This Little Light

Jesus never ceases to amaze me. I mean, for real.  

Every time I get a little low. Whenever my way seems cloudy and confused. Whenever I'm just wallowing and drowning in my own thoughts, he simply shines a little light.

Just a little glimmer of hope to press me forward, to move me along. A little flicker to let me know he heard my cry.

That's why I love him. Just because with all the things going on in the world, he simply has time to hear me.

I'm in love with Jesus. I'm grateful that through his death I can have life and light -- eternally.

The LA Effect

I recently took an amazing trip to LA. 

One great part about the trip was that my plane had wheels up from a foot of snow in Dallas, and I landed in 80-degree LA weather. The sun was shining, and everyone knows I thrive in sun. I felt like I got my groove back.

I worked out with Richard Simmons, whom I've loved since I was a kid. Yes, he's a big caricature, but he is fabulous. You've got to give it to a man who is paid handsomely for just being himself.

So I'm having this amazing dinner with these beautiful, amazingly smart, talented, single black women. They live in LA. They all came to the city with dreams. They're living them out to an extent, but no one is making money. No one is thriving to the point they want to thrive. And they're at a crossroads of stay and keep fighting the fight; or throw in the towel and leave.

What a conundrum. I mean what do you do?? Do you keep fighting against all odds? Or do you accept that you've done the most you can do and it's time for a new dream? And if you settle for a new dream, will you ever be fulfilled?

I guess for me, I've got to just keep going after the dream. Whatever the dream is. It's my dream. God knows it. He placed it inside me. I have to trust that he will open the doors needed to fulfill it. 

Keep pushing ladies.

Snow Day

Dallas, Texas had a record snow day today. 9 inches and counting. The most snow ever.

I look outside and it's absolutely beautiful. 

But then I realize I don't need to drive the hour to work. And even if I want to I can't get out of the driveway. And what about that flight tomorrow? Snow is creating complications.

But at the end of the day, I lay in my warm bed, while the snow falls outside, and I realize how very blessed I am.  I worked from home. I never had to leave. My home is comfortably heated. Food was stocked in the fridge and pantry. God is good. Life is great. There is no downside. I can just enjoy the snow, and pray it melts before my flight in the morning. :-)

Passed

God is so great. Today I passed my test. My really big, daunting, stressful GRE. I'm so grateful. For the past three or four months, I have diligently studied. I prayed. I cried. 

I realized I didn't know math. At all. Like I couldn't add. I couldn't subtract, multiply, divide, figure out percentages, ratios or the hypotenuse of the right triangle. But I could study. I could pray. I could hold God at his Word for my life.

So I took the test today. And I was nervous, but I was at peace. I knew his will would be done. And guess what??? I PASSED!!!

Not only did I get the score I needed, but I exceeded it greatly. I even ended up with a higher math score than verbal score.  Isn't that just like our God??? I did my part. I studied. I showed up to the fight. But He worked it out for my good. He gets all the praise.

Faith without works is dead. Faith with works is a miracle!

Drinking the Kool-Aid

I hate people telling me what I can't do. I hate when people tell me their method is the only method. It's like they're drinking their own Kool-Aid. They can't see anything different than their walk, their method, their journey.

The cool thing about it is that God is a very personal God. His principles are the same, but he applies them differently to each one of his kids. It's a fact that he's a loving God, but he shows love differently to me than he does to you.

With that said, why do you think I have to walk just like you walked??

I'm so grateful that with him in my corner, I can walk, trot, jog, run, straight, zigzag, jump over, roll under, whatever he tells me to do. And through my obedience, his will will be done. I'm so excited. 

My journey won't be yours. It will be mine alone. So stop trying to make me walk like you. Just sit back and watch God. His glory will be revealed.

Decide

I have decided what I want to do in this next phase of my life. 

Let me clarify.

I decided. Then, I freaked out because it's so big. I thought I was crazy for deciding that. I let the naysayers and commenters affect my decision. I backed away from the decision. I downplayed the decision. I questioned the decision. I prayed against the decision. I asked God to take the decision and the desire away. I was scared.

But then, I remembered why I decided in the first place. My decision has nothing to do with you, or them or even that other side of me. It's a base knowledge. A peace in the still of my soul that says if I don't follow through with the decision, I won't live my best life. If I decide not to decide, I will I will be deciding to be shortchanged and enslaved by my own fears. 

I decide to move forward. I decide to love wholeheartedly. I decide to reach forth in faith and know all will be well. I decide to recognize fear, look it in the face and pack it in my purse if necessary, but move forward regardless.

I decide.