As our dog and I walk through the neighborhood I see reflections. I watch the trees and leaves dancing on the water, with the sunshine magnifying the true beauty of nature around me. A similar beauty is seen in people as I live my daily life. There is a certain peacefulness within some people that radiates similarly to the reflections of nature. With people, I see it as love that radiates from their hearts. Just as there are times when one can see the pain and suffering of an individual, one can also see people who radiate authentic happiness and…
What does it take for us to believe we are worthy of love? There are times when our surroundings are influencing us in ways that are negative to our overall self-esteem. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we have the courage to fight for ourselves. Before we believe that we are worthy of love and can accept love. On my own, I don’t know if I could navigate the struggles in this world. It is my faith that gives me the ability to have confidence in myself and peace with my decisions. I rely on prayer…
Do I roll over and take the attack? Do I move forward accomplishing the challenge at whatever cost? Do I consider how the challenge is affecting others? I do my best to give my challenges to Jesus. I don’t roll over and give up, but I allow myself to be led by prayer and faith. Prayer is a constant in my life including when faced with challenges. Prayer spares me from stress and worry and allows me to give it to God. I listen for possible alternatives and work at uncovering all the possibilities that become present in my…
I am guided by faith daily, but there are times when I am unsure if I am making the right decision regarding the problem at hand. Sometimes it is difficult for me to decipher the signs. I am always relieved when I feel a rush running through my body because I am then confident I am on the correct path. If I have a pit in my stomach, I immediately know to change course. When I am struggling with direction regarding a specific issue, I first pray and ask for guidance. I ask Jesus to please block my path if…
There is a lot going on in the world, way too much fighting and turmoil for my liking. I choose peace. That doesn’t mean I ignore what is going on around the world but it does mean that I don’t allow the events to bring unnecessary stress, anxiety, and depression to my life. As we watch television and interact with social media it is difficult to keep emotions in check. We get drawn in and before we even realize our emotions drift and worry surfaces. It is difficult to find a balance between having awareness and concern for…
What is it that makes us scared to put all of our faith in Jesus? Some of us are well versed in the Bible, devoted to prayer, faithful in attending worship services, and/or generally live our lives by the “golden rule.” If we are doing some or all of those things, what makes us hesitant to surrender to Jesus? Could it be that we think we have surrendered to Jesus, but in reality are still in control of our daily lives? I have found that I frequently have to surrender and give up control. I surrender and shortly after…
It is time to restore our self-esteem, faith, and hope. A recurring theme as I walk through life is stress and anxiety. In years past it is not something that has been part of my everyday conversations. Currently, there is seldom a day that goes by without having a serious conversation with someone regarding a form of stress or anxiety. I believe all the stress and anxiety people are facing puts a strain on our self-esteem. We start to question if we are enough. We begin to talk poorly about ourselves rather than treating ourselves with respect. It…
When I am feeling discouraged I find myself consistently using the same tools to navigate myself out of that dark place. I have learned not to let myself dwell on things that lead me to negative feelings about myself or others. We all face different levels of discouragement. Some are so deep it is difficult to function other times it is an inconvenience that interrupts an otherwise uneventful day. It may be created by my own actions other times from the stress of being in an uncomfortable environment. The moment I feel discouraged I look for an opportunity to clear…
I learn daily from things I do right, things I do wrong, and from being observant regarding what is going on around me. I am grateful that I am able to choose a positive approach to most daily challenges. I have learned not to dwell on any one situation. I don’t allow myself time to worry. I do, however, look for something I can learn that will move the situation forward. Always looking for opportunities to grow from the “storms” that we experience. Am I able to move through the challenges and be better prepared for the future? Hindsight…
How is it that we allow ourselves to get tangled up in assumptions? Why do we stop short of asking the questions or doing our research? I remember a time when I was asked to take a look at a business opportunity. I tend to be entrepreneurial and typically will listen to the pitch. I have a few standard benchmarks the business has to pass before I will spend time evaluating an opportunity. This business passed the basic test and I was intrigued enough to find out more information. The person pitching the business made a 30-minute presentation and…