Are you ready for a refreshing?

   

I read someone’s FB status yesterday that said, “God might not come today. He may not bring what you need tomorrow. Remember that He is coming.” I paraphrased it but that was the basic yet profound idea. I know a lot of my friends are going through things. Some people in my family might be also. Remember… YOU are not alone. YOU aren’t the only one going through things. And YOU will get through even your darkest moments. Know that even your worse is better than the “worse” of some. Where you are may not be the best place for you but it is where you are supposed to be. You will prevail. You’ve done it before and I believe in you. 

I have been on journeys that I haven’t expected go through. Some came when I least expected. When I got there I didn’t think I would get through it. I survived even when I knew in my heart that I wouldn’t. When I got through it, I refused to look back.  I have lived long enough to know that things do and will get better. Life is one of the best teachers of strength. Whatever we are searching for will eventually come. It doesn’t always come when we feel that we need it most but it comes when we need it. You must endure pain in order to truly embrace the gain. As a result of everything you experience growth occurs.  It really does.

I believe in God. Some don’t. In order to get through both the good and bad times I hold on tight to His promises. I can only encourage those of you who don’t believe in God or something greater than you to hold on. It will come and good things will come to you. If you pray and believe, be fervent. Don’t every stop praying. Some folks say, “Pray until something happens.” I do and then I start praying again.

I saw Oprah talking to a minister a few days ago that said he started his day with prayer. I do too. He prays for 30-90 minutes in the morning. I don’t. I thought initially that it was a lot of time to sit without your mind wandering as mine definitely would. Then I realized that my mother does this daily. She sits in her chair every morning and becomes the prayer warrior that she is. I pray throughout my day but have never sat for 30-90 minutes praying. I can remember when I sat alone in the dark one day praying for about ten minutes. It was an amazing experience.  It was refreshing.

Would it be hard for me to do this? I don’t know. I know that it takes discipline combined with faith. I have the faith. I have to become more disciplined with the amount of quality time I spend praying. This is not a challenge. This will be something that I hope to do for the rest of my life. Prayer is easy, and I’m going to embrace the peace it brings. I’m ready for a refreshing. Are you?

My life's not perfect but it's a life guided by faith...

I haven’t written a post in a few months. I’m still trying to get acclimated to North Carolina and our life here. I have a lot to say but wasn't sure if this was the forum to share it. I decided to take a chance on that today. There’s a lot going on but it’s more so inside of me than environmentally. I don’t want to sound as if I have a life of perfection. I DON’T. I have a life of faith, which makes it appear that way. 

I have been in places where I never wanted to be. I’ve survived things that I didn’t think I would. Nothing like addiction or abuse but things that I had to go through to get where I am.  So, now it’s a chapter that I have embraced fully and things affect me differently. I want to stand on top of the mountaintop and scream daily how grateful I am.  I don’t but I do pray and tell God more than once a day how grateful I am.

I’m thankful for the pain I’ve gone through because I know I wouldn’t be me today.  I hated it with every fiber of my being when I was going through it. However, I now better understand its purpose. I in no way live a perfect life. There are a few things that I’m lacking but because I’ve been through worse sometimes I don’t even notice. 

My problems are the same as others but I have learned the art of seeing the good in the bad. When faced with loss I will allow myself to grieve and not give myself an expiration date on the way I feel. Death is another thing all together. However, when I am tossed things from here and there I give myself a few minutes to be annoyed and then I have to move on. I haven’t figured out how to deal with inconsiderate drivers. I don’t have road rage but they know how to increase my blood pressure. Remember… I’m not perfect!

Wisdom and faith have carried me to a better place. I am not trying to push religion on anyone. It’s what is best for me. My relationship with God is powerful. I asked Him, the last time I was in the valley, “Please just help me get through this, Lord. If you help me, I will promise to never look back.” I know you’re not supposed to bargain with God. He is not a man.  I did. I am human so I did what I needed to do at the time. It has aided my growth because I have to keep my promise. As always, He kept His.

My Nana used to say, and my mother still says, “When I tell you about the goodness of Jesus!” That’s what I’m living. In life you have to find your place.  Jesus, God, G-d, Jehovah, or whatever you call Him, is for me. You have to find what is best for you. We all have trying times, some more than others, but once you get through them you MUST grow. If you don’t every trial and pain will be the same with no lesson learned. Find what is best for you to aid in your healing and daily living. 

She's Got Issues Book Review...

She's Got Issues is the perfect title for a chick lit book. What man hasn't said that a woman has issues? We are just misunderstood sometimes, I guess. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy chick lit books. It is a witty, laugh out loud book that will have you yearning for more or encourage a shoe fetish.

The story is of young Chloe Rose who owns a shoe obsession. Chloe is a little naive and at times, talks to her shoes. As a child, she would play with her shoes instead of her dolls. Chloe works at Issues Magazine as an assistant to the assistant. Lost in her own world Chloe fails to see the jealousy that her boss, Ruth, has for her ideas. Ruth gives Chloe mundane tasks to complete so that she can steal her ideas. Ruth tries to convince management that the ideas are her original ideas and knowing some of the tricks has played, Chloe supports her boss.

Chloe narrates the book which keeps you laughing because she is a bit "weird." She's a smart girl but she perceives the world a little differently than others. She will impress you with her telegraphic memory but also leaves one in awe when she spews out things that make her appear clueless. Chloe is triumphant in all her endeavors despite the challenges she manages to face. Ruth would like to fire Chloe but her ideas makes Ruth look too good. Chloe accepts the abuse from Ruth because it gives her access to the shoe closet.

Women have had issues for years when it comes to workplace competition. This doesn't mean that men don't but women's struggles are a little different and this book reflects some of them. This book was hard to put down as the craziness at the Issues Magazine office unfolded. Despite how naive Chloe is and how annoying that may be, it works for this book. The reader learns to like Chloe even if they try not to. The reader will be charmed when they least expect it. The lack of brains and self-awareness help Chloe tell Ruth to stick it in her own way.

This book is a must read, but remember you will laugh out loud so read it with caution in public places...