Summer motivation: Put your crown on
Inspiration
Airplane mode: ON
Happy July y’all.
It’s July 2, and therefore the perfect time to throw on the airplane mode feature on our phones, and (as much as we can) implement that idea into our lives.
I’ve been writing the blog now for four years. Two years ago, I decided not to write during the month of July. The downtime creates space to think, pray, read, reflect and hopefully be inspired in my writing. That is the intention I’m setting!
This year I am going to push out some inspirational messaging that I heard recently on Peloton. I purchased one of their bikes not too long ago, and it has been an incredible experience. While I won’t blog – although I’m sure I have plenty to say about the great content – I will focus on what I feel is a simple and powerful message during my regular posting days. I hope it will add a bit of fun to your summer.
It is such an honor to serve you all with these short thoughts and I am so grateful for your support. My prayer is that you too will go on metaphorical airplane mode. Look around and savor the joy in this season. What a gift we have been given to live out what God has provided us with.
Have a wonderful 4th of July celebration this week! Go America!
Moving past fear & toward our true SHINE
What in the world is going on when we allow fear to creep in and grab our thoughts? Catch this excerpt from an article on Quora: “Did you know that in the Bible ‘do not be afraid, fear not,’ or something in that framework, is listed arguably 365 times… one for each day of the year.” (Since it’s on the internet, it must be true. Haha-)
Seriously though, us simple humans do (and think) a lot of things based on some level of fear. I didn’t understand or believe that fully until the past few years… thanks to some good friends – and maybe an insightful therapist…I’m not sure if it’s the “Darwinian” factor (survival of the fittest) or what, but it all comes down to this innate need to protect ourselves from whatever it is that we think may not serve us well.
So, here’s the thing. I heard this message above not long ago. “Fear is not sustainable.” Sustainable as in “able to be maintained, upheld, defended.” I don’t know about you, but my fear of whatever – nailing the interview, playing a strong golf game, acing the test, clutching the public speaking assignment, being the perfect mom – absolutely none of it is sustainable!
We can’t be perfect or even have the notion of thinking we can or really should be. We can be really damn good, and yet there is always something, someone, better. You know what? It doesn’t matter! At the ripe age of 51, I can honestly say it doesn’t matter. (My apologies to those – including my younger self – who thought that a 4.0 on their resume matters years after college… it doesn’t.)
At work I interview for attitude and the capacity to understand this very concept. Public speaking? Be your authentic self and people will love it. “You” is exactly what the world needs more of. Golf? Who cares. The game doesn’t even matter if those playing aren’t bringing their positive energy to the experience. Whatever it is that you offer, the world wants and needs the true you to show up in every situation. That alone raises the bar for us all.
We don’t have to be afraid of even heavier topics… Relationships? God always delivers what it is we need to know in that season. If we listen, He helps us make the hurdle and learn (whether it’s personal or work relationships). If you don’t believe this, give me a ring and I’ll share some personal stories that may help you lean in a bit more.
Folks, what areas are you consciously or unconsciously letting fear creep in? Is it your health? The feeling that you may not be as sharp as you once were? That you can’t achieve that goal you are striving for? All of that is not true. Your mind is your most powerful asset. Get those thoughts right on out of your head!
Fear is not where we are meant to live. Let’s do what we can this summer to shift our thoughts to all things that move us in a direction of growth and eliminate fear from our daily diet! You are worth it. You are beautiful and have everything you need to live out the most amazing life.
Cheering you all on!
Stand TALL, shoulders BACK – Bringing a spirit of boldness to your week
Don’t you kind of love this image? STAND TALL, SHOULDERS BACK… TAKING A POSITION OF BRAVERY… “Owning It” Days like that are awesome. Seasons like that are something to behold. You know what? We can actually take this stance every single day. That is a personal decision.
I have often talked about this idea of making a “pre-decision.” It’s a concept I picked up a few years back from my favorite author, Mark Batterson. Most key aspects of our lives depend on our ability to make a decision of how we want to show up. So, how do you want to show up this week?
The term “bravado” actually traces back to an old Italian adjective: bravo, meaning courageous, among other meanings. This is how I like to think of it: Courage with a touch of swagger; deciding to show up with confidence in what one brings to the table.
What are you sure of today?
What gifts, skills or personality traits do you have that energize you and make this world better? Are you a great storyteller, like my dad? Do you have that ability to light up a room immediately, like my friend Tiffany? Do you make everyone around you feel better by always offering a kind word, like my friend Gloria? Are you the hardest worker in the room? A skilled negotiator? A philanthropist always focused on bettering our community? A master gardener? Whatever you have been gifted with, put your shoulders back and own it. We need what you have to offer. Decide that this week, you are going all in with a position of boldness.
Simple Thoughts Sunday: Another in the fire
Want to build your confidence this week? Your bravado? Your courage? This truth is absolutely huge! Our church for the past several weeks has had an amazing song on their playlist – “Another in the Fire” (Hillsong United). It is incredible, namely because of the lyrics.
“There’s a grace when the heart is under fire…
Another way when the walls are closing in…
And when I look at the space between where I used to be and this reckoning…
I know I will never be alone.There was another in the fire standing next to me…
There was another in the waters holding back the seas…”
In Daniel’s powerful story, the king who had thrown three in the fire was shocked to see that not only were there three walking around in the fire, but a fourth person appeared to be with them.
As a woman who believes firmly in God, this story prepares us for a life changing truth. No matter what is going on – the great celebrations and great tragedies – God is indeed with us. Sometimes it is just you and Him quietly praising or battling, and other times I believe He sends just the right person or people to serve that purpose and fill that need. I see it every single day, whether it be friends circling one another in prayer and encouragement, or ensuring someone is celebrated and honored. There are so many examples of this greatness around us.
You are never alone. We have each other… We have stories that help guide us back to truth when we have doubts, which we all experience. Have the best week my friends!
Just ahead… The sunshine is bright!
Saturday morning we were flying in the early morning back to Kansas City after a whirlwind (AKA, very short) trip to help one of my boys get ready for his next adventure.
I almost always sit in the aisle seat, because frankly I can’t stand the idea of being unable to get out of my seat. (That may be a new blog topic… yikes?) What you miss in that seat, of course, is the opportunity to admire where you are and the magnificence around us. Talk about a room with a view.
I knew it was a wet and cold morning back in Kansas City, and yet about 30 minutes before we landed we were still above the billowy white clouds in what seemed like endless sunshine. It was a reminder that struck me, and I want to share in case you need this like I did…
No matter what is going on in your “world” or where you find yourself right this minute – be it immersed in a cold and rainy day, or sitting in the sunshine wondering what in the world is going on in your life (because it seems pretty heavy right now), know that just ahead, there is indeed sunshine. I love this quote, “Every day I have ever had was secretly sunny, after all.” (Caitlin Moran)
What a beautiful thought – let that sink in! Have a strong wrap to your week! You have an entire universe cheering you on!
Sometimes renovation requires demolition
Life is a fun challenge. We all have the opportunity to be the architects and designers of a life well-lived.
What type of life do you want? What makes you feel like you’ve achieved true “wellness?” What needs to happen for you to achieve your purpose? To make sure you are moving forward in those key areas that sometimes show up in these types of conversations – relationships, career, school, spiritual, financial, physical and emotional wellbeing?
The above is a powerful message. What areas need to be completely dismantled? That’s a hard question. Demolition only seems to look good when Chip and Joanna, the team from Fixer Upper, are involved. Can it even be fun?
I believe this statement is true. Sometimes we are on the wrong path… our diets are off track, our spiritual practices are lacking, we are spending too much money on the wrong things, our relationships are not filling us up, and we have some unaddressed emotional challenges.
What is so cool about this idea is that no matter if partial or full on demolition is needed, you have the ability to create an amazing, new space that lights up your life. That opportunity is just on the other side of the decision to act. Now that I can get excited about. How about you?
Let’s make it a STRONG week!
Simple Thoughts Sunday: God meets you at the level of your expectation
I heard this strong message last week and it captured me. The very thought that God meets us where we are is not only comforting, but galvanizing. Whether we are in a mode of praise and gratitude or on a path of seeking and searching… He is there. If we are boldly moving forward with fresh thinking and new plans… He is there. If we find ourselves in a matter of hours (or moments) circulating through emotions of love and struggle… He will also meet us there if we are open to Him.
If we for some reason cannot get to our faith, we can build on a committed focus in 3 key areas (although I’m sure there are many more – so consider this a start):
- Surrounding ourselves with a community of people who are able to lift us up and provide both celebration and accountability.
- Prayer. No matter if it’s a two word prayer (i.e. “help me”) or a specific and verbose prayer – prayer is POWERFUL.
- Reading, listening to or watching messages that contain scripture and teachings that encourage our faith and help us grow in our understanding. One great benefit of our generation is that we have access to almost any type of media available that helps us however we learn best. I love that.
I hope that your faith will grow this week and that it is truly a week of happiness and extreme joy! Let’s all raise our expectations and allow God to step in with whatever we need right now.
It takes a strong person to be kind
An excerpt from Maria Shriver’s short read, “I’ve been Thinking,” was powerful to me:
“We all want to be treated with kindness, because we are all struggling in some way, shape or form. I had to learn this as an adult, because growing up in a large, competitive, and tough Irish Catholic family, I used to confuse kindness with weakness. When I grew up, I learned differently. I now understand that kindness doesn’t mean weakness. You have to be really strong to be kind…You have to be really mindful … A person may look ‘happy on the outside,’ but who knows what’s happening on the inside.”
Some of the strongest people I know are also the kindest. And many have been through or are going through some crazy-hard life situations. They show up with a hug or inspirational words despite facing great loss and suffering. Knowing that was proof enough for Maria’s message to resonate with me.
I know that God has given me enough grace in some of my own “most difficult life experiences” to allow me to “show up” as kind and generous in my actions despite how I really felt inside. I can’t take credit for this because, like most of humanity, I’m not strong enough on my own. I give thanks for that to both by faith and a strong tribe of friends and family that surround me.
Today, be proud of yourself for showing up kind, in the midst of whatever is going on in your life. The ability to do so reveals great strength. I believe we definitely make the world better by showing kindness in every possible moment we can…especially when it’s the hardest to do so. You know what else is fun? Doing so likely will have the outcome of making us feel happier, which is a pretty cool by-product.
Simple Thoughts Sunday: Why you can stand still & hold your peace
Our Easter service last weekend was incredible. Sometimes I think, how in the world can someone tell the story in a different way, and somehow God showed up with a relevant narrative that hit home. I think it might for many of you as well.
The simple message above… stand still and hold your peace. God is indeed fighting for us all. He can take the best and worst parts of our life (and even those decisions we make that might not serve us well) and turn them into something productive.
Why do we, in our humanity, insist on letting our peace fall suspect to the latest concern or challenge? Our minds wander down trails of “what ifs” or “how did I get here,” or “what should I do next.” Sometimes we lose sleep and sometimes we can’t stop talking about whatever “IT” is, which only puts a spot light on something that may even be out of our control entirely.
The bible gives us this great news right at its onset in Exodus 14. “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
The reminder continues throughout the old and new testaments in Romans 8:31, Josh, 1:9 & 23:10, , Ps 44:5, Deut 3:22, Is 40:31. Clearly we needed a constant reminder that in every generation there will be challenges, and we can find rest in knowing God’s in control.
I loved this. I hope you do too. Stand still my friends and hold on to your peace. God’s got this.
