The truth of the matter is that we are all significant to God…He created us all with a specific purpose, special gifts and a uniqueness that is unmatchable.
However, it is up to us to nurture our gifts so that He can put them on display so that others can can be drawn to the light of Christ. No matter how big or small we think that our influence is, we all have a tailor-made place in the body of Christ to bring God glory.
The truth of the matter is that as I am typing this, I am the main recipient! I often struggle with feelings of insignificance and jealousy. I see so many people doing so many great things and I think, “man, they are so special! I wish that I had those gifts…”
Then I am gently reminded that I am significant to God and that I was created with a specific purpose…
The truth of the matter is that when I step out of my lane into someone else’s, my God given purpose is harder and harder to see. It’s impossible for me to be/do who, and what, God has created me to be if my focus is on someone else instead of Him…

What is the truth of the matter for you? What do you do to incorporate these truths into your everyday life/thoughts?
Whatever your truths are I hope that they are centered around God’s word and love for you. I pray that every truth be put into an action that changes your life for the better, today and everyday here after…

Happy New Year everyone!!! I was just thinking about some of our family’s plans for the year.
And all of a sudden I was bombarded w/some thoughts that weren’t so positive. Then I had to take a minute to regroup and speak positively over my life and all that God has for me.
Yes there are always things that will come up and try to put fear in the place of faith. But guess what? God has great plans for us and his grace is more than enough to help us maneuver through the waters of life!
I’m choosing to speak great things into existence and follow up my words w/the appropriate, excellent actions.
So I encourage you all to have a great new year! Step out of your comfort zones and do something great! Write and speak your goals with confidence! Make a list of “I Am” declarations that tell who you are and created to be! And lastly, have joy!
Happy New Year!!! ♥♥♥

I heard this question recently and it had me thinking…How do you define success?

I used to define success strictly by accomplishments, money, position and possessions…but that has all changed.
I used to think that me being successful meant having a college degree,  making more money that most of the people around me, wearing the best and most expensive clothing, having the highest positions and carrying big name handbags. 
Don’t get me wrong, most of those things aren’t completely wrong.  Let’s be real~ having goals and accomplishing them are a part of life and rightly so. Nobody feels better than me once I can cross something off of my goal/to-do list!

However I had things all wrong.  Everything that I thought would make me successful was b/c I wanted to be seen and I wanted people to notice me and all that I did/had.

Success now means purpose to me.  When I think about success I think about the things that God has put on my heart to do, helping others and being a source of help and encouragement to my family.
Success means creating a home environment that breeds love for God and others.
Success means creating lifelong memories that my family will cherish.
Success means recognizing that I’m not who I used to be and being better and doing better daily.
Success means loving my kids and being a mother that is patient, nurturing and positive.
Success means being a wife that loves, respects, and encourages my husband.
Success is loving me enough to take care of myself w/o feeling guilty.
Success is helping meet the needs of young mothers in my community.

Its amazing to me how my views have changed! What I do know is that success means something different to everyone…and it’s up to me to take the actions needed to make my successes reality….
How do you define success???

Walk in the newness that God created just for you. Dont let people, memories, situations or circumstances cause you to go back to the very place (feelings) that God has delivered you from…your time is precious and so are your thoughts.
Too precious to be wasted on people and situations that don’t know your value and didnt take the time to try. 
Not everyone will like you and some of the people that you were closest to will change positions…instead of close they will become distant. And that’s okay.
It’s okay for you to change your position b/c its obvious they have changed theres.  Act accordingly, but always respectfully. 
Never let jealousy, envy or strife spend the night in your thoughts and then move into your heart.  They’ll freeload, multiply and take up the very space that was meant for peace, growth and authentic love…
Know that you are so worthy of the best. Best life. Best friends. Best of everything…you are. Now start thinking like it. Start living like it.

Just this morning I was able to tell my husband that I am so thankful for where I am right now.  Not too long ago I was so focused on what I didn’t have and what others did, that I was anything but content. I constantly compared myself to others and always felt as if I came up short…
Right now I’m appreciative. God has came through in and has invaded my heart in ways that I can’t explain. It’s not about any material things, it is just about His love and knowing that I was created for His glory.
I’m content where I am right now yet I am expecting so much!
I can also say that I am genuinely happy for what He is doing in the lives of some of the people I know. I used to get so caught up in comparisons (which led to jealousy and envy), that I couldn’t fully  appreciate the gifts and the open doors that God had given to those around me.

Today I am so mindful of how I’ve changed (through God’s ♥). I don’t have to try to be someone or something that I’m not. I’m fully confident in God’s gifts that are inside of me. I’m confident that when I yield to Him, He will use me and work through my personality.  I’m just that special to Him…and so are you♥

This past Saturday I had the awesome opportunity to go to an annual retreat called “W(omen) O(f) W(orth)”.  This is my 7th year going and it’s always a treat to get some uninterrupted time w/God, meet and catch up with some diverse, funny women who have hearts for God, and eat some delicious food that I didn’t lift one finger to make!!! That’s some of the sweet…
Back in 2007 I went to this retreat and got a phone call from my sister saying that my mom was admitted into the hospital and that she had lung cancer.  The doctors said that the cancer had deteriorated at least four of the bones of her ribcage(which was why she was in so much pain) and that it was stage 4.
I remember being crushed. And sitting in my room crying. One of the ladies came in and after I told her what was wrong, she took me to the cafeteria and all the women from the retreat gathered around me and prayed.  I felt as if their prayers and love were the only things holding me up…this was the bitter.
About 3 months after the retreat my mom died…on her last day of chemo and on my niece and nephew’s birthday.  It was one of the hardest moments of my life to get that call at 6am.  And then to get to my mom’s house and see her laying there lifeless…not responding to my pleas for her to live and not die, are moments that will forever be sketched in my heart.
However, I have some of the sweetest memories of our last 3 months together and even more when I think about how so many women at the retreat came to her homegoing just to support me…so sweet.
I never knew how bittersweet this weekend was until it all flooded back on Saturday evening during a worship session…but as I write this and think about my mother and the amazing women of worth who showed me that I was so worthy to them, the Sweet totally outweighs the bitter….and I choose to hold on to the sweet.

Can I be completey honest w/you???

I have been scared to set goals.  I would see things in my mind or just have an urge to do something and I’d let it go…
I wouldnt write it down because it all seemed to big and to unattainable.

I would start to write things down and I’d freeze up. I’d find myself saying on the inside “How can you do this? This is wayyyyyy too big of a project for you to take on.  You aren’t skilled enough, outgoing enough, smart enough to do this. Do you know how much this is gonna cost??!?!”

And then I’d stop… I’d stop writing. I’d stop dreaming.  I’d stop believing.

I’d stop believing that God had a purpose for me that wasn’t just for me, He had others connected to it.
I’d stop believing that God’s light is supposed to shine through me to lead people back to Him.
I’d stop believing that I am fearfully and wonderfully made…

There is nothing that is impossible for God and everything that He has put in me has to bring Him glory!
I took the time to write down my goals and to break them down into steps.  I realized that I was trying to “eat  elephant whole instead of piece by piece”. 
I take the time to look over and read aloud my goals.
I go over my affirmations and speak the Word over myself.
I think about God and what His Word says about me.
And I realized that not only am I doing this for me, I’m doing this for my children…I want them to be able to rise up and call me blessed!

What are your goals? Do you have any tips in goal setting and achieving?

Today, I did a few things that we were out of the ordinary for me!

The first one was that I released some things that I have had swirling around in my mind and admitted that I was wrong…I feel so much lighter and so much better! I didn’t do it for a particular response or for the other person, I did it for me to be a better me and to move on from the past. And I did it b/c it was the right thing to do. God has forgiven me so many times that I can’t let little things settle in my heart and keep me from Him…

I played in the rain w/my kiddies! I ran. I laughed. I stomped in puddles until I was soaked and a little muddy. And I loved every second of it!!!

Changing isn’t always easy. However, I have purposes w/in myself to live the life God created for me to the fullest. No everything isn’t perfect and if I really wanted to, I could find at least five things to complain about. But I’m not. I’m going to keep pressing, smiling, speaking great things and being determined to reach my goals.
What about you? What have you did lately that was out of the ordinary???