You were created for a purpose, and it's time to make it happen. Make It Happen is the story of how I surrendered my fear, took the leap, and got a life. In my case, a perfectly imperfect, fulfilling life as a mama, a working woman, and a grateful wife. This is the story of how I chose to make "it"―a greater purpose than mine―happen, and how you can too. Make It Happen is for women who find themselves worried, anxious, and completely overwhelmed by the constant chase for perfection - those seeking the courage to jump into a new venture - working women who are struggling to "do it all" - weary wives and moms looking for relief from burning the candle at both ends - anyone who dreams of a life lived not by accident, but on purpose Your time has come to take a leap of faith. Join me as we surrender our fears, end the chase for perfection, and say yes to cultivating the meaningful lives God desires for us. You know all those things you've always wanted to do? You should go do them. Lara Casey is a mom to three (one through the gift of adoption), a grateful wife, and a believer in the impossible. She created the PowerSheets grace-filled goal setting planner and the Write the Word journals, and she founded Southern Weddings Magazine a decade ago. Lara is also the author of Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose . She lives in Chapel Hill, NC, and loves getting her hands dirty in the garden. Make it Happen Surrender Your Fear Take the Leap Live on Purpose By Lara Casey Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2014 Lara Casey All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-529-10150-1 Contents Acknowledgments, xi, Welcome to Your Start, xv, PART ONE: SURRENDER YOUR FEAR, 1. Stop Chasing Perfect, 3, 2. Meet Your Fear, 15, 3. End the Extremes, 26, 4. Find an Anchor, 39, 5. Decide You Can, 45, 6. Let It Go, 56, PART TWO: TAKE THE LEAP, 7. Leap into Trust, 67, 8. Take a Leap of Faith, 79, 9. Leap into What Matters, 90, PART THREE: LIVE ON PURPOSE, 10. Follow the Real Success Equation, 103, 11. Make Room for Grace, 120, 12. Follow Him, 132, PART FOUR: YOUR GUIDE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, How to Use This Guide, 143, Step 1: Evaluate Your Life, 148, Step 2: Clear the Clutter, 155, Step 3: Set Purposeful Goals, 175, Step 4: Take Action, 190, Step 5: Encourage Others, 202, The Best Is Yet to Come, 205, Notes, 209, About the Author, 211, About Southern Weddings, 213, CHAPTER 1 STOP CHASING PERFECT Choose PURPOSE over PERFECT. When asked what they are proudest of in life, many people describe honors or awards. My Grandpa Cecil would simply pull out a picture of his wife. They met in rural Alabama. Celeste Virginia—a fiery redhead—was the youngest daughter in a large Southern family of eleven, but she was ahead of her time; she earned a living as a traveling theater director. Cecil, one of eight children himself, signed up to be an extra in one of her plays with his brothers. It was love at first sight. But Celeste had to travel with the show, and Cecil was drafted into the army. They wrote epic love letters for two years before finally tying the knot in a tiny ceremony at her family home. Grandpa loved three things most, in this order: the Bible, his bride, and his vegetable garden. Well, and cheating at checkers, but that's another story. Grandpa tended to his sweet tomato plants just as he tended to Grandma Celeste—with love. He loved his Early Girls so much that when my mom was in college, he would carefully wrap a handpicked selection in a newspaper-padded box and mail it to her to enjoy. I have a vivid memory of being in the community garden with him as he watered his crops in his later years. Grandpa would sink his hands into damp, mineral-drenched soil and tell me what heaven was going to be like. Grandpa's life was like a beautiful creek, flowing with fresh water and trickling with a soothing sound that made everything all right. My life, on the other hand, was more like an avalanche: frozen water crashing down a mountain at breakneck speed. I wanted the glamorous life I saw in movies: travel, adventure, and sweeping love. My focus in high school was theater, boys, and making my parents proud. I loved the smell of sawdust from building sets, and most of all I loved the applause. When we saw the audience rise for a standing ovation, it felt like we were a part of something bigger. We were making people feel something. I relished the stage for its sense of wonder. Even at that young age, I knew art was important. Thanks to my parents, I knew my creative gifts mattered. So I lived and breathed painting, design, music, and theater. During a high school English class, my proud mama swept into the classroom holding a Carnegie Mellon T-shirt and my acceptance letter. I was one of sixteen students chosen that year for their music theater program. I might have burst out in song. At our convocation ceremony, we were told to look to our left and to our right: "One of