Out of Your Comfort Zone

Here is an old piece that I wrote forever ago. I hope get’s you that much more pumped up about the new year…

Good Morning Luvs,

I know I have been long overdue for writing. One of these days I’m going to get my life together BUT today we’ll take baby stepsJ…

The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.  Deuteronomy 1:30-31

Today I want to encourage each and every one of you not to be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Many times there are things that we desire to do but don’t because of fear of the unknown.  Many of you want to start your own businesses, go back to school, or even start working in your dream career but don’t. The reasons that stop you are generally lack of finances, limited time, lack of support systems, lack of child care, lack of knowledge, bad timing, and other random excuses we hide behind. One thing I am learning is no matter what you do, there will never be enough of something that you THINK you need to get the job done. Today I challenge you to jump outside of your comfort zone and the reasons (*cough* excuses *cough cough*) that have hindered you from taking that leap of faith and start pursuing it.

In the biblical text I used the children of Israel were being reminded that the LORD was going to fight their battles before they even got to there. Even though they had witnessed God delivering them in the past they were still lacking trust in God that he would give them the promise. How much sense does that make??? None, yet we all do it all the time. No quite convinced? No problem I’m going to show you exactly how you do it:

  1. Think of something that you really would like to do. Write that down.
  2. Now think of the things you can do right now to help you START pursuing that goal no matter how big or small. Write that down.
  3. Next, write down the reason(s) you have not done it yet. Hold that thought.

 

Now, I know that many of you that read my emails are mothers. Be honest with yourself. How many of you were financially, emotionally, etc., ready for your child(ren)? Think of all the reasons you feel you were and all the reasons you weren’t. It might be hard BUT are you not doing the daggone thing??? CASE CLOSED. Now on to my luvs that have not had children yet; how many of you have not had the money for a bill and your service was about to get cut short? (I’m not talking about no little cell phone bill I’m talking rent, lights, gas, you know the big boys) Think of what happened that you didn’t have that money, is the situation rectified now??? C’mon somebody!!! Whether it was one of these specific situations or another we all have faced a challenge that nobody but God brought us out of. If he did it once he can do it again. So today keep that in mind and let go of your comfort zone. Go back to that paper with your dream/vision/goal and start acting on the things you can do. Once you do that the reasons you have not done it will start to shrink and what’s left start thinking of a plan to eliminate that barrier rather than stand there staring at it. Know God is with you and reach for the stars. (((Huggies))) to you all.

 

 

 

 

Sheaves for Seeds

Well, clearly my blogging efforts were lacking in 2014 but I am striving for greater so I’ll try again in 2015. I figured I’d write to you all as we end this year with my thoughts going into the next year. I don’t know what my actual launch date for 2015 will be but it’s coming…

Leaving 2014 and coming into 2015 I adopt a new scripture to be my mantra. My favorite has and will always be “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). I was taught back in college to “work the word and the word will work for you.” Now, I consider myself highly spiritual and I’m sure others around me would agree but that is a whole entire conversation for another day. I love scripture and believe that it has healing powers in it. Usually when talking to people, I can be found quoting a bible scripture to inspire or bring comfort to their situations. Sometimes I even throw out a scripture for a relevant punch line. So yes often you will see my blog entries referring to the Bible yet you may still see me swear occasionally (I’m working on cutting that out). I’m human; I’m complex, and occasionally hypocritical but always well intended. I’m going to give you the real deal and I hope you still love me at the end of it all but I digress…

Back to my main focus my scripture for 2015. In this year I am adopting the theme based in Psalms 126:5-6 “They that sow in tears shall reap joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Meditating on these scriptures gets me excited. Many times in my life I have cried. I have always tried to give my best self to those around me even when I didn’t have much “self” to give. Often times I have felt used, taken for granted, disrespected, and undervalued. I have cried some nights asking God why he allowed me to endure certain things and I have begged God for relief from pain. I always rejoice with my neighbors even when they were seemingly undeserving and received the things I would pray for in the wee hours of the morning. I’ve had times where I exhibited the patience of Job while other times I whined and cried asking when it was ever going to be about me. All in all I have sown good seed. I have spread love to others the way I wished it was given to me (seed), forgiven and forgotten sometimes only to be subjected to repeat offenders (seed), I have been considerate to others who mishandled me (seed), I have shown loyalty to people who were disloyal to me (seed), I have blessed others when I barely had the means to take care of myself (seed). I have prayed blessings over those who hurt me and wished ill upon me (seed). I have had compassion for those many wouldn’t have had the patience to tolerate (seed).

Today I challenge each of you, rather than look at what you have endured as a loss, see count the seeds you have sown in your life’s field. Continue to tend to your field with good deeds, praise, and gratitude to God. Take rest in the fact that all of the tears you have cried are seeds yet your reward will be sheaves. Go into 2015 speaking life to your harvest. It’s coming, you earned it, and my prayer for each of you is that it blows your mind. (((Huggies)))