Tag Archives: i woke up yesterday

A New Day Has Dawned – I Have a Teenager! (Michelle D. Howe)

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I woke up this morning and a new day has dawned.

I am now a mother of a teenager.

Ugh! Can I turn back with a swing of a wand?

I remember the day of your birth you were born with a full head of hair and a heart of gold.

So how did the time pass and you became this old?

Thirteen today and as beautiful as ever I am so proud to call myself your mother.

I was not cute at this age or this grade.

So it must have been something I prayed.

God answered my prayer above and beyond

Such a talented, inspiring and encouraging young lady

ready to take on the world already.

I am so proud of the God-confidence you have developed.

I know it will take you further than I ever expected.

I’m ok with that because I know He has a plan and I will be your biggest fan.Aubrey baton pic

You love to twirl and dance around oh how you astound.

I love you Aubrey and hope you know I will always be proud of you so go and glow.

Light up the world and make an impact.

You have Christ within you and that is a fact.

Thank you for keeping our family time important.  We know it produces a love that shines vibrant.

So Happy Birthday to you today. We love you more than these words can say.

Your Mom and Dad :-)

Do you have some Godly advice to pass along to me and my daughter? 

We would love to be encouraged by you today?

News from Everyday Lifeline:

  • REGISTRATION IS OPEN!  Today launches the new Fall series of “It is Finished” Weekend of Wins taking place in Stuart and St. Petersburg, Florida.  If you ever dreamt of participating in a 5k or half marathon, check out this transformational event.  Learn more HERE.
  • IT IS FINISHED!!  Also, Michelle has finished her 2nd book and is doing a pre-launch to our valued readers and blogging community!  Pre-purchase the book HERE or find out how to receive yours for FREE. 
  • FREE GIFT FOR YOU!!  Our conference, Unleashed Living Larger, was a huge success and we want to say thank you by sharing some of the content from the 2 day event.  Email us at michelle@everydaylifeline.com and we will send you the FREE download of over 5 hours of tools and training.  Included on the download is our conference keynote speaker, Jeff Goins. He was fantabulous!!!
  • One more thing- my friend Jdub, a Christian Hip Hop Artist, released a single called Superstar.  Would you take a minute to listen, then download or share it with a friend who would be encouraged by the song?  Learn more HERE.

Why High-Fives are Better than Fist Pumps (Michelle D. Howe)

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What ever happened to high fives?  It seems as though it is a thing of the past.  Now it’s all about the fist pump.  You see it everywhere.

Well here is my take on why we should revive the high-five and don’t worry there is a spiritual element here so don’t stop reading.

A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers, but the path of the upright is an open highway. Proverbs 15:19

There are such differences between the two experiences.

First of all one is closed and the other is open.  When your hand is closed is denotes that you are closed off not willing to receive.

On the other hand, a high-five your hand is open and usually up in the air ready to slap another hand.

So you might be thinking come on Michelle get to the spiritual point.  Ok here it is.

I believe that as entrepreneurs, visionaries and creators there is a point where you become an owner of your dream rather than a steward.

As owner of your dream your hand will be closed off and sometimes it is punching something like a wall or possibly the air to show frustration.  This frustration can be from control and being shut off from receiving.

You may not receiving encouragement, constructive feedback, money, support and much more because your hand and your heart are not open.

In turn, when you understand that your dream was given to you and you are only a steward of it then it flows out naturally.

Jeff Goins reminded us of this fact during our Unleashed conference.

When we no longer hold the reigns of our dreams then God has control to guide it in the direction that He desires.  We are merely here to listen and obey as he directs our steps.

What is God leading you to do today?  Have you been holding onto your dream to tightly?  It’s time to surrender it to the One who created it.  Allow him to take control and see what He manifests in return. 
We love your comments.  :-)

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Finish Lines are Forever (Michelle D. Howe)

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My heart sank as I heard of the bombings yesterday in Boston.  What a horrific scene!  My mind could not comprehend this act of violence at the finish line of the marathon.

My triathlon finish!

My triathlon finish!

Finish lines are supposed to be celebratory.

People cheering.

Bands playing.

Medals hanging.

Hearts full of confidence and gratitude for crossing that line.

Sort of like a slice of Heaven.

But not on this day.  The finish line would be interrupted, terrorized and completely devastated.

Isn’t that just like the enemy to want to distract us when we are about to cross a finish line?

We have many opportunities for finish lines in our life:

Learning to ride a bike without training wheels

Making the team (sports, dance or academic)

Graduating from high school and college

Finally getting the job you wanted

Completing a project at work

Marriage and birth of children

Finishing a 5k, half or full marathon

Finish lines are an important aspect of our lives to gain evidence.  This evidence provides us with the confidence to go out and do it again.  Without this kind of evidence, we may remain paralyzed, unable to see or move ourselves forward.

You may have past evidence in your life or generationally passed down to you of not finishing anything.  We usually follow the example we are given.

The ultimate example of finishing is from our Lord Jesus Christ when he went to the cross and finished what He was called to do for you and for me.

When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. John 19:30

At that time, the enemy thought he won too but he did not!  God had a plan to raise Jesus and bring redemption to all of humanity so we could have salvation and hope eternal.

The same is true in this tragedy in Boston.   The enemy might have distracted the moment but God’s love prevails!

There are many stories of runners who went the 26 miles then ran over the hospital to give blood.  Many more stories of hope and healing will come out and I encourage you to pay attention to them.  This is the evidence God wants us to focus on not the evidence of the tragedy.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Hebrews 12:1-2

God’s faithfulness is true.  He will see us to the end when we put our faith fully in Him and not in this world.

You may be distracted by these recent world events or events in your own life right now.

Let me encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus and to finish what He has begun as a good work in you.

 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil 1:6

Don’t let the enemy keep you from experiencing the finish line especially the eternal one that Jesus is preparing for all those that know Him.

He is there with the people cheering, bands playing and crowns crowning.

Man will it be an awesome sight!

What is your reaction to the Boston Marathon finish line bombings? 

What other perspectives can we gain from this experience?

Are you lacking the evidence and confidence needed in your life to finish?  Are you desiring to experience a 5k or half marathon? 

Then, I encourage you to be part of the next Weekend of Wins.  We will be training teams for Halloween Half Marathon in Stuart, FL. in October and for Women’s Running Series in St. Petersburg, FL. in November.  Learn more at www.weekendofwins.com

My 2nd book, It is Finished! Lives Transformed by the Race, will be out June 2013.  This book will take you on a journey through the book of Nehemiah as it relates to the rebuilding of your life so you can finish the race strong.  The book includes real life transformational stories of some of the women from Team 1 Weekend of Wins.

Would you like a free copy of “It is Finished” before it releases?  Then I invite you be part of the launch team.  Will be selecting a limited number of people who will be receiving many incentives for their participation.   If interested, message me at michelle@everydaylifeline.com.

Do I Dare to Dream? by Will Ratliff

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I remember the conversation like it was yesterday.  I was in college and on the phone with my dad.  I don’t remember what new idea I was sharing, only that his first response was negative.  My father has a keen knack for seeing the flaws in almost every plan.  Especially ones I thought were going to be awesome!

You see, I’m a visionary.  My father is not.  A realist, you might call him.  There are other words that come to mind.  Nay-sayer.  Party pooper.  Stick-in-the-mud.

This wasn’t the first conversation my father and I had that would end with him shooting holes in my big plans and dreams.

I mustered my courage and as my frustration built to the point of exploding, I yelled, “Why do you always have to rain on my parades?”  (That will make him stop and think!)

“Why do you have to have so many parades?” he replied quickly.

I didn’t know what to say, so I just hung up.  It was the only time I had ever hung up on my dad.

It was at this point in my life that my dreams started to die.

Do I dare to dream?  Or should I just be realistic?

When I’m honest with myself, I’ve always been a dreamer.  I think about what could be.  About the world being a better place.  About my part in God’s grand story that has been continuing since the beginning of time.  I dream about making a difference in my family, my community, and the world.  If I’m going to do those things, then I can’t be realistic.

Being realistic never accomplishes much more than the status quo.  And that’s the last thing I want for my life, especially when it comes to my faith.

Faith isn’t realistic.  What’s realistic about believing in something you can’t even see?  Have you read the Bible?

Was God realistic when he called a pagan to be the father of His chosen nation?

Was Moses realistic when He believed God would part the Red Sea and save the Israelites from the Egyptian army?

Was Gideon realistic when he took 300 men to fight an army of thousands?

There are countless examples.  If you’re a dreamer like me, and if you struggle with whether God has called you to pursue a specific dream, then let me offer a few suggestions to help you clarify.

-          Be Confident it’s YOUR Dream.

  • King David wanted to build a temple for God, but God told him it wasn’t his dream to fulfill.  His son, Solomon, would eventually build the temple in Jerusalem.
  • Don’t take on someone else’s dream.  Only you know what your dream and calling are, so take wise counsel, but don’t let others dictate your dream to you.

-          Pray and Listen

  • Spend time in prayer listening to God.  He speaks – we need to listen so we hear Him. 
  • Make sure God says “yes” before moving forward. 
  • Pray with your spouse or trusted friend.

-          Check with Scripture

  • Align your dream with the Truth. 
  • Think twice if there’s something in your plan that Scripture opposes.

-          Know your “why”!

  • There is a saying, “If you know the why, the how will come.”
  • Get clear on your “why”, and the how will make itself clear.

-          Go for it!

  • Don’t be afraid to experiment.
  • Adjust and clarify as needed.
  • Move forward.

Dare to dream!  Pursue the call that God has for you, and let’s show those nay-sayers how to truly live!

Will Ratliff is passionate about helping others clarify and live out their dreams.  He’s a husband, father, and above all a disciple of Jesus.  You can learn more about his work at www.fuelforleaders.biz and follow his blog at www.faithbrewings.com .

Nothing Is Too Hard for You (Michelle D. Howe)

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right arm blog

The picture above is my quiet place.  It is in my backyard.  When I go out to walk the dog in the morning, we sit and take it all in – the surroundings and the stillness of the moment.

While outside the other day, I noticed this certain part of the oak tree where the swing hangs has only one outstretched side to it.  When I’m sitting in the swing it is the right side of the main part of the tree.

In that moment, I was reminded about the “right hand of God or the outstretched arm” referenced in the bible.

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power! Ps 98:1

My soul clings to You; Your right hand reaches down and holds me up. Ps 63:8

These early references refer to God but also reference Jesus as the One who would save the world from their sins.

The arm of a human man is one of their strongest part of their bodies.  God uses this analogy to describe His mighty power and strength.

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you. Jer. 32:17

I specifically connected with Psalm 16 as I began to be filled with self-doubt over the upcoming event we are planning.

He is ever-present with me; at all times He goes before me. I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand. Ps 16:8 The Voice translation

This gave me such hope knowing that God is in me and I don’t have to try to do anything in my own strength.

Also, that I don’t have to live in fear or doubt and abandon my calling because He is right there with me – guiding me in my endeavors.

He has positioned Himself perfectly in our lives to prepare the way, to lift us up with His mighty hand, to find rest in His outstretched arm and to release the power in us from the Holy Spirit to do His will.    WOW!!!

I need this assurance in my life right now as I am stepping out in faith to execute this major event in our community.  I feel completely incapable and yet that is the perfect place for me to be because He doesn’t call the capable; He calls the available.

To tell you the truth, I’m tired of feeling sick to my stomach. I would much rather sit back, relax and have a carefree life but that is not what Jesus died for.  He died so that we would rise up like He did from the dead and go make an impact in this world for His sake.

As we celebrate the Easter weekend, it is good for us to be reminded of the One who died for us and rose again so we could have life eternal.

Jesus is there with His outstretched arm to carry you.  You don’t have to worry.  Nothing is too hard for Him!!!

I want you to look again at the above picture and imagine yourself sitting in the swing with the arm of the oak tree seeing God holding you with His strong right arm.

Now talk to God!  First, give thanks then tell Him what you need right now.

Will you share with us what you are asking the Lord for right now?  We love your comments!!! We would love to pray for you. 

Learn more about our upcoming event Unleashed Living Larger by visiting the website at www.unleashed2013.com.  Until April 1st, register for only $65 rather than $79.  Message me at michelle@everydaylifeline.com to take advantage of this online special discount.

We welcome Jeff Goins, blogger and best-selling author of “Wrecked” as our keynote speaker along with many local leaders.  Learn more about Jeff at www.goinswriter.com

WE would love it if you joined our Facebook Community!

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Click on our names to go to our Twitter Pages:

JENNY

TAMMY

MICHELLE

What I Learned in Prison, (Michelle D. Howe)

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While reading my devotional the other morning, I came across a series of verses in Philippians that blew me away.  Have you had that kind of experience when reading God’s word?  It brought me to tears in that moment because it was so personal to what had been on my mind while planning an upcoming event.

Here are Paul’s words in The Voice translation.

        12 I have good news, brothers and sisters; and I want to share it. Believe it or not, my imprisonment has actually helped spread the good news to new places and populations.    13 Word has spread through the ranks of the imperial guard and to everyone else around me that I am in prison because of my faith in the Anointed One.  14 My imprisonment has instilled courage in most of our brothers and sisters, so they are trusting God more and have been even more daring as they speak the good news without fear.

So here is what I learned from Paul’s imprisonment.

Verse 12:  Where is Paul?  In Jail!

His imprisonment was his planting.

Verse 13:  He was bound by chains but totally free and unleashed as a servant/slave of Jesus Christ to serve those around him.

His purpose was clear.

Verse 14: He was influencing other Christians to live larger in their faith and to speak up without fear but with courage.

He was the example to copy.

These words struck me to the core.  This is it!!  This is what it’s about to live larger where God has planted you to make the largest impact for His kingdom.

Now, you might not be in prison but God has planted you somewhere at this time of your life for a larger purpose just like Paul.

So what is keeping you bound in chains not willing to be freed?

Are you fearful of rejection?

Do you not feel worthy enough to make a difference?

Have you not learned enough about God to share yet?

Have life circumstances stripped you of all confidence in yourself and in others?

You are not alone!!

Many feel this way but at some point they turned a corner and took action on that tugging in their heart.  Were they scared? Yes, but they did it anyways.

It’s not enough just to decide to be unleashed - you actually have to move so God can show you the next step.  He has prepared the way.  So trust Him.  :-)

We invite you to be break out and be unleashed at our annual conference in Stuart, Florida.  Jeff Goins, well-known blogger and best-selling artist, is joining us along with 10 local leaders to empower us to live this larger life for Him with Christ-like courage.

This event isn’t just about being motivated to move but even more about giving you the tools and the accountability needed to support your goals and dreams beyond the weekend.

I woke up yesterday would like to offer you a special discount for the conference.

Registration is regularly $79 for the weekend but for our faithful readers we would like to offer you the opportunity to come for only $65.  This offers is only good thru April 1st.  Learn more about this 2 day power packed conference at www.unleashed2013.com

To take advantage of this special discount, leave a comment to the question below then email me at michelle@everydaylifeline.com.  I will then send you the link by email to register.

Where has God planted you right now and how do you want to make an impact there?

Unleashed_2073_rj_CROP

Thank you for your continued support of our blog and we look forward to what God has in store for this ministry.

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MICHELLE

To Live Unleashed is to Live as Your Life is Not Your Own (Michelle D. Howe)

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You don’t own me!  I decide where I spend my time and my energy.  Stop telling what to do!  Why are You always trying to control me?

alt

Have you ever said these statements or thought them?  I have!  I have told God many things when He prompted my heart to put His ways before mine.

Sorry Lord, I couldn’t possibly talk to that person I don’t know.

Sorry Lord, I don’t have the time or money to give to that right now.

Sorry Lord, I’m not talented enough to write a book, sing a song, lead a bible study or start a business.

God doesn’t want your apologies, He wants YOU!!!

 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.  1 Cor 6:19-20

Your Life is Not Your Own!!!

At the end of 2010, my life shifted when the Lord spoke these words in my heart numerous times while training for my 1st full marathon.

At the time, I had no idea the depth of those words but they served me in healing from past hurts as I leaned into Jesus and really surrendered to His call on my life.

Today I consciously choose daily to live my life this way.  I am not perfect at it.  But when I do surrender, life is full of surprises.

For many years, I would achieve my goals with only myself in mind and would eventually sabotage out of fear of success.

When I decided to live the unleashed life committed to the Lord, I achieved my goals so that others would be influenced to do the same.  I was no longer afraid of failure or success because it was no longer about me but about those I was influencing in my life for His purposes.

These are the kinds of shifts that occur when I show up this way:

My Life is Not My Own when I bring coffee to my husband in the morning, putting his needs first.

My Life is Not My Own when I start my day with God’s word rather than checking my email or social media.

My Life is Not My Own when I meet up with a friend to encourage her rather than going to the mall.

My Life is Not My Own when I allow others to love me the way God desires them to rather than pushing them away.

My Life is Not My Own when I am a steward rather than an owner of stuff.

My Life is Not My Own when I step out in faith and reach my God-given dreams rather than shrinking back to my comfort zone.

And so much more…

God prompts your heart for a reason.  Every time you ignore that tug, you are putting your steps and plans ahead of His.

Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Jeremiah 10:23

It is crazy to think that to let go of your life means being saved by the One who created it all.

If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. Luke 17:33

If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you no longer belong to yourself. 

How are you going to apply the truth that your life is not your own today?  Tell us what happened or what God is telling you to do today!!!  

We invite you to learn more about living and applying the unleashed life at our upcoming conference on April 19-20th in Stuart, Florida.  Our keynote speaker is Jeff Goins, popular blogger and best selling author of Wrecked.  Learn more about Jeff at www.goinswriter.com and learn more about Unleashed Living Larger conference at www.unleashed2013.com.

WE would love it if you joined our Facebook Community!unleashed2013.com

You can do so by clicking HERE: Facebook Page

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Click on our names to go to our Twitter Pages:

JENNY

TAMMY

MICHELLE

Unleash your Finances to Accomplish Your Dreams by Steve Magallanes

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Steve Magallanes- Host of God's Money on WayFM South Florida

Steve Magallanes- Host of God’s Money on WayFM South Florida

Our post today is an excerpt from the Unleashed Living Larger eBook.  The book is exclusively available to those that register for the upcoming conference on April 19-20 in Stuart, Florida.  You can learn about the conference HERE   Learn more about Steve at TCFIN.  Steve will be speaking on this topic at the conference on Friday, April 19th during his breakout session.

 

My name is Steve Magallanes and I am one of the hosts of “God’s Money” heard on WayFM all throughout South Florida. “God’s Money” is a radio program where we share solid financial principles based on Biblical foundations and we have been actively sharing these truths for almost 20 years.

Have you every stopped to think, “What does the word ‘unleashed’ mean to me?”

Well, one of its meanings is to abandon control; set loose to pursue or run at will.

I believe that our culture today encourages us to have control over everything we do. It is like driving a car, I do not know about you, but I certainly do not want to abandon control while I am driving down the interstate. As I started to think more and more about the word “unleashed” I thought about our puppy, Micah.

Every time we take him on walks around our development, we always have a leash on him to keep him safe and so that we can have control over him and his actions. But when we take off his leash he runs, hops, jumps and does just about everything else a puppy can do when they do not have a restraint on them. Even though he is still a puppy, he knows when that leash comes off because he can feel it and he is one of the happiest puppies when he does not have a leash holding him back from anything.

The same is true when it comes to our finances.

We need to grab a hold of the resources God has entrusted to us so that we can release ourselves and our finances to do even greater things for the Kingdom.

I ask my clients all the time, “If money were not an issue, what is the one thing you would do to advance the Gospel?”

For some it is going on a mission trip, for others it is giving more of their time rather than being at work. Unfortunately, we run into this debt-trap that prevents us from actually doing the things we would love to do. Rather than giving more of our time and our money we are forced to work longer hours because we have a car payment or a credit card bill that needs to be paid.

One of the main reasons that I have found in my years as a financial advisor of why we are not able to accomplish our dreams of giving more towards the Kingdom is that we forget to plan for what lies ahead.

Planning is one of the easiest things to do yet one of the hardest things to stick with. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:3 “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty”.

This verse tells me that it is biblical to plan for tomorrow because we do not know what may come. It is like building a house. Before I start to lay the cement, I want to have a blueprint of the home so that I have a plan of how things are going to be constructed.

In your personal life, if you do not have a plan to control your finances, your finances will control you. Learning to manage money is a valuable tool that can help you the live the life God truly intended for you and your family. How amazing would it be to take what you are currently paying towards your car payment and apply that money towards Kingdom building experiences.

Think about the dramatic effect we could have on this world if we all decided to unleash our finances towards the Kingdom of Heaven.  That is what I believe God has called us to do!

If your finances were unleashed, what would you do to advance the Gospel?  What is your dream ministry?

Please leave a comment.  All those that comment on this blog post will go into a drawing for a FREE ticket to Unleashed Living Larger conference.  Winner will be announced on Friday, March 1st.

Please share!

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JENNY

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MICHELLE

What Happens When the Leader Gets Stuck? (Michelle D. Howe)

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Today I woke up.  Not yesterday but just now.  Why?  Because a good friend told me to go for a bike ride.  I needed this bike ride to reconnect, refocus and remember how I show up in my body is how I show up in life.  This is an aspect that came up while leading Jenny’s 7 shifts coaching call today.

Picture taken on my bike ride. I want my life to flow like this river so to not become stagnant.

For the last 6 months, I have been dealing with a running injury in my foot that has caused me to slow down since running my best time at the half marathon in St Petersburg, FL. Since I could not run or walk due to the pain, I have done nothing physically and this has affected me more than I realized.

In the last few weeks, I have experienced elements of myself that have not come up for me in years like unusual outbursts of anger and self-sabotage.

Why am I back here Lord? 

Why am I not experiencing the flow, the growth and the freedom?

BECAUSE YOU ARE STUCK!!!

So what happens when the leader becomes inactive and stuck?

Here is are some of the results from me being stuck in the last few months.

  1. I don’t have much to give.  Due to not spending “real” time with the Lord I have nothing to give to others therefore I have avoided.
  2. I don’t finish what I started.  I haven’t been able to finish writing my book from the Weekend of Wins.
  3. I don’t show up authentic.  I show up fake and I start to manipulate life.  I go through the motions but nothing connects.
  4. I affect those I’m leading.  People are watching and based on my choices I’m leading them to their destruction or to their greatness.  I know my choices have affected my relationships because they are off kilter.
  5. I’m not living in “my life is not my own.” Due to being distracted by life and the things I’m allowing to take space in my head and heart there has been no room to really serve God’s people the way He has asked me too.  I have not encouraged those in my life as I usually do.  I have not been awake to react to God’s prompting in my heart.

I could look at all of this and feel blame, shame or guilt or I can look at it and decide to make some adjustments so I can be back in alignment with my Savior.

I want my life to breathe and grow like this beautiful air plant connected to this oak tree.

Here are some adjustments I’m choosing to make today:

  1. Asking for accountability - If I had had accountability,  I could have gotten out of this much earlier.  As the leader or coach, we too need people in our life to be accountable too so we aren’t leading people down the wrong path and we are staying connected to the Lord.
  2. Continuing my “daily” workout - If I can’t run or walk, then I’m going to bike ride.  On that bike ride, I will reconnect to God and hear from Him in the way I have for the last few years that have propelled me forward like no other time in my life.
  3. I will finish my book by the end of this month -  This purpose God has given me to encourage women in creating renewed confidence by participating in a half marathon or 5k event overwhelms me.  Why me?  This is what He used in my life so I know it will support others and so I continue on in faith knowing it will be done in His strength and not mine.
  4. I will reconnect in my relationships -  As I reconnect to God, I am filled and so I have overflow to give.
  5. I will continue to give thanks and have a grateful heart – Out of a grateful heart comes joy and contentment.  This is where I choose to BE!!!

Show me the right path, O Lord;  point out the road for me to follow.  5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you. Ps 25:4-5

Do you recall a time you were stuck?  How did you begin moving again?  Please leave a commment.  We love chatting with you.  :-)

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Activate Your Dreams (Michelle D. Howe)

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Lately, Jenny and Tammy have both written about living out your dreams.  I love how beautiful their writing is and how it makes it all sounds so possible.

Only thing as soon as you start working on them feelings of fear mixed in with a bit a unworthiness and a dash of I’m not capable seems to creep.  Does this happen to you?  Please tell me I’m not the only one.

Nelson-Mandela

When I start moving closer to a dream or goal, I start to feel sick to my stomach and I just want to go hide under a rock.  But then I remember, I don’t have to do this in my strength and this isn’t even about me anyways.  I belong to God, these are His dreams for my life so why am I so freaked out?

So the Lord put it on my heart to supply you with a simple process to help you go for your dreams.  As an easy way to remember, I’m going to give it to you in the acronym D.R.E.A.M.

D – Decide to move toward your God-given dreams.  God has equipped you through your natural giftedness and past experiences that no other person possesses.  Therefore He desires to use these attributes for a larger purpose.  You most likely know what it is but are unclear how to start.  Part of deciding is actually telling yourself and others in your life what you are desiring to do.  Once you share it with someone else you now become accountable.  I know this can be scary and this simple step many people won’t take out of fear of failure.  Well guess what?  Failure is ok.  It really is the only way to learn how to do it better the next time.  So get it over it and do it anyways even scared.

R – Receive encouragement and support by someone who has been there or fulfilled a similar dream.  If you want to be a speaker or writer, then go find others that have done so and pick their brain.  I’m all about not recreating the wheel so go ask others and find out about their experiences.  Also, go search for some online mentors to support you and learn more about the industry you are desiring to enter.  When I felt the Lord prompting my heart to write a book, I went to a Christian writers conference to learn about the industry and meet other writers and publishers.  This helped me gain understanding and confidence as I was preparing to write.

E – Energize your dreams by creating a team.  When Tammy wanted to start this blog, she didn’t want to do it alone so she included others to come alongside of her.  I’m thankful she did!  :-)   There is so much more power in numbers.  I love putting teams together and leveraging everyone’s talents and circles of influence.  This makes the dream possible when you involve others and not try to do it alone.  Jesus even had an awesome team of twelve to help Him accomplish His purpose and calling.   Make a list of people you would like to have as your “Board of Directors” as Jenny calls them.  These folks have different skill sets that support your dreams whether developing a talent, a business or a ministry.   They will also provide feedback as you test the waters.

A – Accomplish a step each day toward the bigger goal.  How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  As you accomplish one small task everyday towards your goal, it won’t seem so impossible.  If you are wanting to an actor then start memorizing scripts.  If you want to be a singer, then start learning music theory.  If you desire to be an artist, then start creating.  It won’t be the masterpiece at first, but it will be a stepping stone.

M - Motivate yourself because no one will do it for you.  Some ways to stay motivated is by creating a dream board that turns those dreams into a visual for you to see everyday.  Beside pictures, include empowering words and scriptures that lift you up.  Also, read positive blogs or read articles that will keep you from becoming discouraged.  By the way this will happen so I encourage you to elect one person to be your cheerleader - person that believes in you no matter what and tell you to stop your pity party and just do it.  (Btw, I’m a great cheerleader.)

So are you ready to go?  Does this help make it seem possible?

I want some feedback and I want to know your dreams.

Pick my brain I dare you.  You tell me what you love to do in life and I will tell you how you can make it a business.  I love a challenge.

Send on your comments.  :-)

iwokeup 1111WE would love it if you joined our Facebook Community!

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JENNY

TAMMY

MICHELLE