Ask yourself today “What is one thing that is holding me back from fulfilling my purpose”

Then ask the Lord to help you tackle just that one thing.

Surrender that one thing to God this week!  Every time you think of that problem, issue or thorn in the flesh surrender it again to God!

If you are thinking to yourself that there are several big things holding down, then ask the Lord to help you move past those stumbling blocks too!

It is time, dear friend to move past them, through them or over them!

Today, take back the power you have given your problem or addiction.  I promise you, you can do it.

Be blessed and encouraged today as you and I begin to walk in freedom and purpose!

*I wrote this almost a year ago to the day.  I came across it and felt it was a perfect bit of inspiration.  We must seek God with all our heart and all our strength and trust Him for the power to do all that He has called us to do!  Dear friend, if you feel your dream is just our of reach remember all you need is a hope and a prayer and some awesome friends to encourage you wouldn’t hurt either. I believe in you but most of all so does Jesus! So go ahead, lay down what is holding you down and get up and do what you are called to do. 

What if on this Thankful Thursday …

You lose your keys …

You lose your dog …

You can’t find your purse and you’re late to a meeting …

You get home with all the hamburgers and no fries …

Or you’re at the checkout at some grocery store and realize  you forgot the eggs in the deepest darkest part of the store. So you have to haul all the way back to get them.  Worse yet, you fill your cart and get ready to check out and you realized you left your wallet at home.

The inconveniences of life.  The stuff of life. They can be a real pain in the neck.

You know what I mean.  That is the stuff that drives you crazy. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those crazy things happens to you or me today on this Thankful Thursday.

Yet, we must remember that it is in those crazy inconvenient  moments, when we are convinced we can’t learn anything from what’s happening that God can use any experience to make us better women of God. As I have said before He can use the good, the bad and the ugly but we have to let Him.

We can learn peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control and so much more. But we must just remember to call on the Lord when the stuff of life is getting us down or overwhelming us and yes driving us crazy. Francesca Battistelli has a really cute song about this very topic. i hope you will check it out.

The ever-present world is always watching and our children also look to us to see how we handle the difficulties of life.

What kind of woman will you be when you are inconvenienced on this Thankful Thursday or any other day?

God can use everything to make us better and stronger women of God, but we must let Him.

Life is Life and Life is full of things that don’t always go our way.

So on this Thankful Thursday, remember that the stuff that drives you crazy just might be the stuff that God uses to change your life and the lives of others around you!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we learn to be crazier about God than the stuff that drives us crazy!

Well, at least I think it is pretty wonderful.

As a child we had a huge rope swing in our backyard, and I mean it felt like you could fly all the way to heaven.

The breeze in your face, the wind in your hair and pure freedom in the sky – like a bird! My brother and I would swing for hours.  I think he pushed me more than he actually got to enjoy the ride himself.  Sometimes we have to do that in life!

I was swinging several weeks ago with the youngest Son of Thunder and I was transported to another place in time … 

A place where the cares of this world were far behind me and gravity did not exist.  For a brief moment I was free. Like a child again, free to dream and believe in the impossible.

Today why not try to bring that freedom into your everyday life.  That feeling of being free to dream and be inspired by the sights and sounds of this beautiful life around us.

What a treasure to be loved and to love.  To be free.  To be safe in the arms of Jesus no matter what we face.

So whether you can run out and jump on a swing or simply stop for a moment and remember what it was like to be a child again, let all the cares of this world fall off of you as you fly effortlessly through the air. Take a deep breath… and let go… feel the breeze…

I say be free sister and fly!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today!

However, this Thankful Thursday it was a bit different for me.  My heart and my mind seemed to spin with ideas but I was devoid of a confirmation, that was until I was returning an email to the middle Son of Thunders music teacher early this morning. 

You see, it has been a long, long seven days for the middle Son, since he has been fighting a virus starting late in the evening on Friday.  He was checked for strep early Monday but it was negative so we began the process of a slow recovery but thank God he should return to school tomorrow.

Seven days is one thing, missing school is another.  But not being able to be an Oompa Loompa in the fifth grade play, well, that is quite another thing altogether especially after a month and half of rehearsals. 

The middle Son is a strong soul.  But when he has “hit his wall”, well, I can read him like a book.

It is one thing when another has to tell you can’t do something you have worked long and hard to do but is quite another when you know it yourself.   We tried everything to get him well but to no avail. So on Tuesday the day before the musical he looked into my eyes with heart-sick eyes and said ” I can’t do this.  I am just too sick”.  I already knew it but now he knew it for himself.

Last night was the big night and all his emotions converged. Tears were shed over missing the musical but we are on the other side of it now which will make it a bit easier.  But disappointment and grief does not dissolve over night.  I know that all too well from personal experience and I am sure you do to.

So when I emailed his music teacher this morning I was positive this was my Thankful Thursday staring right back at me in black and white.

Here is what I shared with his teacher~There I sat with the middle Son and he simply said “Mom, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Because I will never have the chance to be in the 5th grade play again because I will never be in 5th grade again.

Painful words, but Oh, so true. 

That opportunity is gone forever.  He was right about that.  How many times have you and I had to face that in our own lives?  An opportunity lost forever…

 We processed a lot last night while the cast of 70 friends were singing away at the performing Arts Center. We tried to make sense of “it”, the bug that is and why did it had  come during the week of the musical.  Somethings we will never understand.  We will never be able to reason ourselves out of  some of the things that have happened to us.  It simply is what is… and we must move on.

Funny thing is, I am not always very good at that, “moving on” part.  I get stuck sometimes, really stuck and friends, books, prayer, the Bible and writing are the only way I can get out of it. 

Everything is a learning experience isn’t it?

But last night, my sweet Son and I set our eye’s on the other opportunities God will give us.  There will be more plays, more musicals, more “something’s” that the middle Son will get to do and so will you and  so will you. 

We can’t recapture that moment in time again but I am confident God will give us new ones!

On this Thankful Thursday I am reminded of what I said to the Middle Son of Thunder this week;  I am thankful he tried out for the musical. I am thankful he took the part he was given and did not drop out.  I am grateful he was recuperating on the sofa and not in a hospital bed like before when we were in Oklahoma.  I am grateful we have had this time together and I am grateful that there will be more opportunities to sing and dance again!  Those are some of the things I am thankful for on this Thankful Thursday!

So on this Thankful Thursday, if you find yourself today on the other side of a broken dream or a disappointing outcome of wonderful moment, remember my sweet friend, God is ready and waiting to give you a new opportunity to enjoy life again!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today for you are treasure!

Ask yourself today “What is one thing that is holding me back from fulfilling my purpose”

Then ask the Lord to help you tackle just that one thing.

Surrender that one thing to God this week!  Every time you think of that problem, issue or thorn in the flesh surrender it again to God!

If you are thinking to yourself that there are several big things holding down, then ask the Lord to help you move past those stumbling blocks too!

It is time, dear friend to move past them, through them or over them!

Today, take back the power you have given your problem or addiction.

Be blessed and encouraged today as you begin to walk in freedom and purpose!

You may call it something else at your house, but we call “It” that.  The thing you feel when you know you can’t take one more step, one more move, one more phone call not returned, one more whatever.  It is when you’re flat-out “spent”.

You have nothing left to give yourself – or anyone else for that matter.

To be honest friends, I have felt that more than once in the last several years.  Starting over a life is not easy. Losing my parents, who were such strong Godly pillars in my life, and simply having to make so many decisions about our life and life’s work has been flat-out exhausting at times.

But I know many of you are walking through the same journey as Winters and I are.  I also know it could be even harder and I am grateful it is not. On this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for the friends that have chosen to stand beside us and face our future, or “giants” as Winters calls them, together with us.  I am thankful for those friends that say” how can I help,” and “what can I do,” or simply “I love your latest post or Winters’ interview”.  Words that speak hope and words that speak life to weary journeyman.  I pray I give the same encouragement to you and those I meet.

In Everyone Needs A Sam, Winters writes that many will go to the mountain top with you.  There are many who want to tag along when you are important, but few will walk life’s dark valley with you.  He talks about those faithful friends that will join you in your lowest and darkest hour as you are searching for a  light switch, and they bring the flash light.  I pray I am that kind of friend, packed with a flash light and willing and ready to turn it on at a moment’s notice. I thank God for all my flashlight-carrying friends.  You are a blessing to us.

We have been on the mountain top of success and we have been in the deep valley of despair.  We have been rich and we have been poor.  But as the apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content no matter the circumstances.”

This past week was a week of reflection.  That can be a good thing, but only if you come out the other side with more perspective and understanding.  And so I did, have more insight and perspective that is.  I wish some of the events of the past could have been different, but they weren’t and if they were different I would probably not be sitting here typing this post.  So again, I have a deeper appreciation for the here and now.

Winters is a deeper, more compassionate and wiser man than he was and for that I am so grateful. Because of the path we have chosen Winters Writes.  It is his gift.  His calling. Non-conventional as it may be.

I recently read a phrase on an artist friend’s business card the other day, it simply read:

“Sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one”

I love that.

I think it can be so true , often we have a plan. We think we know what we want and we head out on the journey, dreams packed, prepared and ready. We have great plans.  However, along the way you find an even better one.

New passions, new purpose and new opportunities may pop up right in front of us and we must be open and willing to see the new dream God may have for us.

If the word of God says “He will give you the desires of your heart”, then the way I see it He will either give you the desires of your heart or change your heart’s desire.  I really do think it is that simple.  There may just be a new dream God is just trying to birth in your heart and life.  It might be right around the corner. One prayer time or devotional away from being birthed.

So if you have “hit your wall,” you have lost your “whatever” and you feel completely spent and on top of that you are afraid  your dream is just out of reach …

Be open.

Be willing.

Be restored and renewed.

Ask God for eyes to see and just wait, any moment your friends will start turning on their flashlights.

You are not alone.

On this Thankful Thursday dear friends, be renewed as you step into new purpose and new dreams! Because frankly maybe the new dream is better than the old one anyway.  And thank God for the friends with flashlights.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday as we remember that what ever we are walking through, God has not been taken by surprise, you are not lost, but found.

And the Dream, whatever it may be, is still alive and well in your heart and soul whether it be an old one or a brand new one!

We can’t just stop the clock and start over.

We can’t take back the words we said or the words we did not say. We can’t get back the missed opportunity to hug our children, say I love you or share the gospel with a stranger on a plane.  That moment is gone…

We can spend a lot of time torturing ourselves trying to get something back we once had or at least think we had.

I can’t undo the progression of my parents health decline and the decisions they made, we made or wouldn’t have made.  They are done. Those choices are final and in the past.

Life is fragile.  We must handle it with care. Most of the time we can’t go back and fix things. We can say we are sorry. We can ask for forgiveness. We can try to re-do what we have done but it is done.  We can do a lot of thing but rarely do we get a “do over”.

Yesterday I wrote on my Facebook page that “Sundays always feel like a new beginning. Whatever you did last week is behind you and the week ahead is a chance to have a fresh start. If you long for a fresh start with our Lord and Savior all you have to do is ask. He is there waiting and ready to help you walk through any and everything!

That is the beauty of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we get a “do over ” in sorts because God is the  God of new beginnings.  What a gift to have a loving Savior who forgives and forgets.  He says ” I will never leave or forsake you”.

As I write in the Power Prayer Girls Handbook, walking in forgiveness, freedom, purpose and power are key tools to being a mighty intercessor for Christ! As well as letting go of the past and the things that hold you captive.

Embracing and celebrating who you are in Christ is key to your spiritual success!

You must also celebrate your gifts, your talents and your treasures! Today look at what is ahead of you~Focus and think on that which is good, pure, right and lovely… Think on these things… Phil 4:8.  Focus on what you have and not on what you don’t!

The story of the prodigal son is the best story ever about starting over.  The prodigal Son basically got a “do over”. No questions asked~No lecture, no “I told you so” . Just celebrations, killing the fatted cafe and putting on the royal robe and ring!

That my dear sweet sister is what Jesus offers you and I!

Jesus welcomes you and I into a life we could never truly comprehend.  One of forgiveness and unconditional love.  One where rules and regulations are more commandments to help guide us to a more intimate life with Christ.  We are the prodigal Son and the Father, well, is the Father. A Father with an embrace that can change your life forever!

So if today you find yourself in need of a “do over” and in need of the loving touch of a forgiving father remember that He waits with His arms wide open to receive you~ no questions asks.  We must simply come putting the past behind us!

Remember your brokenness makes you more beautiful! We are new creations in Christ!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we walk in new freedom, forgiveness, and a future full of hope and praise God for Do Overs!

P.S. Winters the Writer and editor is out of the office, so please forgive any errors!

Would I have been Peter or John or James or maybe even Judas? Or any of the others present.

There have been times I am sure I have been like all of the disciples at one point or another.

I have done a lot in my life that I am not that proud of, but I have never blatantly denied Christ like Peter did, but considering what he faced, who knows? I simply pray I would never do the same. I have also not intentionally betrayed Jesus like Judas, but I am sure there have been times that I should have spoken up in a crowd or even in a small group and declared my faith in Christ stronger than I did.

But those of you who know me well, know I am pretty outspoken and opinionated.  Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is not so good!  Even one of my dearest friend’s son’s once pointed that out about me, saying “Miss Corby is pretty opinionated isn’t she mom?  Funny coming from an eight-year-old who isn’t even your own child.

But still, I often wonder who I would have been during Christ’s ministry and the last days and hours of His life.

Could I have been John the Baptist preparing the way for the Lord?

Would I have let Jesus wash my feet?

Would I have washed the feet of another?

Would I have recognized Christ as the true, one God?

Would I have truly believed that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life?

Could I have been the woman at the well?

Would I have carried Christ’s cross down the Via Dolorosa?

Would I have been John, who stayed at the foot of the cross and later took care of Jesus’ mother?

Would I have denied Christ three times like Peter?

Or worse, would I have not even been a disciple at all but rather a soldier casting lots for Jesus’ clothes .

And even worse yet, could I have been someone in the crowd yelling “Crucify Him”.

I pray not …

I certainly pray I would have recognized Christ’s holiness and been a passionate, dedicated follower of Him until the very end of my life. I pray I would have withstood the torturous death that most disciples endured to the very end with dignity.

I want to be a dedicated and loyal follower of Christ.

I want to be like John, loyal and faithful until the very end; unwavering at the foot of the cross of Christ. Terrified probably, but none the less a loyal and faithful friend in good times and in bad.  I would like to be Peter, the one that yes, denied Jesus but the same one whom Jesus said “Upon this Rock I will build my church.”

So on this Good Friday as we remember the suffering of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you may want to spend a moment or maybe even two, thinking about who you might have been at the Last Supper.

The bottom line is this – if you don’t like who you think you would have been, it’s never too late to be someone else.

So dear sweet friends, be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Good Friday as we remember that there is a reason you were not at the Last Supper and that is because God has placed you in this time in history for a reason.

Now, go fulfill your purpose and be the person God has called you to be!

For some today, it maybe difficult to find anything to be thankful for, especially if your life has been impacted by the evil or cruel acts of others.

However, on this Thankful Thursday, I think that we can be thankful that God gave us the power to impact a world for Him. God’s love, grace and forgiveness is a ever present power.

Most Americans believe they are Christians, but what does it mean to be a Christian? What are the differences between a believer and non-believer, do they look alike?  I have heard it said this way – ” just because you stand in a garage it does not make you a car, In the same way, just going to church does not make you a Christian”.

Sometimes I think it is hard to tell the difference between Christians and non- Christians. But one thing is for sure: we should be different. We must be salt!  When we are among the Godless we have an opportunity to be a light to show them the way to God. But we must be open and let our light shine.  Yes, others may resist and pull back, pull away and maybe cut you off. But we can be a light all the same.

We must  have a heart for the lost.  We must be willing to put our inhibitions aside and be a bold witnesses for Christ. As I read in Matthew I was reminded that we are THE hope for a lost world.  We can be a beacon of light.  Just as a lighthouse warns the seaman of upcoming danger, we as believers can be a  light to a lost and weary soul – a lighthouse to the cross or to the impending danger of an eternity without God.

As I read Matthew 5:13-16, I knew it would be perfect for this Thankful Thursday. Remember sweet Sisters and Brothers:

“You are the salt of the earth! But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled upon by men.

“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

“Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house,  In the same way you let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven!”

On this Thankful Thursday I urge you to be a light!  Let your life shine like a beacon, for all the world to see that our hope is not in this world but in Christ and Christ alone.

So on this Thankful Thursday be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we remember that we are like a city set on a hill shining bright in the darkness!

Most of you know I love shoes and I always have.  My mom said I arrived in them the day I was born.  I am sure they were leopard stilettos!

From the time I could walk, I could not wait to wear heels (you can check out the photo on I Once Was A Pageant Queen to attest to it) and I drove mom crazy asking her to let me start wearing them.  I have a love for shoes, but frankly it is fashion altogether I love.  Friends always ask me why I dressed up so much and I was honest and said I love the way I feel when I am in heels!

As I walked past the purse and shoe department on this Thankful Thursday, I was reminded that sometimes we have to say Shoo to the Shoes and the stuff in life that is keeping us from achieving financial wealth and freedom!  I want to be a savvy, sophisticated saver!  That is my goal – to learn to spend less and save more.

Winters has lovingly, on occasion, said the Little Black Dress can spend money, can make money, but can rarely account for money. Ouch, but sometimes the truth hurts.

So on this Thankful Thursday I am not talking about cutting coupons, but you certainly can if you want too.  I am talking about an overhaul to your spending attitude toward money.  We must become really wise women when it comes to money.  We as women need to be not good in this area but fabYOUlous!  We have got to be savvy and smart .

Yes, sadly we might have to just say shoo to the shoes and the things that are keeping us from our financial freedom. Again this might sound funny coming from a gal who loves her accessories and her stuff. But let’s be honest, we must be wise women with our financial future and wealth in mind.

I have been reading a terrific book and I  highly recommend it called,  Shoo, Jimmy Choo by Catey Hill.  It is a funny, clever and well written book.  The girl knows her stuff and nails this topic!  It is written a bit more toward the single city girl but, oh, it is so worth the read and you will certainly laugh and possibly cry when you calculate how much money you have waisted away over your lifetime on magazines, shoes, and so more.

In just the short time I have read it, Hill recommends many things to get your spending habits on track and here are my two top favorites:

First, set up a spending diary and see where every penny is going. This is a great idea for the LBD and probably all of us!

Second, decide what kind of spender you are:  Emotional, Impulsive,Compulsive, Absentminded, Social, It’s On Sale, Reward Spenders: ~Ouch! Again I think I am all of the above.

Bottom line Ladies we all know that knowledge is power!  On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful Winters is so patient.  We have always tried to live on cash and no credit cards. Thank God. God put me with a saver!

But I think it is time we all get hardcore and say shoo to the shoes if it is getting in the way of wealth! Whoo! I really did just say that and I mean it. Shop in your closet, make your own latte, eat in rather than out and live life to the fullest!

Be blessed and encouraged on this Thankful Thursday as God gives us strength to say shoo to the shoes if we need to!