In It to Win It

Let's be real, life can trip you out. First- you must remember who you are. When you know who you are, you will not answer to what others call you. Do not let another give you your identity. God has already done that.

Next, this is a journey with ups and downs. Don't focus on the short game, but hold on for the long game. Too many people are focused on the short game and try to get what they can while they can- from anybody and everybody. The sad part is they lose in the end. They miss what God has already placed in their path.

When you identify those focused on the short game, don't be surprised when they lie, cheat; that's what they do. Yes, you may need to work with them, you may have them closer to you than you wish; but you already know who they are. My mother used to say, "Feed them with a long handle spoon."

Yeah, life can trip you out, but don't stay out. Know who you are and remember that you are in it for the long game. "You are in it to win it." And our journeys are different. enough for now.

Stepping it Out

Wow, just stepping it out. Stepping because it has so many connotations. It could be walking it out step by step. Or moving in precision with others- to a prescribed rhythm. Or inching it out a little at a time. And each of these has a true meaning for- us. What are we stepping? Life - our life. The life that God has for us. We step it out in order to get clear guidance. We step it with others along the journey. We inch our way through dark places knowing we are not alone. We can indeed step it out "rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances, for it is God's will for us"
(1 Thess. 5:16-18).

How do you step? What is your step like? Where are you right now? You are not alone. Step on. enough for now.

No Fear

Why do we procrastinate? Why do we put off what we need to do? Could it be fear? Fear of the outcome? What on earth could it be? Take time today to find out the answer. Find out what could hinder you from completing what you need to do. And then make a stand to complete. Go at, go resolving no fear. enough for now.

Who?

Who do you go to? Who is it that you have to go to when you need to make sure you are on track- to keep you accountable? Yes, you need someone who can agree with you in prayer or snap you out of your pity party. You need someone.

Yesterday I texted my sister a long text about nothing. At the end I said just pray for me. She promptly texted back,"Lord help her." That was all. I read it and began laughing. I texted her that the pity party was over. Sometimes life will try to- usually to distract you. You need someone to agree with you. Someone that will listen and not condemn, will not give the way out, will only agree in prayer that change happens and now.

Who can you go to? Who will agree with you for breakthrough? Thank God for that person. enough for now.

Shake it Off

Shake it off. That is what we must do at times. Let me tell you about it. When people come at you the wrong way. . . when they lie . . . when they cheat . . .when you must be around them (you see there are times that you cannot rid yourself due to business or other). You must shake it off.

By doing so you are not releasing them but you are releasing the issue to God. Lament and let God take care of the situation. Yeah, I know you want to tell them off, show them who you are-but I promise-God can show them so much better. They don't know who they are dealing with- for real.
However, you must know. You must know who you are and whose you are, and keep on. Your trying to tell them about themselves, that's no good. They know who they are. A liar will be a liar, a cheat will be a cheat until they recognize Truth.

Your actions can point the way to Truth or you can join them in their mess. That's why you must shake it off. Shake it off and watch what God is doing. enough for now.

Another Year

This is the day of celebration of my journey. I have been contemplating this moment and thanking God for my ups and my downs. I have found that my challenges strengthened me for the journey. I am watching what the next years will bring-whatever the number. Enjoy each day that the Lord brings and grow in it. Thank you for another year Lord. enough for now.

Find Yourself, Find Your Pace

As I walked up the mountain I wondered, "Why is it so hard to pace ourselves?" "Why are we constantly trying to do like, act like, be like someone else?" Could it be that we have been trying so long to impress, to 'show', to represent, to people please that we don't know who we are? As a result, we don't know our pace for the journey. You know the way we will overcome hurdles, obstacles, hindrances and just plain journeying in general. We don't know our own rhythm for life so we can't appreciate what God is doing in out life; because we are trying to have another'e rhythm, another's pace.

Discover your pace and go with it. Discover who you are by examining whose you are. Rest in that, and then listen for directions from Holy Spirit. You see, you don't know the journey, Holy Spirit does. You know don't know you, God does. And your way has been made. Trust God so you can walk in it. No, you can't even trust self because 'self' doesn't know, 'self' has no clue of the journey.

This is an exciting time for you- if you allow it. You are discovering who you really are. It doesn't matter your age- what matters is that you do it. Find yourself, find your pace. Breathe- say yes to Jesus. Now watch what God is doing in your life.  enough for now.

No More False Goals

Too often we find ourselves moving toward what we have made as a goal; only to find out it was not in keeping with what God had for us. And we wonder why it is so difficult. Yes, life is difficult; but it does not need to be so treacherous all the time. It will be that when we do not hear clearly from Holy Spirit. There are things that you have been shown; yet you chose an different way. At any point when you recognize the correct way, get on course and allow yourself to walk in peace.

Your path, is set, walk in it. Recognize that you are not alone. No more false goals. enough for now.

"It's too far," "I can't do it," "Who else is going?" How many time have you uttered these? Hmm. Our journey is our journey. It's good that we don't know how far; we don't know what lies ahead, we don't know who else is going or way. If we did, we probably would not want to go. But we do know who had already laid out the route, mapped our the journey, so we can follow. Let's try following, shall we? enough for now.

Slow Your Roll

Too often we get in such a hurry that we miss what we are looking at- we miss it. We miss what we need to see while trying to see something else. Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. what on earth do we do at that point? Slow down and breathe. Slow down and hear. Slow down to watch what God is doing. Slow your roll. enough for down.

This is Your Journey

What is it about us that we feel the need to know that someone else is going the same way, doing the same thing, or in the same place? While we are to live and learn in community we travel this journal alone. Yes, there are those that travel with us for a season. When that season is done, it's done. When we are clear on our path, it really does not matter that someone close has another path to take. Our path is our path. Our journey is already mapped out, already secured; we must travel it. Enjoy your journey- the ups and the downs. And at all times, watch what God is doing. enough for now.

Pace Yourself

As I walked up the mountain I kept hearing pace yourself. Your pace is not like anyone else. So I slowed up in order to catch my breath. I realized that I was not trying to beat my own time but to pace someone else- so that I didn't look weak.  I was breathing hard and feeling embarrassed, after all I should have more stamina by now. As I came back down the mountain I realized that everyone had their own way of breathing to get up, of pacing themselves to get up, of sweating to get up. And I realized that my walk is my walk.

On this journey you must know that your pace is your pace. Don't try to match another. Don't try to act like another. Just be who you are. Go in your own pace. Listen to what God is doing. Enjoy your journey. enough for now.

Endure

Endure. Endure. No matter what. No matter how long. Hold on. Hang in there. There is a mountain where I live and I have been determined to walk the over 2 miles up. I was determined to walk a little more each day. On my third day a guy coming down laughingly told me to hang in there, just a few more miles. What? I paused, rested and turned back down, determined to do more tomorrow.

Later my driver took me on up so I could see how far. I showed him where I turned back. And then we rounded the curve where I stopped. I was outdone! The top was just two short hills away. Less than half a mile. He said, 'you were right there." The next day I went on up the mountain.

Endure, don't let anyone discourage you from your goals, your dreams. Endure, on this journey, you don't know the end but you do know the destination. You don't know who will journey with you but you do know who guides you. Endure, don't give up. Sometimes you must stop and rest and then carry on. This journey is not about speed, or about who you know; but about endurance, and whose you are. Hold on. Hang in there. enough for now.