Made for This Moment

“God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called. And He will never lead you into a room where He hasn’t already made a seat for you.”

Nicole Lillyman

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart…”

Personal Reflection

Seeing the beauty in the moment you’re living—especially when it feels uncertain or overwhelming—can be hard. Trusting that God has made this moment for you, and you for this moment, can be even more difficult. Trusting Him when you’re young, female, and standing in a city like Washington, D.C.—where confidence, credentials, and charisma can feel like currency—can feel nearly impossible. It’s a place where titles are heavy, and imposter syndrome is real. You look around and wonder, “Am I really supposed to be here?” You sit in rooms filled with PhDs, generals, and world-class leaders, wondering if someone is going to tap you on the shoulder and tell you they made a mistake letting you in.

I’ve lived this.

I didn’t grow up with a roadmap for success. I wasn’t the best student—not because I didn’t care. I had big dreams and big ideas, but little direction. I watched, I learned, I self-taught, and I chased after a vision of a life that felt far off but somehow still meant for me.

At 11 years old, I met Jesus.

At that time in my life, I was carrying more than a child should. I had become a caretaker, a confidant, a peacemaker—roles far beyond my years. But it was through that chaos that I met a God who felt like a Father. In Him, I found what I was missing: a steady hand, a safe place, and an eternal purpose. I began to believe that even if I didn’t feel equipped, I was exactly where He needed me to be. That truth has guided my life ever since.

Fast forward to my early twenties: I landed a job in the Department of Defense that, on paper, I had no business getting. But no one else wanted it. It was messy, complicated, and demanding. I was too young to realize how unappealing it was, so I just said “yes,” did my best, and showed up every day. That “yes” led to another opportunity, and then another—each one more intimidating than the last. I was often the youngest person in the room, usually the only woman, constantly surrounded by people who intimidated me. But God kept opening doors - just like He did when I was 11, preparing me even then to walk through moments I never imagined I’d be ready for.

He wasn’t looking for the most qualified. He was calling me to walk through the door and trust Him with the outcome.

That trust eventually brought me to DC and to the Pentagon, to meetings I never imagined I’d be part of, to leadership roles I felt wildly unequipped for. And most recently, selected to represent the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the National War College—one of 201 from across the U.S. government. No graduate degree, dyslexic, out of school for 18 years, and definitely feeling like an outsider. I’ve spent the last 8 months battling self-doubt. 

Last week, God told me to stop doubting His preparation and placement of me: After reluctantly turning in an assignment I was convinced would confirm to the college faculty that they had made a mistake in admitting me, I was stunned to learn I had been awarded best in class for my seminar. In that moment, I felt the quiet reassurance of God reminding me that His assignment of me was reflected in the assignment I had just turned in. I’m not just representing myself, or my sponsoring organization, I am representing Him. It’s not about proving my worth, but about walking in His purpose, prepared by His hand, for such a time as this.

It’s not my résumé. It’s not luck. It is God’s preparation and His plan, in His time.

Application & Encouragement

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Not instantly. Not all at once. In its time.

God has placed eternity in our hearts—a deep knowing that we were made for more, that there’s a purpose bigger than what we see today. That feeling you get when you sense that your moment is bigger than your qualifications? That’s not a mistake. That’s eternity whispering to you.

You were made for this moment.

Even when it feels too big.

Even when you feel too small.

Even when you’re scared, unsure, or think someone else would do it better.

God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called. And He will never lead you into a room where He hasn’t already made a seat for you.

Your story might not look like mine, but you know what it feels like to doubt yourself. Maybe you’ve questioned your value, your voice, your place at the table. But if you feel like an imposter, please trust that you are not. You are made on purpose and for a purpose.

God’s plan doesn’t require perfection—only obedience.

Action Item & Personal Prayer

This week, write down the moments in your life where you felt out of place, unqualified—and then draw a line to what God did through those moments. My line started at 11. You’ll see how He’s been weaving something beautiful all along.

And when the next door opens and fear creeps in, pause and pray:

“God, I trust You. I don’t feel ready, but I believe I’m made for this moment. Thank You for preparing the way, saving me a seat, and giving me a purpose that reaches beyond what I can see. Help me walk in confidence, knowing that You’ve already gone ahead of me. Amen.”

Remember, sister—you are not behind. You are not lacking. You are not too late.

You are right on time.

You are right where you’re supposed to be.

And in His time, He is making everything beautiful.

Even you. Even this moment.