I was watching a Superbowl pre-game show about Tom Brady, the quarterback of the New England Patriots football team. It highlighted his relationship with his long-time quarterback coach. He first met his coach when he was twelve years old and he has called him after every game he has played since to share with him how he can improve.

As iron sharpens iron...

This really struck me. It reminded me of how we must consistently have someone in business who sharpens our iron (see Proverbs 27:17).

I had just prayed to God to bring other women in business who are called at the level to which I’m called and beyond to challenge me to make the necessary leaps to point out areas of improvement.

The Lord answered my prayers with Cheryl, a sister in Christ (whose name has been changed) who I have just recently met and with whom I felt an immediate connection. We have similar goals, similar gifts, similar HUGE vision and a similar magnitude of calling. Cheryl enthusiastically embraced my vision and when we connect for our weekly call, we always end up shouting with joy and thankfulness for finding each other. Her capacity to be authentically excited for me was evident and she came from a place of confidence, certainty and love.

Cheryl even took the time to tune into my recent webinar. When we connected for our weekly call she had something she wanted to share with me. Little did I know that it was a list of things I can do to improve my presentation. And if that was not enough, she shared how her husband was not impressed with my webinar and exactly why he wasn’t impressed.

When I hung up the phone from the conversation I had to sit and process how I was feeling for a moment – okay, it was more than a moment – it was about 20 minutes.

Then, the strangest thing happened. I was so grateful and open to her feedback because it had no hints of jealously, only a true desire to see my message reach the masses to whom I am called. She was absolutely right!

Then, I heard the Lord say, “You asked for someone to sharpen your iron.” I had to laugh out loud! Coming from a background of having to overcome deep insecurities and a family that demanded so much of me that I often felt like I didn’t measure up in my younger years, this was a breakthrough!

If you are ready for your vision to soar, you need at least one person who can give you honest, loving and excellent feedback so you can do what you do even better. If you already have your Cheryl, be grateful. If you don’t, it is time to ask the Lord to bring her forth and move into a whole new level of success and achievement.