Leadership has never felt like a solo journey for me. From the very beginning of my calling to Salvation Army officership, I often wrestled with doubt. My first instinct was usually, “Me, Lord, really?” That inner hesitation, what many call imposter syndrome, was a voice that questioned whether I truly belonged in leadership. Over the years, I have learned that courage is not the absence of doubt, but the willingness to move forward despite it.

What has made the difference for me has been the support of others. God did not create us to be self-sufficient or to work alone. He places people in our lives who remind us that our gifts matter. I have been blessed with supervisors who believed in me, gave me space to flourish, and reminded me that failing at something does not make me a failure. They encouraged me to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow stronger.

A retired officer played a particularly significant role by encouraging me to pursue higher education. That encouragement planted a seed of confidence I might never have discovered on my own. Her belief in me helped me take risks, step into leadership roles, and embrace both success and failure as part of the learning process. Friends, too, have carried me through difficult personal seasons, and their presence has been a constant reminder that leadership is never just about standing alone at the front. It is about community, and the people who help lift one another.

Courage in leadership has looked different at different times. Sometimes it meant speaking up when silence would have been easier. Other times it has meant leading with grace in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Most often, it has meant trusting that God prepares me for the very roles He calls me to fill.

Confidence has grown gradually. Each time I stepped into a role I did not feel fully ready for, I discovered that God’s strength, combined with the encouragement of those around me, was more than enough. Confidence is not arrogance; it is the quiet assurance that I can rely on God, my training, and the people who have believed in me along the way.

As I reflect on women in leadership across the Canada and Bermuda Territory, I celebrate those who have said “yes” when it might have been easier to say, “not now.” I honour those who lean on their teams, mentors, and friends, and in doing so, discover their God-given capacity to lead. I celebrate those who continue to model courage, encourage others to pursue lifelong learning, and remind us all that failure is never the end of the story.

Women can do it too. In fact, women are doing it every single day across the territory. And as I look to the next generation, I want to remind them that they belong at the table, that their voices matter, and that God is calling them to lean in and lead with courage.