People That Come Into Your Life

Soo..been doing a lot of reflecting...there is something about 30 that brings about renewed purpose and vision. For me, I assessed my own values and moral compass. In doing so,I have had to restructure some things and people. I've come to realize that everything is a learning experience. Those are the things that we take with us and shape us. I came across this post and thought that it bared repeating....

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there... to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but when you lock eyes with them, you know that every moment that you are with them, they will affect your life in some profound way. Sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason! Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck.

Illness, injury, love, lost moments of greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere, safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from... in fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT!

Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people who you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, even if it doesn't seem right because you are too young or too far, just follow your heart. Surround yourself with those who make you smile, laugh, and make you happy.

Break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great indavidual and believe in yourself, for if you dont believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create your own life then LET GO and LIVE IT!

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.

Some people move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom.

Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.
They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts,
and We are never, ever the same.

His Footsteps in the Sand

Wow! It has been a long while since I written anything.  Where do I begin?  Well....

 Have you ever went through one of those periods where you feel like no one is talking to you?  For me, it goes right back to elementary, middle and high school.  However, in going through this recently, I got the understanding that God wanted to talk to me.  To me, God is like your mom.  You know...if you are on the phone with your mom, you HAD BETTER NOT click over to answer another call.  To mom, that is HER TIME...God works the same way.  When he wants to speak to you, you had BETTER NOT try to occupy your time with anything or anyone else.  He will find a way to get your undivided attention.  That's kind of what's been going on with me.  One day, I was walking along, minding my own business, then I looked up and I realized I was by myself.  Of course, instantaneously I began to panic.  I mean, I didn't start out walking by myself, so what happened?  It wasn't until today that I came to the realization that I wasn't alone, nor was I EVER alone...God had been there the whole time, and He will be there every step of the way.

This was and is of course, a hard lesson to learn.  For years, I felt that when I got to this point in my life, that I would be alone.  As a result, I made sure that I was the one who left, not the other way around.  Then this morning, God spoke the words so clearly and audibly to me.  "When are you going to realize that I never left?  When are you going to realize that I'm never going to leave? Please rest and find grace in Me, and I will do the rest."  Now, I can actually believe the poem, Footsteps.  I can believe that He actually carries me through rough times.  What a God! 

 Selah....

Reflections

One of my old mentors made the following statement:

"The rearview mirror of a car is smaller than the windshield by design.  You spend the majority of your driving time looking through the windshield, rather than the rearview mirror."

Of course, this struck me.  This is a natural practice while driving, yet in our own lives, when something goes wrong, we spend time analyzing it and taking it apart.  I honestly believe it is our responsibility to move forward, otherwise we become stagnant.  It may seem difficult, after all, we are definitely owed something, in our own finite minds.  My question then becomes, is it really worth it in the end?  To hold on to bitterness, anger and strife, in the name of being justified?  I would venture to say no.   The past is our past, to reflect upon, to move on from, but never to dwell there.  I think this quote sums it best:

“Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.” Kahlil Gibran

Just My Thoughts on Today...

Sometimes you need a little encouragement....

Ever have one of those days when you feel like the world is against you? That's how I felt yesterday...for whatever reason it seemed as though the anointing was not on my side. That's how the enemy works. He tries everything to make you lose your faith. Then I was reminded that sometimes you have to FORGET what is behind and REACH for your purpose. It's similar to driving. You have a rear view mirror, and you may use it from time to time, but your focus should be on what's ahead of you, and not what's behind you....life is entirely too short for that...Selah

Seeing Clearly

So, I am embarking on this meatless fast, as I often do at the beginning of the year.  The major difference now is, I am going totally meatless, which I haven't done in the past.  I thought it would be a struggle, but this year really has been different for me.  For starters, there is a heightened sense of awareness that I didn't have before.  I don't know if things were there and I didn't see them, or if they didn't exist before.  One thing I know for certain:  it is impossible to return to my previous state. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes stated the following:  “The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size."  To me, that means an ever present move forward into the realization of the true nature of the self.  We think of this in terms of knowledge, but this has implications that reach beyond that as well.  This means that we can never really return to a state of ignorance.  For me, I see things clearly, and as each day goes by, I see more and more of what I am destined to see and move toward my destined purpose.  I am confident in Christ that I am able to answer the questions:

Who Am I? (Identity)
Why Am I Here? (Purpose)
What Will It Matter? (Destiny)

Selah...

Stepping Into Purpose

In this season of praying and fasting, it is designed to bring us closer to God.  However, what happens in the meantime is that we become focused on fasting portion, and not enough on the praying portion.  When this occurs, we become like the Sadduces and the Pharisses, who concentrated on their works and not their faith.  We have been given the victory, now is the time to walk in it!  The following post for today really encouraged me, and I hope it encouages you as well..

YOU’RE QUALIFIED! (3)




“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Ps 127:1



In God’s Kingdom, center stage is not for those who think they’ve got their act together and deserve public recognition. Nor is it limited to those in leadership and public ministry. It’s a call to action, to you, whoever and wherever you are today. When you trust God’s timing He grooms you for bigger and better parts. But there are some things you must, and must not do: (1) Don’t try to make it on your own. Popular wisdom says, “Fake it till you make it,” and you’ll be tempted to debut in your own strength. Don’t do it! If you do, you will get in the way of a much greater production. The Bible says: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Trust God, and when your moment comes He will give you your cue. (2) Leave the shadows. Are you ready to transform “acting” into an authentic performance that reveals the real you? Fear of rejection is powerful. It takes courage to be yourself. But you gain strength from the struggle and power from the pain when you are willing to risk moving from the shadows into the light. (3) Confront your inner critic. We are all subject to the little voice within that says, “You’ll never be smart enough, rich enough, pretty enough or good enough to stand in the spotlight.” But when God raises you up, nobody can put you down. So remind your inner critic of God’s promise: “You shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jer 1:7 NKJV).

Are We REALLY Listening?

Just thought this bared repeating...

Please Listen
When I ask you to listen to me
and you start giving me advice,
you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have to do something
to solve my problem,
you have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen!
All I ask is that you listen.
Don't talk or do - just hear me.
Advice is cheap - 20 cents will get you both
Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper.
And I can do for myself; I am not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can
and need to do for myself,
you contribute to my fear and inadequacy.
But when you accept as a simple fact
that I feel what I feel, no matter how irrational,
then I can stop trying to convince you
and get about this business of understanding
what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious
and I don't need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense
when we understand what's behind them.
Perhaps that's why prayer works - sometimes -
for some people, because God is mute.
and he doesn't give advice or try to fix things.
God just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.
So please listen, and just hear me.
And if you want to talk,
wait a minute for your turn,
and I will listen to you.
Author Unknown