A Little Help From Your Friends

The job I adored and love doing was both managing a service team in Southern California back in the days when there were only 2 cell phone service providers LA Cellular and Air Touch. I had a small group of about 8 people but I loved helping them achieve their own levels of success no matter what that was. I was fiercely protective of them like there were part of my family and even taking that a step further when I was a Corporate Training Specialist for another 5 years, I loved encouraging people to believe in themselves when they didn't.

I loved taking the time to just show them how much I cared about them both as a person and a valued employee. In fact, I keep a book of those emails and letters from those one on one encounters that show me a little about what God has challenged me to keep on doing in my life. To encourage, motivate, and cheer those people on whom God places in my path. I love watching them achieve that next level of success in their life, even if it is just managing to make it into work day after day.

Don't we all need more cheer leaders in our lives today? I'm not talking about the fake ones you tell you what you want to hear just to keep you going, but those that really take the time to listen to your struggles, to get down to where you're at, to value you for simply being in their life as well. Those are the people I'm talking about, the real legitimate ones. The ones that are leading you through life, by being at the head of the line and pulling your forward, not the ones being pulled and barking orders to move faster because they are the boss.

I LOVE working with my small business group, both in the public Facebook forum and the Private Group of about 45 people who want to take that next step with someone who will have their back. Who will motivate and believe in them. Who will take the time to ensure no one gets left behind. I am that person and I get so much joy that it motivates me more each day I can encourage someone or give them the encouragement they need to step out in faith and share what I believe God's called them to do. I believe those are the people who impact us so much, we can never forget them. I can look back and see how God's been building me up to do just that both in my employment history but also in the things I volunteer to do like reviewing books or blogging! From leading a women's group of 40 Somethings through weight loss but even more by becoming their best friend in the process. Those are the relationships I can look back on and see how wonderful God's fingerprints have been along the way.

While I may never personally meet these people, I truly care about each and every one of them. Even though my small group is more intimate and gives me greater insight into how I can help these women, to the larger group of more than 3000 followers. I thank YOU God for the life you've given me and I only hope I can bring honor and glory to YOU, to point others to YOU and to have their courage and faith to take on the world! 

Our Own Worst Critic

I often wonder when my life here is over, and I stand before God, what He will show me. I think He might show me the "could have been's" if I merely followed a different set of steps in my future. Far too often, I believe we pray for His direction in our day, but then we are the ones who get in our own way of possible success. Perhaps it is that we lack the confidence and faith to believe in the possibilities laid before us. I firmly believe that with my whole heart. Even if we have 100 people tell us that we need to go in the direction we believe God is leading us to, we second guess, judge ourselves and listen to the lies of the enemy that say, "You're not as good as you think you are."

We kill ourselves before we even get going. Even though there is gas in our tanks, we don't even want to grab the keys and jump in the car. But the honest point is that we don't know how close we might be to reaching the other side of the shore, if we simply give up. What is it is one more project to complete, that will start your business in a successful path? What if it is showing up one more day, prepared to tackle whatever lies in front of you, and then the path will open wide up? What if we are merely steps away from reaching that point, God has called us to, but we throw in the towel saying, "I'm done. I can't do this any more. I'm out."

What if it was merely changing how we view our attitude that day? There are so many what ifs, and it makes me curious, why do we tend to listen to the negative what ifs in our head, instead of what could be positive what ifs instead? I wonder if it is just a woman thing more often than it is with a man, because everything that we do and say, is all connected in a way. Everything touches something else in our life. I believe we are our own worst critic and while we pray for God to work in our situation, we are blocking the way. It's time to stop saying it's too late to begin again. To say you're too old to do something. It's time to stop accepting the lies of the enemy and start listening to that still small voice that cheers us on, and encourages us to keep moving forward. Stop quitting and start working harder to find out what God's will is for your life.

If you're unsure, pray for clarity. If you don't have the strength to go on, lean on God. If you will listen to the lies of the enemy, start listening to the whispers of the Spirit. In other words, girl, get out there and be all God has created you to be. Stop standing in the way, get out of the way and watch God work.

Today, I received another email from a big name Christian book publisher that they are closing their review program to everything but eBooks. While I can see their point in keeping costs low, there are so many that can't or don't have access to eBooks. I see this as another confirmation that I am meant to move forward in my path as a small business owner and slowly transition from a book reviewer to the new chapter God is laying before me. Whether I will continue to make wreaths and home decor for the next year or whether God is calling me to teach and encourage others, I will pray for wisdom to know the difference between what God's will is for me in my life, and what I want instead. I need to give it all up to God and walk in the path He has laid before me today.

How can I encourage or pray for you today?