Faith + Motivation

Do you worry a little too much???

December 13, 2020December 13, 2020
by admin

Worry… something I know I shouldn’t do, but I catch myself at times worrying over my children’s choices, finances, my leadership, my guidance with others, not giving enough support to others, and most of all failing. Failure at being a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and administrator. Have you ever felt this way?

I will fail, but it is how I react to the failure to whether I will actually succeed. Big goals and big dreams could come with the consequence of failing. Following God’s plan and call could come with the feeling of failure. Following God’s plan and call doesn’t come with a guarantee that everything will be easy… without worry… without failure, but He will always be there for guidance and discernment. Seal Team: “During these years I’ve learned that being the best, you can’t be afraid to fail.” -Lisa

Being motivated and finding a way to not be so hard on myself is a struggle some days. To stay grounded, peaceful, and worry less, I get up before my family and take time with God. I sit, listen to music, journal, read the scriptures and make connections through reading different books of other Christian writers. How do you decrease your worry?

This next week, I pray that you find your ways to decrease your worry. I pray that you decrease your fears… whatever they might be. I pray that you enjoy this holiday season as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth. I pray that you feel peace, love, and joy. I pray that you live in the moment with enjoyment and contentment.

“Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.” – Matthew 6:34

Inspiration and Self Help

Mistakes and Mercy

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021
by admin

I’m sure that many have experienced a time in their life that they’d rather forget… maybe mostly because of poor decision making skills that were embarrassing, not in good judgement, to fit in the crowd, to not be left out, to escape from reality for a bit. I know I had a time in my life I made many, many mistakes. I know a time in my life where I had two emotions… anger or fake happiness with a fake smile. I am grateful for the opportunity that God gives by offering mercy, so I can experience regeneration. I’m grateful that Jesus gave himself for us, so I can experience rebirth. I am grateful to be filled with Holy Spirit for full renewal. Even though life brings hard decisions, I am grateful that I am strong enough, through this regeneration, rebirth and renewal, to make the choices in which God directs me towards. Will I mess up? I’m sure so… I am human. However, this allows me to do my best with confidence! Have you been bogged down by your decisions? Have you hit depression mode because you feel alone? Has life thrown so much at you that you don’t know which way to turn? Turn heavenward… embrace His mercy. You’re worth it to embrace regeneration, rebirth and renewal. We are His. His mercies are new every morning!

“He saved us – not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy – through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” – Titus 3:5

Inspiration and Self Help

No Pain, No Gain

May 23, 2021
by admin

When I was in college and a counselor at a Methodist church camp, I was avoiding moving from one town to another. So, I decided to stay on our off week at camp. An outside camp was coming in for the week, so I stayed with the lifeguards and offered my help during the day to the staff. This camp was a Muscular Dystrophy camp. Children and youth all over came in to have a wonderful camp experience. During this week, I met this 11 year old boy. He was the life of the party! He was born with shorter limbs which left him wheelchair bound. He was quite the flirt and just loved people. The campers came on Sunday and on Wednesday the families came in for a visit. The week ended on Saturday. This Wednesday all the families came in, but his. As we all gathered in the tabernacle, the families gathered in a circle around the campers. Each camper had worked on a thank you note and craft for their family. As the song “Thank You” played, the campers gave their gifts. It was quite emotional. The lifeguards and I stood on the outside looking in. It was a beautiful site to see. This little boy broke though the circle and wheeled back to us. He stopped in front of me and gave me his thank you note and craft. As I cried, I hugged his neck and told him how special this made me feel. He smiled and wheeled off to hug other friends families. The lifeguards and I realized it was time for us to exit stage left, so we began to quietly leave. He saw us and he wheeled over and stopped me in my tracks. He said, “Emily, I need you to stop crying. All the pain we have here on earth we are gaining all in heaven. Just remember in short… No Pain, No Gain.” WOW, that is one lesson I guess God meant for me to learn. I have remembered this, especially when life was so hard I wasn’t sure what to do. I’m blessed to of known this young boy. I pray that when things get tough, remember Jesus provided the path for us to gain everything in Him.

“For God so loved the world; that He gave us his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” -John 3:16

Inspiration and Self Help

Easter is HERE!

April 6, 2021
by admin

He is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed!!! This week at work, our students learned so many neat facts about the Easter Egg. We learned that the Easter Egg symbolizes “new life”. When reading this scripture about the resurrection, I was drawn to these words. “Then Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28: 18-20The new life Jesus made way for us is for us to be His hands and feet. I’m grateful for the calling He has had upon my life so I can continue to work with the incredible people, children, youth and families He so precisely sets in place. It’s an amazing feeling to be surrounded by those who enjoy teaming with you to be His hands and feet here on earth each day! How are you been called to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

Inspiration and Self Help

Thankful Heart

March 28, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

Psalm 138 gives thanks to God in different ways: song, prayer, promise, words of commitment. Through these ways of giving thanks, we are able to have a thankful heart. Observing those who are humble, we are able to grow in strength and be quite grateful for the right hand that will save me. With the relationship with God that we have established and continue to nurture, He calls us to His purpose. Whether we are fulfilling within our church and/or community, we will continue to cling to hope, seek Him first, strengthen our foundation of faith, accept that He has our back and demonstrate the thankful heart He has given. He will not abandon us when we follow his call. He does not promise that this will be easy, but it will be worth it for the eternal hope He provides. So, what ways will you demonstrate your thankful heart today?

“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. LORD, Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.” – Psalm 138:8

Inspiration and Self Help

Limitless

March 14, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

As humans, we tend to put limits and restraints on everything which closely intertwines with society. However, like Jeffery R. Holland says “we are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions”. The Lent season blog posts have made the connection with hope, seeking first and how God has our back. As we remember these things, A.W. Tozer poses the point of “how completely satisfying to turn from our limitations to a God who has more”. What more does God have for you? My pastor has discussed over the past month or so about our calling. What is God calling you to do? You know, through this Lent season, we see how God called Jesus. Just for us… let’s let that sink in for a moment. God called Jesus just for each of us and for His limitless life. Robert Morris shares that “God has limited His limitless power on this earth to our faith”. As we remember the path in which God called Jesus to travel through these 40 days, we see that Jesus had a faith that understood how there are no limits on what God can do! Now as we travel this path through the Lent season together, we are able to experience our call through the faith in which each have in our God. So today let’s celebrate together that our God is limitless.

Our LORD is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite. -Psalm 147:5

Inspiration and Self Help

He has your back

March 7, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

During our Wednesday Night Bible Study on Exodus, I was impacted by a lot that I have learned so far. I am encouraged by the hope and seeking God first definitely allows for me to see how much God fights for me and how He has my back. When Moses and the Israelite’s were fleeing Egypt and about to escape through the Red Sea, the people questioned Moses. However, Moses gave them confirmation to not be afraid, to stand firm, see God provides, because He has your back… just be quiet. When you are in challenging moments where you feel all alone, even when you are surrounded by family and friends, know that God has your back. All we are to do is to have a big faith filled with hope by seeking Him first, then be quiet and listen to what He has to tell us. Breathe in. Breathe out. Close your eyes. Can you feel the Holy Spirit fill your heart?!? There it is… just smile, He has your back today and every day!

“The LORD will fight for you; you must be quiet.” -Exodus 14:14

Inspiration and Self Help

Don’t Worry, Seek First

February 28, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

With keeping our hope in the LORD as our foundation of thought today, let’s think about what we can let go and add. I remember quite a few years ago during the lent season, a pastor asked for his congregation to not necessarily take something away, but to add something. Each year when lent begins, I am reminded of this request. I do this, but what I have learned over the years is that when I take something away it is more sustainable to discontinue permanently when I add something. Meaning, when we look at this scripture, we see how God requests that we don’t worry. He will fulfill our needs through the hope we have. He cloths us. He feeds us. He gives us something to drink. He even feeds the birds. Do we have such little faith that we can’t give something to Him? Give Him all of us by seeking first and letting go of our worry? This pandemic has left so much worry and grief, let’s today give all this worry to Him and seek first what He needs us to do in order to not take our worry back after the lent season is over.

“This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky; They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them…you of little faith… But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” -Matthew 6:25-34

Inspiration and Self Help

Hope

February 21, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

One day a few years ago I was asked “Do you just live on hope and a prayer?” My quick response was “Of course I do.” In my mind I was thinking, “Seriously, don’t you?”. Over the past 17 years hope has been a word I have clung to. When things were going really good, I hoped they would stay. When things were going okay, I hoped things would go back to the good stage. When things were out right awful, no pulling up, I couldn’t catch my breath, no light at the end of the tunnel, I would cling to hope that God would guide me through the darkness. As we travel through this lent season, we will experience Jesus’ path of darkness where He never lost hope that God would guide Him. Because of His path, we have the opportunity to always have hope and to praise Him no matter what season of life we are in. How amazing is that?!? We have been given the gift of living on a hope and prayer forever and always!

“But I will hope continually and will praise you more and more. -Psalm 71:14

Inspiration and Self Help

Stepping Forward

January 3, 2021January 2, 2021
by admin

New year, new goals? New year, new mindset? New year with no looking back? Yes, all of these can be done, but do we want to not look back? Looking back to see where we have come from… how far we have come… what we have overcome? I think it is important each year to yes set our goals and our mindset in a positive direction that does reflect on what our past experiences might of given us. It’s not easy to look back at times, especially when we have felt sadness, despair, exhaustion, grief, hopelessness, happiness, joy, comfort and many more emotions. However, I think that looking back isn’t a bad thing, but we don’t want to step back when we look back. “It’s not about stepping back to who I was. It’s about stepping forward to who I will be.” – Amy Purdy

The years past don’t have to continue to control our lives, but that reflection can allow us to successfully choose our new goals and new mindset more carefully. “The light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.” – John 1:5 I do believe the light can overcome any darkness, especially when we have God as our light. No matter the unbearable circumstance or fear of not measuring up to the amazing year before, God can help ease the emotion you might be feeling. He does allow us to look back and learn from those challenging and amazing times and move forward as He guides us. I pray that He is the light that will guide you into this new year! Happy New Year, Everybody!

Inspiration and Self Help

The Year of 2020

December 27, 2020December 22, 2020
by admin

As we close the year, I do have to say that yes there have been challenging times, but when I look back there was good times, too! I know that I do always try to look at my cup as being refillable. This year is the year to make sure that I remind myself of that. One of the good things that happened this year is that I was given time to just be and begin to grow with a deeper relationship with God, as well as my family. The level of dependence that I have needed to have to make it through these unprecedented times has been out of my comfort zone.

I am used to being the problem solver and fixer in situations. This year to solve the problems we have had and fix the issues that arose, I had to depend on God and His discernment. I also had to depend on family, friends, and colleagues that God put in my path to help me accomplish these tasks. Asking for help or guidance is difficult for me. I am used to just doing it all myself. This was my greatest blessing this year, though.

During the spring with the stay at home order we were given, I was able to catch up on all my tv shows… ha! On one of the shows there was a scene where the characters were discussing how can a person be happy when so many bad things had happened to them. This was the response… “The worst has already happened. I think life’s gotta give you some good apples with the rotten ones. A balance…” – Link on Grey’s Anatomy

I think this year of 2020 has given some big bad apples and some have left us broken; however, to know that we were given time to reflect, restore, and reset with God leaves us with quite a unique balance. Take the time to find the balance and see the good through the bad. Take time to just be. Find who you are in this new normal. Remember God made you to fulfill His plan for you… just be to see.

“Be still and know I am God…” – Psalm 46:10

Blog