Close friends are priceless and rare.  For me, certain traits are consistent among those I consider true friends.   All my close friends have heart.  It might not be obvious to everyone who knows them, but all live life from the perspective of love.  Some might not live with love fully exposed, but pulling back the layers reveals the true core.  Living from a perspective of love promotes kindness and compassion.  My close friends are people who choose to react with kindness.  We enjoy seeing others succeed. I trust my true friends.  Listening to their perspective helps me broaden my focus…

It takes self-control to conquer evil with good.  Allowing someone to blow off a little steam yet responding with compassion in your voice and nonverbal communication. Some of the most difficult times for me to respond with love are when I’m caught off guard and tired.  I can handle difficult situations, but when I walk into a tense situation or am involved in something spontaneously, I need muscle memory to help me quickly respond in the desired way. When thrown into the boxing arena, I want to stay calm and tactical.  I am not an experienced fighter and…

Trusting the process is often difficult when we see results.  When we trust in Jesus we are doing so without seeing.  We can gain knowledge from The Bible,  witness miracles, attend church, participate in bible studies, worship through the arts, fellowship, prayer, etc.  For me, it boils down to love and trust in Jesus.   Without a doubt, I trust that Jesus has my back.  Things don’t always go the way I anticipate or desire, but I trust without waiver.  The inner peace I feel when I live every day from a perspective of love is something I am unwilling…

Everyone’s potential is uniquely their own.  We all have different strengths and weaknesses to refine if we are up to the challenge.  If we are open, Jesus will work with us to help us reach our highest potential.  It is important for me to set aside some time to focus on my physical and mental self, but sometimes I forget to think about how others perceive me.  How well am I communicating to others and how well am I received? It is a challenge, but I work at shutting out all the chaos around me and focusing on refining…