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Are You a World Changer? “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. ~Ghandi~

The growth of the scattered poisonous seeds of trauma from childhood were used to create the first layer of the foundation of fear. Fear had pinned me behind the walls it had built on that foundation so early in life that I grew into adulthood believing there was nothing more to life than what I had already seen. I believe most folks never look over the walls. It is why there are only a few who have walked this earth with such a strong influence that they left an impact for hundreds and even thousands of years later. They were the handful of those willing to throw themselves at destiny. They would not let their past experiences become their identity or let fear of failure stop them. Fear is only powerful if we succumb to it.

Fear is relentless; it does not grow weary. Fear is strengthened by layers of insecurity, unworthiness, rejection, failure, and more. The walls built on the foundation of my belief system were so high, I did not know my own potential was confined within the limits of their boundaries. I thought I was living the best life possible. I did not know I was dragging old stuff from the past around with me everywhere I went.

This is an excerpt from my own memoir “Escape from Darkness”. It seemed to appropriately sum up my thoughts as I watched a short clip of recent national news. What in the world is happening? Right or wrong, people will fight for what they believe. They will even go beyond the limits of the law to make a point. Sadly, they may even work from inside the law to fight for what they believe. However, at the end of the day – we all put our shoes on the same way. We all share the commonalities of our own personal vulnerabilities of our past. Our belief systems were formed by our environments and it is what we know…unless we dare to venture out and truly search for what we don’t know.

I have several earthquake instances of awakening in my journey which I now lovingly refer to as “aha” moments. My willingness to explore the perspectives outside of my own prison of deceit opened up a whole new world that brought many opportunities with it. I may have never bumped into those opportunities or new relationships had I not been willing to explore some uncharted territory. My point is this: Ultimately, FEAR is at the root of the erratic behavior we watch on the news, see in our hometowns, and even in our own homes. Fear of the unknown and certainly fear of that which we cannot control. Fear truly is relentless and will push us beyond strength we have never even considered of ourselves.

SO the question is do we annihilate fear, learn to live with it or turn it into a driving force for the good of mankind? I believe the answer is YES to all three of these suggestions. Fear that draws its strength from our past does have to be annihilated through us facing it head on and hitting it right between the eyes with truth. We will always live with a certain element of fear because the more brave and courageous we get the more we will expand our territory of new things. We will continually face giants of resistance with each new endeavor who would like nothing more than to keep us from fulfilling purpose. Finally, when we learn we are actually much more powerful than fear – we can turn it into a positive force in our lives and use it to help our fellow man. Now that I am no longer haunted by the fear that confines and makes me afraid but instead strengthened with courage and curiosity by the fear of entering into unknown fields that hold hidden treasures of opportunity, I am able to change the landscape of my own community with gifts and talents I didn’t even know existed.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t be threatened by your past failures, rejections, beliefs, or insecurities. Let them be a stepping stone to your true self. Become a driving force for the good of mankind! It only takes one view of the current news to bring inspiration to present the world with a new way of thinking.

Gandhi said it this way: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him…J Have a fabulous week my friends and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Time Will Not Delay

My office floods with early morning sunlight when the time “falls back” for the Autumn/Winter season. I lift the window just enough to feel a slight breeze and hear the morning song of the birds as it travels across the trees. The trees are now letting go of their leaves that once thrived during the summer season. It speaks to me, time will not delay.

Our lives move through these same seasons. There are days where the sun shines brightly yet seems to set quickly. There are days where darkness looms as it will never end. There are days of extreme light when joy is abundant and we celebrate victories.

I write a lot about time because it is the most valuable commodity in our lives. This little excerpt says it well: The concept of time is elusive because, well, it stands still for no man. It is the life currency that you can never regain after “spending” it. https://simplyshredded.com/the-currency-of-time-lifes-most-precious-commodity.html

I can feel the winds of change as surely as I feel the breeze moving through this room. It reminds me of the importance of “holding things loosely”.

I received the news a year ago in July that one of my best friends of 20 years had been killed in a car accident. I had just seen her a few weeks before as she was getting in her car to leave my house. She waved goodbye, flashed her beautiful smile, and blew me a kiss. She was one of the most talented vocalists I have ever heard in my life. We had plans to do her first recording in our studio the following August. How do we even consider holding these relationships loosely? Yet we must also hold the regrets of the past even more loosely. Neither of them is to be held as ours.

Her life and her early exit from this earth only made me question the element of time even more deeply. We did delay but time did not. We delayed in simply putting that date on the calendar to archive a voice that many of us now long to hear just once more. In the 20 years, she and I spent as friends and music partners – we could not find one recording of her to play at her funeral. Emotions sit right on the surface as I write this because the importance of the message burns with passion in my heart. Her death caused a paradigm shift in the atmosphere of my world. I HAD to move with the shift even though my heart wanted to sit down and find all the seemingly good reasons to quit.

The momentum of the world we live in today is like a raging river. It is fast and furious yet slow and attentive. How do we manage to catch the wave that catapults us to the changes we desire and sit on the beach and breathe in every single moment at the same time? Where is that perfect balance? Is it even possible? I look at the aging of my own body and retrace the footsteps of my life and think “oh how quickly things move.” Events like the death of a loved one can shake your world and bring up many questions. Questions that are worthy of an answer.

We must find resolve in our hearts to bring us to the point of stepping out on the limb of courage to face our fears and annihilate our own procrastination. Just do it even if you’re scared. Even if it’s not perfect. Death will be the final seed we are allowed to contribute but life offers a beautiful window of time. The seeds we have planted on our journey will someday be watered by other sojourners walking their road of destiny. May we learn to plant those seeds, enjoy the growth they give us, and walk on toward those things that await our arrival.

While my friend’s voice was put to rest that day, her daughter stepped into her mother’s legacy and blessed us all with a song. My friend didn’t get to do all that we had planned for her but nonetheless, those seeds from her gift are firmly planted on this earth and will grow no matter what. Just imagine what we can do by simply being a little more intentional with our time.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t let time slip away. Get up and look at the sunrise and announce to the world that YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE today and every day hereafter. Hold loosely to those things which will inevitably change as time goes on. Love deeply and on purpose. Move with the changes in your life. Finally, make this holiday season so great that those close to you will forever hold it in their memory bank just like I hold the memory of my friend’s final wave, kiss, and unforgettable smile. I am here to tell you- IT IS WORTH IT!

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Are you derailed?

I recently read that the fastest train service in the world has trains that reach a top speed of 268 mph. The slowest train in the world moves at an average speed of 24 mph.

I had to wonder how something can adhere to the track when moving so fast or how can you get anywhere going only 24 mph. These are good question to ponder and apply to our daily lives. Going too fast certainly holds the risk of being derailed and missing the scenery along the way. Moving too slow has its own set of problems. It would be unfortunate to miss a golden opportunity due to procrastination or laziness. Then there is the option otherwise known as “a train wreck”. Are you sitting on the side of life completely derailed with one wheel on the track and the other one in the dirt?

Isn’t there a sweet spot somewhere that makes the whole world fall in perfect order?

My weeks seem to fly by as fast as the scenery would in a view from the 268 mph train. At the same time my own productivity seems to move as slow as the 24 mph train. Then come the days I sense having gone nowhere as I sit derailed and frustrated! The truth is life is a series of events that ebb and flow. We have to take the seat of the engineer and stay on track as we move through each day. There must be a balance of enjoying the scenery, making it to our destination on time, and finally shutting the engine down at the end of the day.

This current world we live in can demand a lot from each of us if we let it. We can find ourselves wondering how far we can stretch. I am here to tell you that is not the design we were meant to conform. We were created to notice the seasons and enjoy the transitions of their changes. It is part of our wholeness to be present in our moments. Western culture has somehow morphed into setting unreasonable internal goals that only run us ragged while leaving very little of us to share with our family and friends at the end of the day. There will be times when we simply derail. No train can run forever. It’s important to learn how to rest during the derail in order to prevent a personal devastating crash.

I learned a lot during my recent “derail”. I learned there are limits to what our bodies and our minds can endure from outside circumstances. I learned we as individuals are responsible for pulling over for a pit stop before we reach that limit.

Seasons of life will change. Some of those changes will be slow and some will be abrupt but the main thing is we find that “sweet spot” that allows us to be all we can be. The end of the day should bring gratefulness for having “lived on purpose”.

I leave you with this encouragement. Make time to reflect on the last two weeks. Were you running as fast as you can? Did you enjoy the scenery or did you derail? Are you back on track and are you certain where your train is headed? Do you need to make adjustments for your current season? Have you learned your lessons from the last derail? These are questions only you can answer. Answer the questions and make the tweaks so the BEST YOU will come forward and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

Conform only to who are are meant to be!
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Where’s the Love?

I write this morning with a somewhat heavy heart. You know when you have one of those weeks when your eyes have been turned toward the hurt and sorrows of this world. It seems every person you come into contact with has a crisis. Not just a petty crisis but real troubles. You have to wonder, “Where’s the Love”?

2020 has proved to be full of surprises. Folks are enduring trials from the weather to a pandemic and everything that could pack itself in between. We are being forced to navigate the emotional impact these oppositions have on us. We are put into a corner of self-introspection and reevaluation of how we continue to make a living and do life at the same time. Fear remains a foothold in many lives. Fear of sickness, fear of lack, fear of _____________ (you can fill in the blank). Fear has no boundaries and it has no limits if given the reigns to rule.

Even before the pandemic, technology and garage doors placed major barriers between relationships. What used to be a phone call is now a text and what once was an opportunity to say hello to your neighbor is now driving your car into a part of your house and shutting the door behind you before anyone has a chance to see you. There is seldom a get together with friends or even family because of busy schedules and new rules of social distancing.

We find faith when we flip fear on its head. Faith and courage to overcome the obstacle that seems to block the road in front of us. Faith makes the way to intentionally remove the load from our own shoulders and become available to lend a helping hand to another who is in need. After all, true prosperity is being able to provide for a need when it presents itself. This is what makes the world go around. People helping people. We were not designed to be in this world alone. It was intended to be a community effort.

Whether it be financial, relational, family, health, or simple circumstances – challenging times can wear us out if we let them. It is difficult because it requires such conscious effort to draw a boundary of peace around daily life.

I leave you with this encouragement. Challenge yourself by making time on your calendar to reflect on how YOU can make a difference. Put your thoughts into action. Keep in mind you cannot save the world but collectively we can sure make some changes. It seems the more we give the more the opportunities to give will pop up. It is a spiritual principle that once we’re focused on our participation in the needs around us, our own needs are miraculously provided.

It’s easy to recognize the deep pain of another when you have been there yourself in a different season of life. Troubles are real and so is the exhaustion of dealing with them. I am forever grateful to those who extended their resources, love, and friendship in my personal times of challenge.

Today I share a video released this year by a very good friend of mine. We share the burden of the sorrows we see around us. We made a decision to simply make a difference with our musical talent. Her song will prick your heart of compassion. Let it be the spark on your flame of decision to rise up in your current season and release LOVE to a hurting world. I promise the rewards are great!

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Time Holds Your Purpose

One of the best tools I ever used was a 7-week calendar with 1-hour increments. Each week has exactly 168 hours. It seems the major complaint one hears from most folks these days is there just isn’t enough time. The truth is we all have the same amount of time. It is how we choose to use it. If you will spend a week completing the handy little calendar based on your daily activities, how you spend your time will be quickly revealed. Frankly, I was appalled at my own results. I actually uncovered all kinds of time that was available to me. Furthermore, the way I was spending my time was far from productive or satisfying. It was no wonder frustration and anxiety chased me around.

The value on that exercise turned out to be long lasting. When I sense that feeling of my plate being “too full” , I simply pull out the 168 hour calendar and reevaluate my priorities. A reevaluation may come frequently or it may not. There are no defined rules as to when you reevaluate YOUR TIME.

24hourcalendar-1Download

Creating time in your schedule for the things you love to do is empowering. Deciding how much of YOUR TIME you give away to others is also empowering. Relenting to the uniqueness in you and the desires that are pushing on your soul is empowering.

I have to wonder if most people avoid their own talents simply because they can’t see how it would make a difference. The real truth is anything we enjoy doing will be done with heart and passion. That alone is enough of a reason to pursue the dream. Tucked deep in each one of us are gifts and talents pushing to get out. We will either recognize their presence or take them to our grave. If the latter happens, the world around us has been deprived because each of us carries a purpose. Your purpose will always affect the life of another. The Butterfly Affect by Andy Andrews is a great read to influence how you live each day.

It all started when I began a journey of emotional healing through counseling. I designated one morning a week to do nothing but write. Writing was my saving grace. My journals filled up between each counseling session. I could sense more freedom with each word I wrote. It also had to be long hand with a felt tip pen. Okay, that may sound silly but I am being transparent to make a point. You can RELENT or PARTIALLY RELENT. The choice is yours. I totally relented to my kinesthetic learning style. This is part of finding out how YOU are wired. The more freedom I found from my own life trauma the more the desires of the divinely installed gifts began to surface. I loved writing so much I decided to turn my experience into a book. I would not let anything interrupt the time I blocked out to write. Two years later Escape from Darkness was published. There are no sufficient words to properly describe how that accomplishment boosted my courage to JOURNEY ON AND FORGE THE WAY TO MORE UNCHARTED TERRITORY!

I leave you with this encouragement. Take the time to evaluate your time! Complete the 168-hour calendar and take charge of your life. Time is a gift to be stewarded in a way that points us in the direction of our predestined purpose. Unwrap your gift today and by all means

ENJOY THE JOURNEY – VB

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Are you in position?

The above pictures remind me of how one single day can hold a lesson for life and help us ponder the question “Are you in Position”?

We are quickly approaching the official holiday season. I think it is safe to say that most of us will gladly kiss 2020 goodbye and put it in our rearview mirror. It seems the year has slowly flown by us. Sometimes leaving us in a trail of dust and other times leaving us to feel like we are standing knee-deep in stagnant waters.

The year has certainly offered its challenges but it has also given us a great opportunity to RESET and become positioned for a new day. There are 77 days left until the calendar offers a reason to refresh our goals and look forward to a new horizon. We can ask ourselves these questions? What are we going to do with those 77 days? Are they going to slowly fly by us or are we going to “flow with them” onto new roads that lead to our real dreams?

Did you know that those dreams and desires are put there as a guide to take you to your purpose? They aren’t just some silly thoughts that are passing through your head. Beneath those dreams of yours are gifts and talents that will prove to be tools and vehicles to take you to a place of your divine purpose on this earth. Believe it or not – we are meant to enjoy each day to its fullest. What we lay our hands to should seem like anything but work!

One can not settle for looking at the world through the windows of the soul and deciding “this is it”. There is so much more beyond what you can see with your naked eye.

It has been 5 years since a motorcycle accident shook my perspective of life to the core. The recovery time forced me into a place of self-introspection and prioritization. I came to realize that most of what kept me so busy had nothing to do with my dreams. Since then I have not talked to one person who had a near-death experience that didn’t tell me the same thing.

The physical recovery from many broken bones and the trauma of being hit head-on from a car (pictured behind the wrecked bike) was certainly difficult; however, the shift in understanding the importance of living each day in the joy of taking my position on this earth at this particular time presented a much more thoughtful journey. Sometimes I sense standing in the light after coming out of a long twisty journey from the woods. There are different paths that lay before me but some of them illuminate slightly above the others. As I set my foot on those predestined paths I cannot help but wonder if I’m even equipped to walk on these roads less traveled. Yet the desire to reach the pinnacle is much greater than the fear that could hold me buried in the mud of complacency.

I leave you with this encouragement:

Are you happy with your current position? Do you need to explore different options? Do you need to do a “clutter cleanse” from your daily schedule?

I encourage you to spend the days ahead looking beyond the boundaries of your natural vision and grasp the possibility of the dream that lies in your heart. There is no one else on earth who can fill your position. I promise.

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Make the Change

We have recently decided that a “date morning” actually works better for us than a “date night” . Date night had become more like a battle to see which one of us could stay awake until 9 PM. I usually lose those battles. I am the person who seldom makes it through the first 10 minutes of a movie! Especially if there is a bowl of popcorn and fuzzy blanket involved. Since there really is no “date night” police that say you HAVE to keep doing the same thing for 15 years, we have chosen to spend one morning a week together doing the things we enjoy the most.

This week found us at the shooting range shortly after sunrise. I brought the coffee and homemade breakfast biscuits. He brought the guns. Much like golf – it requires focus and aim. These are two places in my own personal development that need my utmost attention. If focus and aim are sharp, there is nothing you cannot do. I began to set up our little camp and he went to hang the targets. The picture I caught out of the corner of my eye stopped me in my tracks. The sunlight was streaming between the trees onto the morning dew which held the tracks of his footsteps behind him. I watched him as he walked away from me with tears pushing to the surface of my eyelids. It was certainly a perfect moment that I will forever cherish in my heart. I thought to myself “ I would follow those footsteps anywhere”.

Our 15th anniversary is in a few months. We have LIVED OUT LOUD those entire 15 years. There have been some outstanding vacations such as New Zealand and Ireland. Our plans for Greece were held up by the events of 2020 but its on the agenda. There have been the trials and errors of knowing each other better and the heartaches of failures along with the rejoicing of victories. At the core of my being…..I trust him with my life. He’s proven his love over and over again. He has supported me through the dark corridors of my past and propped me up when my bones were too broken to even help myself. Our relationship has now been through the seasons enough so much that we know when there is a need for a change or demand to adjust.

I thought to myself – there is no value to be put on this moment. It is the seasons of life that have brought us to this beautiful time. I shook myself out of the moment and snapped a picture of him walking toward me. Both views held the same integrity, strength and love of this extraordinary person who I am blessed to know as my husband. We have grown together as one. It took time, patience, understanding and willingness. The foundation we have built under our relationship will likely resist anything that tries to comes against it.

Recent days have found me focusing on a new exercise right before I close my eyes at night. I reflect on the day and thoughtfully express my gratitude for such an abundant life as well as all the people that surround it. Sleep usually invades before I finish.

I leave you with this encouragement. Making the change in that place that needs an adjustment may very well thrust you into a whole new season that is anxiously waiting your arrival! It’s just around the curve. Where your eyes are focused is where you will inevitably arrive. MAKE THE CHANGE!!

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Follow The Poinsettia

According to the calendar, fall has officially made its entrance. It still amazes me to watch nature adjust to the changing seasons. The sun takes longer to wake up. I already miss the early morning on the deck. I personally had to adjust to being in my office to write this morning because it’s too DARK outside to see. I spent last weekend taking care of the summer plants that provided so much enjoyment the last several months. I couldn’t help but reflect on the Poinsettia. They hold so much significance. The picture above is one of my favorites. This was taken in early spring. This plant was on its second year of blooming. It faithfully displayed its red leaves for the Christmas season and held on to them through spring. The latter part of spring found it dropping the red leaves and moving into a time of complete nakedness. I remember my concern the first time the plant started losing its leaves. I thought it was surely meeting its fate. It was telling me it was its season to prepare for the sunshine. The poinsettia will thrive during the summer months UNTIL the fall. Much to my surprise it began to regenerate new and deep green leaves in the places of barrenness during its time on the deck through the summer. This allowed it to store up its strength in the new and healthy leaves. The stems became much hardier and the plant grew in stature. It uses the new storage of strength to endure upcoming season of darkness.

In a few weeks I will move it into the closet where it will spend at least 13 hours a day in total darkness for the next few months. The shortened hours of light and increased time spent in the dark will prepare it for the beauty of the bloom. The time in isolation will prepare it for the deadline it has to meet. The deadline is its predestined purpose it has to fulfill. December will find poinsettias displaying their splendor of color in stores, greenhouses, and many homes. Their season of “being seen” will once again last until spring when they will start the cycle all over again. Each time they gain strength and stature. Their blooms become much larger and more valiant in beauty as they age.

The principle of such a process doesn’t really thrill me but it does make sense. No one really “looks forward to a season of isolation” but if we will take a short time to reflect on those difficult seasons of our lives, we will undoubtedly find that we came out on the other side with a fresh look of new beauty. A beauty that could only be gained in the solitude of refining. It helps to understand that life is a series of eventful growth periods. If we can recognize the season we can make it more productive. If you have found yourself in darkness (especially in 2020) , have no fear. Breathe deep and prepare for the new season that awaits on the horizon. Don’t allow yourself to be slothful with these precious moments of opportunity.

Spend the time of solitude in strength training. Ask yourself the hard questions. What areas of my life need attention? Do I need to “drop some leaves” that no longer serve me? What new things are called to replace the areas of barrenness? Am I prepared to emerge into the light with a humble beauty that is attractive to those around me? Will my time of solitude prove to be a testimony to those who cross my path?

Does grace, humility, and love illuminate from my countenance with each season of my life? And most of all “Am I enjoying the journey?”

I leave you with this encouragement. Explore the process of seasons with your poinsettia! It will quietly show you the many characteristics of life it shares with us. You will find yourself standing taller and stronger and perhaps more beautiful than ever! Folks may just look upon your life and politely ask how you do it? To that you can respond “Follow a Poinsettia”.

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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The Sunrise in Being Grateful

The morning is cool with a very light breeze rustling the soon to be colorful leaves.  Funny how you can actually “feel” a season change even before the real signs of its arrival. There is always that small anticipation from the body itself that looks forward to the new season.  This time of year encourages me to look forward to the perfect hot tea and coffee shop moments.  Those intimate conversations with friends that enhance the relationship and helps you know them better.  Something about a quaint coffee shop makes that possible. 

I took this picture last weekend driving down the interstate. I was on my way home from a fabulous weekend stay with my son and grandson. My thoughts were steeped in gratefulness as the sun began to peek above the horizon in front of me. What had started as a tiny light looking over a hill suddenly become a huge ball of fire that pushed all darkness out of the way. A new day had begun.

4 AM found me wide awake and pondering the extreme importance of gratefulness.  There is a power to change the trajectory of our lives that accompanies the attitude of gratefulness. 

Turning our affections toward those things in our lives which truly matter will catapult us into a place of joy and peace. Joy and peace moves us forward to hope and hope changes to faith.  Faith as we know moves the mountain in front of us.  It is an amazing process that begins with gratefulness.

Being grateful is simply a choice to be made before your feet hit the floor in the morning or your head rests on the pillow for the night.  The morning is a perfect time to announce out loud the things you for which you are grateful.  Right before bedtime is also a sweet time to reflect on the day and the NEW things that have presented themselves as grateful opportunities.  This undoubtedly puts one in a positive cycle toward their current season. 

I know of a man that spent an entire year writing in a “grateful” journal to give his wife on their 40th wedding anniversary.  His testimony was one of the most impactful stories I have ever read.  Each day he made a mental note of the things she did that he was grateful.  His love and appreciation for her deepened to a much higher level. He said the things he had grown to see in her as faults dissipated and her deeper beauty became his total focus.   It was certainly an intentional move on his part which raised their quality of life.  They are very influential folks and their grateful and blessed lives began to expand on a much wider territory.  He explained his attitude toward his wife became reciprocal between them and brought a unity in their marriage that could face any mountain of resistance that entered their path. They spend their days LOOKING for the blessings in the little things of daily life.

I leave you with this encouragement. Human nature will often lend itself to the negative moments.  There is certainly enough negative attitudes in the world today.  Choose to be someone different starting today. Become a “grateful guru”.  Be on the lookout for the things you can jot down in your new GRATEFUL JOURNAL. I predict each day  will begin to look brighter than the day before and a new cycle of promise and hope will usher in a brand new season of life. I even challenge you to take it one step further and exercise your faith muscle. Learn to become grateful for those things that have not yet happened! A new expectation will begin to develop that may keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for the arrival of things still unseen. As the sunshine peeks over the mountaintop every single morning, so will your faith, joy, and peace arise each day when you open your eyes. May your days be filled with sunshine.

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Are you facing a mountain?

Are you facing a mountain?

The morning rain and cooler temperatures seem to be ushering in the fall season. I woke early and lowered the window in my office so I could hear the falling rain. Combine that with the “fake” fireplace and the usual stillness of the morning and one could say they have entered into a perfect moment of peace. I am also exploring a new coffee infused with lion’s mane and Chaga mushrooms. Avid coffee drinkers will share my bliss.

Ultimately, we are all creatures of habit whether it be the routines of morning coffee or evening sleep preparation. It’s important to change it up once in a while just for the fun of it.

Nevertheless, that space remains between morning and evening that can present uncharted territory. While it may be mostly routine, it can also hold the unexpected. That thing we are just not ready to receive. I call it the “mountain that suddenly appears”.

Did you know that sometimes it takes a mountain to strengthen our faith? It seems 2020 has been full of these so-called mountains. I suppose we could view the mountain of resistance as a training tool instead of an obstacle. Obstacles are stubborn and take much effort to move. Training tools are approached with excitement because the master of that tool knows its potential to create new and better circumstances. I am intrigued that Jesus said it only takes faith as small as a mustard seed to make that mountain move from one place to another.

Imagine this. You are on a journey and you know your exact destination. Nothing is going to stop you. Not even a mountain. You have seen these mountains before and you know how to make them move. You think back to your younger days when a mountain posed as discouragement and delay. It seemed too large to battle so you simply changed your course to avoid such a thing. There was also a time when climbing the giant opposition seemed like a good option. There was even a time you gathered all of your friends and their shovels and it became a community excavation project.

The season has changed. It’s different now because you are wiser, stronger, and focused. Your eyes are set like flint on the destination of your purpose, and NOTHING will stop you. Your body is conditioned and your mind is aware of the importance of your value to this world. You pull out your mustard seed of faith and tell that mountain to step aside because you are coming through. Opportunities are waiting for your arrival.

Just writing that gets me excited! My husband and I played my very first game of golf this week. Some of it was comical, to say the least, BUT my mind reeled with revelation as we made our way through the nine holes.

First of all, it’s a process. We started at “HOLE 1 and ended at HOLE 9. We knew exactly where we were going. The flags marked the spot of the tiny little target that held the victory. I seemed to have more trouble hitting the target when we reached the smooth terrain of the green. It required much more focus, skill, and calculation of strength and accuracy than the terrain outside of the target. I also successfully plummeted a few balls into oblivion. However, in the search through the water and the weeds for my own golf ball, I found a pocket full of balls that were previous victims of missed targets from fellow travelers.

I leave you with this encouragement. The seasons of life are kind of like a game of golf. They are a process that includes mountains of resistance. Find that flag out there with your name on it and head in that direction. Know that you may get lost sometimes but have no fear – someone else before you has been lost too. They left provisions to get you further down the road to success. Your faith will steer you through the roughest terrain but your discipline to focus and refine will be needed at the pinnacle. Use this season to conquer your mountain because others are following in your footsteps.

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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