Category: Blog

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Be Your Own Rescue

There are a number of agencies and organizations in the world designed strictly to assist people who are less fortunate than others.  No matter how many systems you put in place to screen applicants there will always be someone who will take advantage of the programs.  I recall many years ago when a friend of mine said she was going to put her children names on the “Angel Tree,” a system designed to allow people with more to purchase and drop-off toys and clothes for those less fortunate.  I knew that my friend could afford to shop for her children’s Christmas presents, so I asked her why would she do that.  Her response was, so her kids would get more gifts.

I’m the kind of person who always feels guilty about accepting handouts even if I need them.  I remember when I was on public assistance with my first child, I kept telling my mother that I wanted to find a job because I hated having to depend on that tiny little check and food stamps.  Even today I have to be at my wits end before I go to anyone for assistance.  On the few occasions in my adult life when I lost a job or my financial situation took a turn, I was able to snap back to reality without the world knowing the magnitude of my situation.  I’ve been to food banks but never to clothes closets, and I still visit the food pantry at my church on occasion, because there is always more food than the congregation can take.  It does help when you can pick up a few veggies or occasional meat before you do your grocery list.

Unfortunately there are many in this world who always have their hands out and no matter what you do it never seems to be enough.  I firmly believe that after a certain age in life it is mandatory that you be your own rescue.  I don’t mean that you should never borrow money or a cup of  sugar, but how many times are you going to start over and keep asking people to hold you up while you get back on your feet?

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Who’s Pushing Your Swing?

Who’s pushing your swing? The other day during my bible study this title came to mind. As I was reading my devotional materials I came across something that made me see myself as a little girl on a swing.  In this  video of the mind I saw me trying to swing higher and higher by pushing off with my feet.  What I realized was I could only go so high and the height lasted for a very short period of time.  It took quite a bit of energy using my feet to propel myself.  I thought about giving up because the height that I reached did not merit the amount of energy that it took to get there.  There are situations in life where we spend too much energy trying to create stuff, when all we have to do is ask someone else to push us.  When someone else pushes us it not only relieves the need to be in control while using our own energy, it also allows us to reach higher heights.  In doing that, the thrill of the ride is more enjoyable and it seems as though you remain at the height a lot longer.

Who’s pushing your swing? Are you reaching the heights that you deserve or are you still operating in your own power to push?  Have you considered having God push your swing?  The heights that He is willing to take you, and the destiny that He has for you is unimaginable. We will have pain along the way, but misery is optional.  We can decide how we will react to the pain that inevitably comes to us all.  Will you spend your time blaming the world as you shuffle your feet at the playground and watch everyone else swinging high?  Or will you tell pride to take a seat the next time life takes you outside of your comfort zone?  When you find yourself swinging without a partner, why not ask someone else to push your swing?

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Call the Meeting to Order

Call the meeting to order!  In business we have no problem setting the tone when it comes to meetings.  We have several ways to get people’s attention before starting a meeting.  So why do we hesitate to bring order to our lives?  Stop scanning the horizon of your life looking for things that need to be done, concentrate on the task before you.  Even if you tried, there is no way that you can handle all the thoughts in your head.  It’s like being in a meeting with everybody speaking at once.  You need to say, “Hold on!  We can’t get anything done with all of us talking at the same time.  Let one person talk while the others listen.”  Try doing that with your daily thoughts. Our thoughts are flighting and they will move on when replaced with another thought.  You really can decide how long a thought will take up space in your mind.  The most important thing to determine is what to do right now.  Although you may have a vision for the end result, it is imperative that you outline steps to help you get there.  Small accomplishments on a consistent basis will be the fuel needed to make it through to the other side.  Don’t allow others to take over your meeting by forcing their thoughts and patterns on your life.  Do you with confidence!

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Does Faith Minimize Danger or Magnify God’s Presence

I’ve heard that without faith it is impossible to please God. At first I didn’t understand that statement, however as time passes I realize that nothing can be accomplished without faith.  It takes faith to sit in a chair, although we don’t acknowledge we have faith that the chair will hold us.  Without faith most of what we do would not get done.  Why place your money in a bank if you didn’t have faith in them to safely maintain your funds?  Who gets in a car to take a trip without faith that you will arrive at your destination?  Would you get in an airplane if you didn’t have faith in the pilot to fly the plane?  There will always be dangers in this world, but faith does not minimize the danger, it magnifies God’s presence.  It pleases God when we trust and depend on Him for guidance and understanding.  Making a move on faith ignites the heart of God and shows that you are aware of how little control you have in life.  Anyone can believe in what they see, but it takes a true relationship with God to believe in the unseen.

For many years I have lived my life on faith, especially during the times when I had no idea if I was making the right moves. Leaving home at age fifty-five and venturing to a new state alone was a major turning point for me.  Now at age sixty-three I am fearless when it comes to stepping out on faith and trusting God to lead the way.  I understand that being a Christian does not mean no pain, however, it does mean that I will use that pain to propel me to a bigger and better awareness of my purpose here on earth.  I am constantly reminding myself that all that I go through is not about me.  What I go through will prepare me to share, teach, and assist others when they go through similar situations.  How can I point you in the right direction if I have never been there myself?  How would I know that everything is going to be alright if I never experienced a situation that proved it?  I challenge you to keep the faith no matter what it looks like!

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The Universe Never Defaults on its’ Payments

The universe never defaults on its’ payments if you walk by faith and not by sight.  A person who truly believes that all things work for their favor knows that you can expect a return on whatever you put out into the universe.  You should wake up every day like it’s Christmas, with a childlike spirit expecting God to show up with gifts under your tree of life.  I’m talking about things that you believe and pray for yourself, not others.  You cannot expect the universe to give to others what you pray for them.  Everyone is responsible for their own prayer life and level of belief.  That does not mean that you stop praying for them, it simply means that you pray with the intention of hoping that person will be affected by your prayer life, and in turn start believing for their own blessings.  Like people say, you can take a horse to the water but you can’t make him drink.  Although as humans we sometimes default on the payments that we owe in life, the universe always pays its’ bills on time.  Not man’s time, but God’s time.

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Preach to Yourself

Filip Zrnevic @filipz 

I imagine it has to be hard for a preacher to stand before a family during a funeral, and tell them how good God is when they have just lost a loved one. I often wonder if my pastor ever feel like not preaching on Sunday.  There has to be some down times when she wonders where her God is.  I’m sure there is a teacher who wakes up and would prefer not to teach that day?  There has to be some sad moments when they think about the school violence and killings.   How do you continue to bring a word of healing to a family, a congregation, or a classroom?

As I looked at my little notes of paper with statements on them, which I use each month to create my column, I realized that I am that preacher and that teacher. So I decided not to follow any of the notes, but instead I will preach to myself.  No matter how hard it is to do what God has called you to do, there is always a silver lining to be found.  I thank God that I have not lost a loved one to death.  None of my family members who are in school have experienced a school shooting, and yes there are days when I don’t feel like writing or speaking, but somehow I manage to make it through, because someone needs to hear my message.  I urge you today to push pass possible and do the thing that you feel is the hardest to do, because that may be the thing that will bring you the most joy and God the most glory.  Continue to preach to yourself!

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Look Inside Yourself

Sometimes the only direction to look is inside yourself.  Someone said to me a few years ago, “If the common denominator is always you, then maybe you need to reevaluate how you do things.” As hard as I have tried to do that over the years I still find myself second-guessing my second-guessing.  As human beings, no matter what we do we will never get it right every time.  The curve balls that come your way are there to course correct you whenever possible.  Your findings should allow you to take ownership where you need to and move on. Never allow one mistake to deter all the good that you have done.  In a world where mental illness is rampant and hatred has a seat on the front row, don’t allow yourself to go down that road.  It is so easy to throw in the towel and say, “Woe is me.”  Life is short and precious.  Make peace wherever you can and leave the rest up to God.

 

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Who is Geri and why does she speak

Who is Geri Speak?  I am a thirty-two year breast cancer survivor, and I speak because God blesses me to wake every day to the miracle of life.  I speak as a vehicle of inspiration and motivation for those who need to know that they matter.  It’s not about the degrees and job descriptions that I have on record.  It’s about making a difference in the life of another.  God has given me a unique eye on life and the ability to turn negatives into positives.  Through metaphors and a bit of humor, I am able to show the light at the end of a tunnel, to others who may be going through a rough time.  Sometimes all it takes is to know that someone else has been where you are.

As a speaker, author, and free-lance writer, my mission is to help people appreciate the space between where they were and where they are, while getting excited about where they are going. Every message I write or speak is for ME first, and is based on my personal experience!  I have been through what I’ve been through in order to help you go through.

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Making Decisions Based on Wrong Problem

Don’t make decisions based on the wrong problem.  Most of us have heard the saying, “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.” There are so many ways to look at that statement.  At times we are so quick to try to resolve a problem before we have weighed all the options on the table.  When you panic you cause your brain to stop processing information in a logical way.  Your focus becomes the end result rather than looking at things from the perspective of the “why.”  We all want things to go as planned and we hate when that doesn’t happen.  But let’s be clear, all things happen for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.  So, the next time your world gets turned upside down know that this did not take God by surprise.  He saw it coming way before you experienced it.  And the greatest part of the story is, He knows the intended outcome.  Relax and watch the situation work in your favor.

Although you may be the best planner and organizer, that does not mean that the universe will always be in alignment with you.  We live in a world of humans, therefore our plans may sometimes be contingent upon others.  Many things are beyond our control but God is the ultimate conductor of MY orchestra, and the final song always belongs to Him.  I’m a small instrument that allows myself to be used in His song.  Together we make perfect music!

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Don’t Let Time Master You

Sana Suvarna @sanaSuvarna 

Don’t let time master you!  People think that I am joking when I say, “I am so organized that I get on my own nerves.” Being organized is a blessing and a curse because when you meet someone who is NOT organized, it is extremely difficult to keep your mouth shut.  I’ve had so many occasions where I just want to tell somebody, “It really doesn’t have to be that hard. You make it that way because you fail to plan and organize your time, day, week, or whatever.”  Remember, “no” is not a bad word.  You can use it and mean it when you say it.  I use it a lot and never waste time defending my “no.”

Give me five minutes and I can run down my daily schedule and throw in most of what’s happening the rest of the week. That includes what time I have my coffee, what time I do my meditation, bible study and breakfast.  I know the night and time of my TV shows; I don’t do much daytime TV.  Also, as a business woman I have a schedule of activities devoted to my business.  There are days for creating content, marketing, advertising, business meetings and live videos.  With everything in life you get out what you put in.  Do the work, and when you have done all you can, then let it go and watch the results.  It is better to let things happen than it is to try and make things happen.