“I wanted more information about the bridge after being in your workshop. I want to know where the bridge would take me … and what I’ll find on the other side. And I’m also curious why you’re so devoted to this.”
I LOVE the conversations I’ve been having as a result of two live workshops I held this past week!
And this particular message made me smile. I responded, “I’d love to have a conversation with you to answer your questions … because your great questions help me create better messaging to reach people!”
Since he was writing from Great Britain, we agreed to have our conversation through text messages.
But it was the second half of his message that really caught my attention.
“I’ve been reading about your bridge for a while … and wondered what on earth it was all about. So you had my attention! Then it all started coming together for me after your workshop.”
I laughed. Because I’ve been writing about this bridge for quite some time. And perhaps I’ve been so familiar with it that I haven’t always explained it as clearly as I could.
So today, I’d like to tell you a little about where my bridge came from.
And then I’d love to answer three of the questions my new friend asked. Because perhaps you’ve been wondering about them too.
Where the Bridge Began
Some of my earliest and most magical childhood memories are of taking long walks through the piney woods of East Texas with my Mamaw.
We’d walk and talk and explore. And inevitably, we’d come to a stream or a creek. Now, we could have turned around. But that wasn’t Mamaw’s style!
Instead, we’d look around for whatever we could find to build a little bridge.
Sometimes it was stones and branches.
Sometimes it was a log.
Sometimes we had to get pretty creative!
But we always found a way across.
And then, on our way back, we’d have another adventure trying to find the bridge we’d built so we could cross again.
I loved those walks.
I loved the adventure.
I loved the creativity.
And somewhere in those piney woods, I learned something that would stay with me for the rest of my life: There’s usually a way to get across. Even when you can’t see it at first.
I didn’t know it then, but Mamaw and I were doing more than crossing creeks. We were laying the foundation for something that would become one of the greatest passions of my life.
The Bridge My Daddy Took Down
When I was in high school, my dad started his own company in the steel building industry. One of his early projects involved dismantling a Mississippi River bridge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
It was a magnificent old structure, decorated with beautifully milled fleur-de-lis. Rather than simply scrapping everything, Daddy decided to preserve those beautiful pieces.
He carefully had them removed from the steel. And today, I still have barrels of those fleur-de-lis.
I remember how proud I was of him. We watched that old bridge come down. And we watched a new one go up.
At the time, I was fascinated by the enormous undertaking. But looking back, I realize there was another lesson waiting for me: Even when something is being torn down, there may be beautiful things worth saving.
Near the end of my high school years, my own heart was broken. And I tried to remember what I’d seen Daddy do.
Something I loved had fallen apart. But perhaps there were still beautiful pieces I could carry forward. Perhaps something good could be preserved, even from something painful.
Little did I know that these were the early beginnings of my own bridge building.
Daddy worked with bridges that changed people’s access to places. One day, I would become passionate about helping people build bridges that changed their access to the gifts, possibilities, and purpose within themselves.
The Night I Danced Through My Tears
My third significant experience with bridges happened about twenty-five years ago.
My world had fallen apart. And I didn’t quite know what to do with myself.
So I did what any respectable Christian girl might do. I put on my denim skirt, denim jacket, and boots … And headed to Cowboys, home to one of the largest dance floors in the Dallas area!
Now, you might be thinking I went there to drink my troubles away. That makes me laugh. I don’t drink. But I DO love music! And I knew it was line-dancing night.
I figured learning a new dance might be just what I needed. When I walked in, the instructor was just beginning to teach the steps. So out onto the dance floor I went.
And then he turned on the music. It was a catchy tune about building bridges straight to someone’s heart, despite the distance between them. And something about those words reached a place deep inside me.
I danced with all my might. And tears streamed down my face. I remember thinking … What a different world this would be if we could lay down our weapons and start building bridges.
Bridges between people.
Bridges across misunderstandings.
Bridges where hurt and disappointment had created distance.
And somewhere in that night, another song about love building a bridge between hearts found its way into mine. I couldn’t shake the idea. When I walked back to my car that night …YES! Alone and sober! LOL! …
I remember thinking: “Building bridges. That’s what I want to do with my life!”
I didn’t have a grand plan. I didn’t know exactly what those bridges would look like. But I knew I wanted to build them.
And over the years, as I began creating programs that offered people the very help I had once desperately needed, the bridge kept appearing.
It became more than a metaphor. It became a way of describing what I longed to help people experience.
Which brings me back to my new friend’s wonderful questions.
1. Where Does the Bridge Take Me?
I loved this question! Probably because I was so eager to answer it.
And the honest answer? I DON’T KNOW!
Now, before you decide that’s a pretty strange answer from someone who’s inviting you to cross a bridge, let me explain. I don’t know because your destination is yours to discover.
I’m not interested in gathering a group of people and turning them into miniature versions of me. Heaven help us all! LOL! What would the world do with even one more of me?
I’m not interested in convincing everyone to pursue the same dream, choose the same career, or live the same kind of life. I’m interested in helping people discover what a deeply meaningful, fulfilling life might look like for THEM. Or even what God might have in mind for them.
For one person, crossing the bridge might mean finding the courage to become fierce. For another, it might mean discovering the freedom to become tender.
For one, it might mean leaving a career that no longer fits. For another, it might mean rediscovering the passion that drew them into their current career in the first place.
For one, it might mean learning to speak up. For another, it might mean learning to listen.
One person may discover a gift for teaching. Another may discover a gift for encouraging. Someone else may realize they’ve spent a lifetime caring for everyone else and have forgotten that their own life deserves attention, too.
And someone who has spent years surviving difficult experiences may begin wondering … What if there’s something more for me than simply getting through another day?
You see, the destination isn’t necessarily a place.
It might be a way of living.
A way of loving.
A way of contributing.
A way of becoming more fully yourself.
The bridge isn’t designed to take everyone to the same destination. It’s designed to help you discover the destination that matters to YOU.
And sometimes, that discovery is the beginning of everything.
2. What Will I Find on the Other Side of the Bridge?
Now THIS is where the adventure begins!
Imagine you’re standing on one side of a bridge. Where you’re standing represents your life as it is today. Not necessarily terrible. Maybe even pretty good.
Perhaps you’ve accomplished things you’re proud of.
Perhaps you have people you love, responsibilities you manage, and a life that looks quite successful from the outside.
But somewhere inside, there’s a little whisper. There has to be MORE than this.
Not necessarily more money.
Or more possessions.
Or more accomplishments.
But MORE LIFE IN YOUR LIFE.
More meaning.
More fulfillment.
More of that wonderful feeling that you’re doing something that matters.
Now imagine looking across that bridge. On the other side is a life you’d LOVE to be living.
Not someone else’s idea of a wonderful life. YOURS.
Perhaps it’s a life where you wake up excited about what the day might hold. Where you recognize gifts you’ve overlooked for years. Where you stop dismissing possibilities before you’ve even allowed yourself to imagine them.
Where you begin asking a question you may not have asked since childhood. WHAT IF?
What if I could do that?
What if I could learn something new?
What if I could become the person I’ve always wanted to be?
What if the things I’ve lived through don’t have to define the limits of what comes next?
And what if I already possess some of the very gifts I need to begin? That’s what I hope you’ll begin discovering as you cross.
But here’s something else I’ve learned. The most fulfilling life isn’t always the one where we get more. Sometimes it’s the one where we discover how much we have to GIVE.
Not necessarily money.
Not necessarily grand gestures.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as sending a text message to someone who’s struggling. Offering encouragement when someone is ready to give up.
Listening when someone desperately needs to be heard. Sharing wisdom you’ve gained from your own experiences. Walking into a meeting and bringing hope instead of discouragement. Helping someone see a possibility they’ve stopped believing in.
Perhaps you’ve spent years wishing someone had offered you encouragement. And one day you discover that encouragement is one of your greatest gifts.
Perhaps you know what it feels like to be overlooked. And you discover that you have an extraordinary ability to make other people feel seen.
Perhaps you’ve survived something you wouldn’t wish on anyone. And while you would never choose that experience again, you discover that the understanding you’ve gained can help someone else feel less alone.
That doesn’t mean the painful things were good.
It means something good can still be carried forward.
Remember my Daddy’s old bridge? Even when it came down, there were beautiful pieces worth preserving.
I believe that can be true of our lives, too. And when we begin recognizing those gifts and sharing them … Something remarkable can happen.
We don’t simply bring more life into our own lives. We begin bringing more life into the lives of others.
And perhaps that’s one of the most beautiful things waiting on the other side.
3. Why Am I So Passionate About This?
This was probably the most personal question my new friend asked. And I loved that he asked it.
Because I could give you a dozen professional reasons.
I could tell you about my years of working with people.
About the programs I’ve developed.
About the transformations I’ve witnessed.
And all of those things would be true.
But the real answer goes much deeper. You see, if I gathered all the difficult experiences of my life into one enormous heap, I could look at that pile and say … “My life has been hard.”
And I would be telling the truth.
My early childhood terror held me captive.
My struggles with reading made me feel stupid.
There were heartbreaks.
Betrayals.
Loss after loss.
And seasons when I wondered how I would ever find my way through. Some of those experiences almost took me down. Perhaps you understand.
Your list might look very different from mine. But I imagine you could gather your own difficult experiences into a heap.
And looking at that pile, you might conclude that life has been terribly hard. And you would probably be telling the truth, too.
But here’s the other side of my story.
If I gathered all the wonderful experiences of my life into another enormous heap, I could look at THAT pile and say … “My life has been magical! My life has been blessed!”
And I would be telling the truth.
I’ve had the privilege of singing in every state in America.
I’ve traveled around the world sharing the Power of Purpose.
I’ve helped establish camps for deaf children in several states.
I’ve stood on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro!
I’ve taken groups to Skid Row in Los Angeles and to Harlem to share goodwill, encouragement, and fun.
I’ve served in wonderful ministries.
I’ve had the privilege of caring for my mom and dad until they took their last breaths.
And I have the greatest sister in the world!
Oh, the memories I could share!
The adventures.
The laughter.
The people.
The extraordinary moments I never could have imagined as that little girl walking through the piney woods with her Mamaw. And perhaps you understand this side, too.
Your list might be very different. But I imagine you could gather the beautiful experiences of your life into a heap. And looking at THAT pile, you might conclude that you have so much to be grateful for.
And you would be telling the truth.
Both piles belong to my story.
The painful experiences don’t erase the beautiful ones. And the beautiful experiences don’t mean the painful ones didn’t matter.
But here’s what I’ve come to believe. Neither pile, by itself, tells the whole story of who we are or what our lives can become. There’s something more.
Something that has been growing inside me for as long as I can remember.
A desire to help people find their way across. Because I remember what it felt like to desperately need help.
I longed for help.
I searched for help.
I believed help was possible.
But sometimes it seemed so far away. And I made more trips around the same mountain than I ever wanted to make!
There were things I had to learn the hard way. Things I wish someone had explained. Things I wish someone had helped me see.
And somewhere along the way, I began thinking …What if I could help someone else find their way without having to take all those trips around the mountain?
What if someone didn’t have to spend years believing they were inadequate? What if someone could recognize their gifts before they reached the end of their life?
What if someone who had survived terrible things could discover that surviving wasn’t necessarily the end of their story? What if someone who had spent years doing everything they were supposed to do could finally begin discovering what they would LOVE to do?
What if someone who had almost given up could begin imagining possibilities again?
WHAT IF?
That’s why I’m passionate about building bridges. Not because I’ve figured out everything about life. I haven’t!
Not because every difficult experience has turned into something wonderful. It hasn’t.
And certainly not because I think everyone should live the way I do.
But because I know what it feels like to stand on one side of a bridge …
Longing to get somewhere …
And having absolutely no idea how to cross.
And I know what it feels like to discover that there IS a way forward. Sometimes it’s a big, beautiful bridge. And sometimes it’s a few branches
and stones carefully placed across a creek.
But there’s something wonderful about discovering that you can take another step. And there’s something even more wonderful about turning around and helping someone else across.
That’s what I want to continue spending my life doing. Building bridges.
Helping people discover their gifts.
Helping them imagine possibilities.
Helping them recognize that their lives can hold more meaning, more fulfillment, and more opportunities to make a difference than they may have believed possible.
And perhaps most of all … Helping them discover that they don’t have to wait until everything is perfect to begin.
*****
Perhaps It’s Time to Build YOUR Bridge
As I finished exchanging messages with my new friend in Great Britain, I found myself smiling.
Because his questions reminded me why I love these conversations so much. Every question helps me understand what people are wondering.
Every conversation helps me discover how to communicate this message more clearly.
And every time someone begins imagining a different possibility for their life, I’m reminded why I started building bridges in the first place.
Maybe you’ve been reading about my bridge for a while, too. Maybe you’ve wondered what on earth I’m talking about! LOL! Or perhaps you’ve understood the metaphor but haven’t quite known what it could mean for YOU.
I’d love to invite you to find out.
On Saturday, January 30, 2027, from 9 AM to 3 PM Central, I’m hosting a special experience called:
CREATED FOR MORE
It’s a day we’ll spend together exploring what it might look like to move from where you ARE to where you’d LOVE to be. We’ll explore gifts you may have overlooked. Possibilities you may have stopped considering. And practical steps you can begin taking toward a life with more meaning and fulfillment.
Not by pretending your life has been easy. And not by dismissing the difficult things you’ve experienced. But by discovering more of what’s already within you.
The registration is just $47.
And I’d LOVE for you to join us.
Click here to learn more about Created for More or to register:
https://bit.ly/Created4More1-30-27
But whether you join us or not, I’d love for you to consider three questions today.
Where are you standing right now?
What would you LOVE to find on the other side?
And what’s one small step you could take toward crossing?
Don’t worry about having all the answers. You don’t have to know exactly where the bridge will lead. And you certainly don’t have to build the entire thing today.
Just remember what my Mamaw taught me all those years ago in the piney woods of East Texas. Sometimes all you need to begin crossing is a few branches, a couple of stones … And the willingness to believe there’s a way.
Maybe the MORE you’ve been searching for begins with discovering the MORE that’s already in you.
And perhaps …
It’s time to bring a little more of YOU into the world.
Welcome home, my friend.