AUTHOR, SPEAKER, WRITER
“Play to Win”
What are you banking on? Your job, your experience, your connections, your money or your God?
Temptation is always there starring us in the face and trying to push us into the unknown world of excitement and pleasure. There are a number of things that might make you give into temptation. Here are a few:
We need to learn how to move through life with courageous partnerships, so check your circle!
Gratitude Over Negative! As I drove to Locust Grove, VA recently for a short getaway, I caught myself slipping into that complaining spirit. It’s natural to slip into negative thought patterns from time to time, but it’s important to recognize when this is happening and make an effort to shift our perspective. Expressing gratitude is a great way to redirect our thoughts and focus on the positive aspects of our life.
Traffic was very light on the freeway all the way there and I was quite joyful. Then I turned off the highway onto a 35 mile or so, one lane highway, with no passing. Lord it was up and down, and around the bend and back again for the longest time. Of course I couldn’t follow the posted speed limit because the roads were so winding and I didn’t know where I was going. That’s when the complaining spirit kicked in. You can try to make a habit of focusing on the things you are thankful for, even during challenging times, to maintain a more optimistic outlook on life. After a moment, I quickly asked God for his forgiveness. I said, “Lord I asked you to broaden my horizons and you have done just that, as I embark upon the journey today, on my way somewhere I’ve never been before, to meet someone I don’t know, who invited me to join them at a Black-Tie affair, with a free ticket included. God I thank you and you have permission to smack my hand and shut me up! I’m so sorry for complaining about what I asked for. I thank you Lord for this new version of me and the woman that I am becoming.”
I am so glad that I was able to catch myself in the moment and shift my perspective towards gratitude. It’s natural to sometimes feel frustrated or impatient when we encounter challenges or unexpected obstacles on our journey, but it’s important to remember that these experiences can also provide us with opportunities for growth and learning. By focusing on the positive aspects of your journey and expressing gratitude for the new experiences and opportunities that come your way, you can cultivate a more positive outlook on life and enjoy the journey to its fullest. Gratitude can be a powerful tool to shift our focus from what we lack to what we have. Focusing solely on the destination can cause us to miss out on the experiences, growth, and joy that can be found in the journey. The journey itself can be full of valuable lessons, opportunities for personal development, and moments of joy and connection with others. By savoring the journey, we can appreciate the small moments that make life meaningful and create memories that will last a lifetime. So, enjoy the journey, and don’t forget to stop and smell the roses along the way!
Fire makes the beauty last! We all may have heard the story of the Potter who tells us that the pot is not finished until it goes through the fire. Have you ever felt like you are going through the fire? This happened to me recently and I was at my wits end. One day I had been shut out of my Facebook Page twice and had to recreate my password. Then the next day my computer was hacked and my page was switched from English to a foreign language, and in the process of trying to get the language switched back I clicked on something that completely locked my page. Needless to say, I was done, so I stopped everything I was doing in the office, texted my daughter and asked her to stop by after work to fix the problem. Once that situation was removed from my brain I decided to drive Uber and make me some money. By 6pm the problem was solved and I was $43 richer after driving two and a half hours! Won’t He do it? Remember, sometimes you have to go through the fire in order for the true beauty to be realized!
Need a little R and R? You think I’m talking about “rest and relaxation” don’t you? Of course I am, but that’s not the most important part of the message. Sitting in church on Sunday I marveled as my pastor broke it down and explained R&R from a whole different perspective. Most of this is exactly what I heard and some is me putting my own spin on it. Take what you need and leave the rest! The first “R” is Restraint: Sometimes we need to show divine restraint and remove ourselves away from the noise of the TV, the phone, social media, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Tic Tok, and face time. We need to learn how to say “no” so we can help the many, but not all. Learn how to say “yes” to some requests, but not all. Learn how to join some groups, but not all. Learn how to take care of yourself and not everyone else. The second “R” is Retreat: Yes! We need go somewhere for prayer and reflection, whether it means getting up a little earlier than everyone else in the house, or setting aside time at night after things have calmed down. Retreat may also involve going off from the crowd to a solitary place. Maybe even travel to spend time alone with God, so you can talk to Him and He can talk to you. It’s all about getting ready for your elevation, while eliminating your stress and preparing you for your next opportunity. Is God calling you to a place of R and R – Restraint and Retreat?
A Promise to Serve! Once again I have some key points from a previous Sunday sermon. I’m so happy that I have found a permanent church home since returning to Virginia. I don’t recall taking these many notes in a service before, and I love that God has placed it on my heart to share with others. Today’s message has three points: 1) Service and love is linked together. Love is essential to service because love covers our mess-ups and mistakes that would disqualify us from serving one another. What we love we are willing to serve. 2) We need to hone into hospitality, which Webster defines as “loving strangers.” Think about Chic-Fil-A, and you realize that theirs is the epitome of hospitality from the moment you enter to the time you are handed your order. Another example, Doubletree Hotel gives a warm chocolate chip cookie. Let’s be intentional about hospitality, and it may look different than the way we used to do it. 3) We are charged to serve. That means prioritizing the needs of others over ourselves sometimes. We must serve our God, our Church, and our Community. We have many gifts given as service to us and others. Use your gifts! It’s time to serve. There’s no expiration date. You have a charge to serve as long as you are breathing!
Faith Never Fails! When I moved from South Carolina back to my home state of Virginia a year ago this month, I had no idea what the future would hold but I knew who holds the future. Trust me when I tell you that South Carolina does not owe me anything, however the peace and tranquility that I have found back in Virginia cannot be matched. I’m sitting here today and looking out my office window inside my beautiful apartment complex, where I previously thought I didn’t want to live when I drove through the parking lot three years ago. I must say that I’m oh so glad that God did not take my words at that time but chose to make me eat them when I later came to view the property and apply for housing. Faith never fails because I had faith that God would always do what’s best and give me the location that fit my needs for such a time as this. Looking back over this past year I have lacked nothing and continued to prosper in all areas of my life. Although I slowed down on social media and my speaking engagements for awhile, I continued to write, go LIVE, and share my testimonies with my friends, my family, my Uber riders, and anyone that I came in contact with who was willing to listen. I never stopped giving God the glory and He never stopped ceasing to amaze me. It’s been quite a year and I am forever grateful for the life that I’m living on the other side. Six months after moving here I wrote my seventh book, “On The Other Side of This – From Pain to Purpose to Peace,” which captures parts of my journey here, along with journal entries throughout the Pandemic. Grab your copy right here on my site.
Photo: Richmond Free Press
As I was sitting here reading the Richmond Free Press, it gave me an idea for my blog. I had felt the urge to write today but wasn’t sure what to share. There are so many cherished holiday memories from growing up in the country, and I mean the real country. No stoplights in my little town until after I graduated from college.
The holidays were always a big deal in my house with the wood burning heater and stove, the outdoor toilet and the well where we got our water. Before we moved to this house with electricity, I recall having a small pine tree in my room with a battery and a flashlight bulb taped on top so it lit up. That’s the only holiday memory I have from that particular house. Once we moved up the hill to the house with electricity, our Christmas got so much better. We could always count on getting a red wagon so we could haul firewood from the woodpile, and doll babies, and of course the year we got our bikes was a major surprise. Another interesting part of the holidays was the fact that the only time we got apples and oranges were Christmas, along with nuts and the hard Christmas candy. Each of us got a separate brown bag with our goodies in it. I really don’t recall any presents being wrapped under the tree. I believe everything was just kinda there and mom told us who got what. Of course, we were told that Santa Claus bought it all.
No return address! Have you ever received a piece of mail that you sent out, but it came back with the words, “Return to Sender – Address Unknown?” I’m sure we all have had that happen to us. I’ve even had mail returned where it was sent to a forwarding address and THAT address was unknown. WOW!
There may be times when you show up in a room where you know that you are going to be uncomfortable, but God has a reason for putting you in that room. There is something about your energy or your ability to transcend the obvious and get to the necessary! There are things that will be sent to you by the Universe, and you can’t return them. They came for a reason and to serve a purpose.
When I moved from South Carolina to Virginia, I had three return addresses. I had the address I was supposed to be moving to when I left SC. I had a P.O. Box as soon as I could get a driver’s license that proved I was a Virginia resident, and I had a third address, which was where I actually ended up living for a few months. Sometimes God may send you to places without a “Return Address,” because He doesn’t want you to see a way out! We always want to know what the final outcome will be before we take on certain tasks. But when you are on an assignment for God there will be many days and nights when you are wondering why was I sent to do this? Why am I out here in no man’s land trying to help somebody who sometimes doesn’t even want my help? There are certain assignments on your life that only you can fulfill. Recently we talked about FEAR in a Zoom meeting. The fear of things that scare us, and why and how do we get pass that fear. One answer was, “Do it afraid,” another suggested that you “do as much research as possible before taking a leap.”
Having “No return address” creates a situation where we MUST face our fear because the letter or the package (that thing you are afraid of), is being delivered to you whether you want it or not. It’s not gonna be returned and it’s gonna keep showing up until you deal with it, because it has “No Return Address!”
If we can respect the fact that everyone is going through something, then we will find it much easier to be a flower in life’s sidewalk as well as recognize when someone is showing up as a flower in our sidewalk. I recall seeing this picture of a flower growing up through a crack in the pavement and it reminded me that there’s always an opportunity for growth in the least expected places. We often hear people say, “I was at the right place at the right time.” This happens when we are open to life’s possibilities in spaces that don’t necessary look like they have something to offer us. I have come to believe that when you operate in a place of love, generosity, hope, joy, excitement and unselfishness, then the universe will always show up with what you need from others and what you need to be for others. I praise God for the peaceful life that He has given me for such a time as this. I am experiencing such a Right, Rewarding, Relationship with Him and everyone who enters my presence. Today, think about where you can be a flower in the sidewalk of someone’s life.