Who Are YOU???

Who are you?  I mean REALLY--who are you?  Is the person you are today a result of the things that have happened to you and have beat you down, or is this person a reflection of the person you have intended or now intend to be?  WHO ARE YOU?

So many people get so caught up in becoming accepted by whatever group to which they would like to or belong, that they find themselves acting, looking and talking like the group.  This even (and especially) with significant others.  I have been in relationships where I've literally asked what about me do I need to change for that other person; not recognizing that the RIGHT person will accept whatever makes you, YOU!!!

This is not to say that you should never wear a uniform or be a part of a group; what I'm saying is that in God we are "fearfully and wonderfully made".  We are INDIVIDUALLY SPECIAL and it is not our responsibility to become someone else's vision of who they want us to be.  Even God Himself only asks us to be "like" Him, NOT HIM.  We can't be God, so why are we working so hard to be exactly what someone else thinks we should be?!?!?

There was an over 30-year old man who had endured many plastic surgeries to look like Justin Beiber and even was in the process of recording (though he wasn't a singer).  He believed that because he admired Justin that he should BE Justin.  I know this is an extreme case, but people do it all the time--we lose sight of the beauty of our own individuality because of our insecurities and lack of confidence.  What you will realize is that you will NEVER get to that confident space unless you get back to finding out what truly makes YOU, YOU.

I never really liked being different, because it felt like my differences were why I didn't feel accepted.  When I began opening my mouth to sing as a child, it was discovered that I could harmonize and had a pleasing voice.  I started singing some solos and once I became a teenager, was asked to sing with various singing groups (I was even the youngest singer in some of them).  Well, not everyone was always so happy to see me.  I got attention, solos and fans.  Some folk teased me and talked about me in negative ways behind my back to other friends (who of course told me...smh).  

It was then that I began deflecting compliments.  I wouldn't brag on myself and I wouldn't offer to sing solos in groups.  If it weren't for the Lord setting things in motion, I would've NEVER done my CD, even with the support I had in place.

God is such a wonderful counselor.  He gives such great lessons to us and will bring us to where He can show us who we really are and at that point, He can REALLY use us!!

So who am I?  I'm a music minister with singing and teaching tendencies, mixed with a little Preacha!  I'm a girly-girl who likes to get dressed up and look my best AT ALL TIMES.  I am creative and flexible, with some formal on the side.  I am open-minded, but can be stubborn in my belief system.  Best of all, I'm a Child of God, willing to be used by Him and fully accepting of the lessons He has just for me.

Who are YOU?  If you don't know, start the process of finding out.  If you need some help, inbox me.  Who you are is just SCREAMING to get out!!

ONWARD

Do YOU, with GOD!!!

I had to take a minute and just think about how my life has taken some crazy twists and turns since the latter part of the summer.  I have gone from scared to sad to numb to happy to content to overjoyed.

After all that has happened it would be easy to take a break from life and just go underground.  It would also be easy to give in to whatever insecurities or expectations that others have tried to put on me during this time--I COULD just close down my FB account and give up on people in general.

Those who know me know that I would NEVER do that.  As a child of God, I've been given the gift of His covering and I aim to be in His will--and not anyone else's.  The blessings that have come to me have been without my force, will or even work.  God has placed the right people to bring about the right opportunities to me and I'm soooo grateful!!

Does this mean that my life has all of a sudden become easy? Absolutely NOT.  One of issues with following Gods will is that the blessings He sends are COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!!!  You must be prepared to "fly by the seat of your pants"; but know that when you put your trust in God, knowing He's placed you, the outcome will always be right...not perfect, but RIGHT.

I keep talking about living in Gods will because that's where you find your true self.  It's a place that allows your best self to emerge!

Do YOU--WITH GOD!!!  Have the faith that He can bring you to where your meant to be and set you on a path to make an amazing impact!!

ONWARD

#DoYOU

#trustGodtrusttheprocess

Success???

What do you view as success? How do you gauge the positives in your life? What if the amount of struggles and trials in your life seem to be higher than the positives...does this mean you have not been successful? Does it matter that your life doesn't fit the "normal" status of success in life?

For a long time, I have held on to the notion that as one who has lived what I call a not normal life, it's been difficult to find my way to believing that I am or have been a success. If I base it on the media--absolutely NOT. If I base it on "regular people"--I don't cut the mustard.

I choose to follow the example of a Christian. There are so many stories in the bible of struggle, hardships, and devastating circumstances. The key was that each individual was faced with a set of situations and had to decide whether to try and fix it on their own or give the rights and responsibility over to God. For some, it took longer than others to overcome. For others, a quick, "miracle-like" experience. In all, the notion of success was replaced with a concept of OVERCOMING and VICTORY. 

So--I've decided to see myself not as a successful person, but as an Overcomer; one who claims, accepts and experiences Victory because I give total control of my life to God. I don't have all the answers and right now feel so broken that I'm not even in a tunnel that I can eventually find the light. However, I know that one day, I'll Overcome and will be victorious--because Gods got me.

Don't worry that because you might not look like a success to the world. Strive to be an Overcomer--you ARE Victorious with God!!

ONWARD

#movingforward

#NoneedforsuccessIMANOVERCOMER

Keep Plodding

Some days are harder than others to get through.  When a few of those days string together, it makes one feel like a bull gingerly walking through a narrow aisle china shop!!

Most of the time, it's because of comparison living--it seems that when your life is going rough, EVERYONE ELSE seems to have such wonderful things happening and are living a stable life.  Doesn't that seem to be the case??

I know what some of you are thinking; as a Christian, we can place this kind of thinking in the hands of the evil one as being no more than a distraction.  But sometimes it's hard to see your way past the distraction!!

Taking one step forward, then being pushed back 10 is daunting, discouraging and disappointing.  The best thing seems to just be still and let God take over.  All that you've done prior to your struggles wasn't due to your "skill" and "abilities".  It was ALL God's GRACE AND FAVOR.  We have to let go of this dependence on ourselves and lean solely on God.  "It is HE that hath made us and NOT WE OURSELVES" (Psalm 100:3)

Keep plodding.  God will make it all clear one day.  In the meantime, be okay with hanging out with God for now.  Rest up, 'cause He's preparing you for something!!

ONWARD

Rest.

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
--Isaiah 40:28-31
There are times when there are no answers. There may be times when you think God has forgotten that you have been waiting. It can be devastating to your spirit and give you no hope of getting your breakthrough. You watch and even help others through their period of struggle to see them come through and experience great victory; while you are still in that same space, wondering when your time will be.

Well, I'm not here to impress you with any new found promise to envelop you or gird you with some new found strength. Sometimes it's hard to see through to the other side of the tunnel and it's easier to just lie down in the dark. I FULLY understand.

It's in those moments that God gives you the opportunity to rest in your weakness. He doesn't need any fancy words from you in prayer, he already knows your heart, your pain and your despair. Trust that He is with you, even in your times of discouragement.

Rest. Rest your mind, your heart, and your soul. If you feel guilty about resting, know that guilt is NOT of God. There are many instances in the Bible when He says for us to rest.

Rest is sometimes the best thing you can do when life gets too hard. They say that in order to gain strength, you must get good sleep/rest. Unfortunately, life stresses can often block your ability to get the restorative rest you need. Still take the time to try to rest. God is waiting to comfort you and might even have a message for you that He can only give when you're in rest mode.
Take heart. Know that God is with you. Rest.
ONWARD

Spring Cleaning

The concept of "Spring Cleaning" is using the process of Spring renewal...the thaw...the new growth of plants...and in a practical sense, go through your home and clean your space of things you no long need or never used to breathe new life into your home.  I do that with clothes and shoes--if I didn't wear it in the last 6 months to a year, it has to go. 

In everyone's life, there are things that people have said either to them or about them that continue to reign in their minds, rejections and tragedies they have experienced...so many things that hold us back and cause us to do destructive things to ourselves and others.  This kind of damaging behavior is NOT of God, yet we seem to get so enveloped in it that it becomes difficult to release.

It's time for us all (me included) to go through a process of Spring Cleaning in our Minds.  This starts with a concept of trust.  My sister-in-law gives a great explanation of how to TRUST: 

T--Totally
R--Relying
U--Upon
S--Spiritual
T--Truths

It's impossible to rely on the world for your ability to clean your thoughts and your spirit to move forward.  Even God's beloved, David, recognized it.  He says in Psalm 1:  " Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."  So why do we rely on the world to tell us what makes us successful, beautiful, valued, desired, and deserving???

It's time to let go of "them" and latch on to God.  It is only He who can give us the peace that we long for...even in the midst of our worst times!!  Take heart, exhale and walk in the knowledge that God has all that you need to keep going.

Do you really need to fix that?

"Botched"--it's a show about plastic surgery...fixing and adding...I watched it and was blown by how many people have different reasons for completely modifying their look.  Yes, it's mostly about people who have had surgery to fix things that really need to be fixed; but there was a guy who wants to look like Justin Bieber...he has spent over $100K on hair plugs, and all sorts of facial modifications to look like Justin at 18...dude is probably in his 30's and is MUCH taller than Justin, so he can get but so far...

Why can't we just be happy with who we are?  Why is it that we spend our lives looking at others and seeing ourselves as less than???  We do this with all aspects of peoples lives. 

The reality is this:  NO ONE is perfect or lives a perfect life, even the richest person has issues and difficulty, so we should NEVER envy (a form of coveteousness) ANYONE!!  God even speaks to this in the Ten Commandments, " Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." Exodus 20:17. 

This has nothing to do with taking care of your health--losing weight, getting fit, eating better, having procedures to improve your well being--I'm talking about focusing more on accepting where you are and who you are as God made you.  Sometimes it means taking a good, hard look at yourself and even finding the positive in yourself.  There is NO ONE like you!!  You are the perfect YOU...OWN IT!!!
TheButterfliFect

#WhoYOUareISenough 

#EmbraceYOU

Are you still holding on to your Piece?

In checkers, as long as you have your finger on ur piece, you can go back to your original spot, saving your turn...it's a way of minimizing risk, and holding your possible choice at bay--besides, there might be a better choice that will pop up, putting you in a better position--or at least you HOPE for that elusive winning spot!!  In the end, if you don't make a choice, you'll never know what to do next; win, lose or just another turn!!

Are you holding on to your piece?  Are you in a comfortable place in your life, where there's no discomfort, no questions, no fear?  You just might be stuck and you don't even realize it.  Sounds like it's time to consider bringing forth those thoughts and dreams that you've been harboring.

Your destiny is probably closer than you think...and all you need to do is take that first step towards it...so what are you waiting for?
#Burstoutofyourcocoon
#TheButterfliFfect

Being Good IS Good!!!

There are going to be times when in spite of all the good you do--following the rules, doing as you're told/asked, being the "good" person--life will throw curves that will treat you as though you have done wrong!!!

We often fail by reacting in a negative way: throwing temper tantrums and behaving like spoiled children.  What we need to know is that during those times, God will test us and grow us. 

There IS a reward for being upright and true.  I must admit, though, I've had a number of frustrating talks with God because I've encountered "difficult" individuals..."squeaky wheels", who seem to get more and prosper, while I'm regularly met with missteps, unfair treatment and a life seemingly filled with a comedy of errors!!! 

Then I always come back to the realization that while it seems that other folk are getting ahead, when God has his hand on you, He will show you that you're on the right track in many different ways:  peace in the midst of turmoil, favor shown from unexpected resources and other miracles that are obviously direct from God.

Take heart.  Know that God will show Himself strong on your behalf.  It might take more time and strain your patience, but I can assure you as a witness of how God has brought me through those "less than" feelings and has strengthened my resolve to continue doing what I know God wants me to do and being the person He has called me to be!!!

Hang tough and stop comparing what you experience in your life to what you see in others.  Look forward to the bigger and better that God has planned for you!!
ONWARD

Faith Steps!!!

It's the beginning of another month and I find myself in a space of peace; full in the knowledge that God is in control, He knows what He is doing, and truly has a plan for my life!! No, I don't have all the answers to the prayers that it ell Him about daily, but I can tell you this--He has sent blessings and favor that were completely from Him, to the point where I'm fully trusting Him to follow through on my requests!!

As Christians, it's not our job to know exactly how our lives will pan out.  Our job is to pray, trust and walk knowing that God IS, God CAN, and He WILL!!!

Take that first step after prayer and walk with faith that no matter how long it takes, you believe that Gods got you in the palm of His hand!
ONWARD

Get Courage!!

One of the downsides (well, in the end, it's a positive) of following Gods will/way, is that you find that not everyone who started or joined you during the course of your journey--to this point--will be able to continue on with you now.  This is a different path altogether.  Sometimes, NO ONE will understand, because God operates to HIS understanding and it's up to us to have faith even before we "get it".  

So if you haven't started working on gaining courage yet and you want to follow in Gods will--do it (get courage) now!!!  This life is not for the faint of heart, to be sure.  What I can promise is that God is ALWAYS true to His word and WILL take care of you.

So if your thinking about it and you're scared--take a breath, pray, get courage and walk in faith; if you're in the midst and things are bombarding your faith, take a breath, pray, get MORE courage and keep pushing!!  You will NEVER be alone--God is always there and you won't be disappointed!!!
ONWARD