A Healing

Look to Him for your healing, He can do all things. Sometimes it seems like the pain will never end, but through prayer you will heal and become whole again.

Forgive Yourself

I've always been toughest on myself, a bit of a perfectionist and afraid of making mistakes. I guess this type of thinking has caused me to focus on forgiving others, but never choosing to forgive myself. In the the past I never actually thought that I needed to forgive myself, it wasn't a thought. But when I couldn't figure out why it was so hard for me to forgive a specific person and resentment continued to grow against this person, I realized it was so hard for me to forgive them because I actually needed to forgive myself. I needed to forgive myself for allowing someone to take advantage of me, for tolerating disrespect, and for accepting bad behavior.  I was upset with myself for making decisions over and over again that did nothing but hurt me in the end. I felt shame and guilt about my past decisions. I felt stupid and angry for continuing to make mistakes that I should have learned from. Instead of forgiving myself and using my mistakes as a testimony to help others, I was condemning myself.  When I chose to finally forgive myself, I could then forgive others.

Be Patient

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I tend to want a quick fix. Snap of the finger and everything is magically perfect and all is right with the world, or at least I want it to be all right in my world. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. After too many years of bad habits and learned negative thoughts, it takes patience and daily work on my part to get to the place where I want to be. I now realize it can't happen overnight just because I read a book, or I say some affirmations. It is going to be a daily process to  replace those negative thoughts and create good habits.  So, no quick fix here...just hard work and determination.

The Other Side

Your intuition is telling you that there is something greater for you, but you are stuck in the known, stuck in what is comfortable.  You  are afraid of losing control and moving forward into the unknown, but to get to that greater place GOD has in store for you, you need to let go of everything you are holding onto. Let go of who you currently are, who you are in a relationship with, where you currently work, the friends you hang out with. Are you blocking your blessings by holding onto the known, the things that bring you comfort. Sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone to allow great things to happen. Doing this requires faith. You don't know what's on the other side of that door, but you must have faith that bigger and better things are promised to you.

Inspirational Quote of the Day

Lost and Found

I recently completed the book “Lost and Found” by Sarah Jakes and absolutely loved it. Her story is very inspirational and ever since I’ve read the book, I’ve been stalking her on all social media and listening to a few of her speaking engagements/interviews. I can relate to her story and if you have ever had feelings of shame, guilt and inadequacy this is a great book to read. Insecurities and shame were consuming my life. I know the feeling of pretending and trying to live up to a life you feel everyone wants to see. Scared to let everyone see what is really going on, what you are really feeling. Smiling to mask the pain and hoping that you can drown away the feelings in food, alcohol, or a person. I held onto so much pain from my childhood because I was scared to reveal it. I thought that if people knew that my childhood wasn’t all roses that I would be condemned and judged. I was so worried about what others what think of me. The truth of the matter is that to release that pain and hurt, I needed to talk about it. I need to share my story it hopes that it may be able to help someone else.  Talking about it would have possibly let me know that I wasn’t alone, that other people are going through things as well, and nobody’s life is perfect.  I’ve learned what other people think of me is none of my business and that being judged by others is not in my control. Frankly, it doesn’t matter anyway. In the end what matters is that I love and accept myself.

Some of my take-aways from the book:

We reflect onto people what we feel about ourselves: when we hate ourselves, we will reflect that hate onto others. When you love yourself, you show love. You don’t have to bash and judge others when you have self-love.

We began to settle and believe this is the best life has to offer: After settling for so long we tend to believe that there is nothing better for us and that perhaps no one can treat us better or that there isn’t a better house or career out there with our names on it. We become content in our situations when there is so much more out there for us.

Love isn’t enough if it makes you worse. Love is far too sweet to have left you bitter: Just because you love someone or someone loves you, it does not mean you need to stay in that relationship. Love is not always the end all, be all. If the relationship is not bringing out the best in you, perhaps it’s time to move on.

One detour does not cancel our destination: just because we’ve experienced failure, shame, guilt, or heartbreak, it does not mean that we are stuck in those situations. It does not mean that GOD loves you any less because you’ve made a mistake. Learn from that mistake and move on. Keep pushing forward to that destined purpose waiting for you.

If nothing changes, then nothing changes: If you never make changes, never grow, never learn, then nothing will change. You and your situation will remain the same. You must grow and through growth there will be great changes.

Healed people, heal people: They say hurt people, hurt people. Well the same is true for healed people. You can share your story of healing to help others heal.

Never forget the power you have to overcome your own self doubt: You don’t have to live with your insecurities. You have the power to get past them. Our self doubt and insecurities tend to be created from our thoughts. These thoughts could have been birthed based on something that someone said or did to hurt you purposely or not. They have made you feel unattractive or unwanted. Whatever feeling was produced tends to turn into thoughts we internalize. We continue to re-run those bad thoughts in our head over and over. However, we have the power to change those thoughts and replace them with something positive. 

Feeling Stuck?

For so long feeling stuck was MY LIFE. Everyday for years just doing the same thing, accepting my life as it was and allowing my circumstances and past circumstances to dictate who I would become, who I am. I wasn't good enough to be more or do more because I din't grow up a certain way. I fell for the limiting beliefs I had been taught. Instead of reaching for the stars, I was stuck, I was miserable being average. From the time I was in middle school, I could feel the yearning to do big things. To become more than what I was seeing around me, but I didn't know how to make those dreams come true. I eventually  went to college, worked a 9-5, got married, had kids, cared for my husband, cared for my kids, did for everyone, but never took the time to ask myself what I really wanted. Was this really the life I planned out and wanted or did I just allow my life to happen . Sad to say, I took no control of my life and I didn't take care of me. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I gradually started to awaken, to realize that I was slowly killing my soul if allowed things to continue as they were. I made the decision one day to take control. To ask myself what I wanted and to act upon those things. Not just to dream, but to really act. To make my dreams come true. I could make my life great or I could make it miserable. I have the power. Too many times in life we blame others for our actions and our failures, we don't take responsibility. Others can only treat us how we allow them to. I am still on my journey to making my life great. I take actions everyday to take care of me and nourish my soul. Here are some of the things you can do to become unstuck:

• Make a list of goals and create a list of necessary steps to complete those goals
• Use that list to do  at least 3 things each day that will move you closer to your goals
• Do something each day that nourishes your soul, whether that be reading, listening to an inspirational podcast or sermon, meditating, spa service. Whatever feels good for you. 
• Get rid of limiting beliefs. You don't have to stay stuck, you don't have to be average. You can do extraordinary things. You just have to change your mindset. Believe that you can do and be whatever you want. Your dreams are possible!