Category: Inspirations

 

People always say, “If Plan A fails, then go to Plan B.”  Nobody tells you what to do when Plan B fails also.  Do you continue creating plans until you run out of alphabets?  Of course not!  We all know that God decides the ultimate plan.  So why do we spend so much time trying to fix stuff, when some of our greatest successes came from things that didn’t make sense?  Probably because it is hard to acknowledge, that we control very little of our day-to-day circumstances.  To be honest, we control none of them.  Every thought we have and every decision we make comes from God, or whoever your higher being may be.  It is when you run out of options that you focus on the presence of God in your life.  He was there all the time; you just didn’t reach out to Him until things got out of hand. I know it’s easier said than done, but we could save ourselves a lot of stress if we followed God’s plan from the beginning.  I will be the first to tell you that I have gone through Plan A, B, C, and D many times.  So my words are only words of encouragement, not words of perfection.  It is a daily struggle to listen for God’s voice and know it when I hear it.  I question all my decisions before I make them, and most times after I have made them.  Sometimes I don’t get the answers until the situation has blown up in my face.  And other times I don’t get an answer at all.  In those cases I just try to find the good in whatever circumstance I find myself.  As an organized and in control person, I am learning to not expect outcomes that I can’t control.  I see every mishap as a chance to expand my outlook.  I remind myself that when Plan A doesn’t work out, then God has something bigger and better in store for me.  The hardest part is waiting on the manifestation.  I try not to give up, give out, or give in to the temptation to solve the problem my way.  I remember when God found me, and that helps me to see my disappointments as God’s appointment.  So, when you absolutely trust God there is no Plan B!

Have you ever paid close attention to young children when they first learn how to read a book?  As you try to read the story to them, with hopes that some day they will turn those pages and read to themselves, you notice that they are rushing to turn the pages to their favorite part of the story.  Now if it’s a pop-up book, then their little fingers are all over the place as they turn those pages.  The expression on their face says it all.  The joy they feel getting to the page that they were anxiously anticipating.  Why can’t we do the same thing in our lives?  Why do we feel that we have to read every page of life?  Sometimes it’s okay to just skim the surface for the main details of the story.  There are pages in our book that will pop-up as well.  So let’s learn how to move our fingers ever so anxiously, as we turn pages to our favorite part of life.  You decide how fast to read, which pages to linger on, and when to close the book.  Just turn the page!

 

As I flung myself across my bed last week and cried my eyes out, I had no idea that in less than 48 hours I would be giving thanks for the very same thing I was crying about.  God really does have jokes!  The problem is, we don’t always find them to be funny when they are coming at us left and right.  I spend a lot of time encouraging people to keep the faith, don’t panic, look for the message in the mess, etc.  You name it, I have said it in so many ways, but we all have a breaking point.  I literally cried until I could not breathe.  Why am I telling you this?  Because somebody out there needs to know that they are human.  They need to know that it’s okay to have emotions and not pretend to be tough all the time.  Even the motivator needs motivating.  The best dressed person in the room is going through something although they may not look like it.  We all cover up when we have to.  Only our closest confidants know what we really go through.  And that’s okay.  Everybody’s business is nobody’s business.  If you only knew!

There is nothing that can replace the high of having all your balls in the air at the same time, and none of them dropping.  It’s a juggler’s dream!  Well, life is not always like that.  No matter how much you think you have control of a situation, there are always unseen elements.  Your task is to hold onto the faith that brought you to that place, even though the earlier joy may not be as prevalent.  It is not possible, nor is it healthy, to remain on cloud nine for an extensive period of time.  The body was not built for that, because the ebbs and flow of life is what keeps us balanced internally.  Can you imagine what your heart would do if you continually bounced off the wall on a daily basis.  Not to mention the fact that you wouldn’t get much done, and the people around you would be taken aback.  I know, because the few times when I do find myself bouncing, I have been called crazy, and most recently, “turnt up.”  The slang definition of TURN UP is “Hyped, Excited, Wild.”  An expression used for people who are so full of life that they walk, talk, and ooze excitement for no apparent reason to others.  Since nobody knows why you are joyful, they automatically prejudge you before you get a chance to speak.  I know there is proper emotional protocol in most situations, but sometimes excitement just sneaks up on you.  And then there is the low!  Every high has a low. 

Life is good when you really know who you are.  It never ceases to amaze me when I watch my enemies plan and scheme to take me out, and then watch God turn it all around for my good.  I am not bragging, but I am giving credit where credit is due.  My God has always taken care of me in every situation, so I expect nothing less when I encounter obstacles.  I am not saying that I don’t have any trials or tribulations, it’s just that I have learned to keep the peace when I am caught in less than peaceful circumstances.

If you trust God to fight your battles, then you must take off the armor.  For most of us that is a hard thing to do, because we are looking at the situation through our eyes and how we want it to turn out.  Patience is the key.  Timing is everything when it comes to God.  He will not give you what you are not ready for, and He will not take you out the class until you have learned the lesson.  The more I trust God, the more I am able to trust Him.  Now I’ve gotten to the point where I ask for everything that I want and expect it.  If it does not arrive in my timeframe, I know that God is working behind the scenes. So, I just stay in my lane and watch people pass by thinking they are getting to next stop faster than I am.  When we both arrive at the corner the same time, I watch them wonder how I made it.  Just like the Hare and the Tortes.

Life is easy.  Don’t make it complicated.  You don’t always have to be in the lead.  All of us are seeking the same thing, but going about it in different ways.  God is working in everyone’s life.  I don’t need to step over you to get to where I am going.  I can stop a second and pick you up on the way.  There is enough of everything in this universe for everyone to get their share.  With God there is no lack.  When you live your life as though the world belongs to God and nobody can stop your blessing, then you have awakened to a newfound peace.

I am a leader by nature and no matter where you place me I am going to exhibit some kind of leadership skills.  Women tend to see it as controlling, whereas, men appreciate it.  I am unapologetic about this characteristic, because most leaders have no problem leading.  So, go ahead, throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack!

No matter how hard we try there is no way to solve the world’s problems.  But I do recall reading somewhere in my bible, that God said we are His hands and His heart.  It is so easy to look around and see who is going to meet the need when it presents itself to us.  How many times have you passed up an opportunity to be the answer to someone’s prayer?  How many times have you had a conversation and said, “It’s a shame that he/she is going through such a hard time?”  Did it ever cross your mind that god may have put that person in your path so you could be the vehicle of help?  This week God has been teaching me about His provision and how much I really need.  We all do spring cleaning and give our stuff to Goodwill.  But I’m not talking about cleaning out your closet.  I’m talking about sharing with others from your abundance, whether that means giving your old laptop to a friend because you got a new one, or giving from your overflow of finances.  I have realized that the more I give the more I receive.  Please know that you can never outgive God.  I dare you to try it!

There are so many days when life throws you a curve ball and all you can do is say, “Lord have mercy!”  Many of the things that we go through in life are not of our own making.  It is a result of the universe making all things work for the good of those who love Him.

When we think about “Heart Month,” we not only think about the heart as an organ subject to a heart attack, but we also think of the heart as the center of our actions.  Most of our responses to various situations come from the heart.  When someone “breaks” your heart, you get a different reaction than when someone pulls at your “heartstring.”  I’m not just talking about relationships.  It can break your heart to see someone fail at life when you know their potential.  On the other hand it can pull at your heartstring when you see your child or friend struggling to make ends meet.  Even though you may be barely getting by yourself, a part of you still wants to help out.

We’re talking about the HEART!  The heart is not only an instrument of love, but it’s also a place of right decision making.  We have all heard the saying, “just follow your heart.”  Often times we want to say and do whatever comes to mind, but being a child of God, you have to make decisions based on what Jesus would do.  In the past few months, I have had situations where I did not want to follow the heart of God.  It would have given me so much satisfaction many times to just scream and holler all the thoughts that were going through my mind.  But I thank God, that I have a heart after Him.  Sometimes that’s the only thing that keeps us sane.  A heart of God!   Those are the times when you know that if it wasn’t for God, the you that you know, would have handled it differently.

Then there are times when someone “steals” your heart.  Like my three-year-old grandson.  Now I already have a twenty-three-year-old granddaughter, but when she was born it was nothing like having my grandson.  I think it has a lot to do with the fact that there are so many girls in the family, and now we have a boy.  Plus, boys are so different with their interactions and curiosity.  My grandson has been so amazing in the way that he retains knowledge, every since he was able to turn his head.  We immediately noticed his keen observation of his surroundings at such a young age.  I just started calling him a genius, because I wanted to speak that into his life.  Now at age three he is smart as a whip.  So, someone can also “steal” your heart as well.

At the end of the day, the only heart that matters is the one you’ve given to God.

 

“There is no Path Unless You Take a Step”

How many of us spend time asking God to order our footsteps and direct our pathway?  Yeah!  We pray during our meditation and we throw it out there when we talk to others, but do we really practice what we preach?  Do we allow God to order our footsteps or do we just step in mess everywhere we go?  There are days when you see mess a mile away and you still walk right into it.  You hear conversations that you know will lead to nothing positive, yet you still take part in them.  Take a step back sometimes and be quiet!

Now let’s talk about stepping into your greatness!  You are the only who knows when you are in your element.  Whether it’s on the job or working on your dream career on the side.  You know when you hit that stride and you are operating in the will of God.

What about the times when we just stand still because we don’t know which way to go?  We want the path to be clear before us when we take that step.  We want all the answers.  We want to ensure that we will not fail.  Good luck!  As long as you feel that way then you will be still standing there, wondering what your life would have been like had you stepped out on faith.

I told a friend the other day, “I am so excited about my life at this moment, because the only thing that I have to balance is my excitement.”  I am putting on my first “Geri Speak” Seminar in Charleston, SC, and there are no words to explain my joy!  Although I have done this for many years in Virginia, it feels good to finally come full circle.  I give God all the praise, because I waited for His timing, and did not step out on my own.  There is no path unless you take a step!

I am not the kind of person who complains a lot or complains for no reason.  However, if I am a regular customer at your business and something is not right I will let you know. Today I stopped at two grocery stores to grab three items.  Both stores are upscale grocery markets that I visit every two weeks for the same items.  I am a creature of habit!  One store sells my eight-piece baked chicken, and the other store sells my yogurt.  At my first stop to get my chicken, all the packages were over-cooked.  After searching, I picked the least worst of them.  While headed to the register I decided to let the manager know and ask for a reduced price.  The manager ended up giving me the chicken free, as well as the can of milk that I was going to purchase.

The bible says, “You have not because you ask not.”  Since I believe the bible, I ask for what I want in life.  But back to the story!  My next stop was to pick up my yogurt.  This is also where I get my expensive Tiramisu, a popular coffee-flavored Italian dessert, when I have something to celebrate.  Before I left home I had already told myself that I cannot have Tiramisu today because of my budget.  Well, guess what!  Now that I just saved $6.50 at the other grocery store, I can afford my favorite dessert.  Ask not, get not!

 

 

“Dreams Have No Color”

“I took part in a women’s seminar on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, where I was the only Black woman in the room.  The seminar opened with Dr. Martin Luther King’s full “I Have a Dream” speech, followed by a five minute “Dream – Motivational Video” by Will Smith.  I firmly believe that it was no coincidence that a group of white women, including the organizer, would be watching a Dr. King Speech, and a Will Smith video to commemorate the King Holiday.

We talked about how to realize your dreams in spite of the daily distractions of life.  Time is something that you never get back, so we have to be mindful of how and who we give our time to.  Networking and social media are a major part of today’s business dealings, but we need to make sure that we are sharing ideas and space with like-minded people.

We played musical tables (two people take turns sharing their elevator speech and their dream with each other), then critique each other and write it down.  You get to keep your paper throughout the rotation.  Although the conversation was mainly about our dreams and goals, we also talked about our personal lives.  I was shocked when one lady said she was told that her only career choices were nurse, secretary, or teacher.  That’s the same thing I was told.  For some reason I always thought it was a black thing.  Had no idea that white women were steered down the same career path as black women.

At the end of the seminar, you came with a dream, which you shared with everyone in the room.  After positive feedback and critiquing, including how the other person can help you succeed, you left with a plan, which was the intention of the organizer.  Never seen anything like it!  I have a newfound energy and zest for life and the vision that I have laid out for myself.  In addition, I have some new colleagues who are ready and willing to help me succeed on my journey, and I likewise.