POWER OF SISTERS
KATIE BULMER | GUEST BLOGGER
The fabulously talented Katie Bulmer, author of Sorority Girls Can Change the World, has dropped by to share an amazing and inspiring guest blog feature with y’all! She explores the idea that sorority women can impact and grow a tiny company into a $100 million dollar company just for loving & embracing a product. With that much influence, she imagines the impact that when we stand united we can have within our communities and abroad. With 10 years in college ministry & from her own life experience in & outside of her sorority, Katie digs deep and shares from the heart about the impact that social situations have on the soul and how to find the light to fill the darkness. She’s funny, entertaining, and talks to you like your best friend would. She definitely doesn’t claim to have it all together; which, we love – because neither do we!
TAKE IT AWAY, KATIE!!
Have you ever thought about why you joined your sorority? I’m sure you had compelling reasons about the sisters, the reputation, and the impressive pref day song, but I bet you never realized you were actually created for community.
Community is something we all want. No matter how you’re wired, social butterfly or socially awkward, something in your soul longs for meaningful relationships with others. We treasure friendships that allow us to truly “be ourselves.” All of us long for a deep, authentic, and genuine community.
Dr. Brené Brown author, researcher, and extremely popular TED talk speaker, has become well known for her research on vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. After years of research, one of her surprising discoveries was “connection is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. This is what we are all about.”
The truth is, we need each other to walk alongside, encourage, and spur one another on. We all crave to belong. Even Tom Hanks had “Wilson” in the box office hit Cast Away. We need other people. It’s our lifeblood!
This very idea makes the purpose of sororities an incredibly beautiful thing. One hundred years ago (or more depending on when your sorority was founded) a few women got together and decided they wanted more than just friendships, they wanted something deeper…like a sisterhood. They developed mottos and creeds with beautiful ideals like, “we live for each other” “To lend to those less fortunate a helping hand.” “To think of God as a protector and guide of us all” and “ to work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely” just to name a few.
The founding members of each sorority had visions of sisterhood that held each other to a higher standard. Fought for each other, and never let each other settle for status quo.
Permission to speak freely? I believe the dreams born by these incredibly innovative and inspiring women created sisterhood for more than socials and cute T shirts.
Go read your sororities creed. Go ahead I’ll wait.
I have read nearly all of them and in each one you can almost see the tears and feel the passion in the words for each brand new dream of fraternity to come alive in the generations that follow. I think each of us still crave this connection. Sororities are created for incredible friendships and we can get back to that.
Imagine a friendship that fights for each other, protects each other, picks each other up when we fall, and never let us settle for less. Imagine friends that see better in us than we see in ourselves, and never let a friend go home with some stupid boy (but seriously). Imagine friendships where you are loved not in spite of your flaws, but loved even more because of them. Imagine friendship where you are inspired to be the best you, your friends already believe you are.
I wish for you friends that don’t simply agree if you’re making poor choices, but lovingly tell you the truth you need to hear. I wish for you friends that see the potential in you and never let you settle for less. Just as iron sharpens iron, I pray your friends love you so much you can’t help but grow into the world changers they see in you.
I pray for a friend that lovingly hugs you when you realize that guy is not best for you. May your dear friends challenge you to become whole and complete, learning truly what love is before you try to give or receive love from another. I pray for friends that tell you when you have stuff in your teeth, laugh at your jokes, and encourage you to be brave. May your best friend light the way on this road less traveled becoming a young woman after God’s own heart. More than I wish you have this type of friend, I pray you BECOME THIS FRIEND.
Dear sorority friends, this is true sisterhood and the dream of all your founding members. Friendships like this are rare, beautiful, and the kind that spur each other onto world changing potential. Friendships like these are worth fighting for. In fact they are more than friendships, they are more like sisters.
FIND & FOLLOW KATIE HERE!
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