Everyone Has a Jen; Everyone Needs a Jen (Why You Shouldn’t Give Up)

I have a cool friend–a ridiculous, Doctor Who-loving introvert friend–who inspires me and reminds me of why I shouldn’t give up.

Amazing Jen

Let me introduce you to my friend, Jen.

Once-upon a time Jen stumbled across this blog and became passionate about human trafficking (or maybe the order of those were reversed). She told me that she came to watch me speak at the first ever community training session for the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, now a successful organization in the D.C. metro region (which my ever-changing team and I were just founding back then).

Babies to #EndIt

Jen began volunteering with me and we hit-it-off, working on projects together with babies in tow (note above picture for the End It Movement).  She eventually took over one of my roles within NOVA HTI as the communications director (incidentally, she also also took over my old house).

Jen also is a figurative rockstar, doing some type of funky, kicking martial art thingie for her business while raising her littles and lay counseling for a crisis text-line.  She even takes all the pretty pictures of pretty things/people to make all the money (“all” being a relative term of course).

(Update: now she helps me run the LBD.Project and does communications for Why INC. So, like I said–rockstar)

Jen, the figurative rockstar

Why You Shouldn’t Give Up

Jen’s story makes me happy, just like it should make you happy.

Why? Because she is one of us. An ordinary person who stepped into their current best role to change the world. Not only does she excel at it, but she is my constant reminder that there always is a someone paying attention to all the hard advocacy efforts when you think it is all for naught.  (I tend to thing “it is all for naught” a lot.)

To make Jen even more awesomer, she is always sending me little tid-bits reminding me that someone was watching, someone is watching; that I have a legacy. That I shouldn’t give up. She shows me evidence that I helped create a movement that is changing our nation (here is that story of becoming an accidental trafficking expert if you so fancy it).

But I don’t feel like I did anything special. I still feel normal. Average.

But Jen doesn’t want me to forget I made a difference and I am glad she doesn’t. We all need encouragement and we usually need it all the time.

Jen’s Got Legacy

I wonder if Jen knows that she has a legacy, too. That someone is watching her and all of her awesome efforts. That her passion is not only transforming the lives of the trafficking victims she is intervening on behalf of, but transforming other average and ordinary suburbanites to become world changers.

Jen, I hope you know that someone sees you too. That you are also amazing. I hope you believe in your value, because you are so worth believing in.

[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”@AverageAdvocate” suffix=”Tweet This!”]Everyone needs a Jen to remind them that they have a Jen.[/inlinetweet]

You’re Making A Difference, Too!

Today, I am your Jen.

I can’t give you the specifics, but I can tell you for sure that someone is watching what you are doing. You might not know who they are yet, but you are leading them to their role as advocates for the needy and hurting.

Your passion and efforts are changing the world, too.

Don’t get discouraged.

You shouldn’t give up.

Thank you and let your passion shine!

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If the above story made you happy, here is another about someone else who was secretly watching and is now changing the world. 

As always, feel free to share this good stuff on your favorite platform, from Pinterest to Instagram. We all know someone who needs a Jen!