Caitlin Crosby - You Are the Key: Turning Imperfections into Purpose

Ive admired Caitlins generosity and her work with The Giving Keys for years. Im grateful to know her story. Its a reminder to never allow fear or setbacks to keep us from stepping out into the unknown. Caitlin has shown us that its often in quiet moments of courage that we discover the things were passionate about and realize more of who were meant to be.

JOANNA GAINES, cofounder of Magnolia

Caitlin is a force of good in a world that has never needed more people to be real, love their flaws, and unlock their purpose. Her realness has made an impact on me, and I know her incredible story will inspire you to stop letting perfect hold you back!

SADIE ROBERTSON,New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and founder of Live Original

Smart, funny, relatable, and a master class in finding the courage you need to do the meaningful work you were born for.

BOB GOFF,New York Times bestselling author of Love Does and Everybody, Always

Equal parts powerful and personable, You Are the Key tells the story of what is possible when you follow big dreams with big heart.

MARIA SHRIVER, journalist and New York Times bestselling author

Caitlins work in bringing purpose back to the lives of so many speaks for itself. With her as your guide, you will unlock purpose, confidence, and joy beyond what you could ever imagine.

SARAH JAKES ROBERTS, pastor, bestselling author, and founder of Woman Evolve

In this town of glitter, no ones heart and soul shines brighter than Caitlins. Shes given countless men and women their dignity, a sense of purpose, and a second chance at life. She deserves a star on Hollywood Boulevard.

RENE RUSSO, actress, producer, and model

When it comes to changing the world, the notion seems impossible at bestleave it to big business or our political leaders. Caitlin Crosbys You Are the Key reminds us that nothing is too far out of reach if we believe in ourselves.

LISA LING, journalist

ZONDERVAN BOOKS

You Are the Key

Copyright 2020 by Caitlin Crosby Benward

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Zondervan titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email SpecialMarkets@Zondervan.com.

ISBN 978-0-310-35799-5 (audio)

Epub Edition March 2020 9780310357988

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Crosby, Caitlin, author.

Title: You are the key : turning imperfections into purpose / Caitlin Crosby.

Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, [2020] | Summary: What if the very imperfections you resist the most offer the key to your brightest purpose? Join The Giving Keys founder and CEO Caitlin Crosby in You Are the Key to discover what happens when we stop hiding our flaws and choose brave vulnerability instead-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020000388 (print) | LCCN 2020000389 (ebook) | ISBN 9780310357971 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780310357988 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Self-actualization (Psychology) | Vulnerability (Personality trait) | Self-acceptance.

Classification: LCC BF637.S4 C757 2020 (print) | LCC BF637.S4 (ebook) | DDC 158.1--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020000388

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020000389

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken the Holy Bible, New International Readers Version, NIrV. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIrV and New International Readers Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Any internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Author is represented by Cait Hoyt at CAA.

Cover design: Curt Diepenhorst

Cover photo: Trever Hoehne

Interior design: Kait Lamphere

Printed in the United States of America

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Dedicated to my momma,

Patricia Townsend Crosby.

Thank you for taking me to all the LA homeless

shelters in my youth to teach me the importance

of giving, and for reading me The Giving Tree

thousands of times. Your empathy, sensitivity,

and heart made me who I am.

CONTENTS

Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the worlds greatest need.

Frederick Buechner

L ook, sometimes being a human can be difficult. Can I get an amen?

Does anyone else feel like it is challenging enough to simply prioritize the everyday responsibilities of being alive, much less figure out the point of our existence? Like fighting through the overwhelm, exhaustion, and messiness of life to muster up the strength to take care of your mind, body, soul; or run the necessary updates on your computer (yes, remind me tomorrow)?

To complicate this even further, most of us want more from life than going through the motions. More than checking the box of becoming successful, we want meaning. We want to know that our days matter, and that they are building something beautiful.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to do something that mattered in the world. I wanted to take my adversity, challenges, and pain and make a difference in peoples lives. To work on something bigger than myself. As clich as it sounds, I was determined to make the world a better place.

The problem is, the older I get, the more I realize how truly challenging it is to change the world when youre busy figuring out how to simply make it through the day. When youre still figuring out how to be a human. Baby steps, right?

From the outside looking in, you might think of me as having my life all together. Maybe you know of my giveback social enterprise called The Giving Keys or have heard my music, seen me on a TV a time or two, or seen a filtered photo of me on Instagram. What you may not know is what life has been like for me beneath the surface, which is probably not all that different from what life is like for you on a day-to-day basis. I look at myself in the mirror, disgusted with secret deformities of my body; I fight with my husband; and, yes, my babys poop sometimes gets smeared all over our walls, and I may or may not leave it there until the unforeseeable future, when I can catch my breath.

I know Im not alone in this. I meet men and women all the time who tell me they dream of making the world a better place. They might tell me that theyre passionate and full of ambition to go after their idea or make a big change, but that they dont have the know-how, time, money, or experience to live the full life they desire. Sometimes they even whisper to me about some shame theyre carrying, something they think will keep them from ever making their contribution to the world. They tell me they admire what Ive done with The Giving Keys and hope they, too, can change the world. Meanwhile, I wonder if they know exactly what theyre saying.