If You Are Faithful...

There is a verse in the Bible that has been part of what I'm working on in my own personal walk of faith lately. It is from the Book of Matthew 25:21, and it says, "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much." 

This has been the precedent over my entire business and personal life, when I can remember it. When I first started out in launching my business, I knew I wanted it to be centered on my faith. Sure there are those that take a beating when they mention their faith, but I wanted my to not be hidden, to shine like a light on a hill, not something covered up so I could possibly profit even more. I was determined that God would be the focus on what I am doing, and if anyone could make it succeed, the Creator of Heavens and the Earth would be a great foundation to build upon. 

I'm not saying it doesn't take a whole lot of work, but I find if I take time for God first, He will take care of the rest. So each day, I start with God first, and try to end it with Him as well. I want my faith to be front and center and it has always been a dream of mine to have a faith based business, and to be able to use my talents to encourage and help others to achieve their own level of success by building on the same character traits I hope to drive home. 

It has been a true blessing to help women to take a role in their own successes, to help encourage them in their efforts and most of all to step aside when it is their moment to shine. I believe that is what God has called me to do and for now, the business side of things is all up to Him. I simply use my creative talents to show others what is possible and along the way offer up prayer to those who need it. Without God at the center of this, I don't want any part of it. I can simply go back to quietly reading books and reviewing them as well as products. Until that happens, I will continue to walk in faith and give all the glory and honor to my Father in Heaven. I just need to continue to faithful in everything I do and keep working at it one step at a time. 

Moving Forward

Instruction that is wrapped with encouragement really works. No one cares how much you know until they know just how much you care. I have heard it said that advice and instruction are like snow. The softer they fall—the deeper they stick. Sensitive instruction is encouragement.

I LOVE both encouragement and being the one to encourage. I hate it when I see the benefits of using encouragement to help motivate someone and instead they offer silence or criticism instead. I mean it may get them to do what you want, but they won't be happy doing it. Sure it accomplishes the task but the result isn't a long lasting one.

I have seen evidence of this in play in my own life, working for incredible leaders, co-workers and even fellow employees and I can always say that people will give more than 100% for a person they can respect and value. I know because this is how I felt. I would always be willing to pitch in, help out and go above and beyond for people I respected because of their values, their ethics, their reputation and more. I believe I know what it takes to be a great leader and what doesn't. The best part of being an small business owner is that my customers are not just the ones who buy home decor from me, but they are also in a small Facebook group I lead and encourage every single day. They are also in the people who I haven't met yet. Those are the people I love living for, working for and most importantly who I serve for.

You have to be willing each day to get up, despite how you may feel and choose your attitude. I know this is possible because we can all change our attitude on a dime. Meaning that if you are in a foul mood and someone unexpected shows up at your front door, you can instantly turn on the charm. So don't tell me you can't do it. Choose today if it is going to be a great day or a bad one. You are the only one who can make that determination. Sure things can influence whether things will go towards one or the other, but the final choice is yours. Choose today. Choose right this very minute. Put away all your 'what if's" and 'what abouts,' move forward today in a positive, can do, attitude. Stop being weighed down by everyone else and stop giving them all the control to dictate how you will be.

I hope you choose to make it a great day. It can definitely be filled with the unexpected surprises you didn't see coming your way. Let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear about it. 

Newest Additions

I absolutely LOVE the path I am beginning to see that God has laid before me. Although it is definitely NOT an easy path, there is some blessings to enjoy along the way. I LOVE helping women to be able to see the same dreams. That with some encouragement, they too can find a new future waiting, all they needed was someone to see them and encourage them to take that first step. I got the most wonderful message from one of the lovely ladies that has joined my private group class. She is one of the most beautiful souls that God has graced me with.

She has managed to do what I have been wanting to do for some time and needed that reminder that some people need to hear that encouragement today, and not wait for the time of their obituary to hear how they have impacted their life. It reminded me of a book I read from Walter Green, called This is the Moment! It is an extraordinary book I highly recommend that every single person should read. It really encourages us to use the time we have now, to reach out to people in our life and let them know now, and now at their funeral what impact they have had in our life.

Another book I would also highly recommend is The Noticer by Andy Andrews. It is a book on perspective. While two people are going through the same situation, it shows that they can "see" things very differently. One person can see the negative things happening in every situation, while the other person sees the positive in it. The positive can always be harder to find, but it is always there. If you have never picked up either book, I would highly recommend that you do. I think they will change you forever in the best way possible. The strange thing is that they have always been there but sometimes our perspective just needs to be pushed, nudged or motivated to see things a bit differently!

However, this one woman did just both of those things. She reminded me of the simple impact one person can have in your life and let it be known now and not later when those words will fall on ears that can no longer hear them. She provided consistent and specific feedback and her words were like the sweetest balm on my ears. She nourished my soul in just a handful of minutes it took for her to write those heartfelt words and for me, they were like a breath of life! She is going through her own unique health challenges and if you would, lift her up in prayer. She needs all the prayer and encouragement she can get as we all know how much fear can play a role in any of our lives.

I wanted to show you just a handful of the new items I finished this week and if you're interested in any of them, please let me know by emailing me, commenting below or visiting my shop at Etsy.

If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

Being a corporate trainer for more than 10 years has led me through many changes both with the customers I worked with, the company I worked for and the employees I had the chance to encourage during my time there. It was one of my favorite jobs in my work history. It also led me through changes, some I was fine with and others that challenged me not to rebel but to move through them so things would settle down again.

Change is like trying to resist the waves. No matter how hard you try, it's still going to happen. You can try as hard as you like, but more than likely, you'll eventually find yourself tossed back to the shore. You're goal in life is to find the positive in that change. Whether it is the lose of a job that brings you to the point of wondering how it will all work out without money coming in, a medical diagnosis that brings you to your knees and to tears, the loss of a close family member, friend or pet, life is going to happen whether you join in or not.

One of the things that people who are close to me, hear me say a lot, when faced with that change is that, 'if nothing changes, nothing changes." I guess I remember hearing a message from Joyce Meyers that conveyed the Israelite's journey in the wilderness for 40 years. Did you know that it was only a 40-day journey to get to where they were eventually going to go? So why the longevity of a journey? Didn't someone ask,"Hey, haven't we been here before?" What was the point of such a long detour?

It's because they weren't willing to accept the changes God had in store for them. Sure they were all ready to give up a live of slavery in Egypt, and embrace that promise of a land filled with milk and honey, but it was because their hearts weren't in the right place. After all they had seen God do during that time of wandering, they still begged to question, "Why God?" Wouldn't life had been better in Egypt where things were comfortable, normal, no change to face. We knew what was expected, even though we hated it, still all they seemed to do is complain.

So that long detour is what we all face when we come across a change we're not ready for. I call them Life Tests from God. If you don't rise up to the challenge and figure out a way through that challenge, God sends you back on another journey round the desert again, until you finally stop your complaining and move through the test. God never leaves you, He is always by your side even when you can't feel it. Just like He never left His people in the desert. They walked away from Him.

So if you are facing an uncertainty in your life right now, I would ask you, how can you get through this with God's help? Have you prayed about it? Where is God in your day? Are you hoping to get through your 'To Do" list to finally set aside some time to pray and maybe read your devotions? Carve out just 15-minutes of your mornings and pray, read your Bible and see if your day doesn't go better. See if your attitude needs its own adjustment and remember what I say, "If nothing changes, NOTHING Changes!"

Prayer Does Change Things

Every morning I wake up and immediately look at my social media feeds. From notifications on different sites to instant messages it seems the need for prayer is greater than ever and it breaks my heart. So many are asking for the immediate power most of us as Christians have access to and that is God's throne room with a simple prayer request.

I will admit it can be overwhelming at times because it seems as you run through your feeds, that is all it seems to be...someone dying of cancer, someone lost their job, someone just lost their home in a fire, divorce issues, relationship issues, job changes, and even healing for whatever is ailing someone.

So if it is so simple, why do we feel overwhelmed? Why do we read their post and agree silently that we will pray for them and move on to the next feed. If you're like me, you almost regret opening it to begin with because it can be so overwhelming. However what I don't believe we see when prayer is being requested is the response or the answer to that prayer. Those don't get posted as often as we would like, and perhaps if we did more of those as well, it might encourage more prayer because we can get validation in a way that it does change things at least on a visible level.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning God's answers to our many requests, but I do know it can seem overwhelming when that is all you see in your news feeds through social media. But the one thing I can tell you is that prayer does change things. It begins a process that God is already aware of and it begins to make a difference in the spiritual realm, the one we can not see. One day we might have access to see what happens when someone stops what they are doing and prays for another, but for those of us that know God, it works. We just might not get the answer we want.

We might pray for someone to be healed of cancer, and it might be an every day prayer for months and then they get worse and die. Did God not get that one? Of course He did. He might have extended that persons' earthly time to give them a change to get in their final goodbyes and get their affairs in order, maybe to share their faith with others during the worst time in their life, but realize one thing...cancer didn't win. If they're a believer in Christ, they have been 100% fully restored, healed and are waiting for us in heaven. They just got their healing on the other side of this earthly life.

It's all about perspective and I don't mean ours, although... it wouldn't hurt sometimes to shift our own, but it is about God's perspective. What we don't see playing out before our own eyes but it is accomplishing all He has set out to accomplish by allowing these things to run their course. For some living their final day on earth...they might pray for one more day. One more day to tell those they love just how much they are loved, and how much of an impact they have had in our lives. One more day to spend enjoying all those little moments we take for granted trying to cross things of our perpetual to do list and miss out. One more day to enjoy the rain falling and listening and using all five sense to engage in this day.

Most of all, I hope that you take the time to pray for someone when they ask. Let them know that you are praying for them, not simply click a "Like" or a "Heart" on their social media page. Write a prayer if you have time so others can join in and affirm those thoughts. Most of all, keep encouraging them. We need a lot more cheerleaders in this world and prayer does change things. Keep on praying!

Will You Make a Difference in Someone's Life Today?

Such wisdom can be found reading any of Max Lucado's books and I got this via email today. I had to share it because I believe someone else needs to hear it besides me. Enjoy!

Today I Will Make a Difference

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

Child-Like Faith

As the Christmas season approaches, I tend to get excited. The essence of this time of year causes us to celebrate the joy of the season. The smells of cinnamon and nutmeg on a steaming hot cup of cocoa, to the warmth of a crackling fire while the ground outside is covered in a blanket of snow. The streets filled with holiday shoppers, the Christmas decorations laced throughout the stores, the soothing lulls of traditional Christmas carols add to the all around sense of what Christmas means. None more sacred than the story of Jesus' birth is the reason for all this celebration.

I wasn't brought up as a Christian, but I do remember attending Christmas Eve mass with my mother, which was such an awesome experience to be out late and the silent reverence of being inside a church with beautiful stained glass windows. I remember the stories of St. Nicholas but failed to catch the meaning of the Nativity except that it was simply something we got to place beneath our tree. I remember watching the Little Drummer Boy in the midst of all those children's Christmas movies that came out this time of year as well.

It seemed like that was my child-like idea growing up that Jesus was special. He was part of the divine and untouchable. He was to be worshiped and respect. I lacked the idea of what a true relationship with God was like until I became a Christian and got to know Him through the Bible and through celebrating Christmas much different than when I was a child.

Now I understand what child-like faith means. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 19:14, when the disciples rebuked those who had brought little children to Jesus. He reminds them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." This is that child-like faith Jesus is speaking of.

If you have young children, they have such incredible imaginations. You can tell them anything, and they won't question it, they simply take it on faith that it is. Ask any child if flying is possible, they will undoubtedly tell you it is. Without question. I remember believing when I was a child and saw Mary Poppins for the first time, that if I possessed an umbrella and opened it, I could literally float from a high place and be just fine. I tried it, from the roof of my house and I have to tell you, despite my child-like faith, it didn't work.

It's sad when reality dispels those child-like faith moments. When we learn that Santa isn't real, or that magic is just a slight of hand or illusion. That the moon really isn't made of cheese and fairy tales are simply stories of make-believe in a book. That wishes on stars sometimes come true, but more than often, they don't. Or we simply don't remember making them.

Jesus loved children, that is clear in everything we read in the Bible. Jesus sees value in children even though they haven't reached their potential just yet. Children approach life differently than we do. Just watch a child look at ants for the first time, that child-like sense of wonder and awe that they get as if they're seeing it for the first time. The reason is that they are. The first time watch an ant march across the sidewalk or a leaf falling from the tree, or a snowflake falling. Don't miss that moment. It's so rare to us because we've seen it all before. See it from their eyes.

Children aren't jaded by their opinion of the world yet. They are imaginative, light-hearted, humble, and adventurous. They are fearless, simply ask any parent, they will undoubtedly confirm that with a resounding YES!!!

So where does that child-like faith go?

Like Peter Pan fears, we simply grow up. Like my experience with an umbrella, we realize that the things we believe aren't true. Our expectations because jaded. We rationalize things, and lose our fear and sense of adventure, rationalizing the outcome before we even try. We hide things deep inside for fear of letting others see the real us. We begin playing it safe and settling for whatever life hands us. Rather than living by faith, we complicate things and get in our own way. We even try to prove our worth to God by doing things not by faith, but out of a sense of what we should be doing instead of letting our hearts lead us. We believe we are content, but are grasping at straws for trying to achieve that something more we believe might make us happy after all.

I believe we need to get our child-like faith back. Open ourselves up and letting people see us for how we are. To ask for help when we truly need it instead of pasting on our fake smiles and saying everything in our life is O.K. when it is falling apart. We need more than anything to believe in ourselves again like a child does. He never doubts whether he can do anything until he proves he can't. We need to remember that God didn't choose people to make a difference from the finest and most qualified people.

It's just the opposite. He chose flawed people. People like you and me, that doubted themselves. People like David, a lowly shepherd but whom would be crowned King, slay a giant no one else would, and from his descendants would come the greatest gift to the world. 1 Corinthians 1:27 puts it all into perspective, "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

Isn't it time to discover our child-like faith again and go out with God's help and do something incredibly amazing and stop letting the world dictate what we are capable of. I believe in you, imagine what possibilities might exist if you tried, knowing you would never fail? What would you do?

More importantly...

Why aren't you?

The Truth About Dying

What might this be? What truth?

Suddenly I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear this or not either. I looked at the woman on the bed, and I saw my mother. I don't mean that she looked like her. The woman in front of me was much older than my mom, who had been only forty-two when she died. But the smell of the room and the helpless anger inside it were exactly the same. Many nights I had lain awake on the floor of my mother's bedroom. Hour after hour I would listen to her cough, but it was not her coughing that frightened me. No, I dreaded the silence I knew was coming. I dreaded the moment when the coughing would stop.

"Darrel," Jones began, "you think that your sweet wife is at the end, but that is only a lie you have believed. Because your fear has grown, you believe her fear has become greater...which is another lie. You believe she is experiencing something bad that gets worse until there is nothing at all That, too, is a lie."

"Here is the truth, Darrel. She is not at the end. She is at the beginning. Her fear has not become greater; it has become less and less until now, her fear is gone altogether. And she is not experiencing something bad that gets worse until there is nothing at all...she is experiencing something incredible that gets better, until there is everything."

Jones looked down at the woman and lightly touched her head. "Before this woman was ever born, when she was warm and snug inside her mama's belly, she kicked and twisted, moving this way and that. For months she struggled. She became uncomfortable. She longed for more freedom and began to sense that the worlds she inhabited was not where she ultimately belonged. She did not know what was on the other side of her struggle, but she was getting ready to experience something new and wonderful that in her wildest imaginings could not be described. Darrel...she was getting ready to breathe.

"And when she finally drew that first breath, it was clean and fresh and like nothing she had ever felt. She took another breath and another - and all around her, loved ones and friends cheered in a joyous celebration of her arrival."

Jones looked closely at the woman's face."Look at her now, Darrel," he said. "For many years this dear child was happy and content in this body. But for some time now, she has struggled. She has become uncomfortable. She has begun to long for freedom from the pain of this body and has sensed that the world she inhabits is not where she ultimately belongs. Even now she does not fully appreciate the reality that is waiting on the other side of her struggle, but she is preparing to experience something new and wonderful that in her wildest imaginings could not be described. Right now...right this minute...she is getting ready to breathe.

"And when she draws that first breath, it will be clean and clear and fresh, like nothing she has ever experienced. She will take another breath and another and another; and all around, her loved ones, her family and friends, will cheer in a joyous celebration of her arrival.

"Do not be afraid for yourself, Darrel. You can make the same journey one day - you can join her if you choose to do so. And don't be afraid for her. She is fine. Remember...she is getting ready to breathe."

After a time of quiet Jones slipped out of the room, and I followed, leaving Darrel alone with the woman. He was still on his knees with his upper body on the bed. He held her hand and was peacefully asleep.

It was a serenity he had not felt in a long time. Somehow Darrel's mind drifted easily through the years as he dreamed of the past he remembered and a future he had never allowed himself to imagine." (Excerpt from The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews.)

When I read this yesterday I was so comforted by the notion of seeing death in a different perspective as Jones so eloquently tells this man watching the woman he has loved his entire life slowly slip away from him. I decided to share this with so many of you that are facing this same situation or have recently watched this happen to a family member or friend. Hope this provides you with a different perspective on transitioning from this life to our eternal one in the life of a believer. You too can have that future you have yet to imagine if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. If not, it's not too late to change. Comment below and let us pray for you or private message me if you'd like. I'd love to help you find your forever home in Heaven! It truly is a life changing decision.

For those of you that love this excerpt from The Noticer Returns, trust me when I tell you, you will absolutely LOVE this book. You can pick it up today at your favorite retailer.

You can also find Andy Andrews on Facebook to learn more about Jones!

Blessings in Disguise

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

In the movie Bruce Almighty, Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is given the opportunity to be endowed with all of God's powers for a brief time, seeing as he has been complaining to God (Morgan Freeman) about how easy he seems to have it and how Bruce is being ignored no matter how hard he tries to come out on top. At first, Bruce utilizes those almighty powers to "right a few wrongs in his life" without regard to the consequences.

For example when trying to prepare for a romantic night with his girlfriend, Grace Connelly (Jennifer Aniston) he hand picks places in the night sky to place stars, often smudging one away with his finger. While the moon is perfect is too far so Bruce tosses an imaginary lasso around it and pulls it closer. It impresses Grace but later on, we overhear reports of unheard of flooding due to an unusual lunar tide in some areas. While Bruce was busy romancing Grace, he fails to realize that his actions caused grief and suffering without his consideration about what he was doing and how it would impact others. By the end of the film however Bruce gets past his selfish whims and finally sees how much good one man can truly do without being endowed with supernatural god-like powers.

It reminded me of the ripple effect otherwise known as the Butterfly effect to some. It is what one seemingly innocent act can do that affects so many people like just our being in someone's life and having a conversation, a simple smile or a random encounter in our mind. But nothing is random in God's world. In fact from the very beginning, He knows how all of our lives will play out. Nothing you do or can do or even intentionally set up to do can surprise God. He knew you would do it before you even thought it up. Pretty amazing right?

Yet often times we fail to see these as blessings in disguise because we are not getting what we believe WE deserve instead. But I challenge you to a 31 day journal experience to capture the every day things that happen in your life and see the many blessings God sends your way in disguise. Consider the busy mom of two young children that has to face dealing with life alone while her husband needs to travel for work. Did you ever stop and consider the blessings that come from that experience aside from the financial ones, like being grateful he has a job. That is not what I am talking about. How about changing your perspective on that a minute.

How about seeing it as the time you get to spend doing some quite reflection and Bible Study without interruption, or having free time to enjoy a book or movie you always wanted to watch but no one else does, time for some personal quiet time for a bath or even a lunch or coffee with a friend without feeling guilty of spending time away? This is what I am talking about.

Spending time each day to reflect on those simple random things that happen every day and finding the purpose of what they mean as a blessing to you instead. I hope you decide to take me up on this challenge and if you're a Facebook follower of mine, I'll be sharing all my daily blessings I discover on my page so won't you join me?

If you're a Twitter fan, come follow me as well. I'll be tweeting those out to you throughout the day as well. You just never know how much it can change your perspective on your life and what happens to you every day!

Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see. ~ John Blanchard

How Commited Are You Really?

This year God has laid the word Commit on my heart and that is my lesson for this year. For me I tend to join things with the best of intentions but often times don't follow things through to completion. I often look back and wonder just what things would look like if I followed them through to completion. How very different my life would look. Even taking my own personal spiritual walk for granted. Here in this blessed country, for now, we have the ability to order a Bible or even get one for free if times are hard. Not in other places in the world. They would be grateful for the things we take for granted every day. I've seen the videos where groups of people long with great desire for God's Word and they truly treasure it like it is the most precious thing in the world.

Do we see it the same way?

Or have we simply taken even having the Word of God for granted?

Do we rush to stress filled levels like we do when our car keys or phone or even ATM cards are misplaced as we do when we can't find our Bible?

Why is it that we don't treasure it like we should.

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you^, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God". ~ Proverbs 2:1-5

I happened upon Proverbs in my morning devotional this morning and it really spoke to something my husband had been struggling with and that is learning scripture and keeping it in your heart. Able to memorize it and recall it when you need it the most. He struggles even after learning it to keep remembering it. I asked it he had prayed to God to help him commit those verses to his heart and he admitted he hadn't.

So why are our committments to God often times half hearted attempts. Why do we put time with God on the back burner? Shouldn't God be the most important thing we do every single day? This is why I believe that God has called this word to my heart this year.

I wanted and felt drawn to God more so this year. Maybe we are going home soon, but I do know that the more time I spend with family, the greater my relationship is. The more I share my thoughts and fears with them the less of a burden they become. Why then, is it so hard to commit to spending more time with God?

I feel that we often will come to God when all else fails or when we find time in our busy days. I wonder if we could see God that perhaps it might help more for us to spend quality time with Him. But do you realize that God is all around you. When you are rushing to work, do you spend any time noticing the handiwork He has so lovingly created, from the sunflowers on the side of the freeway, that wave to you each morning, or the one of a kind masterpiece of sunrises and sunsets, you do realize that they are never the same twice? Oh how often do we take the things in front of us for granted simply because we have seen them a thousand times?

Want a different perspective on life?

Spend just a few hours with a toddler! Everything they see, in most cases they are seeing for the first time! That is why they stop and look at things in the greatest sense of wonder and detail, even if it's just an ant walking on the sidewalk or a weed sprouting up from a crack in the street. Imagine if we all took just a little more time today and changed our perspective and commit to making some changes in our day. Placing God first instead of last. Seeking Him each day.

I would love to hear what you "saw" today in a different way. Please share those thoughts today with me! If you need prayer too, please reach out to me, I'd love to pray for you as well!