This spoke to me today so I figured I should share. Your life with God does not promise perfection. I hope the verses below reach you the way they've reached me tonight. I don't know about you, but I'm trusting God.
“we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 NASB http://bible.com/100/2co.4.8-18.nasb Just a few short years ago, I was in Washington, DC for the inauguration of President Obama. I was staying with my favorite aunt! She gets up to have coffee and read the newspaper every morning. She suggested that I begin to make a hobby out of reading the newspaper as she has done for so many years. I did just that. I really do read the news every day! So, as a tribute on this special day, I'm sharing a picture that I took of a news clip that speaks volumes on how one story preludes to another story. Your story is steadily being written. Make sure it's a good one. Make history. Happy Martin Luther King Day!
Each year we all gather around the tv to watch the State of the Union. It’s an exciting time! It's the beginning of the year and while we are anxious to see what the leader of the free world has in store for us, we should also be thinking about ways in which we can be the ultimate citizens! All politics aside, this is a worthwhile mission for becoming a better you! By no means was this a typical State of the Union address. According to Yahoo Politics, the White House deemed it as “untraditional,” an opportunity to move beyond the usual laundry list of policy proposals and ambitions toward a broader consideration of the president’s legacy and the country’s direction." Rather we realize it or not, we aid in this positive direction. As a result, I've curated a custom State of the "You"ion development plan! It is based upon President Obama's actual address and a few tips to apply to your own life. Read the full text of #POTUS'S address here. State of the Union: But for my final address to this chamber, I don’t want to talk just about the next year. I want to focus on the next five years, ten years, and beyond. State of the "You"ion: Do you have a plan in place for your future? This is the first step to head in any direction. It may sound silly, but a simple statement of "in 5 years, I see myself doing_______” goes a long way. P.S. time will pass you by regardless, so embark on your journey today! State of the Union: America has been through big changes before — wars and depression, the influx of immigrants, workers fighting for a fair deal, and movements to expand civil rights. Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears. State of the "You"ion: You will face some tough times. You will be told, if not already, to settle. Don’t let fear instilled in you by yourself or others cloud your judgement. Create a contingency plan. Here are a few options for that plan: get a mentor, read a motivational book, attend an empowerment conference. Nelson Mandela once said, “It seems impossible until it’s done.” Here are a few book suggestions to help you with a plan: "What I Know for Sure" by Oprah and "Thrive" by Arianna Huffington. State of the Union: That’s the America I know. That’s the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted. Optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That’s what makes me so hopeful about our future. Because of you. I believe in you. That’s why I stand here confident that the State of our Union is strong. State of the "You"ion: Just four years ago, on May 5, 2012, the #POTUS tweeted the following: Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. If you are a Friday Night Lights Fan, you know that that’s exactly where this phrase was derived! Tuesday night, he reiterated this. Take it into account in your own life and see what happens! You can't lose with this motto. So, cue the infamous football movie's soundtrack. The time is now to continue improving our State of the Union, your State of the You"ion". As a citizen of the United States, it is your prerogative to be the best you that you can be! Believe in yourself! Just in case you need an extra pep talk, I've included this amazing video of Friday Night Light Clips! #ClearEyesFullHearts #Cantlose It's a new year and while it may be the same old you, a part of you is either embracing or anticipating changes to come. Many of your friends and family may not be prepared for this moment. If you feel the same way, this blog is for you. We are taught our whole lives that we will be our best selves when we accept that the only thing constant is change. So, why don't we let other people - our even ourselves - change? We are all guilty of wondering why other people have decided to do this or that. You're human and these notions are okay. Just be sure that you fully process these thoughts and understand that everyone has an equal chance at change and deserves to do so in peace. No negativity. The change that others make may make you uncomfortable, but I promise it will always teach you something worthwhile. You may even find yourself a variable of the change and enter into a transition of your own. Here's a tip for how to deal: "Let People Change." As Jhene Aiko says in one of her songs "Change is inevitable. Why hold on to what you have to let go of?"
I can give you countless examples of the many changes that you may encounter from friends to a new job to a new car and so on. Some changes are out of your control and that's when you should allow them to just happen. However, when people change, we tend to not be so understanding. In 2016, don't allow frustration to fester. Here's a tip on how to deal: Let people change. Let people live. Let people learn. Lastly, you are always welcome to change too - and you will. One of the number one issues I see in the workplace and in real life is people who won't allow other people to change. When it comes to finding a new job, if you have 10 years of experience doing the SAME thing then you are rarely considered as capable of going into a new field. In life, if you want to start something new, like going vegan or moving to a new city, it's often perceived as a major lapse in judgement (or sanity!) by others. Try not to conform yourself or others. Here's my last tip on how to deal: Be you and let others be themselves too. I'll leave you with another one of my favorite quotes: “If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.” ― Katharine Hepburn Be the change you wish to see! Let people change! Believe in You: As did the rest of the world, I had some trying moments in 2015. However, I learned how to do what I call "happy cope". And no, this isn't a blog post about everything that went wrong for me in 2015. None of it is neither here nor there and that's because I happy coped my way on through it by believing in myself. Prime example: I've never been good at math and statistics so the thought of getting my MBA sounded and felt intimidating yet, intriguing. At the beginning of 2015, I was halfway done and ready to quit, but I found this massive inner strength and graduated with a 3.7 GPA! I traveled to a new city last year, Paris France! I tried new food! I got engaged! I let go of some people I loved and still do. I overcame some major issues all because I learned the power of believing in myself. The moment I learned that believing in myself was the greatest thing I could do: I was flying to New York for an important interview and everything went wrong. My flight was delayed. My car service from the New York Laguardia Airport to the interview was late. I had left my entire portfolio and resumes in the terminal in Memphis. I was ready to call up my sister and say I'm not going, let's go have a girls day in Times Square, but my mind said you can do this no matter the outcome! As soon as my car arrived, I slide into the backseat and just as I took my deep sigh of relief, my skirt split straight up the back. I, immediately, started to think I'm over this day. I just want to go home. The whole way to my interview site, a plethora of thoughts ran through my head: maybe I can find a thrift store, they won't take me serious when they can see my underwear, where is my mother and her sewing machine, what else do I have in my suitcase? The list goes on. Upon arrival, I ran to the restroom, found safety pins that were still in my suit from fresh dry cleaning and went to work fixing my skirt. I came out a new woman, ready to kill this interview! I had a phenomenal interview with a tacked skirt and without a paper resume. How?! Because I believed in myself! The company called me back to do another interview. I didn't get the job, but who cares?! I'm a "happy coper" and I made gold out of a catastrophe! Now is the time to believe in you! As Kanye said, "I'm turnt. All the way. I believe in me. Just believe in you. Let me do me. You like it? Cool. You don't? Fast forward." We all need a little inner Kanye and either way, fast forward. You Can't Tell The World Yet: For years, I've aspired to do many things that I don't share with a lot of people. It is not because I don't want people to know what I'm doing so much as it's because not everyone can handle it. I'd love to be cheered along the way but I've learned that sometimes it's not necessary for a loud applause just yet because during the loud applause are a host of voices and energies that may have a different aspiration for your dreams. All of the greats have stated this to be true and some of my favorites I've chosen to share with you below: Steve Harvey, Oprah, Mallory Heights Hagan -Miss America 2013, Kanye and so many more. I say all this to say, work in silence and then, share with the world. Believe in you before you give the world a chance to enhance those fears and doubts you already have. The Confirmation of this below: Here is something that I struggle with myself! In 2016, I will for sure try to rectify this! So here goes:
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough, and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our partner gets his or her act together when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice holiday, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. A quote comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one. So, stop waiting until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until winter, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink.... there is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching Ive never been one to cook. I've despised see any of the ingredients before they've become a beautiful and salivating desire to have. It wasn't until this year that Pinterest cooking ideas became my new favorite pastime. I literally pin every day and try to make at least one thing I've seen off of Pinterest within the month. It gives me a senses of accomplishment that I came be good at something I'm not altogether comfortable with all while pleasing those who partake in indulging. It simply gives me joy. So the following are pictures and a recipe from the stuffed caramel apples that I made. I hope you have just as fun making them as I did! Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/easiest-ever-baked-apples-0149335.html. |
AuthorThe things I write about are the love of my life and the life of my love! Archives
July 2017
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