine. And maybe that’s true for us, too.

This Fourth of July, as you watch the sky light up, remember this: You weren’t created to blend into the darkness. You were created to be a light. And there’s plenty of room in God’s sky for all of us to shine.

If this message spoke to your heart, I’d love to invite you to a free discovery session. Sometimes all we need is someone to help us uncover what’s been holding us back and remind us of who God created us to be. No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about where you are, where you want to go, and the next step God may be calling you to take.

Happy Fourth of July…Go be the light!

With love,

Lucia